The Penobscot Will Flow Free
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 / KW
If you've read our book The Triple Bottom Line, you know the story of the Penobscot River in Maine, which has long been a subject of contention between environmentalists and business forces.
Like many rivers in the Northeast (and elsewhere), the Penobscot has been blocked by a series of dams that generate electric power but also harm wildlife--in particular, the Atlantic salmon that must travel up the river in order to spawn. For years, the utility company that manages those dams--PPL Corporation--battled relentlessly against any effort to remove those dams or even to mitigate their effects.
But as we recount in our book, several years ago, under new, enlightened management, PPL began to work with its critics, including not only environmental activists but sport fishermen and Native American tribes (for whom the Penobscot River is holy territory). Complex negotiations produced a landmark plan for restoring the river. Now a milestone in the project has been reached: a Maine environmental coalition, the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, has raised $25 million needed to purchase three dams from PPL.
It's a classic win/win solution: The dams will be dismantled, allowing salmon and other fish to travel freely up the river, while PPL and its shareholders will receive fair compensation for the loss of productive capacity. In addition, the utility has been granted by the state the right to increase its electrical generation capacity at other dams in the Penobscot system, so there should be no difficulty in keeping up with the growing demand for power in the region.
The tale of the Penobscot is a remarkable illustration of what can happen when an embattled company gets out of its defensive crouch and starts collaborating with opponents in search of creative solutions to shared problems.
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Add a comment - Like many rivers in the Northeast (and elsewhere), the Penobscot has been blocked by a series of dams that generate electric power but also harm wildlife--in particular, the Atlantic salmon that must travel up the river in order to spawn. For years, the utility company that manages those dams--PPL Corporation--battled relentlessly against any effort to remove those dams or even to mitigate their effects.
But as we recount in our book, several years ago, under new, enlightened management, PPL began to work with its critics, including not only environmental activists but sport fishermen and Native American tribes (for whom the Penobscot River is holy territory). Complex negotiations produced a landmark plan for restoring the river. Now a milestone in the project has been reached: a Maine environmental coalition, the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, has raised $25 million needed to purchase three dams from PPL.
It's a classic win/win solution: The dams will be dismantled, allowing salmon and other fish to travel freely up the river, while PPL and its shareholders will receive fair compensation for the loss of productive capacity. In addition, the utility has been granted by the state the right to increase its electrical generation capacity at other dams in the Penobscot system, so there should be no difficulty in keeping up with the growing demand for power in the region.
The tale of the Penobscot is a remarkable illustration of what can happen when an embattled company gets out of its defensive crouch and starts collaborating with opponents in search of creative solutions to shared problems.
Labels: Penobscot River, PPL, Role of Government, Water
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