July 10, 2018 @ 6:00 p.m.
Damariscotta Town Hall
21 School Street
Damariscotta, ME
The Department of Marine Resources will hold a public hearing on the application of Dodge Cove Marine Farm, LLC for a 3.55-acre, 20-year, aquaculture lease located south of Hog Island, Damariscotta River, Damariscotta, Maine, for bottom culture of American/Eastern oysters, European oysters, northern quahogs, and bay scallops. Other compatible uses of the site would be permitted. At the hearing, the Department will take evidence relating to the criteria for granting a lease as listed in 12 M.R.S. §6072(7-A) and DMR Rule Chapter 2.37, including the effect of the proposed lease upon riparian owners’ shore access, navigation, fishing, ecology, and other uses of the area.
ALTERNATE HEARING DATE: If the July 10, 2018 hearing is postponed or cannot be concluded by a reasonable hour, the hearing will be continued on July 17, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. at the same location, and a notice will be posted at www.maine.gov/dmr/index.html, under “Meetings”.
INFORMATION ON DMR WEBSITE: See the Department of Marine Resources’ website, http://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.html, for the lease application and DMR site report (follow links for pending lease applications). Under “Public Participation in Aquaculture Leasing,” the following are posted: the lease criteria, hearing procedures, and suggestions for effective public participation in the hearing. For paper copies, contact DMR at the address below.
WRITTEN COMMENTS: DMR will accept written comments by mail, e-mail, or fax regarding the effect of the proposed lease until 5:00 pm on July 9, 2018.
SPEAKING AT THE HEARING: Any interested person may attend the hearing and ask questions of the parties or testify under oath about the effect of the proposed lease. You do not need to be an intervenor to submit comments or testimony.
INTERVENING: You may testify at the hearing without becoming an intervenor. If the proposed lease will substantially and directly affect you, you can apply for intervenor status. If DMR grants you intervenor status, you become a legal party and will receive all subsequent correspondence and can comment on the draft decision. Intervenor application forms are available at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/aquaculture/forms/standard.html. Applications to intervene are due at DMR no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 25, 2018. The Department will decide whether to grant intervenor applications no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 27, 2018.
Address comments, intervenor applications, and questions to:
USPS Mail: Maine Department of Marine Resources
Attn:
Aquaculture Hearing Officer
21 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0021
(207) 624-6567
E-mail: Send e-mails to to both:
diantha.robinson@maine.gov AND cindy.l.burke@maine.gov
For disability accommodations, contact Kathy Weymouth
(207)287-7578, TTY (207) 287-4474, kathy.weymouth@maine.gov
Authority: 5 MRS §9501 et seq. & 12 MRS §6072
