NON-GOVERNMENT/NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
FOCB
In 1989 Friends of Casco Bay (FOCB) was organized by concerned citizens in response to "Troubled Waters," an alarming report that claimed that Casco Bay was one of the most polluted estuaries in the nation. The grassroots organization quickly became embroiled in two controversial issues: a proposed new marina in Portland and sewage treatment on Peaks Island. The group soon recognized that it needed someone to work with interested parties to find collaborative solutions. Within two years the organization hired its first staff person, Joe Payne, as Casco BAYKEEPER. Friends of Casco Bay has been the leading environmental organization working to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay through advocacy, education, collaborative partnerships, and water quality monitoring. The orgainzation addresses threats to the water quality of the Bay from oil spills, sewage discharges, toxic sediments, stormwater pollutants, vessel discharges, dredging spoils, and pesticides and fertilizers. [Source: "http://www.cascobay.org/"]