AUGUSTA – A plan to exempt 14 miles of the Androscoggin River from certain clean water standards was dramatically scaled back Thursday, to the relief of angry critics from Lewiston-Auburn and elsewhere along the river.

The Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee informally agreed to exempt only the mile-long section known as Gulf Island Pond.

Led by Sen. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, the committee also ordered the Department of Environmental Protection to re-start a working group that had been meeting – then was stopped by the DEP – and figure out how to decrease pollution in Gulf Island Pond.

At issue is a proposed law to protect trout and salmon by mandating certain water temperatures and oxygen levels for all Class C rivers in Maine.

Paper mill discharges affect water temperature and oxygen levels. The DEP was proposing that the Androscoggin, which has three paper mills on it, be exempt from the higher standard because the river is too polluted and isn’t even meeting existing standards.

The plan rankled members of the Lewiston delegation, who said the Androscoggin and Lewiston-Auburn community should not be treated as “second-class.” Meanwhile, paper industry representatives said that imposing higher standards on the Androscoggin would cost the plants millions of dollars and jobs.

Following testimony, the Natural Resources Committee agreed to exempt just Gulf Island Pond from the higher standards. The dam creates a “lake” 90 feet deep on the river where there’s little circulation; water and pollution is trapped. It will be difficult to clean the pond as long as the dam stands, said committee member Rep. Elaine Makas, D-Lewiston.

Makas said Friday she was satisfied with the committee’s informal agreement, because water quality in Gulf Island Pond is different than the rest of the river. For that reason, the re-energized study group must determine how to improve water quality there, she said.

“What was saved was below the dam to downtown Lewiston-Auburn, and the whole stretch of river up to the mills,” Makas said. “I don’t mind having that treated differently, but it shouldn’t be from the mills (in Rumford and Jay) all the way down to us. I’m satisfied. My major point was I didn’t want Lewiston-Auburn to be treated differently than anybody else.”

Rep. Richard Mailhot and Sen. Peggy Rotundo, both Lewiston Democrats, said Friday they too were satisfied. “If we can do something this year to better the Androscoggin River, it’s a start,” Mailhot said. Having the Gulf Island Pond task force re-start its work “means we’ve gained,” he added.

Rotundo said she was pleased a commitment was made that attention will be paid to Gulf Island Pond. “It’s important to our communities to do something on that section of the river that’s been so degraded.”

Rep. Tom Saviello, D-Wilton, a member of the Natural Resources Committee and an International Paper employee, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Fiona McCaul, communications manager for IP’s Androscoggin Mill, said it was too early to assess the effect of the changes the committee made to the proposed law. “There are still a lot of details the committee has to work out.”

She said, however, that the company is looking for “meaningful environmental regulation” for the river.

If the changes to the legislation receive endorsement by a majority of the committee, the proposal will be recommended to the full House and Senate in coming weeks.

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