Beech Hill Pond (BHP), Otis, Maine has been identified by Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) as a Nonpoint Source (NPS) Priority watershed, a Threatened Lake in need of protection. In 2021, a steering committee organized for the purposes of preserving and protecting the natural resources of the watershed that is central to the lives and local economy of this small rural community. In June 2022, supported by MDEP, volunteers and partners completed a watershed survey identifying 116 NPS pollution sites influencing the health/welfare of the lake, and surrounding community. Survey data and feedback from community forums (2023) guided the development of a 10-year Watershed-Based Protection Plan (WBPP), approved by US-EPA and MDEP in Jan 2024.  A MDEP 319 Grant Proposal (MDEP319) was submitted twice (May 2024/2025) with the hopes of securing matching funds to develop plans for and remediate identified sites. In 2024, the grant proposal was “bumped” in favor of a lower scoring application representing the needs of an Impaired Lake. In 2025, a change in point criteria that weights an up-to-date town comprehensive plan more heavily, led to another loss in securing MDEP funding. Without large-scale MDEP funding targeted to these outcomes, executing the 10-year Action Plan of the WBPP is unachievable. The Project is now dependent upon other grant awards and local fundraising to continue work on a more limited scale.