Working Waterfront Coalition

Its original members consisted of representatives from 12 organizations, all of whom joined together in an unprecedented and successful effort that culminated in November 2005 with passage of the Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program (WWAPP), a $2 million state bond fund that provided grants to fishing families, municipalities, cooperatives and businesses to help them purchase working-waterfront property.  The WWC also advocated successfully for a statewide designation of working-waterfront property as coming under a “current use” taxation rate instead of being assessed for its development value.

In November 2007, the WWC rallied public support once more for passage of an expanded WWAPP, which will provide $3 million in grants in 2008.  The referendum vote passed with overwhelming supprt from Maine voters and underscored the growing awareness that further loss of our state’s working waterfronts is of great concern to many – more than 67% of votes cast.  Please click here for the information disseminated at the first WWC press conference in May 2003 and here for a PowerPoint presentation.