WHAT: A joint dedication ceremony will be held on May 29 to celebrate the start-up of fish lift operations at the Safe Harbor and Holtwood hydroelectric dams along the Susquehanna River. The ceremony represents a major milestone in the multimillion-dollar partnership effort to restore the once abundant American shad to its historic range on the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.

The largest effort of its kind in the nation, the Susquehanna River shad restoration project includes a fish-lift construction program to provide fish passages over the river's hydroelectric power plants. The Holtwood and Safe Harbor fish lifts were built by Pennsylvania Power & Light and Baltimore Gas and Electric as part of a unique partnership of electric utilities, government agencies, and environmental and sporting groups.

The lifts can transport more than 1 million fish upriver to their natural spawning habitat, an area closed off for more than 85 years to migrating shad.

WHO: The partners in the Safe Harbor and Holtwood shad restoration effort:

-- Pennsylvania Power & Light

-- Baltimore Gas and Electric

-- Safe Harbor Water Power Corp.

-- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

-- Maryland Department of Natural Resources

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission

-- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

-- Chesapeake Bay Program

WHEN: Thursday, May 29, 1997

Dedication program from 11 a.m. to noon; Lunch and tours to follow program.

WHERE: Safe Harbor Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Susquehanna River Conestoga, Pa., in Lancaster County
(Directions to the facility attached)

MEDIA CONTACTS:

-- Don Cunningham, Pennsylvania Power & Light: 610-774-5562

-- Nancy Caplan, Baltimore Gas and Electric: 410-234-7150 or 7433

-- Dan Tredinnick, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: 717-657-4012

-- Susan Obleski, Susquehanna River Basin Commission: 717-238-0422

-- Kate Naughton, Chesapeake Bay Program: 410-267-5758