Your River Story Will Help Improve Our Rivers

Do you care about your rivers? Join the Connecticut River Watershed Council and Art for Water in creating a "river of words" to draw attention to five major hydro-operations including Vernon, Bellows Falls, Wilder Dams to north of Hanover, NH. This public participation, community art project will tell a thousand stories urging officials to improve the ecological health and recreational opportunities of the Connecticut River. Add your voice by attending a presentation at the Windsor Town Welcome Center (near the Amtrak station), 3 Railroad Ave., Windsor VT on Tuesday evening, May 10 at 7 PM. FREE and Open to the Public.

"The State and Federal government is in the process of making decisions about how these dams will operate over the next 30-40 years. You have a unique opportunity to influence how 200 miles of the Connecticut River Montague, MA to north of Hanover, NH will be managed, restored and improved," says Andrew Fisk, Executive Director of the Connecticut River Watershed Council.

These hydropower facilities generate renewable energy that powers our economy, but they also have significant impact on our rivers. These facilities negatively affect how migratory fish move up and down our rivers, and cause erosion of valuable farmland and private property. There are advantages and disadvantages to every energy source and this relicensing is an opportunity to make these facilities operate better for the river and the public by creating a better balance between the positives and negatives of hydropower.

"The public owns our rivers and we have a powerful voice in shaping their future and our energy policy, we want people to tell us what they want for their river," Fisk urges.

Join us and learn about the hydro-relicensing. Put your hope for the future of the river into The Power of Water The Power of Words exhibit at Windsor Town Welcome Center on Tuesday, May 10th at 7 PM. Our voices have power to influence positive change.

To learn more about the presentation call 413-772-2020, ext. 206. This is also an opportunity to learn more about the CT River Joint Commissions, as this presentation is hosted by the Mt Ascutney Regional Subcommittee of the CT River Joint Commissions, whose meetings are always free and open to the public.