Maine Coastal Program

Maine Coastal Program
Name	Maine Coastal Program
Formation	1978
Headquarters	Portland, Maine
Region served	Coast of Maine
Parent organization	Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Maine Coastal Program is a state-administered coastal management initiative focused on conservation, sustainable use, and resilience of Maine's shoreline. It integrates coastal planning, habitat protection, and community resilience across the Gulf of Maine region, coordinating with state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and coastal municipalities. The Program addresses coastal hazards, marine resources, and working waterfronts to balance economic activity and environmental stewardship.

Overview

The Program operates within Maine's coastal zone, which includes the islands, estuaries, and peninsulas of the Gulf of Maine, and coordinates with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It draws on scientific assessment from institutions such as the University of Maine and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences while engaging municipalities like Portland, Maine and Bar Harbor, Maine. The Program promotes resilience planning related to events including Nor'easters, Hurricane Sandy, and long-term sea level trends observed by the National Hurricane Center and the National Centers for Environmental Information.

History and Development

Established in the late 1970s following federal coastal policy shifts, the Program built on precedents set by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and regional initiatives such as the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. Early collaborations involved agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and academic partners including Bowdoin College and Colby College. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s it expanded work on fisheries and estuarine habitat, interacting with federal programs like the National Estuarine Research Reserve system and advocacy from organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society of Maine.

Goals and Objectives

Primary objectives include protecting tidal wetlands and eelgrass beds identified by researchers at Maine Maritime Academy and the School of Marine Sciences (University of Maine), supporting working waterfronts in towns like Rockland, Maine and Stonington, Maine, and enhancing community resilience in coastal municipalities such as Kittery, Maine and Wells, Maine. The Program seeks to align with statewide strategies embodied by the Maine Climate Council and to support compliance with statutes like the Maine Natural Resources Protection Act. It emphasizes data-driven decision-making referencing studies from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Northeast Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems.

Programs and Activities

Activities span habitat restoration, shoreline stabilization, and technical assistance for municipal planners in towns including Bath, Maine and Camden, Maine. The Program funds projects through competitive grants similar to mechanisms used by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and manages datasets compatible with initiatives from the Northeast Regional Ocean Council and Sea Grant programs such as University of Maine Cooperative Extension. It conducts outreach at venues like the Maine Fishermen's Forum and partners on research with institutions such as the Atlantic Seabird Alliance and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

Governance and Funding

Oversight is provided through the state agency structure in which the Program works closely with the Maine Department of Marine Resources and the Maine Coastal Program Advisory Council. Funding streams have included federal allocations under the Coastal Zone Management Act and grants from agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and philanthropic support from foundations like the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Island Institute. Budget decisions and policy coordination have involved legislative bodies including the Maine Legislature and advisory input from regional compacts such as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

The Program convenes stakeholders from tribal governments including the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy, municipal officials from towns like Saco, Maine and Rockport, Maine, and industry groups such as the Maine Lobstermen's Association and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. It collaborates with conservation NGOs including The Nature Conservancy and the Land Trust Alliance, and educational partners like the College of the Atlantic. Cross-jurisdictional work engages Canadian bodies represented by organizations such as the Fisheries and Oceans Canada in managing transboundary issues in the Gulf of Maine.

Impact and Challenges

Impacts include restored salt marshes and eelgrass meadows documented with partners like the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and enhanced municipal coastal ordinances modeled on examples from Ogunquit, Maine and York, Maine. Challenges persist from accelerating sea level rise observed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, changing marine ecosystems influenced by Atlantic mackerel and American lobster population shifts, and balancing development pressures exemplified in disputes involving waterfront parcels in Kennebunkport, Maine. Ongoing tensions involve reconciling economic reliance on fisheries represented by the New England Fishery Management Council with conservation priorities advocated by groups such as the Environmental Defense Fund.

Category:Environment of Maine Category:Coastal management in the United States