MORNING SENTINEL • March 25, 2021
The Fairfield Town Council unanimously agreed to send a letter to the Maine Department of Marine Resources expressing “substantial concerns” about the potential removal of the Shawmut Dam. An amendment to the Kennebec River Management Plan calls for the removal of up to four dams including the Shawmut, which is currently going through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC relicensing process. The letter states, “We will not argue the importance of fish in our rivers or the importance of their ability to access their assumed natural habitat. That is for the biologist(s) and engineers. We do, however, have substantial concerns about the financial impact and societal well-being on our community.”