Last wild Atlantic salmon can survive Maine dams, feds say

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The federal government says endangered Atlantic salmon can coexist with dams on a river in Maine, dealing a blow to environmentalists who want to remove the dams. The salmon now return to only a few Maine rivers, including the Kennebec River. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday that four Kennebec dams owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the salmon if conservation measures are taken. The agency says upgrades would allow salmon to swim up the Kennebec from the Atlantic Ocean to freshwater inland habitats the first time since the 19th century.