ECOWATCH • October 21, 2020
The era of building large dams in the United States is over. The prime spots were cemented decades ago, and the ensuing harm to fish and other wildlife has been well documented. Attention is now focused on removing obsolete dams and retrofitting existing hydroelectric dams to reduce ecological harm and increase energy efficiency. Canada appears to be the exception. Massachusetts has a big project in the works. New England Clean Energy Connect would bring 1,500 megawatts of capacity through a 145-mile-long transmission line running through Maine. Opposition groups, including some environmental organizations, are challenging various aspects of the project in court.