After a recent meeting with key state agencies regarding freshwater passenger boat safety, State Rep. John Robinson, R-Raymond, says the next step is the Maine Legislature.

He intends to introduce emergency legislation in January’s session that would require a state agency to oversee the boats and to be responsible for their regular inspection.

On Oct. 27, Robinson met with representatives from the Maine State Ferry Service, Department of Transportation, Department of Conservation and the Warden Service to discuss developing a plan to improve safety on these freshwater vessels.

Included in this category are the two Frye Island ferries operating on Sebago Lake and the Songo River Queen on Long Lake. Also included is the Katahdin, operating on Moosehead Lake, which is not in the Lakes Region area.

With no state agency currently in authority over the vessels, Robinson’s concern is the lack of regular inspections.

Of the agencies, Robinson said, “They all felt it wasn’t their role to be doing this. We need to be prodding them to do this.”

But he acknowledges that at this point, it’s a new problem that will take time and need research.

Jim McLeod, the state’s ferry service director, sees this as an important issue.

“I think there’s not as much oversight as there should be,” he said.

Although a numbers of items aren’t applicable, his department is looking at corresponding federal statutes to use as a template for writing Maine’s regulations. But, according to McLeod, those statutes are designed for saltwater. And operating a freshwater passenger boat doesn’t require rules as stringent as those governing their saltwater counterparts.

“If all those (saltwater) regulations were in effect, it would not be feasible to operate these freshwater vessels,” he said.

As an example, McLeod cited the requirement for a saltwater boat to be in dry dock for inspections two times every five years.

“That’s not feasible for lakes nor do you need to do that,” he said. “Salt water is corrosive while fresh water is not. You can have periodic underwater inspections instead.”

Both McLeod and Robinson agree that care must be taken to draft legislation that would ensure the continuity of the passenger boats and protect the public.

“We want to protect the businesses,” said Robinson. “We don’t want to put them in a position that they’re shut down – there’s a balance that needs to be maintained.”

Robinson will be meeting with the agencies again at the end of the month as he prepares to present the matter in January.

“My goal is to see this in the hands of the legislature next session so we have something in place next season,” said Robinson.