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Developers' Fees Will Help Wetlands Efforts

January 12, 2010 - AUGUSTA -- A state conservation fund that collects fees from developers has awarded $1.8 million to projects that help restore or preserve wetlands and other wildlife habitat.

The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program was created last year to let developers pay fees when projects require the filling of wetlands or other changes to habitat. Before the fund was created, developers sometimes had to compensate for unavoidable effects by doing individual restoration projects.

Fees are collected by the Department of Environmental Protection and transferred to the Natural Resource Conservation Fund at The Nature Conservancy. The Army Corps of Engineers works with the fund to identify priority projects.

The $1.8 million announced Thursday is the first round of grants from the fund. The money will help 11 public and nonprofit groups move forward on resource protection projects across Maine.

"At a time of limited resources, this program has awarded crucial funding that will allow us to preserve a diversity of wetlands, waterfowl and wading bird habitat, and deer wintering areas," said John Pratte of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in a written announcement.

The Atlantic Salmon Federation was one of the recipients.

"Our grant allows us to finish the construction of a fishway on Blackman Stream, so sea-run fish can have access to their historical spawning habitat for the first time in over 200 years," said Andrew Goode, director of U.S. programs for the group.

Alex Mas, who manages the program for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, said the fund allows the state to focus protection efforts where they are most needed.

The grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The recipients of the initial grants are the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Chewonki Foundation, the Great Works Regional Land Trust, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Maine Coastal Habitat Foundation, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance, the Three Rivers Land Trust, the town of Falmouth, the Trust for Public Land and the Western Foothills Land Trust.

A second round of awards, and request for proposals, is expected to be announced later this year.

From staff reports, Portland Press Herald, January 8, 2010


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