The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission re-licensing process for GFD_Suez FirstLight Power’s Northfield Mountain and Turners Falls Power Canal Projects on the CT River officially began with FirstLight’s Notice of Intent to file for two new operating licenses to use our river to make electricity for the next four decades.  Over the next four months–until the end of February 2013, officials from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and directors of fish & wildlife programs will be meeting to decide the critical studies needed to restore and safeguard the Connecticut River through the year 2058.

FirstLight is anxious to see that the main studies guiding the “restoration” of migratory fish is based on moving migratory fish upstream through their power canal, NOT upstream through the ACTUAL Connecticut River, sitting directly adjacent to their canal.  The Power Canal route has proven a disaster, patently deadly for any river restoration.  After 32 years, and study after study, “improvements” enable ONE fish in TEN, to emerge alive, upstream of the Turners Falls Power Canal passage.  It is a death sentence for any true restoration of the river.

To learn more, tune into a broadcast of Greenfield Community Television’s LOCAL BIAS, with host Drew Hutchinson.  In the program I attempt to explain how complexity is clouding the thinking and priorities of our wildlife officials, and h0w simply requiring the Connecticut River to be allowed to flow through its own bed at critical times is the key to having a working ecosystem for the next three generations to come.

Here’s how you can tune in:

Episode (# 127) will be cablecast Wednesday 5:30pm, and Thursday and Saturday 9pm starting November 7th for two weeks. It will also be available via video on demand at gctv.org sometime next week.

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