Upstream Watch

TO ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTH OF MIDCOAST MAINE RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS THROUGH SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

REVIEWING AND ASSESSING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN MIDCOAST MAINE RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS. OBJECTIVE: TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. VOLUNTEERS STUDIED AND EXPERTS WERE HIRED TO ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF A PROPOSED RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE SYSTEM (RAS) SALMON-RAISING FACILITY NEAR THE OUTLET OF THE LITTLE RIVER INTO PENOBSCOT BAY, BELFAST, MAINE. APPROXIMATELY 5 VOLUNTEERS, AN EMPLOYEE AND HIRED EXPERTS EVALUATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEVELOPMENT PERMITS TO PREVENT THE DEGRADATION OF NEARBY LAND AND WATER ENVIRONMENTS. APPROXIMATELY 8 VOLUNTEERS AND HIRED EXPERTS EVALUATED THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL DEMANDS OF THE PROPOSED RAS FACILITY.

EDUCATING ABOUT ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE WATERSHED BY ENSURING THAT RIGOROUS AND TECHNICALLY ACCURATE SUPPORTING INFORMATION IS PRESENTED TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES IN AN UNDERSTANDABLE FORM. OBJECTIVE: TO ASSURE THAT CITIZENS AND DECISION-MAKERS ARE ACCURATELY INFORMED ABOUT CONDITIONS IN THE WATERSHED. THE PRIMARY FOCUS IN 2021 WAS A PROPOSED RAS SALMON-RAISING FACILITY NEAR THE OUTLET OF THE LITTLE RIVER IN BELFAST, MAINE. LOCAL CITIZENS SERVED: APPROXIMATELY 1,000. TWO INFORMATION SESSIONS PRESENTING ENVIRONMENTAL AND LEGAL STATUS AND UPDATES WERE ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 40 PEOPLE EACH. NEWSLETTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED REGULARLY BY EMAIL AND IN PRINT TO APPROXIMATELY 800 PEOPLE EACH MAILING. 6 PRESS RELEASES, AN INFORMATIONAL AD, AND AN EDITORIAL WERE PUBLISHED IN LOCAL PRINT AND/OR GLOBAL ELECTRONIC NEWS PUBLICATIONS. AN EDUCATIONAL FACEBOOK PAGE AND WEBSITE WERE UPDATED REGULARLY AND RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 200-400 VIEWS PER WEEK. SHARED OUR RESEARCH WITH A GROUP IN CALIFORNIA THAT IS EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF A SIMILAR RAS FACILITY. WRITTEN AND ORAL TESTIMONY WAS SUBMITTED DIRECTLY AND THROUGH THE COURTS TO REPORT FINDINGS ON THE PROPOSED RAS FACILITY REGARDING REVIEW AND PERMITTING BY THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND THE BELFAST, MAINE, PLANNING BOARD.

LONG-TERM OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS OF MIDCOAST MAINE ARE MANAGED TO BENEFIT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND NEARBY HUMAN COMMUNITIES. OBJECTIVE: TO MONITOR THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF WATERSHEDS, ASSESS POTENTIAL LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND ADVOCATE FOR APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT MEASURES AND ACTIVITIES. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CONSULTED WITH EXPERTS TO DETERMINE CURRENT OWNERSHIP OF INTERTIDAL PROPERTY AT THE MOUTH OF THE LITTLE RIVER IN BELFAST AND NORTHPORT, MAINE, AND ENABLE CONTINUATION OF CONSERVATION MEASURES ON INTERTIDAL PROPERTY. PARTICIPATED IN LITIGATION TO DEFEND OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROPERTY AND VALIDITY OF THE EXISTING CONSERVATION EASEMENT. CONSERVATION OF THIS LAND DIRECTLY BENEFITS APPROXIMATELY 20 NEARBY PROPERTY OWNERS AND INDIRECTLY BENEFITS LOCAL FISHERMEN, MARINE WILDLIFE, AND NEARBY COMMUNITIES.