Greenfield, MA – The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) is hosting three virtual Hydropower Coffee Hour events to discuss and answer questions about the five Connecticut River hydropower facilities that applied for renewed operating licenses in December. The five facilities include the Turners Falls Dam and Northfield Mountain Pumped Storage in Massachusetts, and the Wilder, Bellows Falls, and Vernon Dams in Vermont and New Hampshire. Once they are issued, the licenses for these facilities will be in place for the next 30-50 years and impact more than 175 miles of the Connecticut River. It’s critical that we all speak up NOW in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to influence these operating licenses. Join CRC at these Hydropower Coffee Hours to learn more: 

  • March 10, 9:30am, Traditional Cultural Properties 
  • April 15, 9:30am, River Critters 
  • May 12, 9:30am, River Recreation 

Additional details and links to register can be found at ctriver.org/events. CRC staff and additional experts will be on hand to answer questions and share how the public can get involved in the hydro relicensing process to speak up for rivers. These events are devoted to question & answer. Each event has a unique topic to guide the conversation, but any questions related to the relicensing are welcome.  

The three Hydropower Coffee Hour events are a follow-up to two informational presentations held by CRC in January that can be viewed online at ctriver.org/livestream or on CRC’s YouTube channel. We encourage attendees to view these presentations for additional background about the relicensing and related concerns.  

Since 1952, Connecticut River Conservancy has been the voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. They collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for your rivers and educate and engage communities. They bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of your river and its tributary streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies. To learn more about CRC, or to make a contribution to help protect your rivers, visit ctriver.org. 

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