AUGUSTA - A bill from Rep. Dan Ankeles, D-Brunswick, that will protect natural resources from storm water runoff by empowering local authorities to invest in infrastructure repairs on the former Brunswick Naval Air Station is now law.
The measure, signed by Gov. Janet Mills on Monday, authorizes the Town of Brunswick and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) to more easily seek, receive and allocate funds to repair roads and storm water management infrastructure at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, now known as Brunswick Landing.
The new law is expected to strengthen Brunswick and MRRA's grant applications by allowing both to include all Landing properties in the scope of their proposals, regardless of whether those properties are public, private or owned by a quasi-governmental agency like MRRA.
"Both the Landing's conventional and environmental infrastructure specifically the storm water management systems are simply getting too old," said Ankeles. "That is bad news, not just financially and for residents quality of life, but for the surrounding watersheds, waterways and drinking water well fields. This new law is one more tool we can use to help protect Brunswick residents and businesses from a major environmental and financial challenge."
When the Brunswick Naval Air Base closed in 2011, the Navy began to convey properties to various entities, including the Town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College and MRRA. This jurisdictional mix has complicated efforts to obtain funding to address conventional and environmental infrastructure needs.
The new law will go into effect 90 days after final adjournment of the Legislative session.
Ankeles, a member of the Transportation Committee, is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents District 100, a central slice of Brunswick that includes downtown, the former naval airbase and Bowdoin College.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Ankeles], c. 305-965-2744