Mission and history

LEA's mission is to preserve and restore the high water quality and the traditional character of Maine’s lakes, watersheds and related natural resources. The long-term survival of Maine’s lakes is critical to present and future generations.

History

The first Earth Day had just been celebrated and the federal Environmental Protection Agency hadn't even begun, when the Lakes Environmental Association was founded in Naples on May 26, 1970, to protect the lakes and lands of Western Maine “for your children and your children’s children.”

LEA's first major effort was a survey showing the impacts of development and municipal discharges in Long Lake in 1971. The study prompted Bridgton and Naples to ban phosphate detergents. They were among the first towns in the Maine to do so. A statewide ban went into effect the following year.

Today, protecting water quality remains LEA’s top priority. Thanks to financial support from area towns, members, foundations and with help from volunteer monitors and the hard work of summer interns, LEA provides comprehensive water testing for 37 lakes. Because of this long-term program, more is known about LEA’s lakes than any others in the state.