CAMDEN, Maine — After years of study, heated debate and controversy, Camden’s townspeople spoke at the polls Tuesday, voting to allow the removal of the historic Montgomery Dam.
Residents favored question seven on the town meeting warrant by a vote of 1,391 to 995.
“I’m glad it’s behind us,” said select board member Ken Gross, who has advocated for saving the dam. “Now we have a basis for moving forward. In my mind we could have been there five years ago.”
The question asked if the town would authorize the removal of the dam “to return the river to a free-flowing river…” The ballot measure did set conditions, stipulating that the town is authorized to fund the work only from non-property tax revenue sources including grants and private donations, and any portion of the project impacting Harbor Park must have approval of the Camden Public Library Board of Trustees.
The Select Board put the question before the voters following the recommendation in February from the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee that favored full removal of the dam. The committee voted eight to one to make the recommendation.
Advocates of removing the dam support restoration projects in the river to make possible fish passage for species including alewives. They also argued it would save the town money in the long run not to have to maintain the dam, and they have expressed concerns about flooding and the need for resilience as climate change increases the frequency of rainstorms and impacts sea level rise, and along with those factors, flooding risks.
Those opposed to the removal have cited the scenic beauty of the waterfall and reflecting pond created by the dam. They have also raised concerns about what the ultimate cost will be to the town of the larger project involving dams upstream and the addition of fish passages.
Ultimately the dam removal gained the support of groups including the Penobscot Nation and the Library Board of Trustees. The environmental message of those supporting removal, including members of the MRCAC committee, which has been studying the dam since 2022, apparently resonated with voters.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.
