DEP to transfer lakefront property program
A state program to encourage good stewardship of lakefront property is set to transition to the nonprofit Maine Congress of Lake Associations in November.
Samantha DePoy-Warren, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, told the Morning Sentinel that property owners have been wary of allowing state inspectors onto their land, knowing that the same inspectors qualifying them for the program can issue fines for environmental violations.
The program gives qualifying landowners a sign for their lawn, indicating that the property met the program's criteria.
DePoy-Warren told the paper that the LakeSmart program, which started in 2004 and includes properties on 33 lakes, will transfer to nonprofit management on Nov. 1 in hopes of broadening participation and cutting the department's $100,000 bill to run the program annually.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the program includes properties on 10 lakes. This year, 10 new lakes were brought into the program, which has included 33 lakes since starting.
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