30 Mile receives funding from a diverse mix of sources, the biggest of which is donations from individuals like you. We also receive contributions from towns, lake associations, and both private foundation and government grants. Since 2011, we have received five grants funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. This funding is administered by the Maine DEP, in partnership with EPA. These “319” grants fund projects to help communities restore and protect priority waters, primarily by reducing erosion and polluted runoff. These grants have enabled us to bring significant funding to towns, road associations, and landowners to take on important lake-protection projects that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. 30 Mile currently has two 319 grants underway, one for Androscoggin Lake ($150K), and the other for Parker Pond ($64K).
These grants are structured such that neither 30 Mile nor Maine DEP receives funding until projects are completed. The Trump Administration has already made major cuts at the EPA, and although this program is still functioning, it is certainly at risk, and therefore our funding is, too.
Photo: In 2020, the “319” grant that 30 Mile received from the EPA (administered by Maine DEP in partnership with EPA) made possible this $329K stream crossing project for the Town of Chesterville on the Sandy River Rd, between Parker and David Ponds.
This article was included in 30 Mile’s March 2025 newsletter. To view the full newsletter, click here.