Nangle receives Maine Audubon Wildlife Champion Award

AUGUSTA – State Senator Tim Nangle, D-Windham, received a Wildlife Champion Award from Maine Audubon at the organization’s inaugural Wildlife Champion Awards & Celebration at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center on Aug. 20 in Falmouth.

Maine Audubon President Judy Camuso, left, presents
State Senator Tim Nangle of Windham with a Wildlife
Champion Award alongside Maine Audubon Director
of Advocacy Francesca 'Ches' Gundrum at Gisland
Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth on Thursday, Aug. 20.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Senator Nangle was recognized for his leadership on laws that strengthen shoreland zoning enforcement and help municipalities protect Maine’s waters, wildlife habitat and local property taxpayers.

“Clean water, healthy wildlife habitat and strong communities go hand in hand, especially in the Lakes Region,” Nangle said. “When a town has to spend more than half a million dollars just to enforce the law, that is unfair to the community and to every property taxpayer who does play by the rules. I’m proud we turned the town of Raymond’s experience into practical, state-wide protections, and I’m grateful to Maine Audubon for this honor, and for being a strong partner in that work. Giving towns both the authority and the resources to protect their waters is a win for wildlife, taxpayers, and communities across Maine.”

Maine Audubon said Nangle champions their environmental advocacy cause.

“We are thrilled to honor Senator Nangle tonight for sponsoring LD 1904, an initiative that builds on his work from previous sessions to help towns defend the shoreland zone by establishing the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund, which acts as a revolving loan fund to assist municipalities — especially small ones — in paying legal costs incurred in pursuing egregious shoreland zoning violations,” said Francesca “Ches” Gundrum, Director of Advocacy for Maine Audubon, while presenting Sen. Nangle with the award. “Senator, thank you for your leadership protecting our inland waters.”

Nangle’s work grew out of a high-profile shoreland zoning enforcement case in Raymond. The town spent more than half a million dollars in legal fees over three years pursuing violations involving two properties along Sebago Lake. The case showed how a prolonged legal battle can strain a town’s budget and make it harder to safeguard an important public water resource.

In 2024, Gov. Janet Mills signed Senator Nangle’s LD 2101, “An Act to Strengthen Shoreland Zoning Enforcement,” into law. The measure gives municipalities stronger enforcement tools, including the authority to deny, suspend or revoke locally issued permits when a property owner violates shoreland zoning ordinances. It also helps municipalities recover unpaid penalties and court-awarded enforcement costs and requires sellers to disclose known shoreland zoning violations to prospective buyers.

This year, Senator Nangle followed up that legislation with LD 1904, “An Act to Establish the Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund.” It was signed into law by Gov. Mills in April, the measure establishes a dedicated revolving fund within the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to help municipalities cover substantial legal expenses associated with enforcing shoreland zoning laws. A portion of penalties collected under the Natural Resources Protection Act will support the fund, helping ensure communities can pursue serious violations regardless of a town’s size or budget.

State Senator Nangle represents Senate District 26, which includes Casco, Frye Island, Raymond, Windham and part of Westbrook. He also serves as Senate chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee and as a member of the Health and Human Services Committee. <