Senator Susan Collins today visited Little Sebago Lake to meet with the “Friends of Little Sebago Lake,” a community group dedicated to keeping the lake clean and free of invasive species that threaten the lake’s ecosystem. The Senator is supporting the group’s efforts to address Eurasian water-milfoil, which is a destructive plant that causes problems for swimmers and boaters, and degrades water quality by displacing native plants, fish, and other aquatic species. There are currently at least 28 lakes in Maine affected by aquatic invasive species. Senator Collins is seeking federal funding for a milfoil invasive species mitigation initiative and to secure funding to support a statewide initiative to mitigate milfoil infestation before it gets worse. The federal funding would also support a freshwater marine laboratory at Saint Joseph’s College.
“The value of Maine’s lakes and ponds to our economy and environment is invaluable. It is critical that we work to stop the spread of invasive species in Maine and throughout the nation. I am proud of the dedicated efforts of the Friends of Little Sebago to stopping the spread of milfoil in the Sebago lake region and will continue to support their efforts on the federal level,” said Senator Collins.
Senator Collins has also joined Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) in authoring bipartisan legislation to help identify and combat aquatic invasive species like milfoil. The legislation, “the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act,” would end the easy access of invasive species into U.S. waters through ships’ ballast water and establish a grant program to assist state efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species in ecosystems.
Milfoil is one of the world’s most notorious and troublesome invasive aquatic plants. Its presence has been confirmed in nearly every state in the U.S. It grows well in both still and flowing waters, tolerates mild levels of salt, and can survive under ice cover.