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Mousam Lake's Mightiest Advocate Wins Award for Efforts

April 23, 2008 - SHAPLEIGH -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected Pat Baldwin of Shapleigh as the recipient of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to the protection and improvement of Mousam Lake.

"I'm kind of overwhelmed by this whole thing," Baldwin said last week from her home. "It is certainly quite an honor. It's kind of nice to know you were part of something successful."

The award ceremony will take place in Boston on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22.

Baldwin was nominated for the award by Sandra Fancieullo of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Wendy Garland of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

"Mousam Lake’s restoration was possible in large part because of Pat’s persistent advocacy and her lifetime devotion to the lake," Fancieullo and Garland wrote in the nomination.

According to the nomination, Baldwin, a lifetime resident of Shapleigh and Mousam Lake, began in the late 1970s collecting water samples from the lake and testing the samples at Demers Laboratory in Springvale, where she worked.

In the early 1980s, she observed disturbing trends - including elevated bacteria levels and declining water clarity - which indicated that water quality was deteriorating. On one occasion, Baldwin detected high E. coli levels that led to the closure of the town beach. This beach closure drew considerable public attention and launched Baldwin into the role as an advocate for Mousam Lake, the nomination said.

Baldwin’s advocacy for the lake continued in the 1980s, when she testified before the Maine Legislature on behalf of a proposed shoreland zoning bill. She went to the hearing with a prepared speech, but after listening to the debate Baldwin delivered impromptu testimony about the need for lake protection, the nomination said. The audience broke into applause after her speech.

During the past decade, Baldwin has been a fixture at town and lake association annual meetings, where she can be counted on to make a compelling case for financial support and personal involvement in Mousam Lake efforts.

Following a decade of intensive restoration work, water clarity in Mousam Lake is 3 feet clearer and the lake now attains water quality standards. Maine DEP removed Mousam Lake from its impaired waters list in 2006.

Baldwin will continue speak out for the health of the lake.

"We're not there yet," she said. "We've turned the corner. There is still work to do."

This article appeared in keepmecurrent.com, April 23, 2008.


Lakes: Mousam Lake
Regions: Sanford


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