Ben Cardin

I think that's the real challenge that we have in dealing with this, so that all stakeholders are treated fairly.

Well, thank you very much for that testimony. I feel like I'm getting a continuing legislative credit for your presentation.

I will always remember the legislators from Pennsylvania, because they don't have the same direct site of the Chesapeake Bay that we have in Maryland, and yet their understanding of the importance of what happens in Pennsylvania on the…

I think by working hand in hand with Exelon and all the other partners that are here in this room, we can find a good balance here.

There's no such thing as average, which is also true.

We just want to know that we're as well prepared as we can be.

It depends upon confidence that all stakeholders are being treated fairly.

Well, my concern is if you're going to have more nutrient as the result of a scour event that occurs in the spring rather than in another time of the year.

I want to talk about worst case scenario.

So let me just ask you, again, about the methodology that you used here.

Can you just comment at all about the risk factors we have on nutrient levels and toxics and others?

I'm trying to get the benefit if we were to increase the capacity at the reservoir on a normal basis.

It's been a struggle to get you the dollars that you need.

I understand what you're saying as far as the amount of pollution that goes in upstream.

Would that be a similar type of a lift, or would that be--how would you get past----

We need greater capacity. We need more room in the fish passage lifts to lift them up.

The normal operations, yes, and that has a big negative impact on the habitat immediately downstream.

Is that also true with the eel?

So we have greater capacity than--greater need than capacity? Is that what you're saying?

So we're hoping that we can work with Exelon to create a safe zone of passage, so to speak, for fish to migrate safely upstream and downstream.

The Susquehanna River and its tributaries is the single largest freshwater river in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

This dam provides an incredible amount of carbon-free energy to our country, which is very important--1.6 billion kilowatt hours of zero-carbon energy annually.

I think it's absolutely key that we have the best science judge what we can do.

Will that require us, as we revisit the Bay agreement, to understand that the assumption on the capacity of the dam is different today than it was before?

I'm glad I take my grandchildren there frequently to see Lancaster.