In Their Own Words:

The Penobscot River Restoration Trust is the non-profit organization established for the purpose of implementing the core aspects of the Penobscot River Restoration Project, working in collaboration with PPL Corporation and federal and state agencies. Its members are:

• American Rivers, a national non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy natural rivers and the variety of life they sustain for people, fish, and wildlife.
• The Atlantic Salmon Federation, an international non-profit organization which promotes the conservation and wise management of the wild Atlantic salmon and its environment.
• Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine's wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation, and action.
• The Natural Resources Council, a statewide membership organization committed to the protection of Maine's waters, air, and forests.
• The Nature Conservancy, an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of biological diversity.
• The Penobscot River is the ancestral home of the Penobscot Indian Nation.
• Trout Unlimited, a national conservation organization whose mission is to conserve, protect, and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

Take Action:

From a recent email from Penobscot River Restoration Trust:

In September, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) opened a public comment period on the Penobscot River Restoration Trust's permit applications to remove the Great Works and Veazie dams and to construct a fish bypass at the Howland Dam. This opportunity to show your support for restoring self-sustaining populations of sea-run fish to the Penobscot River watershed ends on October 15th. The comments submitted by supporters become an important part of the ACOE federal record and highlight public support for successful completion of the restoration project and realization of the many benefits that will follow. We have already generated a record of broad public support on the FERC record; however, we still need to generate a similar record of public support on the ACOE record in order to ensure the permitting process continues to move forward quickly. 

Please take the time in the next few days to submit comments indicating the reasons why you support restoration of the Penobscot River and requesting that the ACOE move quickly to issue permits so we can move forward in restoring the health of this magnificent watershed. Only one or two paragraphs are necessary, and make a real difference in ensuring expediency in federal permit approval!  It would also be helpful if you cc'd your comments to Jennifer Curtis at mailto:jennifer@penobscotriver.org.

To view a copy of the ACOE public notice, please go to the home page of our web site www.penobscotriver.org and click on the link (direct email address is www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/pubnot2.asp).

Comments must reference File Number NAE-2003-02462 and can be emailed to Jay Clement at mailto:jay.l.clement@usace.army.mil or sent by mail to:

Attn: Jay Clement

US Army Corps of Engineers

New England District

Maine Project Office

675 Western Ave. #3

Manchester, ME 04351