[at-l] Development near 100 Mile

[Snodrog5 at aol.com (Snodrog5@aol.com)]

Morning Sentinal ( A newspaper covering northern Kennebec County in Maine)

Plum Creek pitches resort 
By LARRY GRARD
Staff Writer

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/1407018.shtml

[Story snipped, more at URL - TJ]

SKOWHEGAN -- Plum Creek officials Friday outlined their plan for the 
conservation and development of more than 426,000 acres in the Moosehead Lake. 
Support for the proposal, which includes a resort on Lily Bay, was widespread 
from county and municipal officials, as well as those from the private 
sector. Swain said that town officials in Jackman, Greenville and Rockwood are 
excited about a "world-class center for recreation." Plum Creek's plan, subject to 
approval from the Land Use Regulatory Commission, also calls for an "orderly" 
development and sale of approximately 1,000 camp lots -- mostly on Brassau 
Lake and Long and Indian ponds -- in the next 10 to 15 years. 
The Plum Creek vision also calls for protection and maintenance of the 
company's working forest -- accounting for 97 percent of its land in the area -- for 
at least 30 years. The commission will hold the key, Swain said, to renewal 
of that protection zone thereafter. 
Plum Creek's plan has raised concerns from environmental groups, including 
the Natural Resources Council of Maine and the Maine Environmental Policy 
Institute. 
Cathy Johnson, north woods project director for the council, pointed out that 
the development of 400,000 acres is of a scale unprecedented in Maine. It 
could change the character of the Moosehead region forever, she said. 
"The location of the proposed development also raises questions," Johnson 
said in a written statement. "It appears that much of the proposed development 
will be on lakes, ponds and river frontage, miles from Greenville. Given that 
Plum Creek owns another 55,000 acres south of Greenville, it is unclear why the 
more remote areas were chosen for development instead of those closer to 
municipal services." 
Few such concerns surfaced during Friday's meeting, however. Barbara Kane, a 
member of the Jackman Planning Board, sees the plan as a big positive for her 
community.. 
Russell Walters, president of the Northern Outdoors recreational resort in 
The Forks, said Plum Creek has given him the confidence to reinvest in his 
company's infrastructure. 
A Madison Paper Industries official and Rep. Doug Thomas, R-Ripley, both said 
that Plum Creek's approach to land conservation is preferable to the state's 
policy of buying up land at taxpayer expense. 
"Why borrow $50 million to buy land that might not have the same public 
access as Plum Creek land?" Thomas asked.   
Swain also said that the plan offers hope to the Moosehead Lake region, which 
has lost residents and businesses in recent years. The substantial new tax 
revenue could be a boost to struggling schools and hospitals in Greenville, she 
said. 
Swain admitted to a "major hurdle" regarding approval from the land-use 
commission. Plum Creek will present its proposal to the commission next month. 
If approved, development would progress within a 10-year period, she said.