Petitioner Doug Beaton, who has cranberry bogs that depend on the dam, said its removal is a bad idea for herring migration and shouldn't be done just because it's in disrepair.

"State safety officials have deemed it extremely hazardous because they don't have the information that it isn't," Beaton said. "In March, a 500-year storm breached the dam, and no one felt threatened. No roads were inundated. To me, this is evidence it isn't an extreme hazard for the general public."

Others signing the petition include the herring inspectors of Rochester and Marion; Rep. William M. Straus, D-Mattapoisett; Rochester Selectman Brad Morse, the president of Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association; Rochester Water commissioner Fred Underhill and Arthur Benner of the fish conservation group Alewives Anonymous.

However, coalition President Mark Rasmussen counters that removing the dam will remove a barrier for the majority of spawning fish in the Sippican River. The other pond in that part of the river is Leonard's Pond, which is bigger.

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