The mission of Friends of Cobscook Bay (FOCB) is to protect the health of Cobscook Bay and its watersheds.  The idea to form such a group surfaced in 2014 when a study group formed to comment to FERC on a tidal power barrage project proposed to span the Pennamaquan estuary in Cobscook Bay. The impetus to organize again surfaced recently with the announcement by a Canadian mining company proposing a polymetallic mine in Pembroke, ME.  A metal sulfide mine is highly likely to contaminate both one of the watersheds that feeds the Bay and the aquifers which supply the wells in town.  The surface water drainage basin of the mining site actually overlaps with significant aquifers.  Private wells are the sole water source.  Our near term objectives are to educate the town’s residents about the risks of metal sulfide mining to create informed public opinion around the issue and initiate a petition campaign supporting the town to pass an ordinance banning metal sulfide mining.  All polymetallic sulfide Mines we are aware of produce acid mine drainage, and we do not want this to occur in Pembroke—which is one of the communities that surrounds the Bay.  While the impetus to form Friends of Cobscook Bay surfaced with the mining threat we forsee the organization having a future role in protecting the health of this unique macrotidal bay system and the health and livlihood of the 9 surrounding communities.