Friday, June 1, 2007 
KTP Facilities Director Bob Adams with Kittery students at Kittery Trading Post.
Kittery students and faculty, armed with spray paint, stencils and printed information, fanned out across several residential neighborhoods over Wednesday and Thursday (May 30-31) to deliver an important message: clean water starts with you. One group of students also focused their efforts on two busy Route 1 parking lots. Over a period of six-and-one-half hours, 47 students from both Traip Academy and Shapleigh Middle School placed their message on over 150 storm drains.
With the help of the Spruce Creek Association and the support of the Town" Public Works Department, students stenciled the phrase "Keep it Clean " Drains to Creek [or 'River']" in an effort to educate the public and raise awareness regarding stormwater and the path it takes to receiving water bodies, in this case, Spruce Creek and the Piscataqua River. Juniors and seniors from teacher, Celeste Frisbee" Coastal Resources classes and juniors in her Environmental Sciences class concentrated on the densely populated residential areas close to the high school, including Admiralty Village.
Members of teacher, Peter Cady" sixth grade science class volunteered two hours of after-school community service time stenciling the storm drains in the Kittery Trading Post parking lot. They also met with Trading Post facilities director, Bob Adams who talked to them about the work his company has done to assure that stormwater on its property is managed and not allowed to run unchecked and untreated into Spruce Creek. The students stenciled 15 catch basin sites at KTP and then, after an ice cream break at Bob" Clam Hut, moved on to the neighboring parking lot at the Tanger Outlet Center. There, with the permission and support of Outlet manager, Mary Hoell, the students were able to paint an additional five storm drains. Ms Hoell is also, on behalf of her company, going to sponsor the purchase of new stencils by Spruce Creek Association for future projects.
Stencils used this week include the address of the ThinkBlueMaine.org website. The website describes how stormwater runoff can consist of oil, gasoline, chemicals, and litter, as well as sediment and organic matter, such as leaves and lawn clippings. This overload of pollutants has a negative impact on aquatic life and the overall nature and recreational appeal of the water body.
Storm Drain stenciling is a popular, nation-wide, public awareness initiative arising from the result of new stormwater regulations. Twenty-eight communities in Maine have become subject to the Phase II Stormwater Regulatory Program, which regulates stormwater discharge from small municipalities. Part of the regulation requires the use of public education to raise awareness concerning stormwater pollution while at the same time promoting ways the public can help reduce it. The Town of Kittery is subject to the new regulation.
For more information, contact Carolyn Hanson; Spruce Creek Association; Kittery, ME; 207-439-2124; Carolyn@sprucecreekassociation.org
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