AUGUSTA - Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, has been named House chair of the Commission to Study the Role of Water as a Resource in the State of Maine. The commission held its first meeting Monday, Sept. 12.
"At a time when communities around the world and across our nation are facing water shortages and the myriad consequences of those shortages, there is no more important time to take a comprehensive look at water as a vital natural resource," said Gramlich. "Water is arguably our most precious resource. We quite literally cannot live without it. Here in Maine, we are fortunate to live in what has historically been a water-rich state, but we have still experienced concerning periods of drought in recent years. We need to be good stewards. This commission provides us with an opportunity to take a comprehensive look at how to protect our most precious resource and ensure that all Mainers have access to safe, clean drinking water."
Gramlich sponsored LD 1569, which established the commission. The 16-member panel is charged with studying issues associated with the role of water resources in Maine, as well as the infrastructure involved in its use and delivery. The legislation directs the commission to develop recommendations to ensure clean, safe and accessible drinking water for Maine residents and businesses now and in the future. Those recommendations will be delivered to the Legislature by Nov. 2.
The commission will meet again in the coming weeks.
Gramlich is a longtime social worker and second-term member of the Maine House. She has worked extensively on legislation related to water resources, including sponsoring measures to protect Mainers from exposure to arsenic and toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water. She serves on both the Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee and Taxation Committee.
Contact:
Jenna Howard [Gramlich], c. 214-3185