54 Years of Fighting for Maine Lakes
Advocacy & Policy Issues
Maine Lakes is a collaborative leader for lake-friendly policy and advocacy in the state. We work with other lake conservation organizations, businesses, state agencies, local municipalities and legislators to craft effective bills that increase protection, funding, and access to Maine’s lakes. We rely on our grassroots activists to share their priority concerns, write letters to committees, and make phone calls to local officials.
One-on-one interactions with decision-makers are the key to getting lake- and climate-friendly policies firmly in place.
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2024 Legislative summary
This Legislative Session was fast and furious! A short “emergency” session, there we several important lake bills that successfully made it through committee and past the governor’s desk. These bills could not have succeeded without help from you! Grassroots activists, LakeSmart volunteers, lake association members and so many others wrote letters and spoke in front of committees, making it clear to legislators that lakes deserve strong, thoughtful, and effective protection policies. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Ches Gundrum at Maine Audubon for being our eyes and ears in the halls of the State House. She helped get many of these bills over the finish line and we loved working with her during the session. Thank you, Ches!
Here's a quick summary of some of the lake bills we followed this session:
Protecting our Shorelines: LD 2101
Municipalities and the Land Use Planning Commission will have crucial new tools at their disposal to enforce existing shoreland zoning rules and to counter egregious violators. This bill will allow them to suspend or revoke shoreland zoning permits and place liens on properties in violation of shoreland zoning rules, better protecting water quality and wildlife habitat, especially nesting loons.
Support for Reducing Invasive Species Spread: LD 2141 and LD 1342
Invasive plants—including milfoils, Curly-leaf pondweed, Parrot Feather, European naiad, and more—accidentally introduced to Maine waters disrupt habitat, displace native wildlife, harm lake water quality, and reduce fishing and recreational opportunities.
LD 2141 will add $2M to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund to help address the most serious invasive aquatic plant infestations. Last month, more than 600 supporters signed a petition organized by Maine Audubon and signed by many of you urging the Legislature's Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee to fund the bill. We are awaiting word from this committee with a final funding amount and hope that it is close to what was asked as we know the need for invasive species risk reduction is great.
LD 1342 will adjusts the cost of the Lake and River Protection Sticker, which all motorized watercraft must display in Maine, by $10 in 2025 and again in 2028. The change will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars to help combat invasive species spread and reduce the serious risks to Maine’s lakes and waterways.
Managing Wakesurfing to Protect Lake Health: LD 2284
Wake boats are a relatively new sight on Maine's lakes, and their impacts to both lake health and human safety have raised concerns among lake volunteers, shoreland homeowners, and other boaters. Wakesurfing is one of the main operating modes for wakeboats, creating very large wakes that can be ridden on a surf board, with no tow rope. While a great activity far from shore, where the large waves have time to dissipate, wakesurfing too close to shore allows the large waves to erode shorelines, swamp and sink boats, pose serious danger for swimmers and other boaters, and wash eggs out of loon nests. Maine Lakes staff participated in a stakeholder group organized last fall by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife that made several recommendations for legislation to help address wake boat impacts. (Your can read the report here). This bill, which was enacted at the beginning of April, addresses several issues raised in the report and will prohibit wakesurfing less than 300' from shore and in water less than 15' deep. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will report back to the committee in three years on how the new law is working.
LD 2884 will prohibit a motorboat engaging in wakesurfing within 300 feet of shore and in water less than 15 feet deep. While we had originally advocated for this distance to be 500 feet, a distance supported by research in the field, this bill is a start in raising awareness about the risks of wakesurfing too close to shore. We believe there is space for everyone on Maine’s lakes. Reducing impacts from activities that erode shores and damage habitat by moving them away from shore is a great way to both keep the activity on the lake and to protect the resource, clean water, that is so vital to our boating industry.
2024
PASSED:
A bill during the first session created a group to study the issue of large wakes generated by the activity of wake surfing. That group met over the summer and fall of 2023, reviewing literature, summarizing issues and concerns, and posing possible legislative solutions to reduce the risks to lake water quality and human property and safety posed by large wakes too close to shore. We hope the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee will consider legislation for this session as a result of this report.
The committee has discussed potential bills several times and eventually voted to support a bill prohibiting the act of wakesurfing less than 300' away from shore.
The final bill is printed HERE.
Egregious shoreland zoning violations are a growing problem that municipalities are ill-equipped to fight, especially when litigious shoreland property owners have deep pockets. This bill authorizes a municipality to restrict the issuance of or suspend or revoke any municipally issued permit to the owner of real estate who violates a shoreland zoning ordinance.
It authorizes the municipality to claim a lien against the real estate for all costs incurred by the municipality and any unpaid penalties related to the ordinance violation. The bill also authorizes the Maine Land Use Planning Commission to take the same actions for violations of standards, rules, permits and orders adopted or issued by the commission related to development in the shoreland zone.
The bill will be heard before the State and Local Government Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m.
Please consider submitting online testimony here. See our Legislative Alert for more information and a sample letter.
NOT PASSED:
This bill appropriates $2,000,000 to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund to address the most serious aquatic plant infestations in inland waters of the State. It requires the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to review and recommend more stringent watercraft inspection protocols on infested inland waters of the State and to review surface use restrictions and notification of those restrictions to members of the public.
The bill was heard before the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee on Wednesday, January 31st. There were over 70 pieces of online testimony submitted online, and more than a dozen advocates spoke in person the committee members. Committee members asked good questions and it's clear they recognize the size and scope of the invasives problem.
To listen in to the Work Session on 2/5, click here. Click the Live Stream link on the top right of the page.
Maine Lakes legislative alert here
Maine Lakes testimony here
2023
PASSED:
This bill was presented to the 130th legislature and got overwhelming support from the public but died in committee. Maine Lakes is hopeful that this time around we will be able to get this bill to the finish line with your help!
Proposed Amendmend to LD 92 passed by the committee on May 15.
Read Our Legislative Alert Here
Work Session and Vote: The public hearing was held Feb. 13. The date for the work session and vote has yet to be set.
This is a rule change that would allow septic systems to be built on fill in the shoreland zone and put lakes and risks.
UPDATE: This bill had a lively hearing with over 90 people testifying in person or in writing. The bill was amended to provide $2 million over two years, and will be funded only if there are surplus funds after the budget is finalized.
Public hearing: Jan. 30, 9 a.m., ENR Committee, Cross Building Room 216, Augusta
Read our written testimony HERE.
Read our Legislative Alert HERE.
Read our Fact Sheet HERE.
Read the statute that created the Lake Protection and Restoration Fund HERE.
Maine Lakes final testimony coming soon.
Click here to add your name to the sign on letter to expand protections for Maine's common loons from lead poisoning.
Not passed:
This bill would prohibit the sale of water withdrawn from Maine's lakes (though it would allow delivery fees), and impose a production fee on commercial users by the DEP. Those fees would then be directed to a lake association grant program to support lake conservation efforts. We support this bill as a way to fund local lake conservation work that keeps public water resource clean and healthy, protecting that resource for future water withdrawal needs.
This bill was pulled by its sponsor prior to the public hearing that was scheduled for May 1 before the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee. We will follow up to determine what the next steps are for this bill.
Printed Bill here.
This bill (An Act to Protect Inland Water Quality, Shorelines, Wildlife and Public Safety by Prohibiting Operation of a Wake Boat to Create an Enhanced Wake Close to Shore or in Shallow Water) prohibits boats purposefully generating enhanced wakes within 500 feet of shorelines and in waters less than 20 feet deep.This will reduce wake-caused erosionand sedimentation, keep lake water clean, protect fragile lakeside habitat, and keep shallow waters safe for families, swimmers, and other boaters. This is not a ban on wake activities and only applies when boats are using wake-enhancing equipment.
UPDATE: This bill received incredible public support, with more than 120 people testifying in favor and just 10 speaking against, but ultimately the bill was voted majority ought-not-to-pass.
Maine Lakes' written testimony HERE.
Read our Fact Sheet HERE.
Click HERE to view a short video from the Maine Boating Impacts Coalition, Responsible Wakes.
Overview of Wake Issues by the Maine Boating Impacts Coalition
Research Brief on a University of Minnesota wake boat study HERE.
Full text of University of Minnesota wake boat study HERE.
Short news piece on the University of Minnesotat wake boat study HERE.
Thank you for taking action on behalf of Maine's lakes!
Make your voice heard and make a difference. There are many ways to help. You can present testimony in person or via Zoom at a public hearing or submit written testimony to a committee here. You can spread the word to neighbors and friends by email and on social media. The more people who speak on behalf of Maine’s lakes, the better. Sign up for our legislative alerts for timely emails with bill and hearing information.
Want to join us? Make your voice heard and make a difference. There are many ways to Take Action and help to keep your lake, and all Maine lakes, pristine for generations to come.
laws that protect maine lakes
The links below share the laws that protect Maine’s lakes:
- The Lakes Program by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection
- Shoreland Zoning provides links and supplemental materials for ME DEPs shoreland zoning ordinances
- Stormwater Program provides information about ME DEP’s stormwater program
- Stormwater BMPs Manual
- Enforcement lists Regional DEP Offices and contact information
- Maine Water Laws
- Erosion & Sedimentation Control Law
- Center for Watershed Protection
If traveling to augusta, please note:
State Parking Garage at the corner of Sewall and Capitol Streets has been closed until further notice due to concerns raised by a recent engineering study. The study will be peer reviewed by a second engineering firm during the month of January. The garage will remain closed until review results are received and evaluated. Here is a map of alternate parking options. Please note that Lots A and B and sections of Lot C (per signage in Lot C) are reserved for Legislators.
