Ground broken for new Habitat home in Boothbay Harbor

Thirty people gathered at 35 Campbell St.in Boothbay Harbor on July 24 to help Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine celebrate the start of its next new home construction project.

Jake Hodgdon, Shelby Pinkham and their son, who have deep roots in the area, are the partner family and will become the homeowners once the project is completed. Pinkham has worked as a CNA and a stay-at-home mom, while Hodgdon is a familiar face at the local transfer station, where he has worked for seven years. Like others in the area, the couple has struggled to find a place to live that they could afford. For four years the family has been living with Hodgdon’s parents while searching for a home of their own.

Brunswick Sewer District awarded principal-free loan

The Brunswick Sewer District is developing a Climate Adaption Plan, thanks to a $2o,000 loan from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

The principal forgiveness loan was awarded through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and there is no match or local money required. The Climate Adaptation Plan will identify hazards associated with climate change, evaluate the impacts on critical assets, identify adaptation practices, and present recommendations that will help the District build resiliency into critical infrastructure.

Wright-Pierce, a local engineering firm with offices in Topsham, helped the district prepare and submit the application and has been selected to complete the Climate Adaption Plan. The firm recently completed the design of the district’s treatment plant facility and Cook’s Corner pump station upgrades.

“The District’s mission is to protect the health and environment of the communities we serve through wastewater collection and treatment in an environmentally responsible, efficient, and reliable manner,” Assistant General Manager Robert Pontau Jr. said in a prepared release. “This plan, and the funds provided by Maine DEP, are a huge benefit to our ratepayers. It’s part of a larger asset management program that will help the District prioritize our needs so that we can accomplish our mission.”

CRCT director honored for conservation work

The Frances Perkins Center honored Steven Hufnagel, executive director of Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, with a Partners in Place award on July 24 at the Frances Perkins Homestead National Historic Landmark in Newcastle. Hufnagel was recognized for work that ensures land within the Damariscotta watershed will be permanently protected.

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