The Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the Beech Hill Pond Watershed Improvement Project- Phase I "319" grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to help reduce nonpoint source pollution issues in the Beech Hill Pond watershed.

The Beech Hill Pond Watershed Improvement Project- Phase I "319" grant will help to fix erosion problems on roadways and at residences around the pond which will reduce NPS pollution by decreasing the amount of sediment and phosphorus entering the lake.  This grant will start in the spring of 2012 and will continue through the fall of 2013.  For more information, please contact the Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District at 667-8663 ext. 3.

What is Nonpoint Source Pollution?

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is stormwater that washes off of driveways, roofs, parking lots, roads, agricultural fields, construction sites, forestry operations, and other surfaces carrying with it contaminants to our streams, lakes, oceans, and groundwater.  NPS pollution is the number one threat to the waters of the state of Maine and the nation.  It causes increased algae blooms, reduced water clarity, reduced dissolved oxygen, and decreased habitats for fish and other aquatic organisms.  It can also cause beach closures and swimming bans, contaminates drinking water sources, and can lead to declines in shoreline property values.  NPS pollution harms the recreational appeal and beauty of a waterbody.

Funding for this project, in part, was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.  The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with EPA.