Year End Appeal

November 20, 2025

Dear Friends,

Growing up in Augusta in the early 1970’s and spending summers at our camp near the West Branch of the Penobscot on Moosehead Lake, it didn't take long for me to understand the value of clean water. At that time, the mighty Kennebec River was no more than a waste conveyance for the many mills along the river, while the waters of Moosehead Lake were clean and full of life. 

The Kennebec was not swimmable, fish were essentially non-existent, and the foul odor was ever present. But, with years of fierce advocacy, the Edwards Dam was removed from the Kennebec in 1999 and immediately brought renewal to the river. Today, you can stand on the banks of the river and witness sturgeon leaping one after another— mighty sturgeon, the ultimate indicator of a healthy waterway and the inspiration for the Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper logo. That effort on the Kennebec is proof that a group of dedicated individuals can make significant change, and that is our goal for the Penobscot Bay watershed. 

As 2025 comes to a close, we have much to celebrate and be grateful for at Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper. We have finally put the Nordic Aquafarms saga to rest both legally and with our recent purchase of the 54-acre Little River parcel that was to be the Nordic Aquafarms Factory. We will be using this site to inspire the community in many ways, from ecological restoration and rewilding to providing a space for the community to gather, work, learn, and find renewal in nature. We are excited about this project and hope you are as well!

Also, early in 2025, we worked with our Board of Directors and community members to create a 5-year strategic plan for the organization and in July officially rebranded from Upstream Watch to Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper. Moving forward, we will continue the powerful advocacy that resulted in the defeat of the Nordic project, but we will be broadening our scope to the entire Penobscot Bay watershed. Specifically, we will be focusing on 4 distinct pillars:

ADVOCATE
Enforcing environmental laws and advocating for strong water protection policies, holding polluters and agencies accountable, and evaluating all threats that may harm waters of Penobscot Bay Watershed.

INVESTIGATE
Employ the best available science and investigative methods to assess the health of the water, land, and ecosystems of Penobscot Bay Watershed.

INSPIRE
Communicate, organize and engage with partners, stakeholders, and communities on matters important to protecting and cherishing the waters and land of Penobscot Bay Watershed.

THRIVE
Create and implement systems and processes to ensure a robust, effective, and sound organization. Strive to foster a culture that is fun, open-minded, collaborative, and hopeful.

We created this strategic plan to complement the work of many organizations and individuals working in local communities and to employ a holistic approach to protecting the watershed. But, we cannot do this alone, we need your help! Many hands make light work and there are many ways you can support the vision we have put forth at Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper.

We greatly appreciate your support and we would love to have members from throughout the watershed! We have created many membership levels to show your support for our work. Please Join Us!

In the span of this year, we have demonstrated the hard work of advocating for clean water, protecting coastal habitat, and being a strong voice for the Penobscot Bay watershed. With your continued generous support and membership we can continue to deliver positive results for the entire watershed. I truly believe in the Penobscot Bay community and with your help we can TOGETHER create the clean water vision we would like to see for the bay and watershed!

Please support us by sending a check to Penobscot Bay Waterkeeper at PO Box 113, Belfast ME 04915 or by donating online by clicking the button below.

Thank you in advance for your support!

For the river, bay, and watershed,