Help could be on the way for Mainers who make their living harvesting clams, mussels, oysters and quahogs. Two Republican legislators report progress in brokering a deal to expedite the cleanup of contaminated shellfish flats.
State Sen. David Trahan (R-Lincoln) is sponsoring a bill to overhaul Maine’s water quality testing program within the Department of Marine Resources (DMR).
State Rep. Dianne Tilton (R-Harrington) is the lead co-sponsor. The legislation would direct state agencies to move more aggressively to identify and clean up sources of pollution that have led to frequent closings of shellfish flats along the Maine coast.
“We’re trying to protect a traditional Maine industry,” said Tilton, a first-term legislator. “Shellfishing is a $130 million business in Maine. Clamming alone brings in between $50 million and $60 million. The problem is that runoff from farms and storm-flooded sewer systems forces state regulators to close the flats for long periods of time. That presents a real hardship for Maine families who depend on shellfish harvesting for their livelihoods.”
The legislation also calls for a vote on a $2 million bond for river cleanup to establish a dedicated fund that would operate under the jurisdiction of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The fund would be replenished by a $2 annual assessment on public sewer bills.
On March 3, Rep. Tilton and Sen. Trahan met with top officials from the Baldacci administration to explain the legislation and solicit support for the plan. The meeting included DMR Commissioner George Lapointe; Karin Tilberg, a senior policy advisor to the governor; and Andrew Fisk, director of the Bureau of Land and Water Quality at the DEP.
Two other legislators attended the meeting – Sen. Stan Gerzofsky (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Peggy Pendleton (D-Scarborough). Reps. Tilton and Pendleton serve on the Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee.
“We don’t see this as a partisan issue,” said Trahan. “We see this as a matter of pulling together to reduce coastal pollution and making sure that shellfish harvesters can make a living. Rep. Tilton and I were very encouraged by the tone of the meeting. I think all of us have a keen interest in solving this problem.
“Our legislation is a good starting point, but it’s not a finished product,” Trahan said. “We asked for their help with the final language. We want them to help shape the bill.”
The heart of the legislation would set up a dedicated, non-lapsing account that could accept funding from a variety of sources. The $2 million bond, if passed by the voters in November, would be augmented by the $2 annual fee on public sewer bills.
All fines for overboard discharge violations would go to the fund. Fifty percent of all future increases in state shellfish licenses also would be deposited in the fund.
On the operational front, the legislation directs that all funding not dedicated to DMR for water testing shall be used for cleaning up polluted shellfish flats, at the discretion of the DEP. The fund would provide grants to municipalities or associations for the sole purpose of identifying and cleaning up polluted flats.
Tilton said one of her top legislative priorities is to advocate for Maine’s fishing, lobstering and shellfishing businesses. “These are vital businesses for coastal Maine communities,” she said. “Our state needs to protect every job we have, especially traditional jobs like these that help define Maine’s character.”
The legislation currently is LR 418 – An Act Concerning Water Quality Testing of Shellfish Flats.”
When the official language is finalized, the measure will be assigned an LD number and sent to the relevant committees for public hearings and work sessions before coming up for a vote before the full House and Senate.