Upgrading the Androscoggin River under a new bill sparks debate, pushback from businesses

SUN JOURNAL • May 4, 2021

State regulators threw cold water this week on a bid to upgrade the water quality classification of a portion of the Androscoggin River that includes Lewiston-Auburn. Environmentalists, however, said they were still hopeful lawmakers in Augusta would press forward with a proposal to raise the standard. The bill would upgrade some sections of the Androscoggin River to a Class B, adding additional water protections for what was once one of the most polluted rivers in America. Environmentalists and recreationalists support the idea. Businesses that use it as a way to get rid of waste do not.