Report finds Gulf of Maine healthy, urges growth controls

ST. ANDREWS, New Brunswick – Development in sensitive areas, contaminants like mercury and sewage and rapid rises in population are threatening the Gulf of Maine, but the overall condition of the gulf is good, according to the authors of a new environmental report.

“The Gulf of Maine, relative to other regions, is in good condition,” said Gerald G. Pesch, a research biologist for the Environmental Protection Agency and one of two authors of “Tides of Change Across the Gulf,” the first comprehensive report on the status of the coastline that stretches from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia. Peter G. Wells, senior research scientist for Environment Canada, was co-author.

The 60-page report, published by the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, includes research on the land uses, contaminants and fisheries that could endanger the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy. It was released Wednesday at the Gulf of Maine Summit, a weeklong conference at the Fairmont Algonquin Hotel. About 250 scientists, municipal planners and environmentalists from across the United States and Canada are attending.

Pesch, who is also the regional coordinator for coastal monitoring in the Northeast, said the purpose of the report is to give community leaders comprehensive data for making decisions that affect the gulf and to promote ongoing dialogue between the many groups working to improve and protect the gulf.

“This is a good news report,” he said. “The challenge here is for the state of Maine and coastal communities to come to some sort of strategy to manage growth. Having local communities become aware of the consequences of their policy, that is a need.”

Susan Snow-Cotter, acting director of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, said the report is for scientists and municipal planners as much as it is for housewives. The data can help anyone with an interest in the water make more informed decisions on projects that will affect the gulf, she said.

Some highlights from the report include:

. The amount of land developed in Maine between 1970 and 1990 was equal to the amount of land that was developed in the history of the state. During that time, land was developed four times faster than the population grew. If such development continues, the amount of land developed in Maine will double by 2010. By 2050, sprawl will cover the southern part of the state, as well as Bangor and Penobscot Bay.

. New roads, particularly those along the coast, have altered coastal habitats by restricting normal tidal flows.

. Per capita, residents along the coast are using more resources than they were 30 years ago. They are driving and boating more and using more land.

. There have been gradual improvements in mercury levels. Governments around the gulf have taken steps to curb its use and decrease its release into the environment, especially since 1998 when the Mercury Action Plan was adopted. Also, mercury entering gulf waters from wastewater treatment facilities has diminished, thanks to improved technology.

The report also lists some accomplishments for the gulf, including the removal of the Edwards Dam along the Kennebec River in 1999. Water quality improved and vegetation was restored after the dam was taken out, opening up 20 miles of the river to sturgeon, alewives and other fish.

The summit also gave participants an opportunity to report on community forums and citizen monitoring programs held over the past two years and share information on environmental issues in their neighborhoods.

Jane Disney, executive director of the Mount Desert Island Water Quality Coalition, presented data gathered by schoolchildren in youth watershed forums held this year and in 2002. Susan D. Shaw, founder and executive director of the Marine Environmental Research Institute, talked about the marine science center in Blue Hill, as well as Blue Hill residents’ concerns over possible water contamination from the former Kerramerican Inc. copper and zinc mine.

Gov. John Baldacci was scheduled to speak at the event. His spokesman, Lee Umphrey, said the governor spent the day focusing instead on matters relating to the upcoming election. Pesch said he and others are encouraged by the summit, which he hopes will become a regular event.

“This report is hopefully one of many,” he said. Copies are available online at www.gulfofmainesummit.org or by calling the Maine State Planning Office at 287-1491.