Early Notice and Public Review of a Proposed Activity in a Floodplain

City of Gardiner, Kennebec County, Maine

To: All Interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals

The Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) intends to fund the following proposed action under the Catalyst Program. NBRC will prepare an 8-Step Decision-Making Process review in compliance with Executive Order (EO) 11988 (Floodplain Management) to ensure federally funded projects consider floodplain impacts and avoid unnecessary risks.

The proposed action involves replacing and upgrading aging infrastructure at the Gardiner Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) and the Maine Avenue Pump Station (MAPS), both located along the Kennebec River in Gardiner, ME. At the WWTF, located at 540 River Avenue, planned improvements include HVAC upgrades, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system upgrades, replacement of the chemical storage tanks, feed pumps/piping, and blower; the addition of a chemical separation wall, and a roof replacement. At the MAPS, located at 10 Depot Square, approximately 2.6 miles north of the WWTF, improvements would include upgrades to the SCADA system, main distribution panel, and motor control center, as well as the replacement of the existing generator.

All project activities will take place within the footprint of the existing structures. Aside from the WWTF roof replacement, work will be conducted indoors, and no exterior excavation or ground disturbance is planned at either location. The project will improve water quality in the Kennebec River by reducing combined sewer overflows, thereby protecting public and environmental health, and contributing to sustainable economic development in the region.

• Floodplain Determination:
  • WWTF— The floodplain status of the proposed action was determined using FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL). Based on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel 23011C0659D, dated 6/16/2011, a portion of the project is located within the 100-year floodplain (Zone AE), and the project warrants an analysis under the 8-Step Decision-Making Process.
  • MAPS— The floodplain status of the proposed action was determined using FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL). Based on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panel 23011C0657D, dated 6/16/2011, a portion of the project is located within the floodway (Zone AE), and the project warrants an analysis under the 8-Step Decision-Making Process.

This notice provides people who may be affected by the proposed action and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment with an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information. Commenters are encouraged to offer alternative sites, alternative methods to serve the same project purpose, and methods to minimize and mitigate impacts.

Comments should be submitted by email to nepa@nbrc.gov. NBRC is accepting comments on this notice for 15 days, from November 25, 2026 through the end of the day on December 10, 2025.

Date of Publication: November 24, 2025