Mooring Working Group

Purpose

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) is convening a working group to look at various issues related to moorings on inland waters, to review how other states with public trust doctrines regulate moorings and to suggest possible legislation, rulemaking, education and clarifications to current statute related to authority to enforce inland mooring laws.

  1. Identifying the issues related to moorings on inland waters at both a statewide and local level and identifying potential solutions;
  2. Identifying the impacts and opportunities of moorings related to public safety, the
    environment, property ownership, recreation, commerce and fish and wildlife; and
  3. Exploring how other states that have a public trust doctrine manage moorings on inland waters.

Working Group Format

Meetings will be open to the public, and opportunities for public comment will be provided at the conclusion of each meeting.

An online attendance option via Microsoft Teams will also be available. Those wishing to attend remotely should email Becky Orff at becky.orff@maine.gov.

Working Group Members Include:

The working group must include, but is not limited to:

  • Two representatives of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, one of whom is a game warden representing the Maine Warden Service and one of whom represents the department's administration;
  • Three representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands, one representing inland navigational aids, one representing the submerged lands program and one representing the Maine Land Use Planning Commission;
  • One representative who owns or operates a business that provides mooring rentals;
  • One representative of the State of Maine Harbor Masters Association;
  • One representative representing municipal interests from a municipality with moorings on inland waters that has a mooring ordinance;
    • Andy Wess Former owner of Lakeside Marina, on the town council for Winthrop, had dealt with the mooring ordinance issues
      shereeandandy@gmail.com  / 87 Winthrop Center Road Winthrop, ME
  • One representative representing municipal interests from a municipality with moorings on inland waters that does not have a mooring ordinance;
    • Roddy Ehrlenbach Recreation Dept Director for City of Ellsworth & Harbor Master, (Ellsworth doesn't have an ordinance for inland waters but does for the coast)
      rehrlenbach@ellsworthmaine.gov
  • One representative representing a lake association;
  • One representative of a statewide organization that represents inland waters of the State; and
  • Adding: One representative of a statewide organization that represents municipalities.
    • Rebecca Lambert, Municipal Issues Specialist for Maine Municipal Association
      RLambert@memun.org  

Meeting Information

Location

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Augusta Headquarters
353 Water Street
Augusta, ME 04330

Or Via TEAMS as a remote attendance option

Meeting Dates

TBD