http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/11/293918/small-hydro-has-strong-bi-partisan-support-so-why-cant-we-get-our-act-together/
written by Stephen Lacey
The environmental trade offs are huge considering fish passage through the dams and shoreline damage along water reservoirs and holding areas; changing total river flows and high or low water levels along rivers. The process can not be stream lined because all the groups you mentioned DO need to put in their technical expertise concerning the changes and fully represent the communities' environment(al) interests. Otherwise you once again give "the low hanging fruit" over to big energy corporations in the name of development, not looking to the future health of what is living in the rivers. If it wasn't already learned in sixth grade science, Yes, all things in nature are interconnected.
The smaller communities do not fully benefit when major energy buys out areas in states out of their region (ie PPL in Maine). How soon the public is forgetting that it is the small oil and gas wells being drilled by small independent drilling (under almost no environmental oversight or regulation) and then sold these wells to the few big energy companies. Who benefits in the communities when the income from drilling and leasing is temporary and the environmental impacts are everlasting? This should NOT be seen as an EASY fix.
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