1. EPA REGION 1 Regional Meeting March 30, 2006
I’m happy to have the opportunity to talk with you today about work that we have been doing in Maine. Larry asked me to address some of the benefits of our program and I will do that but I thought it might be good to start with a little background info on our particular program. I am going to assume that we all understand the basic purpose and how these programs tend to work.

2. IN THE BEGINNING Let’s do Lunch DEP Funded Limited Service Area
Begin with a brown bag lunch (how Maine) and a presentation from Beth Valentine from MD. Follow up with stakeholders and a suggestion that we move forward and that MMTA sponsor the project. No problem for my board. Grant written, Awarded by DEP under the 319 program as a Demonstration Project with a limited service area – Casco Bay

3. And we had the hokiest logo in town.

4. THE “MAINE” PROGRAM New Funding Agency New Name and Service Area
New Approach
As the demo project wound down we geared up for a larger project and with funding from the Maine State Planning Office via NOAA and CZM program we expanded our service area to include first the mid-coast & Pen Bay regions and now the entire coast. We took a more business like approach, creating a strategic plan

5. And we got a much cooler logo!

6. KEY ELEMENTS Industry Driven Notice the Name Partnerships
Technical Assistance
This program has always been industry driven – 1st to be housed at a trade association instead of a regulatory agency or Sea Grant program. Always enjoyed excellent levels of participation from industry members on our advisory committees. Constant communication from Association.
Notice that we include the word “boatyards” in our program name – because in Maine we are mostly about boatyards, we have also certified boatbuilders, including one that is totally land-locked.
Always enjoyed tremendous support and participation from our partners – including EPA, which played a large role in the original project and which continues to “check” in from time to time, with questions and words of encouragement. We don’t have lots of money in Maine and so we have really learned to play well together – because for us that’s the best way to get things done
Technical assistance

7. BENEFITS Technical Assistance Safety Net Free Press
Sense of Accomplishment
Respect of Employees, Customers, Local Officials
The Big “Kahuna”
I didn’t hit the cut & paste button one time too many. Having access to a technical mind or too that doesn’t come with $100/hour price tag is a good thing. Having the ability to brainstorm a little with someone who has a little technical expertise is a great thing.
The fact that we are a trade association running the show provides a sense of safety or insulation. The regulated community wants to do the right thing, but are often afraid to call the regulating agency with questions – we become that safety net, go-between, cushion. Important component
We do get good response from media – in particular industry press, local papers. We plan a media event for each certification, inviting municipal officials, surrounding boatyards, special customers, program partners
The sense of accomplishment is real and people fly their flags with pride, some include the logo and clean marina news in their company newsletters and web sites
And they have definitely gained the respect of their employees – Wilbur story, their customers – boat show story, local officials – Panther Run story, Yankee Marina
Obviously the biggest benefit is that our environment is cleaner – but a side, and perhaps equally important benefit is that we have built a real partnership and that entities that would normally thought to be at odds are working together – understanding the we have common goals and that our different approaches to reaching those goals can be harnessed and used to get us there quicker, cheaper and with a lot less stress than when we sit alone brooding in our separate silos.

8. The packet