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Environment Links:

Maine DEP Brownfields Program

Department of Environmental Protection

* DEP Google Maps

* DEP Facebook

Green Lodging in Maine

Hancock County Soil and
Water Conservation Service

Lewiston, Maine Household Hazardous Waste Disposal

Project Canopy

State Planning Office
Household Hazardous
Waste Collection List

Union River Watershed
Coalition

University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Initiatives

Hancock County
Planning Commission
Environmental and Solid Waste Planning Services

Bay and Watershed Assessment and Planning

• Blue Hill Bay Needs Assessment

Brownfields Assessment Program

The Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) has received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding to conduct an assessment of potential brownfields sites in Hancock County. This grant has allowed us to hire a consultant to determine if a site has environmental problems and help with the clean-up. This makes a property safe for reuse.  If you know of a potential site in your town, contact Tom Martin for details.

Climate Change

The Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) will assist towns in Hancock County to prepare policies for reducing green house gas emissions and accommodating climate change. We are working with Maine state agencies and local organizations for climate change prevention and preparedness.

• LIDAR Tiles for Northeast Maine (3.5 MB GeoPDF)
• Sample Map from Union River, Ellsworth (11 MB GeoPDF)

Dark Sky Research and Light Pollution Management

The Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) will assist towns in Hancock County to prepare policies for protecting the night sky from light pollution. We are working with the Island Astronomy Institute and Maine state agencies to prepare model ordinances and technical assistance documents for night sky preservation.

Groundwater

• Hancock County Aquifer Map (168 KM jpg)
• Hancock County’s Groundwater Supplies Steve Norton Professor Emeritus Department of Earth Sciences Climate Change Institute University of Maine (2.6 MB PDF)
• An Overview of Maine Maine’s s Ground Water Resources Robert G. Marvinney State Geologist Maine Geological Survey (6.3 MB PDF)
• 2010 Maine Drinking Water Study finds high levels of arsenic in Hancock County Groundwater. Click here for details. (Large PDF File)

Low-Impact Development

The Hancock County Planning Commission assists towns in identifying low-impact development alternatives, including stormwater management strategies that reflect increased intensity of storm events due to climate change.

Scenic Viewshed Assessment

The Hancock County Planning Commission (HCPC) and Washington County Council of Governments has prepared an inventory of key scenic and historic views as seen from public places in down east coastal towns. This inventory is a major opportunity to identify key scenic views. The results will be useful to communities for updating comprehensive plans, preparing grant applications, creating village improvement strategies, and tourism promotion as well as developing land protection strategies.  The inventory is published in print and online with maps, photographs and recommendations.

Waste, Composting and Recycling Services

HCPC provides an array of solid waste services to towns in Hancock County. We work with local officials to evaluate and improve transfer station and recycling center management.

• 2011 HCPC Solid Waste Services Brochure
• HCPC 2011 household Hazardous Waste Collection Report and Images

HCPC staff can:

• Meet with committees or facility staff to examine management options
• Recommend changes in facility layout and design
• Assist in the development of stratgies that increase recycling
• Identify options for composting including lawn and leaf material, food scraps and shellfish residues
• Work with municipalities and the DEP to complete permit applications
• Work with hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants in developing recycling and composting strategies
• Prepare or amend operations manuals, job descriptions, ordinances or policies
• Prepare publicity materials and educational brochures on proposed changes to recycling and solid waste policies

For More Information Contact Tom Martin at 667-7131 or email at tmartin@hcpcme.org.

Solid Waste and Recycling Information

• Recycling and Reuse Facts
• Recyling and Reuse Tips
• Recycling Event Promotion Ideas

• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (PDF)
• Zero Sort Recycling  What is it? Will it work for your town?
• Single Stream Recycling: What you need to know.
• Safe Disposal of Mercury
• CDD Disposal (PDF)
• Recycling
• Pay-As-You-Throw
• Take out the Garbage Text (89K PDF)
• Take out the Garbage Poster ( 98K JPG)
• Transfer Station Design Tips

Links

• Lewiston, Maine Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Service
• Maine State Planning Office Waste Management and Recycling Division
• Maine Resource Recovery Association

Hotel and Transient Accommodation Recycling and Waste Reduction

• Recycling for the Hospitality Industry (pdf)
• Green Hotel Certification
• Sample Campground Recycling Brochure (pdf)

Electronic Waste Recycling

• Where to recycle items such as computers, televisions, cell phones, fluorescent light bulbs, thermostats, and rechargeable batteries
• Safe Disposal of Mercury
• Home Depot Compact Florescent Bulb Recycling Program

* The solid waste and recycling portions of the web site are based upon work supported under a grant by the Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Utilities Programs.

Composting

• Composting: A Guide for Restaurants (pdf)
• Maine DEP Solid Waste Management Rules on Composting (doc)
• Composting HCPC Solid Waste Digest
• Ellsworth's Compost Reseach Program
• Hospitals Turn Food Waste Into Compost (pdf)
• Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service: Composting to Reduce the Waste Stream (20 MB PDF)
• Odor Managment (pdf)
• Composting in restaurants and schools: A Municipal Tool Kit (pdf)
• Food Waste Management Cost Calculator (pdf)
• Green Restaurant Association

Sustainable Energy Systems

The HCPC provides assistance to Hancock County Towns in evaluating energy alternatives, including:

• Analysis of the impacts of utilities lines on communities
• Analysis of energy usage by municipal governments
• Model ordinances for small energy systems like windmills and solar collectors

NOTE:  THESE ORDINANCES SHOULD BE REVIEWED BY AN ATTORNEY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT MAINE LAND USE LAW BEFORE BEING ADAPTED FOR USE BY YOUR TOWN.

• Model Wind Energy Ordinance (MS Word)
• Model Wind Energy Ordinance (PDF)
• Model Wind Energy Facility Presentation (PDF)
• Draft Wind Energy Guidebook
• Natural Resources Conservation Service: Conference on Increasing Energy Diversity and Independence

• Sample Ordinances
• Dixmont Wind Ordinance
• Eastbrook Wind Ordinance
• Fort Kent Wind Ordinance
• KVCOG Model Ordinance for Small Wind Energy Systems
• Montville Wind Ordinance
• Oakfield Energy Workshop Report (9 GB PDF)
• Wilson Township, Michigan Wind Ordinance
• THE MAINE ENERGY HANDBOOK: A Resource for Municipalities on Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy (Greater Portland Council of Governments, 2010)
• State of Maine Energy Plan: Charting the Course for the 21st Century by John Kerry, Director of the Governor's Office on Energy Independence and Security (1/29/2009) (11 MB PDF )
• Outdoor Wood Boilers: An Overview of State Regulations, Presented by James P. Brooks, Director Maine Office of Air Quality (1/29/2009) (1.7 MB PDF)