SUN JOURNAL • May 30, 2025
Over 50 years after U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie helped usher in the federal Clean Water Act, the Androscoggin River, which he once called “a national disgrace” for its pollution, may be on the verge of a momentous milestone. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is considering upgrading the classification of key stretches of the river, including through Lewiston-Auburn, from the current lowest-quality designation. Such a move would reflect years of improvement to a river that was once emblematic of industrial contamination. The push to reclassify the river’s water quality from Class C to Class B comes as the Department of Environmental Protection seeks public input as part of a three-year review process.