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Many of those costs, such as some environmental and aesthetic costs to be discussed here, cannot be translated into dollar values.

Local water sources are contaminated with MTBE (an air pollution reducing gasoline additive). And, as of January 1, 1999, automobiles registered in Cumberland County, and only Cumberland County, will be required to undergo costly emissions testing at automobile inspection time--reminiscent of testing that caused a rebellion in 1994.

Why are these troublesome things happening?

The political reason is that if the state does not take action against air pollution it risks federal sanctions, including loss of between $70 to $100 million in highway funds. But the bottom line is that Maine's air is polluted; and, the fact is, sprawl plays a major role in that pollution.

Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) statistics show that from 1980 to 1990, total vehicular miles traveled in Maine increased by 60%, while population rose by only 9% and number of households increased 17%. The DEP says "...30% to 50% of Maine's homegrown air pollution comes from automobile and other vehicular travel...the fact that people are living farther away from each other and from hubs of activity..."

Pollution of waterways and loss of wildlife habitat loom just as ominously as air pollution as an environmental cost of sprawl. Previously undeveloped habitat becomes fragmented, cutting the landscape into a patchwork of plots, blocking natural wildlife corridors, disrupting ecosystems, and forcing out many species, from songbirds to mammals, that require ample interior habitat. At the same time, fragmentation increases habitat for what can be considered less desirable species that thrive on edges--skunks, raccoons, crows, and blue jays for example. Vehicles, children, and pets intrude. Cats in particular pose a threat to bird and small mammal populations.

Development of roads and buildings causes natural habitat to be replaced with asphalt and lawns. Natural drainage patterns are altered, causing deterioration of water quality and upsetting wetland habitats.

Pollution discharging directly from a pipe or smokestack is easy to identify and, perhaps, control. Pollution from diffuse sources (non-point source pollution), such as water runoff from roofs, pavement, and lawns, is difficult to identify, and centralized control is impossible. Sprawl increases non-point pollution to both water and air.

The Maine State Planning Office in its publication, The Cost of Sprawl, says, "...200 Maine lakes have already been harmed by development and another 300 are at risk. Unlike a river, once a lake deteriorates, it is hard to recover. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to 'treat' a lake, like China Lake, which has deteriorated due to runoff. And even this money will be wasted unless effective development controls are adopted for the future."

At this moment, there are serious concerns about Highland Lake in Windham, but the DEP lists many others in the Lakes Region as being "at risk from development," including: Chaffin Pond, Forest Lake, Little Duck Pond and Pettingill Pond in Windham; Coffee Pond, Dumpling Pond and Parker Pond in Casco; Crescent Pond, Notched Pond, Raymond Pond and Thomas Pond in Raymond; Nubble Pond, Panther Pond and Crystal Lake in Gray. Even Sebago Lake is on the list.

In addition, of about 1.8 million acres of tidal flats and waters in this state, about 15%, or 270,000 acres are closed to shellfishing. While septic tanks, straight pipes, bacterial contamination, and toxins play a role, much of the problem is a result of non-point source runoff caused by sprawl.

Environmental qualities are a key to "the way life should be." So are aesthetic qualities. But, what is an unobstructed view of nature worth? What is lost when rolling farmlands and picturesque orchards are converted to housing developments? How much would it be worth to drive along Route 1 without cringing at the traffic and sprawling strip malls? Some towns are finding the discouraging answers to the last question.

Falmouth, for example, not happy with the appearance of their commercial strip has taken steps to improve it.

George Thebarge, Falmouth Town Planner, says, "We are recycling an entire commercial strip--one of the things we look at in terms of sprawl. Falmouth has a very typical Route 1 commercial strip involving millions of square feet of nonresidential space." He says that shopping center developers in the 1960s and early 1970s had three goals; easy access, plenty of free parking, and low prices.

"Problem was," he adds, "There were two missing components to their program from a community development standpoint; quality and durability." So, within 15 years of construction, the strip had deteriorated badly, with rising vacancy rates and declining sales volume. The town formed a committee to look at the situation, and the first thing they did was to limit the growth of development along Route 1 through a new zoning district. Then buffer zones were created, and finally they are giving the area an expensive facelift.

Costs of sprawl have become too dear when they have reached the point of widespread irreversible environmental damage, and expensive efforts are directed at cosmetics.