Maine is grappling with how to address floating “camps” that block homeowners’ views of the waterfront and clog the state’s many lakes, ponds and rivers.
Many of the structures that are popping up more and more are not houseboats because they do not have engines. Instead, they are anchored to the lake bottom or tied to the shore. They are often equipped with decks, planters, and even second stories, the Bangor Daily News reported.
State officials say the camps pose a risk of contamination – with some speculate that their residents dump sewage into the water – and at the same time cause congestion at public docks and boat ramps. Some camps are even used as rental housing.
Because they’re not on land, the camps are exempt from typical private property laws and coastal regulations that govern pollution. Additionally, Maine doesn’t have a clear definition of what’s a boat and what’s not, meaning floating camps exist in a gray area and can’t be removed unilaterally.
Several state regulators recognized the problem more than two years ago, but have been unable to act without concrete legislative action.
A floating camp is depicted on the Androscoggin River, which flows through New Hampshire and Maine
More millionaires than ever are buying and building luxury lakefront homes in the northeastern state
More millionaires than ever are buying and building luxury lakefront homes in the northeastern state.
It appears that Maine lawmakers will tackle the floating camps in the next session of the House.
They will gain inspiration on how to tackle the ‘non-water dependent floating structures’ a report from 2023 drawn up by a group of state agencies.
The description means that the camps can also exist and function outside of the water, something that real houseboats cannot do.
“The group saw a need to define and regulate these non-waterborne floating structures to protect Maine’s waters. This requires a collaborative approach involving the public, the Legislature and various state agencies,” Tim Peabody, DIF&W’s deputy commissioner, told the Bangor Daily News.
The report points out that the maze of state and local agencies currently regulating Maine’s waters and boats is inadequate and has allowed people to create a loophole.
A report by a group of state agencies described the floating camps as “non-water-dependent floating structures.”
A floating camp located extremely close to the shore and serving as a rental location
Located on the popular Moosehead Lake, this campground is available for rent year-round
“At present, there is no single agency with clear regulatory authority to prevent the use of these types of structures. And… there is no single law or regulation that covers all scenarios,” the report said.
The first proposal the report makes is to make it clear that the camps cannot legally be considered houseboats, as they cannot move freely through the water.
This would allow houseboats, which have been allowed in Maine for decades, to remain legally protected.
It further states that lawmakers should ban floating camps under the new definition and that they should also not be registered as motorboats.
Finally, the report asks lawmakers to give police the power to conduct inspections of suspected floating camps. If new camps continue to emerge after the law change, they can be effectively removed.