March 2022 Newsletter from the 30 Mile River Watershed Association |
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Ask your legislators to support the Maine boating safety bill |
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On February 28, the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee voted in nearly unanimous support of common-sense boater safety education requirements. This bill (LD 1663) establishes a mandatory boating safety course requirement and minimum age for operators of motor boats over 25 horsepower and personal watercraft. LD 1663 also creates a stakeholder group to work with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) to develop additional programming and policy around boating and safety outreach and education.
Why is this bill important?
- Boater safety is an ongoing concern in Maine.
- Mandatory boater education is already required in 46 other states.
- Irresponsible boat operation damages Maine’s lakes and wildlife habitat.
- MDIFW is fully supportive of mandatory boater education.
Your legislators need to hear from you that you strongly support the Maine Boating Safety Bill! Call or email them TODAY and urge them to support LD 1663 when it comes up for a floor vote in the coming weeks.
For more information from our friends at Maine Lakes, including a step-by-step guide to contacting your legislators, talking points, and more, click here.
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Kennebec Highlands project selected for
Land for Maine's Future funding
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A historic Kennebec Highlands project on the summit of Vienna Mountain has been selected to receive state funding as one of five major Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) conservation projects of statewide significance. Decades of broad support by communities, outdoor enthusiasts, countless individuals, businesses, the state of Maine, 7 Lakes Alliance and its predecessor Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, among many others, helped make this major milestone possible.
The project will conserve an additional 813 acres of high priority recreational and ecological lands in the town of Vienna and New Sharon, filling the largest remaining gap in the Highlands. The land, much of which is in the 30 Mile River Watershed, features the summit of Vienna Mountain, with 360-degree views and expansive blueberry fields. Click here for more information.
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30 Mile is now on Instagram! Follow us here.
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Seeking New LakeSmart Volunteers |
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LakeSmart is a statewide education and reward program that helps lakefront homeowners manage landscapes in ways that protect water quality. The program is free, non-regulatory, and voluntary.
30 Mile is a LakeSmart regional HUB currently providing support to three active LakeSmart teams covering four lakes in our watershed: Parker Pond & David Pond, Flying Pond, and Androscoggin Lake.
Volunteers are the key to LakeSmart's success. To grow this effective program, we are looking for new volunteers to join existing teams and to help start new teams on other lakes and ponds in our watershed.
Watch this short video about what this fantastic program can do for your lake, and learn more here about what it takes to start a LakeSmart team.
To learn more about volunteering or how 30 Mile can help start a LakeSmart program on your lake, please contact 30 Mile’s Program Manager, Whitney Baker, at (207) 860-4043 or email whitney@30mileriver.org.
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Would you like to spend your summer outside working to protect our beautiful lakes?
- Courtesy Boat Inspector
- Youth Conservation Corps Crew
- Youth Conservation Corps Crew Leader
- Invasive Aquatic Plant Survey Team
- Water Quality Monitoring Intern
If you are passionate about protecting our lakes, ponds, and streams, and want a rewarding summer job, all while building your resume, and gaining hands-on lake protection experience, please join us!
Visit our website to read more about each position and to apply. Priority will be given to applications received by April 3rd, 2022.
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30 Mile is seeking a pickup truck!
Do you have a pickup truck you're no longer using? Would you consider donating or loaning it to 30 Mile for six weeks this summer? With the return of our Youth Conservation Corps this year, we are looking for a truck to haul our tools. It must be an automatic. Donations are tax-deductible!
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Landowner Tip: Designing a Shorefront Path |
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People most often will take the shortest path to the lake, and so will storm-water runoff. A shorefront path or walkway provides lake access for lake users, and when designed properly, can be a great benefit for both landowners and water quality, reducing your overall impact on the lake. However, when not designed correctly, paths and walkways can also provide quick and easy access for polluted stormwater runoff and become a source of erosion and phosphorus for years if left untreated. Is your shorefront path hurting the lake? Not sure how to tell? Click here to learn more.
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Support 30 Mile! Your gift today will make a difference in protecting our lakes from phosphorus pollution, invasive species, and other threats. Find the giving level that works for you.
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