IV-472 



Water Pollution Control Administration, provided the information 

 for this case study. 



Penobscot Bay and River are troubled with at least four major types 

 of pollution which affect the shellfish beds. Untreated or insuf- 

 ficiently treated sewage, poulty processing wastes, sulfite waste 

 liqour, and heavy metal contamination from mining operations have 

 compounded the problem of trying to reopen the closed shellfish 

 beds. 



The long axis of the Penobscot River-Bay-Estuary system is approxi- 

 mately 35 miles in length. Shellfish growing areas of the upper 

 bay were first closed in 1946. Since that time, more and more 

 closures have been required along the entire upper perimeter of 

 the bay and the lower estuary. Increases in poultry processing and 

 other industrial and commercial expansion have required a drastic 

 increase in the acreage of flats and waters closed because of 

 pollution. Some of the problem is due to heavy metals mining. 



Levels of toxic metals are at or above the maximum of the normal 

 range for shellfish. In the case of lead, the concentration is 

 double or triple the maximum guideline recommended by the U. S. 

 Public Health Service. 



In addition to the high coliform counts, there is a problem in the 

 Penobscot Bay area due to poultry processing. The following infor- 

 mation gives a picture of the problems caused by the poultry 



