BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 9, 2026
Like the blood vessels in your body, Maine’s rivers and streams carry rainwater and snowmelt downstream to the sea. Yet across the state, thousands of undersized and aging road-stream crossings are quietly choking those arteries. If we are serious about climate resilience, public safety, and protecting Maine’s outdoor heritage, we must significantly increase funding for improved stream crossings that meet Stream Smart standards. The town of Brownville recently completed two Stream Smart crossings. Stream Smart funding made it possible to replace these aging structures with modern, climate‑resilient designs that the Town could not have otherwise afforded. The ecological benefits are just as important. Maine’s outdoor economy — fishing, paddling, wildlife watching — depends on healthy aquatic systems. Maine Audubon, towns across Maine and many others are working hard in the Maine Legislature to find the necessary funding to help Stream Smart support for municipalities continue. ~ Lance Farrar, town manager, Brownville, and Sarah Haggerty, conservation biologist, Maine Audubon