In Maine, we know full well the importance of a healthy environment, and especially the vital importance of clean, clear water. Maine people deserve to know that the water we drink is clean, and that the lakes and rivers we build our homes on are safe and healthy.

When Eurasian watermilfoil was discovered in Cobbosseecontee Lake in the summer of 2021, members of the lake community knew they had to step up. One year later, the local grassroots efforts of the Cobbosseecontee Lake Association (CLA) have seen tremendous results thanks to the swift action of lake residents, local businesses and partner agencies including the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, a nature conservancy focused on 27 bodies of water in the area. As a state senator representing southern Kennebec County and a former board member of the Annabessacook Lake Improvement Association, I want to applaud them for a job well done.

In the Legislature, I’ve worked tirelessly to ensure Mainers’ right to a healthy environment and clean water is guaranteed for generations to come. In particular, this year I was proud to champion, speak in favor of and help pass L.D. 906, “An Act To Provide Passamaquoddy Tribal Members Access to Clean Drinking Water.” This bill was vital to ensuring member of the Passamoquoddy Tribe can get clean, clear drinking water — such a basic human right — in their homes. Specifically, it made way for local people to manage their own local water resources, without the state standing in the way. The groundswell of support we saw around this bill was tremendous, and I was overjoyed to see it signed into law.

But outside of Augusta and politics, the work of local grassroots organizations, led by everyday people who hear the call to act, is just as important to our state’s future. As the anthropologist Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” It’s on all of us, in our everyday actions and conscientious decisions, to protect the Maine we know and cherish.

Left unaddressed, invasive aquatic plants like milfoil can choke a lake, destroying its ecosystem and the opportunities for us all to enjoy it. Eurasian watermilfoil is one of the most aggressive and fast-spreading invasive plants. It forms dense mats on the water’s surface and displaces native plants, having a devastating impact on fish and wildlife, as well as our ability to swim, fish, paddle, boat and simply enjoy the lake. Property values on lakes infected by milfoil have dropped. Local businesses have suffered.

Thankfully, CLA was able to learn from other lake communities’ successful battles against milfoil. They rallied the community by speaking at road association meetings and neighborhood parties, hosting community events, engaging local businesses, speaking with town and state officials, and even seeking help from local residents Ryan Eldridge of Maine Cabin Masters and Travis Mills, founder of the Travis Mills Foundation, to help spread the word.

What they have accomplished to date is truly inspiring.

CLA responded to the milfoil threat by preventing broad infestation in Cobbossee, safely removing or treating milfoil when found, and preventing the spread to other lakes. They have raised more than $1.45 million so far (against a goal of $1.5 million) to address the immediate threat and create a reserve fund in case a large infestation is discovered in the future. A large portion of those funds were invested in a partnership with Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, doubling their survey capacity around the lake and increasing their Courtesy Boat Inspection capacity at public launches in Winthrop and Monmouth to seven days per week, from May to September.

The association successfully rallied the lake community to grow its membership from 338 families in 2020 to more than 560 as of August 2022. Their volunteer team has grown from a group of 20 just two years ago to an army of more than 130 today.

And so, I say thank you to all who have made such an important difference in the fight against invasive aquatic plants in Cobbossee and throughout Maine, and who continue to fight to keep Maine’s water clean. Especially, thank you to the many local families and volunteers who have stepped up to work together to protect our lakes.

Let us remain vigilant and work together to keep all of Maine’s lakes, ponds, rivers and streams pristine for years to come. To learn more about the Cobbosseecontee Lake Association, visit LakeCobb.org.

Craig Hickman of Winthrop is in his first term in Maine Senate. He previously served four terms in the House of Representatives, and is an organic farmer.