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Maine’s waters are being plagued by ‘floating camps’

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Maine’s waters are being plagued by ‘floating camps’


A scourge of “floating camps” are overwhelming Maine’s waterways and proving themselves to be a bureaucratic mess to get rid of. 

The buoyant abodes are not houseboats, as they lack motors, putting them into a hard-to-control gray area of the law that has landlubbing homeowners and authorities alike scratching their heads. 

The “floating camps,” as they are known, often are outfitted with second stories, decks and other amenities and while they appear quaint — and may bring their owners a pretty rental income — they pose pollution risks, congest public docks and boat ramps, and block the views of houses on shore, the Bangor Daily News reported. 

A floating camp in Camden Harbor in the fall of 2022. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
The situation has become a bureaucratic mess. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

For years, a variety of Pine Tree State agencies have realized that the camps were a problem — but as a result of them being not completely onshore and often only tied to land, or anchored to the bottom of a body of water, it is extremely hard to determine which agency has the power to remove them. 

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A report by multiple agencies formally recognized “a need to define and regulate these non-water-dependent floating structures in order to protect Maine’s waters” over two years ago. But still the problem persists, significantly due to “the lack of a clear violation of law or regulation for the unauthorized placement” of floating camps.

Indeed, in Maine, the bottoms of lakes and ponds are considered to be under a different jurisdiction than the water itself, and the water’s quality is the responsibility of yet another agency — and that’s just the surface of the bureaucratic mess of regulatory bodies governing the state’s water. 

A floating camp in Hadley Lake in May 2017. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

As a result of this, functionally no group is permitted to remove a floating camp. 

In order to fix the problem, the report proposed, there needs to be an agreement that floating camps should be banned, followed by “a clear prohibition” to allow for such a rule’s enforcement.

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Maine

We Are the Watershed call for art

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We Are the Watershed call for art


A collective of environmental, arts and Indigenous-led organizations is collaborating to produce We Are the Watershed, a two-day event aimed at reconnecting humans with nature and revitalizing the health of waterways, estuaries, and the bay in Peskotomuhkatikuk (traditional Passamaquoddy territory). Events, including theatrical performances, music, culinary experiences and an exhibition of submitted artwork, will be held on May 1 and 2 at Eastport Arts Center (EAC). A publication of written and visual works will also be released with proceeds to support conservation efforts and spreading awareness of their impacts.

Submissions sought:
Written and visual works are currently sought from artists and creatives on both sides of the border across Peskotomuhkatikuk for the publication, which will be sold by donation at the May event. Proceeds from the sale will be dedicated to related community-building efforts, public engagement, and continued restoration efforts. The deadline for digital submission for the publication is April 1.

Physical works can be dropped off at EAC Sunday, April 26 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to be a part of the exhibition, which will run May 1 through 15. Artists under 18 will receive 100% of the proceeds if they opt to put their pieces up for sale during the exhibit, which will run May 1 through May 15. Artists over 18 will receive 70% of the proceeds with the remainder going toward promoting awareness of and supporting conservation efforts for the Passamaquoddy Bay.


The Eastport Arts Center

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Every week through Apr 01, 2026.
Friday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Event Supported By

Eastport Arts Center

(207) 853-4650

info@eastportartscenter.org

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NEWS CENTER Maine

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NEWS CENTER Maine
Through in-depth storytelling, through direct contact on digital on social platforms, through long-standing community service programs like Coats & Toys for Kids, Project Heat and Buddy to Buddy, NEWS CENTER Maine is dedicated to keeping Mainers connected. We can’t do it alone, though. Only by listening and interacting with YOU can we continue to connect ALL Mainers.



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Suspect arrested in murder of Robert Fuller, Jr., Maine attorney and philanthropist

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Suspect arrested in murder of Robert Fuller, Jr., Maine attorney and philanthropist


Police in Maryland have charged a suspect with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 87-year-old Robert Fuller Jr., a former Maine attorney and philanthropist, inside his senior living apartment in Gaithersburg on Valentine’s Day.

Authorities said the suspect is 22-year-old Maurquise Emilio James, a med tech at the facility where Fuller lived.

Montgomery County Department of Police.

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Police say 22-year-old Maurise Emilio James is charged with murder in the death of Robert Fuller, Jr.

At a press conference Wednesday, detectives said they reviewed surveillance video from the facility showing James near a door that’s alarm was deactivated. A video clip released of the suspect walking in the courtyard of the facility generated tips that helped to identify James.

Early February 24, Maryland State Police conducted a traffic stop of a sedan without tags. Police said the driver fired at the trooper. The officer was not seriously injured.

Investigators said evidence collected at the scene included at least one 9mm shell casing that indicated the same gun was used in both the shooting of Fuller and the incident involving the trooper.

No motive has been given.

Fuller practiced law in Maine for more than 35 years and supported many institutions in the Augusta area.

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