Friends of Penobscot Bay applauds a decision made March 12 by the Committee on Agriculture Conservation and Forestry to attach a special condition to their Ought Not to Pass decision on LD 620 "An Act Regarding Licensing of Land-based Aquaculture Facilities."

The committee will request in a letter to Maine Department of Environmental Protection that the agency: "update their their nutrient discharge rules ASAP; and if there needs to be, language crafted in some section of those rules to go directly to land-based aquaculture and marine-based aquaculture facilities, which will be rising in the state."

While we're disappointed that LD 260 received an Ought Not To Pass from the DACF Committee we want to thank them for adding this special condition to their decision. It will better the state's review of the new land based aquaculture that we sought, while giving the salmon aquaculture industry the decision that it sought.

Friends of Penobscot Bay will participating in the rule-making that comes out of this change to state regulations.
 
For more information, contact Ron Huber at 207691-7485 or coastwatch@gmail.com