AUGUSTA - Rep. Tavis Hasenfus, D-Winthrop, introduced legislation Wednesday to invest additional resources to combat invasive aquatic species in Maine waters and to direct relevant state departments to collaborate on best practices for mitigating the spread of invasive species.
"I come from a district with one of the most at-risk lakes in the state for invasive aquatic species -Cobbossee Lake," said Hasenfus. "Lake organizations, nonprofits and volunteers have invested countless hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars in addressing the threat posed by invasive species, but local communities cannot address this threat on their own."
LD 2141 would allocate $2 million to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund. This funding would support treatment and prevention programs run by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Such programs include the Courtesy Boat Inspection program, prevention programs and management and eradication efforts.
The bill would also task DEP and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to review and report back to the Legislature ways to strengthen watercraft inspection protocols and the procedures for surface use restrictions (SUR). The Lakes Environmental Association, Cobbosseecontee Lake Association, Lovell Invasive Plant Committee and more than 70 other individuals and organizations across Maine testified in support of the bill, with many speaking specifically to increased inspections and SUR.
"The threat of losing pristine waters to invasive species is here," said Hasenfus. "The state must step up to address this, because while the problems are localized for now, these invasive species will take root in other waterbodies with devasting effect."
Hasenfus continues to lead efforts in the Legislature to address invasive aquatic species and prevent further spread in Maine's inland waters. In 2022, Hasenfus passed into law a bill to require the Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants and Nuisance Species to convene a stakeholder group and report back to the Legislature every two years with findings and policy recommendations. In 2023, Hasenfus was successful in adding species to the Maine list of invasive aquatic plants and prohibiting the sale of any plant species and variety within the genus Myriophyllum, regardless of whether it is indigenous to the state.
The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee will hold a work session on the bill on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 1 p.m.Hasenfus, who represents Readfield and Winthrop, is serving his second term in the Maine House. He is a member of the Taxation Committee and the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Hasenfus] c. 305-965-2744