Overboard Discharge Elimination Program (Grants)

This program provides grants for the removal of individual overboard discharges of wastewater. Overboard discharges must be legally licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection. Projects which remove discharges from shellfishing areas or cause nuisance conditions will be given priority. Grants may also be available to fund other removal projects as required by law.  More information.

Grants for removal of overboard discharges may be awarded to municipalities, quasi-municipalities(such as sanitary districts), county commissioners on behalf of unorganized territory, or directly to the owner of an overboard discharge. Projects that are administered through the municipal, quasi-municipal, and county must follow the instructions in the Overboard Discharge Grant Program Administrative Handbook for Municipalities,   Quasi-Municipal Organizations, County Commissioners.  NOTE:  This draft version of the municipal handbook was recently updated based on a change in the state laws pertaining to the grant program. The previously published version of the handbook is out of date.

Individual owners of Overboard Discharges may apply for funding directly from DEP by using the OBD Grant Application Package (choose pdf format or Microsoft Word format). These documents both contain the grant application form, but the complete package also contains instructions on designing and building the project, and claiming payment. An application must be received before the actual construction takes place, and the owner must pay for and complete the work before reimbursement will be received. Property transfers and other low priority projects may not receive reimbursement immediately if funding is not available. More information on reimbursement of low priority projects.

Contact: Tim Macmillan, P.E., Administrator (207) 287-7765, Overboard Discharge Grant Program, 17 State House Station,  Augusta, ME 04333-0017

• Rules: Chapter 594
• OBD Grant Program Administrative Handbook
• OBD Grant Application Package (choose pdf format or Microsoft Word format)

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