No Discharge Zones - Defending Penobnsot Bay Water Quality

Defending the water of Maine’s Territorial Sea from megayacht sprawl to the Cruise Ship  industry.

 Ron Huber, Penobscot BayWatch

Global warming and global warfare are directing more and more cruise ships and megayachts to the peaceful Gulf of Maine. Each of these vessels is a significant discharger of graywater and treated sewage, which affects the water habitats of our coastal fishes, clams, mussels, seals, seabirds, and all their kin. With  limited controls at present, such discharges taint the water these must breath and live in, and can close and reclose beaches and clam flats to our own uses.

Fig 1 Existing Maine NDAs. None east of Mt Desert. NH NDA lower left.

It is time for Maine to join New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and commit to designating our state's entire territorial sea a No Discharge Area.

 NDAs are places like Casco Bay and Boothbay Harbor, where, according to NOAA "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably
available". In those coastal reaches it is forbidden to dump even “treated” boat sewage, sincethe (usually self service) pumper is easily available  

Thus they are called “pumpout stations”. Like those for motorhomes and vacation trailers, a hose is connected to the boat's septage holding tank and its contents are pumped ashore into a landside holding tank for later disposal at a sewage treatment plant.

It can only be designated if "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available". How is that done? By installing pumpout stations for recreational boaters. 

Pump out stations for boats are the same as those for RV's: a hose is connected and the pumpout is powered up, sending the boat's sewage into a landside holding tank for later disposal at the local sewage treatment plant. 

Existing Maine NDAs are far apart. There are None on the downeast Maine coast from the Canadian border southwest to Mt Desert Island, where one protects Bar Harbor and neighbor towns.

EXISTING MAINE NDAs

Unlike her sister New England states, Maine has designated only  4  portions of her coast as NDAs:

• All of Casco Bay
• All of Boothbay Harbor
• Penobscot Bay’s Camden, Rockport & Rockland adjoining harbors
• Mount Desert/SW Harbor/Tremont water complex. 

Boothbay Harbor, for example, was designated a No Discharge Area in 2009 after the US EPA found that  "The information submitted to EPA by the state of Maine certifies that there are six pumpout facilities located within this area... EPA has determined that adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels are reasonably available for the area covered under this determination. " (full federal register notice)  

The important next step: Designate Penobscot Bay an NDA. 
At present there are NOT enough pumpout stations in Penobscot Bay to provide "adequate facilities for the safe and sanitary removal and treatment of sewage from all vessels".

Fig 2. Penobsot Bay pumpout stations

 As the state's map (Fig 2) shows Vinalhaven, North Haven*, Islesboro and Deer Isle each lack pump out stations. These towns are visited by hundreds of pleasure boaters every year. But boaters stopping there have no place to dump their waste - except into Penobscot Bay!
 (* North Haven's Pulpit Harbor is visited by a pumpout boat from Camden)

What You Can Do:  

* Contact the govts  of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro and Deer Isle Urge them to get pumpouts. Let them know that giving skippers a place to discharge their septic wastes in an environmentally safe way, is good for their towns' waters and good for Penobscot Bay.   

Tell them that Maine DEP will cover 95% of the purchase cost and operating costs. Ask them to start the process  by requesting Maine DEP to send its expert, Pam Parker,  to give a presentation to their town.  Parker has been running this program successfully for many years and will be able to answer questions in detail. 

Letters to the editor will also help as will discussion of the need for pumpouts on these towns' facebook pages. Here are the FB Pages for Vinalhaven  North Haven, Islesboro  & Deer Isle. 

* Send Friends of Penobscot Bay your photos of pleasure craft tied up at those town's docks and mooring fields, and anchored in their anchorages, over this just-past summer of 2018.  In addition, aerial photos and drone imagery will be very helpful.  Knowing how many pleasure craft are visiting those  towns will help Maine DEP determine if the bay would benefit by having pumpout stations at their town docks.

The Big Picture.  Once these towns have gotten their pumpout operations  set up, there will be enough of these stations  for the state to request EPA to designate the entirety of Penobscot Bay, like Casco Bay and the full coastal waters of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, a No Discharge Area.  This will be a giant step toward designating the entire Maine territorial sea out to three miles a No Discharge Area.

Figure 3. Cruise ship routes, Penobscot Bay to Bar Harbor

This matters now more than ever.  Increases in visits by cruise ships & megayachts means that the amount of treated sewage being pumped into Penobscot Bay is likely increasing  sharply as well. While cruiselines may have policies against dumping in state waters, there are no penalties, so little incentive to refrain. Making it illegal to pump treated sewage into Penobscot Bay will give such policies teeth.

Let's urge Islesboro, North Haven, Vinalhaven and Deer Isle to take the plunge for a clean, productive and healthy Penobscot Bay and Gulf of Maine!

FMI Friends of Penobscot Bay 207-691-4634,  coastwatch@gmail.com

Ad Hoc Rockland Harbor Management Plan Committee meetings audio

Ad Hoc Rockland Harbor Management Plan Committee  

Meeting audio recordings

9/6/18 Ad Hoc Harbor Mgmt Plan Committee 3rd mtg 

Draft guidelines discussion document.  Meeting with its consultant Noel Musson at city hall, the committee finalized its formal purpose, set groundrules, elected officers, & got presentations on 1)  the Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee webpage set up by the city webmaster and (2) the final draft of the city survey of cruiseship passengers.
Attendees Ed Glaser, David Leon, Celia Knight, John Jeffers, Bella Feracci, David Grima, Matt Ripley, Noel Musson, Calley Black,  Christos Calivas, Julie Hashem, Ron Huber.

8/22/18  Ad Hoc Harbor Mgmt plan Committee 2nd mtg 

Committee members and others met for two hours in the Rockland Library's Boardroom, hearing from and questioning environmental & economic development consultant Noel Musson on parameters of a new city harbor management plan. Musson's  8/3/18 signed agreement with Rockland. 

Attendees: Ed Glaser City Council , David Grima, ME Dept of Labor & Rockland Maine Street; Matt Ripley Harbormaster; David Troupe,  Farnsworth Museum, Ron Huber WRFR;  Casey Ohara, Ohara Corp & Journeys End Marina; Christos Calivas Rockland resident; Calley Black, Comp Planning Commission,  Julie Hashem, Rockland Comunity Development Director; Noel Musson, Musson Group; Bella Feracci exec dir Apprentice Shop & interested citizen; John Jeffers,  economic development commission. 

7/25/18 Ad Hoc Harbor Mgmt Plan Committee (first mtg)

Attendees introduced , discuss hiring of Noel Musson who is sid to have a good references including Belfast work. Hashem as "staff" says he's the chosen consultant.  Discuss consensus and not only our many competing single interests. Cruise ships, marina expansion, fisheries, pollution, harbor change working waterfront versus tourist town.

Attendees Ed Glaser, City Councilor; Lynne Barnard, Rockland resident; David Leon, Harbor Mgmt Commission; David Grima, Dept of Labor; Matt Ripley, Harbormaster; John Jeffers,  Julie Hashem,Rockland Comunity Development Director; Casey O'Hara ,O'Hara Corp, Journeys End; Celia Knight, Knight Marine, Ron Huber, WRFR Community Radio

GAC Chemical continues acidifying Penobscot Bay. August & September 2018 test results.

9/9/18 GAC shore acid sampling Sites  were selected along the beach/clamflat interface below their abandoned sulfuric acid plant and acid tank. Dark red acidic leachate oozes out at the beach/mudflat interface. See results below photo  White line across the upper middle is foam leaking  into the bay from 1/4 mile down the GAC property.

GAC Chemical Abandoned Sulfuric Acid Plant,  shore remediation site and tainted flats.

9/9/18 pH test results show acid still leaching out along the interface. From left to right in the photo,  samples showed pH 6.0 at left end of photo, dropped to 3.5 then to pH 3.2, then rose slightly to 3.7 for the next two samples , finally rising to p 4.2 at the right end of photo

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082618 GAC shore acid sampling 

826/18 sample sites. Satellite image taken May 10 2018

Sites  were selected  going diagonally from he beach/clamflat interface below the abandoned  acid plant  and across several of the plumes emanating from the shore

pH test results Sample sites  red dots show acid continues leaching out along the interface and onto the flats in a plume.  Top site 5.6; next 4.4,  next 4.3; lower one  a startling pH 2.8!

Discussion: any pH below five will kill fish or damage their reproductive system. Low pH will also liberate  dissolved aluminum and other metals into the water column, freeing them from the silt particles they are stuck to. In this  low pH environment  aluminum ions tend to adhere to the gills of water breathers. Woe to the young salmon venturing forth from the river, that has the misfortune of imbibing that mixture" Her gills will get glazed, and she will exhibit erratic behavior that attracts predators

Tainted flats below remediation site.

Aquaculture operations in Penobscot Bay and its tributaries

Maine DMR's current (9/20/18) list of aquaculture operations in Penobscot Bay and its tributaries. Click each entry for a pdf of their permit approval decision.  Map of sites

• Desaulniers, Paul [WES BC] Oysters. Weskeag River, South Thomaston (2014)

• Weskeag River Shellfish Farms, LLC [WES UR] Oysters, soft & hard clams. Weskeag River, South Thomaston (2010)

• Bayside Mussel Farm [PEN BB] Mussels, sugar kelp. Belfast Bay, Penobscot Bay, Northport (2014)

• Campbell, Adam and Michelle [PHSP NH] Oysters. Pulpit Harbor Salt Pond, N. Haven (2014)

• Campbell, Adam and Michelle [PHSP NH2] Oysters suspended & bottom. Pulpit Harbor Mill Street, North Haven (2011)

• Islesboro Marine Enterprises [PEN FIx] Blue Mussels.  northeast of Flat Island, Penobscot Bay, Islesboro, ME (2018) 
• 
  
• Leach, Jesse [BAG SB]   American & Euro flat oysters  surf/hen clams  soft clams and green sea urchins Upper Bagaduce River, Brooksville, Penobscott & Sedgwick (2009)     
• Little Island Oyster Company [BAG BH2 and BAG BH3] American Oysters  Bagaduce River, Brooksville (2013)

• Brewer, Robert E. [PEN AIx).  Atlantic Sea Scallops SW of Andrews Island, Penobscot Bay, Stonington (2017)

• Peasley, Frank S. [BAG BH] American & European oysters. Bagaduce River, Brooksville (2011) 

• Acadia Aqua Farms, LLC [PEN SN3] Bottom Culture mussels   Stinson Neck, Deer Isle (2015) 

• Barrows, Abigail [PEN LD3] Oysters, scallops, sugar kelp Long Cove, Deer Isle (2015) 

• Dickinson, Jonathan [DLW Enterprises, Inc. [PEN LD2]  American & European oysters, blue mussels. Long Cove, Deer Isle (2014) 

• DLW Enterprises, Inc. (PEN LD2) American & European oysters, mussels Long Cove, Penobscot Bay, Deer Isle (2016)

• Brewer, Robert E. [PEN AIx).  suspended sea scallops. southwest of Andrews Island, Penobscot Bay, Stonington (2017) 1,895 kb

• Pemaquid Mussel Farms, LLC [PEN STH2]  Mussel rafts St. Helena Island, Stonington (2010) 

Bay History, Stockton Harbor tainted flats. Test results from 9/14/16 samples

A succession of chemical and fertilizer factories were built on Stockton Harbor's Kidder Point from the early 20th century to the 1970s.  The waste products from at least two onsite processes: sulfuric acid  and aluminum sulfate manufacturing, were dumped along the Stockton Harbor shore.
Earlier pH testing of site: 1984 * 1990

 09/14/16 Sample Collection Results . Numbers refer to locations on Map 1.

1. Aluminum, 10,600 mg/kg.      Sulfur: 25,400 mg/kg.  pH 5.40

2. Aluminum: 3,545 mg/kg.
Sulfur: 289,7000 mg/kg. pH 3.50.

3.Aluminum: 3,023 mg/kg.
Sulfur 50,400 mg/kg.  pH: 3.12.

4. Aluminum: 1,927 mg/kg.
   Sulfur: 235,500 mg/kg.  pH: 3.40

5. Aluminum: 2,980 mg/kg. Sulfur:150,500 g/kg.  pH: 3.20.

6. Aluminum:  2,805 mg/kg. Sulfur 163,800 mg/kg.  pH:  5.08

7. Aluminum:  9,506 mg/kg.  Sulfur 11,500 mg/kg.  pH:  6.65

8. Aluminum: 11,400 mg/kg. Sulfur 17,500 mg/kg.  pH:  6.31

Rockland Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee meeting 9/6/18 AUDIO

On September 6, 2018, Rockland's Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee, and its consultant Noel Musson met at city hall. 

The committee finalized its formal purpose, set groundrules, elected officers, and got presentations on (1)  the Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee webpage set up by the city webmaster and (2) the final draft of the city survey of cruiseship passengers, 

Callie Black, Christos Calivas, Julie Hashem

* Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee meeting start 4min 37sec 

* Nate Davis on committee's webpage on city website 12min

* Committee guidelines  3min 12 sec

* Committee members number  pt 1  6min

* Committee composition and number part 2  2min 41sec

Celia Knight * John Jrefers

* Committee Purpose Statement. 1min 26sec

* Committee officers' duties described 10min 5sec 

* Committee officers duties defined 7min 5sec

David Leon & Ed Glaser

* Committee groundrules 17min

* Elections of chair David Grima, deputy chair Calley Black and secretary  Ed  Glaser

* Cruise ship survey plan discussion, approval  27min 43sec     Read survey

Bella Feracci

* Harbor Mapping  & data 7 min 57sec

* Organizing harbor outings for committee members, land and sea. 4min 51sec

* Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee meeting adjourns, audience chatter 65sec

David Grima

Rockland Harbor Mgmt Commission 8/28/18 audio UPDATED

Rockland's Harbor Management Commission met August 28, 2018 and considered: abandoned and unused moorings in the harbor; an update on dredging near the city fishpier; a summary of  ad hoc committee meeting with Consultant Noel Musson; reviewed the challenge of overnight parking for visiting harbor boaters; a parking vs pedestrians competing  scenic uses  problem at  harbor end of Crescent Street,  the recent cruise ship  forum and wakes from jetskis and boats.

1. Opening info 1min 35sec 

2.  Fish Pier Report 11min 35sec 

2B  Moorings abandoned and unused 3min 36sec

3 Harbormaster's Rpt:  Cruiseships. adhoc grp mtg w/consultant  Musson 11min 33sec

4. Parking harbor shore /coastal neighborhoods12min 42secs
4a (excerpt). Parking vs pedestrians at scenic harbor view end of Crescent Street 2min 

5. Cruise ship forum discussion 7min 28sec

6. Jetski and boat wakes in harbor to meeting end. 8min40sec

Rockland's Ad Hoc Harbor Mgt Plan Committee met 8/22/18 with eco consultant Noel Musson. AUDIO

On August 22, 2018 Rockland's Ad Hoc Harbor Management Plan Committee members and others met for two hours in the Rockland Library's Boardroom, hearing from and questioning environmental & economic development consultant Noel Musson on parameters of a new city harbor management plan. NOTE Topics at links may be broader than the titles suggest.

Attendees: Ed Glaser City Council David Grima, ME Dept of Labor & Rockland MaineStreet; Matt Ripley Harbormaster; David Troupe,  Farnsworth Museum, Ron Huber WRFR;  Casey Ohara, Ohara Corp & Journeys End Marina; Christos Calivas Rockland resident; Calley Black, Comp Planning Commission,  Julie Hashem, Rockland Comunity Development Director; Noel Musson, Musson Group; Bella Feracci exec dir Apprentice Shop & interested citizen; John Jeffers,  economic development commission.

Scope of Work for City’s Shore & Harbor Planning Grant 2018, (8 pg pdf)

Introductions, Prelims  8 min 45sec

 Musson Pt 1 intro'd and part 1.  7min 2 sec Committee process

Musson Part 2 6min 45 sec  Basic inventory of the harbor itself. Submerged and shoreline.


Musson Part 3 6min 7 sec Fisheries and Conservation of Harbor

Musson Part 4.   6 min 17sec Public Access to Harbor


Musson Part 5 5min 46sec  Views and Scenic Assets

Musson Part 6. 6min 55sec
Working waterfront & working waters

Musson Part 7.   7min 57sec Stakeholder involvement

Musson Part 8 4min  Stakeholders and comunity

Musson Part 9, 10min 27sec The "who"

Musson Part 10. 10min 7sec  The "how".

Musson Part 11 8min 32sec Gathering information

Musson Part 12. 6min 32sec Cruise ships pt 1

Musson Part 13 7min 54sec  Cruise ships pt 2

Musson Part 14 5min 18sec  Cruise ships pt 3

Musson Part 15  9min 34sec Why survey now?

Musson Part 16. Final 6min 27

Belfasters & neighbors urge planning board to restart on Nordic Aqua Farms-friendly zoning changes.

On August 15th more than a hundred people attended a Belfast Planning board  meeting at the Troy Howard Middle School.  Nearly all of the two dozen who spoke urged the board to reject the proposed zoning changes (listen below) that the Belfast city council had come up with and do a re-start, with the planning board properly evaluating them first. It was noted that a lawsuit filed by two Belfast residents is challenging the lawfulness of the City Council's process of developing the changes.  Those changes were detailed by city planner Wayne Marshall in a 33 minute presentation before the public comments began.
(Note: Name corrections appreciated and acted on)

*  Intro planning board discussion 3min32sec

* City planner Wayne Marshall describes proposed changes 33 minutes  Listen to Marshall's talk broken into 10 short sections 

*. Intro to public comments . 46seconds

* Sid Block, 1min 36sec

* Bruce McGlauflin 1 min 36sec

* James Merkel 5 min 21 sec

* Ellie Daniels 4min 56sec

* John Krueger Northport 4min 55sec

* Chris Wright, Belfast, 1 min 20sec

* Aimee Moffitt-Mercer 2min14sec

* Kiril Lozanov 3min 40sec

* Phyllis Coelho 6min 17sec

* Deborah Capwell 4min 29sec

* Ethan Hughes  7min 20sec

* Steve Byers 4min 44sec

* Lew McGregor 2min 30sec

* Suzanne Stone 3min 22sec

* Jessica Miller 1min 14sec

* Natalie Charles, 51 sec

* Michael Finnegan 1 min 30sec

*  Samantha ____3min 15sec

*  Steve Ryan Chamber_Commerce 1min 50 sec

* Barry Crawford 1min 57sec

* Paul Bernacki 5min 21sec

* Dirk Faegre 5min 47sec

*Ridgely Fuller 5min 54sec this

* Pub comments over, Marshall sums up, mtg ends  3min 9sec

Wayne Marshall on proposed Belfast responses to Nordic aquaculture plan

On August 15, 2018 Belfast city planner Wayne Marshall gave the city  planning board meetinga 33 minute summary of the city responses  and requirements that the Nordic aquaculture plan must meet ,  and the amendments that he and the council have  proposed  Because Marshall is such an information-rich speaker, we've broken his half hour talk into 10  segments of varying lengths

1      4min 16sec

2     6 min 17sec

3      3min 30sec

4     4min 40sec

5     1min 20sec

6     42sec

7    4min 8 sec

8      4min 55sec

9    1min 45sec

10 3min 37sec

Rockland City Council:hears public comments on Cruise Ship Cap order AUDIO MP3s

Listen below as 34 members of the public and businesses spoke out at the August 13, 2018  Rockland City Council meeting. Topic:  Order 51 " Adopting Cruise Ship Shore Policy"  to establish a cruise ship  visitors cap, and the broader issue of the effect of reducing or  growing the cruise ship visits to Rockland and the bay   Listen below. The City Council then discussed and adopted  Order 51 as amended (Raising the daily passenger cap from 2500 to 3000. And removing the monthly cap of 9,000 passengers and replacing it with a cap of 6 ships. 

	-
	Intro 50 seconds
	Mike Grondin 2min 57sec
	George Stevens 5min 35sec
	Ken Pride 3min 42sec
	Lynne Archer 3min 10sec
	David Wiley 3min 20sec
	Sally Wiley 3min38sec
	Rose Wilson 3min 30sec
	Leslie Paul 1min 50sec
	Benjamin Dorr 1 min 10sec
	Jonathan Tardiff, Estate Jewelry Emporium 2min45 sec
	Connie Swaggert Seagull Cottage 2min 31sec
	Tom Peaco Chamber Commerce 5min 15sec
	David Troup 3min 40sec
	Pat O'Brien Vinegar, 5min 51sec
	"Sarah" 1min 35sec
	Ruth Starr 1min 58sec
	Eric Kiefer 6 min 30sec
	Gordon Macaleer, Bixby 1min50sec
	David Gelinas, Penobscot Bay and River pilots 4min 58sec
	Brian Reid 2min 30sec
	Katherine Whitney Bar Harbor resident 4min30sec
	Linda Hanson Sailboat resident  3 min 7 sec
	Beth Pauley 1 min 19sec
	Rhonda Nordstrom,Rheal Day Spa  Rockland , 4min
	Siera Dietz Grasshopper Shop 2min 1
	Josh Moore 3 min 27sec
	Resident state street 1min 43sec
	Gordon Paige RocklandMaineSt 3min
	Louise Mclellan Ruf 5min 32 sec
	Jeff Parker 1 min 42sec
	Chris Mayer 2min 47sec Callie Black Rockland Heart and Soul, 47sec
	Robert Reed, 2min
	Nick Palmer to end. 2min 35sec

Rockland City Council 8/6/18 discusses cruise ships shore operations policy

Sarah Flink

Part 1 public comment period

Louise McLellan-Ruf on cruise ship shore operations policy

Sarah Flink Cruise Maine_ 1min20sec

Lynne Barnard 63sec 

Ron Huber 1min30sec

Part 2 
City Council discusses proposed cruiseship shore operations policy 13min 36sec