Maine Policy Review Commemorates 50 Years of the Clean Water Act with Special Section

Maine Policy Review is pleased to announce the release of a special section titled “50 Years of the Clean Water Act.” This section commemorates the significant milestone of half a century since the enactment of the Clean Water Act and highlights Maine’s efforts to improve water quality and the need to maintain and strengthen water quality protections.

The special section features a collection of four articles that delve into various aspects of the Clean Water Act’s history, achievements, and ongoing challenges. The centerpiece of the section is an article titled “Before and After the Clean Water Act: How Science, Law, and Public Aspirations Drove Seven Decades of Progress in Maine Water Quality,” which recounts seven decades of water quality management in Maine, illustrating how early incremental decisions about water quality management, followed by the comprehensive shift in management propelled by the 1972 Clean Water Act have inspired Maine to continuously set higher water quality goals at both a waterbody and statewide scale.

There are also three shorter supporting pieces that further explore different dimensions of the Clean Water Act. These articles cover topics such as the transformative power of Maine’s clean water infrastructure, the shortcomings of the Clean Water Act, and the sustainability of the Clean Water Act.