Almost ten years after a local paper mill ceased operations, the new owners are now preparing to abandon three dams that are vital to the Bucksport area’s watershed.
On Thursday evening, a large gathering of community members, whose livelihoods depend on the dams’ reservoirs for drinking water as well as property values, filled the campus of the old mill. This event provided one of the few chances for residents to engage directly with AIM Development USA, the current owner of the dams.
Residents took turns expressing their concerns to company representatives, seeking clarity about how the abandonment would affect nearby homes and those further downstream. Questions also arose regarding the structural integrity of the dams and the potential risks associated with their removal. One long-time resident from Toddy Pond asked an urgent question about worst-case scenarios and the implications of water releases, illustrating the anxiety of unsure futures: “Should I get scuba gear for my house, or will I need sunscreen because it could turn into a desert?”
For local officials from Bucksport, Orland, Surry, and a local water utility, this meeting was the first in-person dialogue with AIM since the announcement of the abandonment intentions. Officials demanded clarity on how AIM would uphold its responsibilities, as outlined in property deeds, concerning the maintenance of the reservoir crucial for drinking water in Bucksport and for a nearby gas-fired power plant. State law permits AIM, if no other agency steps in, to release water from the reservoirs in a manner that minimizes impact, leaving mudflats and the dams behind.
“The town has sought information from the petitioners,” stated Bucksport town manager Susan Lessard, reflecting on the chaotic communication experienced thus far. However, AIM representatives remained largely unresponsive, promising to address the questions through an online forum in the coming weeks.
As the aging dams in Maine come into question amid rising maintenance costs, the outcome of this situation may serve as a model for similar discussions in the future.
Challenges are significant. Thirteen years following an investigation that highlighted shortcomings in dam inspections across Maine, the state’s dam safety program continues to operate with insufficient staffing and funds, despite increased risks posed by climate change and severe weather events.
While inspections have been completed for over 500 dams in the state, new protocols have yet to be implemented. The office responsible for dam safety is missing digitized emergency procedures for residents in the event of dam failures and lacks critical digital inundation maps that detail potential flooding threats.
Last year, an engineer was recruited from retirement to handle the extensive need for assessments due to a scarcity of applicants for a permanent lead engineering position, which has been adjusted multiple times with salary increases. An assistant engineer has recently been added to the team to aid in the understaffed inspection process.
“The aging dam infrastructure in Maine presents major challenges under an underfunded program facing significant obstacles in implementing risk reduction strategies,” noted the authors of the 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan.
A number of dams currently come under the label of high-risk and unsatisfactory condition, the worst possible rating. Compliance with repair recommendations is rare, as the program does not enforce actions against owners who neglect their maintenance duties. Consequently, communities such as Bucksport are at risk of becoming responsible for the financial burden of these deteriorating structures.
With an average age exceeding 100 years, the 672 dams regulated in Maine are far from examples of modern engineering. The federal dam database identifies 62 dams as having significant safety deficiencies, with 15 classified as unsatisfactory and in urgent need of repair. Ten of these 15 not only present immediate safety threats but also pose significant risks to human life if they were to fail.
The responsibility for ensuring these dams meet safety standards lies with the state dam safety program, which consists of only two engineers overseeing numerous regulated dams, many of which are classified as high-hazard. In comparison, a federal agency supervises large hydropower dams with five engineers responsible for a similar number of high-risk structures.
Outside of the concentrated risks present in Fort Fairfield, the remaining 75 high-hazard dams and 85 significant hazard dams spread throughout Maine pose added concerns for emergency management. It falls to the limited staff to conduct inspections every six or twelve years, depending on the hazard status of each dam, while also maintaining emergency protocols.
Amid earlier challenges, Maine’s dam safety team achieved compliance with inspection deadlines, showcasing one of the country’s highest rates for such compliance. Despite this achievement, the assessment authors indicated that identifying deficiencies is futile without subsequent repairs.
Chronic low funding and a lack of staffing have consistently plagued the dam safety program, which relies on federal grants for operational costs. The program receives no operational budget from the state government and does not charge fees, resulting in a drastic shortfall for its functions.
Despite having the legal power to enforce compliance, there is a glaring lack of funding directed toward enforcement measures. The program does not even have established procedures outlining what enforcement should entail. This budgetary constraint means hiring a permanent lead dam inspector is nearly impossible.
One year ago, program head Steven Mallory, who is not an engineer, faced considerable challenges when a lead inspector departed, and no suitable replacements emerged. The situation was alleviated temporarily when a retired inspector returned to assist on an interim basis.
Efforts have been made to increase salaries for the position, but the program still struggles to attract applicants as qualified engineers are often drawn to more lucrative opportunities elsewhere.
With limited resources, the dam safety program has found itself reactive rather than proactive, unable to enforce necessary upgrades or manage removal of outdated structures effectively. Recent flooding incidents across the U.S. have highlighted the potential consequences of infrastructural failures.
Concerns voiced by emergency management officials echoed this sentiment during a recent state commission discussion about infrastructure resilience amid climate change.
While the dam safety program adheres to standard regulatory models, these have not yet accounted for the realities of climate change in their guidelines.
Maine’s historical regulations address worst-case flood situations, and Mallory has been proactive in assessing dam conditions, particularly during a significant flood event in late 2023. Despite maintaining confidence in the current dam infrastructure, Mallory acknowledges that climate change’s repercussions cannot be overlooked.
Maine’s 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan aims to address these challenges by securing federal grants for rehabilitation of high-hazard dams. Recently divining a $2.5 million award, the program is also working on modernizing inundation maps and emergency plans using GIS technology.
Nevertheless, the improvements thus far represent only a fraction of what is needed to elevate the program and strengthen its climate resilience.
Neighboring states have faced similar challenges, yet have managed to navigate these growing issues through legislative changes and increased funding. In Vermont, for instance, regulatory reforms in 2018 empowered the state’s dam safety program to better enforce regulations.
With a growing number of staff and a renewed focus, Vermont’s dam safety program has turned into a proactive and effective entity, demonstrating what can be achieved with the right resources.
In Maine, Mallory views the situation surrounding the abandonment of Bucksport’s dams as a critical example of the mounting challenges facing the dam safety program. He hopes the attention brought to this issue will inspire lawmakers to adopt necessary recommendations for future preventive measures.
“This is the first abandonment ever. I think this can act as a key learning moment,” Mallory stated. “I’m optimistic that this attention will prompt meaningful changes that prevent similar challenges in the future.”