OLD TOWN (AP) – The Penobscot River Restoration Trust announced Tuesday it has raised $10 million in donations toward the purchase of three dams as part of a plan that would open up 500 miles of river habitat to salmon and other sea-run fish.
Under an agreement signed three years ago, the Veazie and Great Works dams would be eliminated and a fish passage would likely be constructed at the Howland Dam. The dams would be purchased from PPL Corp., a Pennsylvania-based utility.
The Bush administration has requested $10 million in federal funding for the project, which also relies on private money to help raise the approximately $25 million purchase price.
The restoration project is a collaborative effort involving PPL, the Penobscot Indian Nation, seven conservation groups and state and federal agencies.
“Tremendous private commitment has helped inspire federal investment in the future of the Penobscot River for Maine and the nation,” said Laura Rose Day, the trust’s executive director.
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