The Penobscot River, New England’s second largest river system, drains 8,570 square miles.  The river’s rich traditions date back to the Penobscot Indians, who first fished the area thousands of years ago.

 

Dam construction began as early as 1834, and continued with the construction of modern power dams.  The effect on sea-run fisheries was drastic, severely limiting the spawning of anadromous fish.  When PPL Corporation-owned dams came up for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) re-licensing, federal and state agencies, tribes, conservation organizations, and PPL formed the Penobscot River Restoration Project to collaborate on how best to restore sea-run fisheries.

 

In 2004, the partnership fi led its agreement with FERC, laying out  its roadmap for the river and its fi sheries. By removing, bypassing,  or improving passage at three dams, the agreement would eliminate  major barriers to fi sh migration, increasing annual Atlantic salmon and  American shad runs. The proposed roadmap would:

The USDI Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Tribal Incentive Program gave $200,000 to the Penobscot Indian Nation to help  support the Tribe’s role in the Penobscot partnership. Congress  appropriated approximately $1 million in fi scal year 2005 through  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for  the project.

FERC approved the initial phase of the proposed Penobscot project in April 2005.  Phase one agreements include: