On Monday, Edgecomb Selectmen signed a joint letter to Edward Hanscom, Project Engineer, for the Wiscasset Route 1 Corridor Study, officially endorsing N8C, one of five proposed routes that have been discussed in the recent flurry of local informational meetings sponsored by the Maine Department of Transportation.

N8C is the only bypass route that would cross over the Sheepscot River to Davis Island. The other four routes would cross at various places on Clark's Point and end on the Edgecomb mainland.

The selectmen assert that this bypass route would be best for the town because it "increases public safety, enhances mobility, and provides a net improvement to the environment to the greatest extent possible."

The letter lists seven specific reasons that N8C would be best for Edgecomb:

• "The route diverts the greatest amount of traffic from Route 1 to the new highway.

• "Fewer homes and businesses are displaced on N8C than any other route.

• "Considerably less earth is excavated or fill added on N8C than any other route.

• "No fragmentation of any large habitat blocks of land occurs on N8C.

• "There is less impact on wetlands, vernal pools, floodplains and streams.

• "N8C has no impact on the Maine Natural Areas Project of the Sheepscot River.

• "N8C would add the least amount of new impervious area."

In other business, Planning Board member Bruce Cameron provided the selectmen with an overview the annual Maine Rural Water Association conference that he attended on the town's behalf. Concerns about insurance coverage for sewer infrastructure were discussed at the seminar.

Cameron explained that coverage differs for those municipalities that are part of a sewer district and those, such as Edgecomb, that are not. He also spoke with staff at the Maine Municipal Association to clarify the town's responsibilities.

"Edgecomb has insurance that covers damage to the pipes as long as they are inspected yearly," Cameron said.

However, there is some concern about pollution that could result to the Sheepscot River from the underwater pipe that crosses from Wiscasset if it was damaged.

"In that case, the town would have to sue the person responsible to cover losses," Cameron said.

Selectman John Johnson asked if the location of the pipe is shown on maritime charts and also expressed some concern about past information that the board had received about the pipe drifting.

The selectmen agreed that they should get more information about pollution coverage, and Cameron also suggested that the pipe location could be marked with buoys.

Johnson also followed up on last week's discussion about the need to tighten up the application and approval process for blasting permits in the town. He spoke with Code Enforcement Officer Dabney Lewis and said that the CEO had no problem with turning over the final approval phase to the selectmen.

Chairman Jo Cameron and Johnson both agreed that the application form needs improvement. Jo Cameron said that at the last special town meeting the penalty for not obtaining a permit was voted on and it should be on the application.

Johnson said that Lewis would continue to collect information and work with the applicant to provide the board with a completed form as the ordinance specifies.

The regular Monday evening selectmen meetings scheduled for December 24 and December 31 will be cancelled due to the holidays. The board will meet again on January 7.