(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the Metropolitan District Commission, shall make Colebrook River Lake Dam release and holdback requests to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, as needed, to achieve an optimum flow in the Farmington River for: (1) Fish and wildlife, (2) recreation, (3) the river's health, (4) flood risk reduction, (5) tourism, (6) hydropower, and (7) safety.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, the Metropolitan District Commission shall release from the Goodwin Dam any amount of water released from the Colebrook Dam based on a request of the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection in furtherance of the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.