Recent events on the Aroostook River: 2002-14
In Maine, surface waters must be suitable for “designated beneficial uses” including habitat for fish and other aquatic life, fishing, recreation in and on the water, drinking water (after treatment), and agriculture (subject to withdrawal limits). Diluting wastewater is not a designated use. Point-source industrial and municipal dischargers must be licensed by Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) to protect the aforementioned uses.
In May 2002, MDEP’s Paul Mitnick, P.E. published the “Aroostook River Data Report” (DEPLW-0480) providing results of intensive water quality sampling on the river and its tributaries conducted in the summer of 2001. MDEP Augusta and Presque Isle staff, and wastewater treatment personnel from Washburn, Presque Isle, McCain Foods, Fort Fairfield, and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs helped in data collection.
In Sept. 2004, the Data Report was followed by Mitnick’s “Aroostook River Modeling Report”(DEPLW-0622). It is unquestionably the largest study effort ever organized by MDEP in Aroostook. Key findings of the report follow.
“Collective point source total phosphorus [TP] reductions of greater than 50 percent from current amounts are needed to eliminate algae blooms. The most important sources to reduce are McCain Foods and Presque Isle. Effluent TP treatment that reduces TP concentrations to 0.5 to 1.0 ppm [parts per million] may be necessary to alleviate bloom conditions.” [Currently, the McCain Foods limit is 3.0 ppm.]
“An additional data set should be taken at reduced point source phosphorus inputs. McCain Foods and Presque Isle should target TP levels of 1 ppm. Fort Fairfield should implement phosphorus pollution prevention during this data collection effort.”
“Total phosphorus allocations for point sources should be re-evaluated by the model after the collection of the additional data set recommended and nutrient criteria development are final.”
The additional data set was eventually collected by MDEP in the summer of 2012 – eight years later! Earlier that year, MDEP issued “draft” discharge licenses for McCain Foods and Presque Isle’s treatment plants.
On March 16, 2012, I formally commented that MDEP should impose phosphorus limits year-around for McCain Foods, Inc. — instead of the seasonal limits (June 1 to Sept. 30).
McCain’s discharge license renewal is still draft (not final). Nutrient standards mentioned a moment ago, although fully drafted by MDEP in 2010, have not yet been finalized, a procedure which requires the approval of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Passage of over 10 years of time since the phosphorus problem was first recognized by MDEP in 2004 on the Aroostook River is troubling. From my perspective, this decade of delay has been a notable subsidy to McCain Foods, Inc.
Steve Sutter is a retired agricultural and resource economist living on a Presque Isle riverfront property that has been in his family since April 12, 1854. This is the fourteenth installment of his series on the history of the Aroostook River.
