Penobscot River restoration

The Penobscot River Restoration Trust is buying three dams on the Penobscot to restore Atlantic salmon, endangered shortnose sturgeon, American shad among other fish.

The plan ultimately calls for removing two of the dams and creating a fish bypass at the third. That work would cost an additional $25 million, which has not yet been raised.

The completion of the initial fundraising efforts means organizers can focus now on plans for removing or modifying the dams once they complete the purchase this year.

President Bush effectively put the initial fundraising effort over the top last week when he signed a $555 billion spending bill that includes $10 million for the Penobscot restoration effort.

- PressHerald

Katahdin Paper fined for pollution

BangorDaily reports on the Katahdin Paper’s settlement over pollution discharges in the Penobscot River.

Katahdin Paper of Millinocket has agreed to pay a fine of more than $100,000 for wastewater discharges that state officials say triggered a massive algae bloom in the Penobscot River last summer.

Under the terms of a proposed settlement agreement, Katahdin Paper will pay a total of $106,000 to the state, the Penobscot Nation and several pollution prevention and detection projects. Katahdin Paper has also agreed to abide by lower, temporary pollution discharge levels, although company officials said the mill no longer discharges the phosphorus at the root of the algae bloom.