Governor Spitzer in his executive budget proposed to create a new dam fee that would require dam owners to pay the state $500 a year to register their dam. The idea is that this fee would help pay for safety inspection of dams.

It's part of Governor Spitzer's plan to get businesses to pay for the fair share of inspection and registration services that they get from the state. It's not unlike the higher CAFO permit fees for farms, that propose to pay for the cost of inspecting farms for run-off problems.

It also will have some interesting side effect for smaller dam owners—it will encourage dams to be torn down rather then pay the $500 a year fee.

For salmon fishermen and others fighting against underutilized or abandoned dams that is good news. They want the dams torn down. Alternatively, they want salmon ladders added to dams. Modernization of dams typically require DEC permits that include salmon ladder provisions.

Dams provide a lot of benefits to society. They can provide an inexpensive source of electricity to towns and cities through hydroelectricity. They can create ponds and lakes that are enjoyable for recreational boating and fishing. They can protect areas from floods in the spring time.

The vast majority of dams do not pose a dramatic failure risk like Hadley Pond or New York City's Gilboa dam. These dams are an entirely different class then small hydro dams and those create ponds. They don't have the inspection demands that major dams create. So why should we be charging them the same rate under Spitzer's budget?

There needs to be safety inspections of dams. Yet, the cost to dam owners should be minimal if their dams are being put to use for the benefit of society. While dams like Imperial Mills, which lacks both any practical use and a salmon ladder are troublesome, there are many others providing a real function to society that should not be torn down.