WCCOG Brownfields Assessment Program

CDBG Assistance

Downeast Scenic Inventory

NIMS Assistance to Communities

Lubec Comprehensive Plan Update

Machiasport Comprehensive Plan Update Plan

Perry & Pembroke Comprehensive Plan Updates

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Washington County Council of Governments (WCCOG) is a municipal membership organization that delivers a wide range of customized planning, advisory and resources development services to help communities build the future of Washington County, Maine.

WCCOG has offices in Calais and Machias. Our office in Calais is located on the second floor of the City Building, 11 Church Street, Calais, Maine. Our Machias office is located in the same building as the Sunrise County Economic Council at 1 Stackpole Road, Machias (across from Maine Wild Blueberry).  

 Updates from Washington County Council of Governments 

7-23-10 The WCCOG has obtained a $42,385.00 Solid Waste Management grant from the USDA Rural Utilities Service. The grant will allow WCCOG staff to assist communities throughout Washington County to increase recycling efforts. The grant will also be used to organize and conduct up to 3 collections of household hazardous waste, universal or electronic waste and pharmaceutical waste. More details here.

6-7-10 The Public Utilities Commission just announced the second round of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants The PUC is seeking a statement of interest from municipalities that is due no later than 5PM on Thursday June 25th.   WCCOG assisted six Washington County communities in the preparation of applications for the first round. All six application were fully funded. More details on how to apply here.

5-10-10 Commute Another Way Event in Machias, May 20th
Stop by the Community Room at Machias Savings Bank on Thursday, May 20 to be recognized for participating in Commute Another Way Week. For more information about this event or how to register your commute for a chance to win prizes, see out Commute Another Way Week page or contact Jeremy Gabrielson at 255-0983.

4-14-10 MaineDOT announce Quality Community grants program
MaineDOT's Quality Community Program includes Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School grants. MaineDOT has consolidated the former individual applications into a “common” Quality Community Program application. This competitive program is intended to improve community transportation related facilities through bicycle and pedestrian, safety, environmental, scenic, historic, and other quality community improvements. Applications are due by July 1, 2010 to compete for funding available in fiscal years 2012-2013. For more information, contact Jeremy Gabrielson (jgabrielson@wccog.net) at 255-0983.

4-5-10 Tom Stevens of USDA Rural Development to speak at April 29, 2010 WCCOG Executive Committee meeting in Milbridge. At 5:30PM please extend the invitation widely to hear a presentation on grants and loans for Community and Housing Programs - including water & wastewater disposal, distance learning and telemedicine, community facilities and more. The target audience is the "eyes and ears" of first line service providers to those in need in rural America. Information will be useful to economic developers, bankers/lenders, municipal managers, social service providers, assessors, code enforcement officers, housing specialists, real estate agents and elected officials. There is no charge but please RSVP to Judy East jceast@wccog.net for a count on seating and refreshments. An invitation to the event is posted here for downloading.

4-5-10 MaineDEP issues Small Community Grant Program for 2010. In anticipation of voter approval of the June 2010 Bond Issue, Maine DEP is inviting municipalities to apply for septic system replacement grant funds through the Small Community Grant Program. Click Here for program requirements, frequently asked questions and the application form. Deadline for applying is May 30, 2010.

2-16-10 MaineDOT seeks project requests from towns WCCOG is working with MaineDOT to collect municipal requests for transportation projects in Washington County. Municipal project requests are one source of information that MaineDOT uses to prioritize state investments in highways and other transportation infrastructure.
Click here for more information about submitting project requests for your community.

2-16-10 Perry & Pembroke Comprehensive Plan Updates posted The Perry and Pembroke Comprehensive Plan Updates are currently being submitted to the State Planning Office for review. Click here to download individual chapters and maps in PDF format. Hard copies of the Comprehensive Plan Updates are available for public review at the Perry Municipal Building and the Pembroke Library.

2-12-10 Energy grant awards +$200k to local communities The Maine Public Utilities Commission PUC recently announced the first round of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. All six applications submitted by Washington County communities were fully funded, totally over $200,000 to make energy efficiency improvements. Communities receiving grants  in this round are: Addison, Calais, Columbia, Machias, Perry and Washington County. Click here for more information.

2-10-10 Down East Scenic Inventory Report Posted The Down East Scenic Inventory Report is now available through our website in PDF format. The full report, including scenic assessment with maps, descriptions and photos of individual scenic area will be available the Maine Coastal Program website in the near future. In the mean time, users may access the assessments for individual scenic areas through an interactive map on our website. Click here for more information.

2-9-10 DEP Letter to Planning Boards Attached is an informational letter being mailed to municipal planning board chairs regarding an issue that increasingly faces the Department of Environmental Protection's petroleum remediation program - new development, most often residential subdivisions, encroaching into areas of contaminated ground water or onto likely sources of ground water contamination. The DEP Bureau of Remediation's interest is two-fold.  The first is the public health risk from the resulting exposure to petroleum constituents or to other hazardous materials.  The second is money.  The State funds most petroleum clean ups from underground and aboveground tank facilities. Click here to download the letter as a Word document.

2-8-10 Scenic Byway Presentation and Online Survey In partnership with local communities and MaineDOT, WCCOG is beginning to explore designation of a scenic byway in coastal Washington County. We're interested in your feed-back. Please take a moment to complete out online survey.
Click here for more information about this project or contact Jeremy Gabrielson at 255-0983.

2-5-10 DRAFT Lubec Vision Statement Over forty local residents attended  a Community Visioning Session in Lubec on January 27. Click here to download a draft version of the Community Vision Statement (PDF 342KB).
Please contact Jeremy Gabrielson at 255-0983 with suggestions or to get more information.

1-15-10 Machiasport Comprehensive Plan Update Posted Click here to view an online version of the Machiasport Comprehensive Plan Update (2009). The Plan is also available for review at the Town Office. Interested parties may submit comments by email to Jeremy Gabrielson at jgabrielson@wccog.net or in person at a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 6:00pm in the Town Office.

Calais Office
Washington County Council of Gov'ts
PO Box 631, Calais, ME 04619
(207) 454-0465 Fax: (207) 454-2568
Toll free (888) 287-3006

Machias Office
Washington County Council of Gov'ts
PO Box 617, Machias, ME 04654
(207) 255-0983 Fax: (207) 255-4987