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MRFC Against Plum Creek Proposal

October 17, 2007 - GREENVILLE - The Moosehead Region Futures Committee (MRFC), based in Greenville, released Friday its testimony to the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) as an intervenor in the agency's consideration of the Plum Creek proposal to rezone more than 430,000 acres in the Moosehead Lake region.

The controversial proposal would ultimately develop 975 new house lots, establish two resorts - a Nordic ski area on the northwest shoulder of Big Moose Mountain with up to 800 in new accommodations and an ecotourism facility in Lily Bay with a potential for 250 new accommodations - while placing more than 400,000 acres in conservation.

Although the Seattle-based company has gone back to the drawing board three times, overhauling the plan to reflect detractor concems, version number three is not acceptable, according to the MRFC testimony. "... analysis has led to the conclusion that ... (the) proposal, in its current form, does not support the best interests of the Moosehead Region," MRFC maintains in a prepared statement.

Among the reasons cited by the group for their position is the total acreage Plum Creek proposes for development Plum Creek hopes to rezone many more acres than are necessary to accommodate the house lots and resorts, when the surplus acreage could be used for additional development in the future, according to MRFC testimony. Although the plan has removed any development from several contested water bodies, including Prong Pond, Big W Township and the northwest shore of Brassua Lake, MRFC states that planned new development on Upper Wilson Pond and the north shore of Long Pond is "inappropriate." The citizen group also does not support the Lily Bay resort, believes the conservation easements are "inadequate", and maintains the plan will adversely affect the nature tourism economy. The group joins The Natural Resource Center of Maine (NRCM), RESTORE: the North Woods, the Audubon Society and others in its critical analysis of the plans components.

Last week NRCM released the collected testimony of five Maine and two U.S. agencies who voice concems over the potential development. According to the cited excerpts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is worried about wildlife, including the habitats for bald eagles, lynx and migratory birds, as well as protection of vernal pools. Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is also concemed about animal habitats, as well as the fragmentation of the North Woods. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Maine's Department of Environmental Protection share the belief that the development could harm water quality. The Maine Forest Service says the conservation easements to not meet the standards of Land for Maine's Future or the Forest Legacy program and do not protect rare species habitat. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources states the development areas are "oversized" and are not limited to areas with "suitable soils" and the Bureau of Public Lands believes there are risk to recreation and public access.

NRCM is an intervenor as well and has waged a highly visible, multimedia campaign against the proposal, citing many of the concems mentioned by other agencies and charging the new development will create "wilderness sprawl." RESTORE, with others, petitioned LURC to dismiss the plan, stating that the agency "lacks the statutory authority to approve it." LURC staff has recommended the commissioners deny the petition and the matter is on the agenda for LURC's regular meeting scheduled for today (Wednesday).

Alan Hutchinson, executive director for the Forest Society of Maine, has come out in favor of the plan, based on its value as an instrument for conservation. "The current proposal ... presents an historic opportunity we do not see becoming available again to protect a huge tract of land with immense conservation and recreational value. It is an opportunity that must not be missed," Hutchinson stated in an editorial released last month.

"The real choice before LURC is planned growth with significant conservation or unplanned, sprawling growth with little conservation," Hutchinson maintained.

The Forest Society of Maine (FSM), with The Nature Conservancy and the Appalachian Mountain Club have partnered with Plum Creek to place than 327,000 into permanent conservation - termed the Moosehead Legacy - with FSM holding and administering the easements. FSM with Hutchinson in the lead was the architect of the 329,000-acre West Branch conservation project on the north end of Moosehead Lake. Plum Creek has announced last week it is working on further revisions and will continue to do so up to and through the hearing process.

LURC has scheduled hearings beginning in November, the first on November 3 in Greenville, the second on November 4 in Augusta, the third on November 17 in Portland, and a final hearing back in Greenville on November 18.

SOURCE: PISCATAQUIS OBSERVER

DATE: 10-10-2007

Lakes: Moosehead Lake
Regions: Moosehead


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