Wayne volunteers form steering committee to study Androscoggin Lake; four work groups set

Doug, a local organizer, told the Town of Wayne Select Board that a private steering committee to address Androscoggin Lake water-quality concerns has been formed and is beginning work. The committee includes local watershed representatives and lake stakeholders and has organized four work groups focused on science, government coordination, fundraising and communications.

Doug said the science group will review historical studies, hydrology, sampling approaches and causes of phosphorus loading; the government group will coordinate relevant studies and agencies such as USGS and state DEP; a fundraising team will pursue private donations and grant opportunities; and a communications team will translate technical findings into plain language for residents. He said the committee expects work-group activity to begin immediately and a broader community meeting likely in late May before summer activity on the lake ramps up.

Doug also reported that committee members will present data at an upcoming legislative hearing that is considering redirecting some unclaimed bottle-deposit funds toward lake initiatives; he said Betsy will present her data at that hearing. The committee is pursuing grant opportunities it estimates at roughly $147,000 to fund initial work, while stressing the lake problem will not be solved in a single year.

Doug emphasized the committee’s intention to work closely with town officials even though the steering committee itself is a private group making recommendations. He said issues such as the dam, which he described as both part of the problem and part of a potential solution, will be considered by the work groups but should not become the sole focus because dam work can rapidly escalate in cost.

The committee intends to meet again as a steering group in two weeks and expects the work groups to be active thereafter, with a public update anticipated in May.