Committee recommends replacing Machias dike with exact replica

A recommendation to replace the Machias dike with an exact replica will be handed to the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) in April and could result in a new structure constructed over the Middle River in five years if everything goes according to plan.

"We're talking about maybe five years," Eric Ham, a senior environmental manager with MDOT, told a group of about 60 people who gathered on March 2 to discuss recommendations of the Upper Machias Bay Master Plan (UMBMP) Leadership Committee. "But we're hoping it's quicker than that."

The dike recommendation, along with other recommendations dealing with measures needed to halt flooding in downtown Machias and deal with water quality, have been hashed out over many months by the UMBMP following meetings with consultants and the public. The recommendations were finalized in February in two closed committee meetings, and the most recent meeting to gather comments is the last public meeting to be held before the recommendations are submitted.

"We are ready to move forward," said Machias Select Board Vice President Ben Edwards, a member of the UMBMP. "There's broad consensus on all the recommendations."

Although the dike recommendation wasn't passed unanimously by the UMBMP, Edwards said no new vote would be taken. "Not everybody's thrilled, but it seems like the best choice." In contrast to the recommendation to replace the dike with an exact replica, a proposal to instead build an open‑span bridge over the waterway was unanimously defeated.

The exact replacement recommendation had been opposed by conservation groups that favored the inclusion in the dike of better fish and water passages from the ocean into the river. The current dike does not allow that. Edwards said that omission could lead to potential problems.

"There's a real likelihood of a lawsuit," he said, adding that any legal action would likely come from a conservation group and be lodged against the MDOT. It could delay the construction of the dike well past the five years envisioned.

In addition to the dike recommendation, the UMBMP also presented and took comments on other proposals it will suggest.

Regarding stormwater, the UMBMP will recommend stormwater issues on Short and Court streets be prioritized, system inspections be increased, best options to upgrade the stormwater system be determined and property owners be incentivized to install improvements to stop stormwater drainage.

To deal with problematic wastewater, the UMBMP will suggest that the city construct storage tanks at the wastewater treatment plant to store stormwater, hire a consultant to estimate flood risk and implement a plan to make the wastewater system more resilient to flooding.

The UMBMP will also recommend that the downtown property owners and businesses develop a resilience plan to deal with flooding, perhaps including increased public green space and better harbor management.

As far as resilience, the committee will recommend an engineering study to look at long‑term solutions for tidewater flooding. Another recommendation will involve establishing an emergency response and preparedness plan for the area.

Finally, the UMBMP will recommend several items related to the capped landfill just off Broadway. It's the former Machias landfill, which was closed in 1996, a site that poses potential problems for both nearby residents and businesses. The current cap is degraded, and test bores by the state have revealed the presence of both high levels of heavy metals and PFAS, the "forever chemicals" that are toxic to both people and the environment.

The committee will recommend repairs to the cap, better maintenance of the site, precautions be taken to ensure any flooding on the Middle River doesn't cause leakage and mitigation be undertaken if needed. Yet another recommendation is that private wells surrounding the landfill be tested for contaminants. Matt Young, project manager with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said that letters have been sent to property owners, primarily in the Marshfield area, to address sampling of their wells.

The UMBMP Leadership Committee will meet in private one more time to finalize the recommendations and act on any important comments brought up at the meeting. "But we're not going to vote again," Edwards assured people concerning potential changes to recommendations.

UMBMP Leadership Committee Chair Hannah Rice said she's proud of the work the group has done. "We're excited to maybe see good fruit coming from this."