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Land for Maine's Future board preliminarily allocates $357,500 for Brunswick river access; approves farmland and access grants
Summary
At a Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) meeting, staff reported on fund balances and Round 13 requests; the board approved a preliminary $357,500 allocation for Keepstock Reservoir/Androscoggin River access in Brunswick, confirmed $150,000 for Springside Farm and awarded $104,580 in access‑improvement grants to six applicants.
The Land for Maine’s Future board voted to preliminarily allocate $357,500 to a Brunswick water‑access proposal for the Keepstock Reservoir/Androscoggin River and approved several other funding actions tied to the program’s Round 13 funding cycle.
LMF staff presented account balances and an overview of Round 13 demand, saying available unallocated funds are limited and that the board had set the round at $3,000,000. Staff said Round 13 requests as presented exceed that $3 million target and the board discussed whether to draw additional interest earnings to cover more projects.
Laura Graham, LMF staff, walked the board through the fund‑balance slides and the Round 13 request list. She told the board that the presentation omitted applicant names for confidentiality but listed towns, counties, acreage and board requests. Graham also explained the program’s set‑asides (for stewardship, legal costs, inventories and access improvement grants) and that staff plan to pull only the interest needed from the interest‑bearing account.
Project approvals and votes at a glance
- Keepstock Reservoir access (Androscoggin River, Brunswick): the board accepted the project as a finalist and preliminarily allocated $357,500 "subject to standard LMF conditions." The motion carried with no member recorded in opposition.
- Springside Farm (New Vineyard, working farmland): the board accepted an updated appraisal ($300,000) and confirmed an increased working‑farmland allocation, raising the prior preliminary award to $150,000. The board recorded no opposition to the motion to confirm the $150,000 allocation.
- Access improvement awards: the board approved $104,580 in access‑improvement funding to six applicants in the amounts requested. The motion carried.
Staff also reported recent project closings: Sea Meadow Marine Foundation (working waterfront, noted as 11.4 acres with a January 23 closing), an "easement river south" project that closed with an allocation of $1,035,000, and Mill Hill (part of a larger, multi‑parcel protection) which closed with an allocation of $1,225,000.
Board discussion
Board members asked several questions about how the program treats municipally owned parcels offered as match for acquisitions. Staff explained that LMF’s workbook contains a two‑year rule governing the eligibility of pre‑acquired property as match but that the board has discretion to waive the limit; staff said the board waived the limit for an earlier Merry Meeting Park project and could do so again if it wishes.
On the Keepstock proposal staff described the project footprint: the package presented to the board listed roughly 77 acres to be protected by the town’s project agreement, with about 1.6 miles of shoreline. Staff said the town will encumber the full parcel with a project agreement and intends to add modest parking (a 10‑vehicle gravel lot with one handicapped space) to provide public access. Staff noted an environmental screening result on the parcel that detected one PFAS compound at a low level and said a follow‑up appraisal and due diligence were completed.
Next steps and calendar
Staff told the board that project applicants will present to the board at the next meeting and that scoring and final allocations are scheduled in follow‑up sessions. Board members also discussed timing for a field tour of conserved lands and operating properties.
