Maine Aquaventus FOAA of DMR 2017 names and organisations listed

Maine Aqua Ventus FOAA of Maine Coastal Program DMR Maine Department of Marine Resources. List of officials and others involved.

Here is a list of the state and federal officials, academia , consultants and wind industry listed in the  DMR March-Nov 17, 2017 FOAA documents released to Friends of Penobscot Bay.  

MAINE AGENCIES

Shannon Ayotte  office of DMR commissioner  Shannon.Ayotte@maine.gov

Kate Tierney (MAG Representative)

Nixon, Matthew E

Burrowes, Todd  Coastal Program  Federal consistency, dredging, takings, public trust

Leyden, Kathleen ME Coastal Program

Desjardin, Tom;  

Noll, John Submerged Lands Director

Marvinney, Robert G.  UMaine 

John Noll (MDACF) 

Carl Wilson (MDMR)

Sue and Dawn Hallowell (MDEP)

Stacie Beyer (LUPC) 

Bob Stratton (MDIFW) 

Dennis Nault (MDMR)

Jeff Thaler  (UME atty)

Jake Ward (UME)   

FEDERAL

Wende Mahaney (USFWS) 

Sue Tuxbury NOAA (cable routing)

Jay Clement (USACE)

Mark McCollough (USFWS) 

Michelle DesAutels (USCG) 

 Andy Qua (Kleinschmidt) Andy.Qua@kleinschmidtgroup.com or Jeff Thaler Jeffrey.Thaler@maine.edu  (UMaine) 

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
Jeff Thaler jeffrey_thaler@maine.edu;
Jake Ward jsward@maine.edu;
Damian Brady damian.brady@maine.edu;
Tony Viselli anthony.viselli@maine.edu;

CONSULTANTS
Peter Browne <Peter.Browne@hdrinc.com>;
Andy Qua Andy.Qua@KleinschmidtGroup.com
Kayla Easler <Kayla.Easler@KleinschmidtGroup.com>

Ocean Renewable  Power  Company
N Johnson njohnson@orpc.com

Owls Head waters getting federalized. Listen to 12/12/17 meeting on federal anchorage proposal.

Are Owls Head's outer waters getting Federalised?

Listen to a 14 minute discussion, (mp3)  at the 12/12/17 Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission meeting, on a plan to designate a federal anchorage area off Owls Head, to facilitate cruise ships bringing passengers to Rockland Harbor

Rockland Harbor civic boundaries, Rockport, Rockland & Owls Head

 Penobscot Bay & River Pilots Association has asked the US Coast Guard to designate the waters of Owls Head's Broad Cove as  a Federal Anchorage Area,  specifically to facilitate projected increases in visits to Rockland Harbor  by large cruise ships. Read  July 6, 2017 submission to USCG by David Gelinas  president of Penobscot Bay & River Pilots

On December 12, 2017 the Rockland Harbor Management Commission had a  discussion of  the Federal Anchorage proposal. LISTEN TO THE 14 MINUTE DISCUSSION (mp3)

Gelinas, a veteran ships pilot, told the Coasties that rising cruise ship traffic  to Penobscot bay calls for  more methodical  management of anchorage use by oversized cruise ships  at the mouth of Rockland Harbor. much of which is within the town borders of Owls Head.

"Not only are the numbers of cruise ships on the increase," Gelinas wrote "but the average size of such vessels is on the increase as well. Having a larger, dedicated anchorage area will assist in keeping this traffic coming to our state, and will serve all mariners with a clear illustration of where such vessels will likely anchor when coming to Penobscot Bay."

Rockland Harbor Commission considers plans to realign, privatize portions of its inner harbor. AUDIO MP3s

Listen below to the city's December 12, 2017 meeting of its Harbor Commission.

Topics: Landmark Corp's presentation on (1) planned finger pier in-filling of  part of`city's Inner Harbor by Yachting Solutions (2)  Reshaping city mooring field. (3) Installing a lengthy wooden wave attenuators -serious scenic public view blockers?

AUDIO MP3s

Introduction of meeting attendees 2min12 sec 
Attendees List  at  end of recordings below. 

PART 1.

Mike Sabatini LandMark Corporation, Recap/overview of the Yachting Solutions  project . 6min 3sec

Mike Sabatini on Impact on public and fishing industry moorings. He is joined by Rockland Harbormaster Matt Ripley 8min 38sec

Q&A Session Part 1.  6 min 19sec

Q&A Session Part 2. 8 min

Q&A Session Part 3. 5min 34sec

Q&A Session Part 4. 6min29sec

Q&A Session Part 5. 6min 34sec

Q&A Session Part 6. 7min 30sec

Q&A Session Part 7. End  6min 31sec

PART 2 DISCUSSIONS

* Outer Harbor anchorage plan 14min * Submitted plan 

* visual impact of planned wave attenuators 3min 13sec

* Rockland Fish Pier dredge & upgrade plan. 10min 15sec

* City/MDOT meeting 8min 11sec

* Mooring fields & wave attenuators. 5min 49sec

* Late harbor workboater Georges Marks 39sec 

* Closing discussions part 1. 5min 8sec

* Closing discussions part 2. 6min 15sec

* Closing discussions part 3  to end 4min 53sec

* Full 57 minutes  of part 2

MEETING ATTENDEES 

1. HMC members: Louise Maclellan Ruf,(chair) Melissa Maker, Matthew Ondra, Richard Whitman, David A. Leon. Tom Peaco HMC alternate,(also head of Pen Bay Chamber of Commerce).

2. ROCKLAND GOVT 

Harbormaster Matt Ripley,   

Assistant Harbormaster Mark Tibbetts. 

Lisa Westkaemper Rockland City Council.  

City manager Tom Luttrell.   

3. YACHTING SOLUTIONS & CONSULTANT

Phil Morong, Yachting Solutions

Chris Laughton, Yachting Solutions; 

Mark Sabatini, Landmark Corporation; 

4. MEDIA

Ron Huber, WRFR community radio; 

Steve Betts, Courier Gazette, 

Dave Getchell of Maine Boats & Harbors, 

5. MEMBERS OF PUBLIC 

Ken Pride, Rockland Yacht Club launch pilot ,  

Lynne Barnard, resident of Main Street  

Chris Johnson  & Don Johnson residents of the South end.

David & Ellie Wiley,

Backstory.....

* Who owns Rockland Harbor? 

You and I. Us.  The state of Maine, through its Bureau of Parks and Lands owns and administers all the submerged lands of Rockland Harbor (and all of Maine's state waters) on behalf of the people. 

 The Submerged Land Rules' Preamble makes that clear.

"The State of Maine holds Submerged Lands, as defined herein, in trust for the benefit, rights and use of the general public." ..."Because exclusive, private uses of Submerged Lands restrict the public's ability to exercise their rights to use and enjoy these lands, the issuance of any conveyance requires careful consideration of the impacts of such conveyances on public trust rights as well as a just and fair compensation to the public for the private use of Submerged Lands." 

* Revenue for Rockland?

What does Rockland get for allowing  exclusive use by Yachting Solutions of this part of Rockland's inner harbor?  Nothing.  The state  gets revenue from  leasing harbor floors  for slips (and for aquaculture.)   See the  Maine Submerged Lands Rules in Section 1.8 "Fees",  which state that

"The annual rental fee for slip space that is rented or otherwise made available for private use for a fee is based upon a percentage of the gross income of the Lessee."  

[Gross income of the lessee's slip rentals public or private. Detailed below]

These rules also require owners of such a development project  to  "Provide significant public benefits to the People of Maine, to offset the loss of Submerged Lands occupied by the structure,...." But the definition of "significant public benefits" is an eye-of-the-beholder term to local, state and federal permit reviewers. What's significant to one permit reviewer or decisionmaker may be of little consequence to another.

* Loss of moorings for local boaters.  Yachting Solutions' Bill Morong  said at the November HMC meeting that remaining moorings can be rearranged.

How practical is mooring field rearrangement in  a small harbor like Rockland's?  There's a lively lobster fishery, increasing recreational fisheries, . a coast guard base, windjammer fleets ferry terminal and 

Right, rearranged further from the Public Landing, perhaps in Owls Head, which would mean the little revenue from those moorings would be  lost. The interests of Rockland residents are of no interest to YS, the City, the State of the US National Park Service

"Gross income means one of two things:

1. "The total annual income received by a lessee from seasonal or transient rental to the general public of slip space over submerged land." 

2. For "...facilities with slip space that is not rented or leased to the general public"...."by calculating a regional average slip space rental fee and applying that to the portion of total linear length of slip space made available to private users for any portion of that year

Rockland Harbor Commission reviewed plan to reorganize inner harbor.11/20/17 AUDIO mp3s

On November 20, 2017 the Rockland Harbor Management Commission heard from Mike Sabatini of Landmark Corp and Bill Morong of Yachting Solutions on remaking Rockland's inner harbor  Listen below  to the presentations

Pt 0 Introduction. 1min 27sec

Part 1 Mike Sabatini. Landmark Corp 1. 5min 13sec

Part 2 Mike Sabatini 7min 2 sec

Part 3 Mike Sabatini  7min 40sec

Part 4 Yachting Solutions  6min 36 sec

Part 5  Yachting  Solutions  8min 8sec

Part 6  Landmark and Yacht Solutions 6min 33sec

Part 7 Yachting Solutions &Landmark Corp 7min 46sec

Part 8.Yachting Solutions   6min 51sec

Full Harbor Management commission meeting 57 min

Mating attendees Harbor Commission members David Leon, Peter Smith, Melissa Maker, Louise McLellan Ruf;  Harbormaster Matt Riley;  Rockland development director Julie Nash; Mike Sabatini, engineer Landmark Corp;  Bill Morong & father (Bill) Yachting Solutions LLC;  Stuart Smith, landowner   Ron Huber Friends of Penobscot Bay/WRFR,  Lynne Barnard, Rockland public, Andy O'Brienm Free Press.

Audio MP3s: ME Supreme Judicial Court hearing oral arguments on rockweed case 11/14/17

 Seaweed harvesters cut intertidal rockweed during high
tide, using cutting barges and handpowered pole cutting

On November 14, 2017 the Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments of an appeal by the seaweed cutting industry of a Maine Superior Court decision finding rockweed growing in the intertidal area  to be "owned" by the  shoreowner. SCROLL DOWN TO SPEAKERS

The case is  Kenneth W. Ross, Carl E. Ross And Roque Island Gardner Homestead Corporation, Plaintiffs / Appellees, V. Acadian Seaplants, Ltd., Defendant / Appellant.  CLF Amicus:   Docket # WAS-17-142

AUDIO MP3s
Part 0. Introduction  by Chief Justice 1min 44sec

Part 1 Acadian Sea Plants attorney & questions 13min 44sec

Part 2. Maine DMR attorney Connors & questions 5min 32sec

Part 3 Attorney Smith  for defendant & questions 19min 10sec

Part 4 Rebuttal by Acadian Atty to End 2min 43sec

Full recording 42 min 32sec 

Cruise ship schedules Rockland Maine 2017

Scheduled Cruise ship arrivals/departures  Rockland  Maine 2017
twenty two visits so far. Six more to come.

Source - cruisemapper - Rockland Maine 2017

Tuesday
30 May, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 30 May - departing at 30 May)


Thursday
8 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 08 Jun - departing at 08 Jun)

Thursday
15 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 15 Jun - departing at 15 Jun)

Thursday
22 June, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 22 Jun - departing at 22 Jun)


Thursday
13 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 13 Jul - departing at 13 Jul)

Thursday
20 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 20 Jul - departing at 20 Jul)

Thursday
27 July, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 27 Jul - departing at 27 Jul)
MS Independence (arriving at 27 Jul - departing at 27 Jul)



Thursday
3 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 03 Aug - departing at 03 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 03 Aug - departing at 03 Aug)

Thursday
10 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 10 Aug - departing at 10 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 10 Aug - departing at 10 Aug)

Thursday
17 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 17 Aug - departing at 17 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 17 Aug - departing at 17 Aug)

Thursday
24 August, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 24 Aug - departing at 24 Aug)
MS Independence (arriving at 24 Aug - departing at 24 Aug)

Thursday
31 August, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 31 Aug - departing at 31 Aug)


Friday
1 September, 2017

American Glory (arriving at 01 Sep - departing at 01 Sep)

Thursday
7 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 07 Sep - departing at 07 Sep)

Thursday
14 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 14 Sep - departing at 14 Sep)

Friday
22 September, 2017

MS Independence (arriving at 22 Sep - departing at 22 Sep)

Tuesday
26 September, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 19:00)

-----------------

Wednesday
4 October, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 18:00)

Sunday
15 October, 2017

Silver Whisper (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 17:00)

Thursday
19 October, 2017

Norwegian Gem (arriving at 08:00 - departing at 18:00)

Friday
20 October, 2017

Vision Of The Seas (arriving at 07:00 - departing at 18:00)

Penobscot Bay threatened AGAIN with offshore dumping of lead & PCB-laden dredge spoils

Is the US Army Corps of Engineers trying to fast track dumping of unacceptably contaminated sediments from the mainland into waters 3 miles off Vinalhaven?

The location for dumping sediment spoils dug up from the harbor floor has ping-ponged from the Rockland Disposal Site off the Fox Islands, onshore to Rockland's own Snow Marine Park and now back to the bay!

As we try to make sense of this Rockland Fishpier Dredge plan, here are some background documents and emails  to bring you up to speed.

EMAILS Discussions of the below documents, as well as about the now-dropped plan to land dump the spoils onto Snow Marine Park in Rockland,

 FOAA'd emails June 2016 to July 2017.

2016 DOCUMENTS  Sediment test and Army Corp response

3/16/16 Chemical Analysis of a marine sediment :City of Rockland Fish Pier ,Rockland Harbor, Rockland, ME Application Number NAE-2015-1695 60pgs Written by Bud Brown of EcoAnalysts, Inc

7/16/16 Army Corps of Engineers Suitability findings on Rockland Fishpier sediments  Quote:  "These sediments are not suitable for unconfined open water disposal at the Rockland Disposal Site (RDS) as proposed."

2017 DOCUMENTS Army Corps issues new plan for fishper dredge spoils  going to RDS

7/28/17 Sampling and Analysis Plan for the City of Rockland’s Fish Pier, Rockland Harbor, Rockland, ME, Application Number NAE-2015-1695

AUDIO

6/27/17  Rockland Harbor management committee on dredge spoils - 6 and a half minute mp3

 Historical 

1973    July 1973 federal EIS for Maintenance Dredging Rockland Harbor 

How we got where we are.  Above documents get  referred to below

1. July 6 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers rejects dumping fishpier dredge spoils into the Rockland Disposal Site - located between the Fox Islands and Rockland The Corps cites a toxic mix of wastes in the spoils Here are excerpts from their suitability findings on the spoils "

Excerpts:
"These sediments are not suitable for unconfined open water disposal at the Rockland Disposal Site (RDS) as proposed. There are alternatives available to the applicant. These include upland disposal or biological testing of the materials.

Metals "in the sediments represented by Composite 2, cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) concentrations for the project are more than twice the “mean plus two times the standard deviation” of the RDS reference value." .

"Five PAHs (phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, and chrysene) concentrations are at least 10 times reference values.

PCBs, "most of the congener concentrations in the project were above the analytical detection limits.
End of excerpts

2. In 2017 the city of Rockland then turned to the land disposal option and found two possible sites.

One would be a fresh topping* of Snow Marine Park in Rockland's south end with the spoils. This would elevate the height above sea level of the park by a certain amount. The second would cap the now filled-to-capacity Rockland Quarry Dump with the spoils, over which a sodded surface would be planted

However Nature has reasserted Herself. The waters that formerly flowed down slope through the South End as a stream into the cove now disperses itself through the filled-in spoils, upwelling as significant wetlands across the north end of the park, making that area off limits and apparently reducing the available area to too small for the spoils . In addition the city councilmembers seem to oppose topping a public park with sediments tainted with lead, cadmium PCBs and other toxins
* Snow Marine Park was created by filling an intertidal cove with dredge spoils - about half a century ago. (From where?)

3. Back to the bay! On July 27, 2017, Army Corps' Charles Farris sent an email to two other Corps officials and Bud Brown the rep of EcoAnalysts Inc . The short message:
"Here is the final sampling plan for the Rockland Fish Pier. Please contact me with any questions."
Norm"

Maine Lobster Festival 2017 Interivews 1. Margot Kelley on "CAUGHT: Time Place Fish" by Glenn Libby and Antonia Small.

CAUGHT: Time Place Fish  by Glenn Libby and Antonia Small. Published by Wrackline Press  

Listen to a 21 minute interview of Margot Kelley,  an editor at Wrackline.

Recorded during the 2017 Maine lobster Festival by Ron Huber, of WRFR Community Radio

Rockland Fishpier Dredge plan FOAA docs June 2016 to July 2017.

On July 20th,Rockland Harbormaster Matt Riley responded to Friends of Penobscot Bay's  request for info on dredge plans for Rockland's Municipal Fish Pier  with the below emails and documents. They date from June 26, 2016 to July 19,2017. Thanks Matt!

2016 first then 2017

NOTE: attachment links at ends of pages won't work. Those attachments are posted separately with an  * asterix* in front of name.

2016  Emails relating to Rockland Fishpier dredging and renovation

062616_Richard Whitman fisherman, Matt Ripley

062616_Bud Brown president EcoAnalysts, Inc to Audra Caler-Bell Rockland community development spec; Matt Ripley, Rockland Harbormaster Cc: Tim Forrester & Lisa Vickers (EcoAnalysts)

* 070816 Refined sample map

070916_Bud Brown. Audra Caler-Bell; Matt Ripley Cc: Tim Forrester; Lisa Vickers

071116_ Bud Brown, Audra Caler-Bell; Matt Ripley Cc: Steve Durrell -Prock Marine

080916_Peter Tischbein ACOE Cc: Jay Clement ACOE; Shawn Mahaney ACOE; Audra Caler-Bell; Matt Ripley; Tim Forrester; Lisa Vickers(biologist,EcoAnalysts) 

* 080916 Rockland Fish Pier Grain Size Analysis for Use of Sand as Cover for Dredge Material.

090216_Kim King (MDOT) to Brian Downey (ME Pilotage Assn) re Port Safety Forums 106 & 107

090916_Peter Blanchard DEP  to Matt Ripley.

091916_Peter Tischbein to Ripley

112216  Carol Woodcock (Senator Collins), Matt Ripley, Nick Battista (Island Institute), Patricia Aho, (Collins)

2017 Emails relating to Rockland Fishpier Dredgeing and renovation

031717_Audra Caler-Bell , David St Laurent Rockland Public Works; Matt Ripley, Cc: Will Gartley, (Gartley Dorsky,) "Andrew Hedrich (Gartley Dorsky)

050517_Jennifer Lynn to Matt Ripley; Michael Martuna & Ray DeGrass

051217_Audra Caler-Bell To Ray DeGrass (dragon) Cc: Matt Ripley

051217 Audra Caler-Bellaler to Ray Degrass (Dragon), Matt Ripley

051217 Audra Caler-Bellaler to Ray Degrass (Dragon), Matt Ripley

052317_061917 Bud Brown, Matt Ripley; Andrew Hedrich Cc: David St; Tim Forrester, Lisa Vickers; Will Gartley

052317_Audra Caler-Bell, Matt Ripley re SHIP Application  

* Read the SHIP Application (pdf)

052417 Bill  Najpauer Midcoast Economic Development District,  Audra Caler Bell, Matt Ripley. Northern Border Grant

* 052417 EID application

* 052417_Project Timetable & Budget

* 060417  Two docs: DEP Accreditation Certificate and Scope - 060417- 060319 

* 060917  Support of EDA grant FOR Rockland 061917.pdf

061917 Virginia Noble, Matt Riley, cc  Lisa Ignaszak

070117 Steve Betts Courier Gazette to Matt Riley

070717_Michelle Michaud (Sen Collins staff) Richard Whitman Rockland Fisherman, CC Matt Ripley AND 07/0717 Richard Whitman to Michelle Michaud 

071917 Louise MacLellan-Ruf_Matt Ripley; cc Melissa Hale; Tom Luttrell

Rockland Harbor Commission 7/19/17 mtg ponders fish pier dredge issues, weighs costs of alternatives. AUDIO

At their  July 19, 2017 meeting  the Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission discussed  plans to  dredge the sides and end of the Rockland Fish Pier and dump the spoils either on Snow Marine Park or at the Rockland Disposal Site in mid Bay Background info.

Audio recordings of the two Fish Pier dredge plan-related discussions at the meeting. Below the meeting photo is a recording from the June 27th mtg of the Harbor Commission about the dredge plan.   

Part 1  "Fish Pier Dredge Report & discussion. 8 minutes 

Part 2, "Snow Marine Park Spoils Report" 7min 44sec


Harbor Commission 6/27/17 
Fish Pier Dredge Report, discussion  6 min 13sec

ME Legislature to vote on tightening restrictions on creating new category of political parties

Important Changes to Mainers'  political and civic rights  happened at the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee  of the legislature on May 10, 2017.  Listen to the recorded discussions then the committee votes in approval of bills LD 1591 and LD 1571. 

May 10, 2017  Meeting introduction 2min

* LD 1591   Lobbying by Former Legislators and Former Executive Branch Officials"  Imposes a one year no-paid-lobbying minimum after leaving office. Listen to LD1591's worksession and vote. 14min 36sec 

During the work session both the secretary of state and a professional lobbyist spoke at length in favor of the bill.

*  LD 1571  "An Act To Amend the Election Laws Relating to Party Qualification" creates a new category of political party in Maine: the "Minor Party"   Listen to LD 1571 worksession 51min      Key Points: 

Minor parties to have 2 major differences from majors

1.Need minimum 5,000  enrolled voters to qualify as a legitimate political party, 

2. Select candidates at conventions.

 Major Parties (Ds and Rs) 

1. Need minimum o\50,000 enrolled voters to qualify 

2. Select candidates via primaries. 

Me legislators hold hearing & worksession on bill to revamp state laws on archives & records-keeping. Vote OTP.

A bill changing  the state of Maine's archives and records management laws had both its public hearing and worksession  on May 8, 2017, and was then reported out with an Ought To Pass

The bill is  LD 1567 "An Act To Amend the Archives and Records Management Law"

Listen to LD1567's public hearing & worksession. 16min 22sec (mp3)

Submitted testimony:

Matthew Dunlap testimony, Secretary of State,
Roger Katz, Maine State Legislature

Official summary of the changes the bill brings to state and local records management
"This bill makes the following changes to the archives and records management laws:

1. Adds language to specify that it is the policy of the State to ensure that nonpermanent records are preserved for the time required by an approved records retention schedule;

2. Adds language to include the advice from the Archives Advisory Board in the State Archivist's consideration of what constitutes an archival record, to change the definition of state agency or agency to include all government agencies that transmit records to the Maine State Archives and to change the definition of electronic records;

3. Adds language to specify the 2nd organizational unit within the Maine State Archives is records management and adds language to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 94 that was stricken from Title 5, section 95 regarding powers and duties of the State Archivist;

4. Changes the laws governing the State Archivist to reflect the 2 organizational units of the Maine State Archives: archives services and records management. It adds language to strengthen the records management practices for all state and local government agencies by using 4 criteria in the development of a guiding records retention schedule: administrative use, legal requirements, fiscal and audit requirements and historical and research value;

5. Specifies when local government records may be destroyed;

6. Repeals and replaces the laws governing the Archives Advisory Board to change the expertise required of members, to provide that members are appointed by the Secretary of State and to provide 3-year terms for members; and

7. Removes the requirement that the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs but retains the requirement that the board report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters, which is the committee of oversight for the Maine State Archives. It also removes a reference to funding a full-time position that was eliminated in Public Law 2015, 

End of summary

Maine bill to ban towns from having pesticide ordinances fails!

AUGUSTA.  LD 1505: “An Act To Create Consistency in the Regulation of Pesticides“ had a public hearing on May first, followed by two work sessions by the Maine Legislature's State and Local Government committee on  May 8th and May 15th.

The May 15th worksession  lasted only 90 seconds but that  was long enough for the committee to give LD 1505l an Ought Not To Pass

Listen to the May 8th Worksession  in which they ponder the info they'd gotten 
Part 1. Introduction; summary of public hearing comments. 9min 19sec

Part 2, Gary Corbin ME Municipal Assoc 8min 24sec

Part 3. Lebelle Hicks, State Toxicologist 6min 25sec

Part 4. Deven Morrill, chair Board of Pesticides Control  12min 12sec

Part 5. Mary Ann Nahf, Harpswell Conservation Commission. 6min 11sec

Part 6. Discussion and decision to hold another mtg 5/10/17. 3min 51sec

The bill would both kill all existing town pesticide related ordinances in Maine, and forbid  creation of new ones. The state offered an amendment that would still kill the ordinances but would allow towns to apply  to the Board of Pesticides Control for approval of new plans. 

Many in the committee remain opposed to the bill, especially as an infringment on municipal Home Rule which allows towns to pass ordinances that are strong than certain state laws.

The committee voted to hold another worksession Wednesday before voting on the controversial bill. 

Three Penobscot Bay towns have pesticide ordinances Rockland, Owls Head and Castine  Twenty six other Maine towns also have such ordinances.