KENNETT SQUARE, Pa.,
April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- Exelon Generation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
today announced an agreement to restore American shad and river
herring to the East Coast's largest river over the next 50 years.
Shad and river herring are returning to their spawning grounds on
the Susquehanna River at their lowest numbers since the 1980s.
Exelon will improve fish passage facilities at Conowingo Dam
and transport up to 100,000 American shad and 100,000 river herring
annually to their spawning grounds above all four dams.
"With the support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
consent of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Exelon is
pleased to be party to an agreement that takes a significant step
toward the Fish and Wildlife Service's goals to restore American
shad and river herring populations on the Susquehanna River," said
Ron DeGregorio, President, Exelon
Power, Senior Vice President, Exelon Generation. "The trap and
transport program allows fish to bypass Holtwood, Safe Harbor and York Haven Dams to
successfully reach their spawning grounds."
Hundreds of thousands of American shad and river herring passed
Conowingo Dam in 2001, but that number dwindled to less than 15,000
shad each of the last two years and less than 1,000 herring each
year since 2003. The Service, along with other members of the
Susquehanna River Anadromous Fish Restoration Cooperative, seeks to
restore 2 million shad and 5 million herring above all dams.
"This is a victory for everyone who lives or recreates on the
Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay," said Wendi Weber, Northeast regional director for the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The agreement honors the
science-based recommendations developed by the federal and state
agencies that manage these resources. Along with upgrades at two
upstream dams, we believe hydropower dams should no longer be the
most limiting factor for shad on the East Coast's biggest
river."
Unlike other agreements, the agreement announced today not only
requires immediate restoration efforts, it also requires that
efforts adapt over 50 years to support a growing fish population.
Cutting-edge modeling will be used to upgrade Conowingo's two
existing fish lifts to meet fish passage restoration goals.
The agreement also reiterates American eel restoration efforts
originally outlined in the Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility
license. Eels will be trapped and transported upstream through at
least 2030, after which a new structure will support passage. As
eels migrate upstream, they distribute freshwater mussels that
filter millions of gallons of water daily.
Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), now including the Pepco
Holdings utilities, is the nation's leading competitive energy
provider. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon does business in 48 states,
the District of Columbia and
Canada. Exelon is one of the
largest competitive U.S. power generators, with more than 32,700
megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest
and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company's
Constellation business unit provides energy products and services
to approximately 2 million residential, public sector and business
customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100.
Exelon's six utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to
approximately 10 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania
through its Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power,
PECO and Pepco subsidiaries. Follow Exelon on Twitter
@Exelon.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working
with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife,
plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish
and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence,
stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated
professionals, and commitment to public service. For more
information on our work and the people who make it happen,
visit http://www.fws.gov/northeast/. Connect
with our Facebook page, follow
our tweets, watch our YouTube
Channel and download photos from our Flickr
page.
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visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landmark-agreement-with-exelon-us-fish-and-wildlife-service-uses-cutting-edge-science-to-drive-fishes-return-to-susquehanna-river-300256789.html
SOURCE Exelon Generation