B-52 Bomber Ejection Seat

AUGUSTA,Maine– A Maine Forest Service forest ranger out hunting last fall came across a strange object he found right in the middle of an old, overgrown logging road on Elephant Mountain. That object has been identified as an ejection seat from the infamous B-52 Stratofortress-C crash that killed seven airmen almost 50 years ago north of Greenville.

Maine Forest Service District Ranger Bruce Reed, who found the ejection seat, will lead a recovery team on Thursday to retrieve the seat from Elephant Mountain southwest of the crash site and take it to a local snowmobile clubhouse.

The ejection seat from the B-52 most likely is the seat that saved the life of either the jet’s pilot or its navigator, according to officials.

“The seat was lying upside down in the middle of that road,” Reed recalled about finding the object. “I had a pretty good idea of what it was, and it was kind of eerie finding something like this in the middle of the wilderness, knowing what happened almost 50 years ago.”

B-52 Stratofortress-C

Reed returned to the logging road this past Saturday, once again found the ejection seat, marked the GPS location, took photos, and took down all identification numbers. He confirmed the information with Pete Pratt of the Moosehead Rider’s Snowmobile Club, which has spearheaded the creation of a permanent memorial for the crash remains.

Later this week, Reed will lead a four-person carry operation with MFS forest rangers using a cargo net to bring the seat down the mountain.

The ejection seat has held up “remarkably well for being there for 49 years,” the MFS forest ranger said. There is some damage to the top part of the seat around the head rest, he said.

“Once we get it off the mountain and in the presence of those who know its true history, it will generate significant interest,” Reed said.

The crash took place Thursday, Jan. 24, 1963, as the B-52 Stratofortress-C was practicing routine low-level navigation, part of its training to avoid Soviet radar technology, in bitter winter weather.

The huge, unarmed jet left Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts and was carrying nine crew members. The jet was traveling at about 500 feet about the ground when it encountered turbulence, and pilot Lt. Col. Dante E. Buli tried to climb to avoid it.

A loud noise like an explosion was heard, and the jet went into a 40-degreee right turn, its nose pointing down. Buli tried to level the plane, but when he couldn’t, he ordered the crew to eject.

Three crew members, including Buli, the navigator, Capt. Gerald J. Adler, and the co-pilot, Maj. Robert J. Morrison, had time to eject.  Six crew members were killed in the crash; Morrison was killed when his parachute hit a tree.

Numerous rescuers went to the scene and saved the two survivors, Buli and Adler, who had endured serious injuries and frigid temperatures reaching minus 28 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the night. The crash later was found to be caused by a structural problem.

The crash site since has been turned into a memorial, and it is undergoing improvements for the anticipated 50th anniversary of the accident. A salvaged jet engine and one ejection seat can be viewed at the Moosehead Rider’s Snowmobile Clubhouse. The tail section of the jet, which fell off the aircraft before it crashed, still can be seen at the mountain site.

For more information about the crash, go to: http://www.moosehead.net/history/B-f2.html

For more information about the MFS Forest Rangers, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/ffchome.htm

Please support Local Voice journalism by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this story. Thank You!

Maine International Trade Day, northern New England’s largest annual internationally focused business event. Speakers will include Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner George Gervais; leader of Innovation Management at Embraer S.A., Dr. Sandro Valeri and faculty associate at Harvard’s Center for International Development, Dr. Cesar Hidalgo.

WHERE:

The Samoset Resort 220 Warrenton Street Rockport, ME

WHEN:

Thursday, May 24th from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

WHY:

More than 250 attendees from diverse industries, backgrounds and professions will hear why Innovation is the key to global success. It’s been a decade of growth for the international trade sector in Maine, nearly doubling its exports since 2000. Last year Maine exported nearly $3.5 billion, yet competition in the global market is fiercer than ever.

Directions:

From the South: Follow Interstate 95 North to Exit 44, Interstate 295. Follow 295 to exit 28, Brunswick. Follow Coastal Route 1 North through Rockland. Turn right off of Route 1 onto Waldo Avenue. The Samoset Resort entrance is 1/2 mile on the right.

From the North: Follow Route 1A South to Route 1 South. Follow Route 1 South through Camden. Turn left onto Warrenton Street just past the Glen Cove Rest Area. Follow Warrenton Street for one mile. The Samoset Resort is on the left.

Please support Valley Voice journalism by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this page. Thank You!

Based on the recommendations of a bi-partisan, independent study committee, the legislation replaces the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) with a new land-use board and refocuses its mission on both conservation and economic development. The new agency, which is a division under the Maine Department of Conservation, also focuses on local input and improved permitting processes.

“We have found common ground,” said Gov. Paul LePage, in signing L.D. 1798 into law. “We have retained planning and permitting in theUnorganizedTerritories, yet we also have replaced reactive rezoning with forward-looking planning.

“Best of all, this is a bi-partisan outcome that should stand the test of time,” the Governor said.

“The signing of L.D. 1798 provides a great opportunity to set aside old battles that often pitted landowners against those who see the Great Maine Woods as a public good,” Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley said. “L.D. 1798 is a major step toward a shared vision of ruralMaine.”

“We are ready to implement this important directive from the Maine Legislature,” said Samantha Horn Olsen, LURC acting director. “As we move forward, we will be mindful that success can only happen with the involvement of individuals and organizations in the areas that the Commission serves.”

The Maine Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) was created by the Maine Legislature in 1971 to serve as the planning, zoning and permitting authority for areas that do not have the capacity to administer land use controls, known as the Unorganized Territories (UT). The Commission was charged with comprehensive planning, zoning and issuing permits for most development activities, including business and wind-power projects.

Governor LePage, Maine Senate President Kevin Raye, and Maine House Speaker Robert Nutting last year appointed a 13-member commission to study reforms to the agency. The commission last fall presented a unified report with reform recommendations that resulted in legislation.

As a result, L.D. 1798 establishes a new land use board, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission, with nine members, rather than the current seven, nominated by both the Governor and the eight counties with the most unorganized areas. The Commission members serve for four years.

The purpose and scope of the new Commission is expanded to include “the well-planned and well-managed multiple use, including conservation, of land and resources and to encourage and facilitate regional economic vitality.”

Other directives include:

• To hold Commission meetings in a location within the Commission’s jurisdiction, with project-review meetings to be held as close as possible to the project site;
• To move land-use staff out ofAugustainto field offices closer to the Commission’s jurisdiction;
• To reform the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for the UT. to reflect the new legislation;
• To identify areas of the UT that display significant potential for economic investment and job creation;
• To provide an annual report to the legislative oversight committee.

Grid-scale wind projects in the UT now will be reviewed and permitted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Regulation of forestry activities in the UT will be handled by the Maine Forest Service.

In addition, one environmental specialist will be transferred from LURC to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Commissioner Beardsley outlined several steps already being taken to initiate reform. Some LURC staff offices have been moved closer to the UT; State Planning Office planners have been moved to offices adjacent to MDOC planners: and the department is in conversation with numerous UT landowners and residents, counties and other organizations.

“Our goal is to engage these individuals and organizations that have their feet on the ground,” the commissioner stressed, “then build a comprehensive land use plan and develop prospective zoning and permitting processes that reflect the aspirations of the UT.”

Please support Valley Voice journalism by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this page. Thank You!

Accomplishments outlined in free booklet available to the public

On Friday, May 18th, Governor Paul LePage released today a comprehensive book of accomplishments of his first 500 days in office. The Governor’s 500^th day as Maine’s Chief Executive is Saturday, May 19, 2012. The 20-page compilation, titled Making Maine Prosperous, The First 500 Days of Governor Paul LePage, details the achievements made by the LePage Administration and the State of Maine 125^th Legislature. A web version of the book is free to the public and available on the Governor’s website.

During the past 500 days, Governor LePage has proved he is able to keep campaign promises and improve Maine’s economy. From January 2011 to March 2012, Maine’s private sector grew by 4,100 jobs, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. The growth may be contributed to a number of initiatives, which are outlined in the book, including tax incentives which encourage job creators to invest in Maine and regulatory reform aimed to streamline the licensing and permitting process.

The state’s unemployment rate has also declined since January 2011, from nearly 8 percent to 7.2 percent. During the past seventeen months, the LePage Administration has focused on developing job skills and training for Mainers searching for work. Under the Governor’s leadership, the Maine Jobs Council, now referred to as the State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB), has been revamped to better address workforce development programs.

“Two of my greatest priorities as Governor relate directly to Maine’s workforce,” Governor LePage said. “We need to ensure students have the skills they need to be productive workers when they graduate, and we must get targeted training to people in the workforce today so that they can be competitive and successful in the job market.”

The needs of Maine Veterans are being addressed within the Administration as well. Legislation was enacted to ensure that Veterans are given full credit for relevant military training and experience when they apply for an occupational license from the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Steps have already been taken to implement the intent of LD 1850, “An Act To Assist Maine’s Current and Former Members of the United States Armed Forces”, by making sure the expertise of Maine veterans is recognized and valued when they apply for a license.

Making Maine Prosperous, The First 500 Days of Governor Paul LePage also highlights other reforms led and/or supported by the Governor including changes made in the areas of

• Welfare
• Education
• Energy
• Domestic Violence
• Public Safety
• Regulatory/Red Tape
• Environmental Protection/Natural Resources
• Pension Debt
• Health Care

A free copy of the book, Making Maine Prosperous, The First 500 Days of Governor Paul LePage, is available on the Office of the Governor website. The published version of the book is available at the Office of the Governor.

Please support Valley Voice journalism by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this page. Thank You!

Bipartisan Majority Rejects the Costly, Extreme, and Risky Proposal

Among its actions this week, the Legislature defeated a controversial “regulatory takings” bill that would have cost Maine taxpayers millions of dollars, caused a proliferation of lawsuits, and blocked future laws that may be necessary to protect Maine’s environment, people, and communities. This action came when the House and Senate voted to “indefinitely postpone” LD 1810—which means the bill is now officially dead.

“This risky, costly, and radical proposal would have undermined the laws that protect Maine’s environment and communities,” said NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim. “Despite a massive effort by lobbyists to force this dangerous bill through the legislature, a bipartisan majority held firm and refused to support it.  Common sense won the day over ideology.”

The original bill would have allowed property owners to receive payments from the State Treasury to compensate them for claimed losses in property values resulting from future land use regulations.  Property owners would be allowed to ignore Maine law if theState did not make the compensation payments.

Such proposals have been broadly defeated nationwide based on concerns about their high costs and negative consequences, and previous takings bills have been rejected by the Maine Legislature at least five times since 1995.

In March, a majority of the Judiciary Committee rejected LD 1810, and proposed a complete substitute that would avoid the litigation, costs, and harm to the environment that would have resulted from the bill. But supporters of the original bill worked relentlessly to keep their proposal alive. These efforts peaked during the week of April 9, when the Majority Report from the Judiciary Committee was blocked in the House, and the Minority Report was voted on instead, passing by a one-vote margin.  (See http://www.downeast.com/georges-outdoor-news/2012/april/knight-beating-takings)

Lobbyists then attempted for several days to force the bill forward in the Senate, but they faced a bipartisan block of 20 Senators—including Republican Senators Tom Saviello, Roger Katz, Chris Rector, and Earl McCormick—who were firmly opposed to the Minority Report.  The Senate adjourned at 2:30 a.m. on April 14 without taking a vote on LD 1810, leaving it to be considered when they reconvened May 15. When the bill finally was scheduled for consideration in the Senate, it was clear that supporters of the Minority Report had failed to recruit any additional support, so they offered a motion to “indefinitely postpone” the bill—and the House followed suit.

“We greatly appreciate the strong leadership provided by both Republicans and Democrats who saw the takings bill for what it was—a thinly veiled attempt to prevent the Legislature from passing laws in the future that will be needed to protect our communities, wildlife habitat, and the character of Maine,” said Maine Audubon’s Staff Attorney Jenn Burns Gray.

The Majority Report proposal from the Judiciary Committee was drafted by Rep. Brad Moulton (R-York) and Rep. Charles Priest (D-Brunswick), with input from Sen. Tom Saviello (R-Franklin), Rep. Bob Duchesne (D-Hudson) and other lawmakers.  This proposal would have created a Regulatory Fairness Committee to evaluate the impact of regulations on property owners and initiate legislative solutions.  The motions to indefinitely postpone the bill had the result of blocking adoption of the Majority Report.

“The takings bill finally hit the brick wall of reality,” said Sean Mahoney, Maine Director of the Conservation Law Foundation. “The Minority Report was so complex, convoluted, costly, and extreme that it would have been a disaster if passed into law.  We’re very pleased that a majority of Maine legislators understood this and voted to kill the bill.”

Maine taxpayers would have had to pay millions of dollars over time to fund implementation of the Minority Report.  The fiscal note over the first three years alone was pegged at $1.28 million, and this estimate did not include any of the funds that would be needed to pay possible compensation payments of up to $400,000 per case.

In the very few states in the U.S. that have adopted legislation anything like the Minority Report, studies have revealed that corporate interests, large-scale developers, and attorneys have been the primary beneficiaries. Former State Senator Peter Mills made this point to legislators this year, saying “The primary impact—and its intended impact—is to stymie regulation for the benefit of large landowners with ample resources to paralyze state agencies.  That is, in fact, how takings laws have been used in the few states that have enacted them.  It’s not a statute for the little guy.”

“The Minority Report would have created multiple paths for developers to receive waivers from Maine law, allowing them to build developments that otherwise would be illegal,” said Didisheim.  “Such waivers would have caused an unraveling of the laws that protect Maine’s environment and triggered lawsuits by people who suddenly learned that a massive development, waste dump, or energy project was landing next door to them because the developer had received a waiver from the law.”

“The Minority Report posed a major threat to Maine’s environmental safeguards,” said Maine Conservation Voters Executive Director Maureen Drouin. “That’s why defeating the bill was a top priority for people and organizations throughout Maine who love our clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.” The Maine Clammers Association, Congress of Lakes Association, Maine Municipal Association, and all of Maine’s major conservation and environmental organizations opposed the Minority Report for LD 1810.

Passage of takings bills like LD 1810 has been a high priority for the ultra-right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which has promoted model legislation to state legislatures since the early 1990s.

Please support Valley Voice journalism by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this page. Thank You!

That’s because the latest publication is the French version of the Maine Forest Service’s notable logging manual, “Best Management Practices for Forestry: Protecting Maine’s Water Quality.”

Responding to requests from loggers, land managers and timber companies around the state, the Maine Forest Service (MFS) published the new version just this month and already is getting a positive response from the forest-products industry, according to MFS officials.

“Over the past year alone, we have had at least three requests from landowners working with French-speaking loggers for a French book,” said Keith Kanoti, MFS water resources forester. “French-speaking loggers were a set of clientele we weren’t able to serve with our BMP manual until we got this done.”

The federal Clean Water Act came about in 1972 to regulate the discharge of pollutants into water bodies in the U.S. Silviculture activities, such as timber harvests, are exempted from getting required permits from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency if “Best Management Practices (BMPs)” are used, Kanoti explained.

BMPs are voluntary logging techniques designed to protect water quality on timber harvests developed through practical experience and research. Not only does their use protectMaine’s water quality, they are cost effective and inexpensive to use, particularly in comparison to the cost of pollution clean-up, according to the MFS.

“BMPs are a toolbox of practices people can use to protect water quality when harvesting timber and with all related activities, such as road construction, stream-crossing construction, etc.,” Kanoti said.

The state agency first developed a brochure on BMPs in 1992, which was replaced in 2004 with a new, comprehensive manual, Kanoti said. That edition, published in English, had two printings of several thousand each, he said.

“We’ve distributed at least 10,000 copies to loggers, foresters and landowners over the years,” Kanoti said, adding that the publication and the specific information about BMPs also has been picked and used by otherNew Englandstates and Canadian provinces.

The new French version is intended not only for French-speaking Canadian loggers who come intoMaine, but particularly for those woods-industry workers inMainewho have French as their first language, Kanoti said.

The 2010 U.S. Census lists 7.1 percent of the state’s population as speaking a language other than English at home, and 25 percent list their ancestry as French or French-Canadian. The largest number of French-speakers by county is found inAroostookCountyat 22.4 percent andAndroscogginCountyat 14.3 percent.

“There probably are not as many French-speaking loggers as there used to be, but there is enough of a French-speaking workforce that it seemed worthwhile to produce manual,” Kanoti said.

New Brunswickprovince has a bilingual version of a BMP manual, whileQuebecprovince has a completely French version, Kanoti said. “They’re different from ours, and we’ve pointed people to them in the past, but we really wanted our own version in French,” he said.

The new French version took about two months to prepare. Translation was done by a state contract vendor, Kanoti said. “Then we had it reviewed by a French-speaking industry forester to make sure it made sense,” he said.

Some 200 copies have been published, and the manual also can be found on line in a .PDF format. The French manual is being used by the forest-products industry, in logger education, and as a reference tool, Kanoti said. It also has been offered to other states, such asNew Hampshire, which took and republished the English version, the MFS forester said.

“I don’t think it’s on the best-seller list, but people have been requesting it,” Kanoti said.

Individual copies of the manual are free, or can be downloaded from this link: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/pubs/pdf/bmp_manual/bmp_manual_french_final.pdf

Copies bought in bulk are $5 each. To order, contact: Jen Wright, MaineForestService, at (207) 287-4980.

For more information, contact Keith Kanoti, Maine Forest Service water resources forester, at: 1-800-367-0223 (in-state only) or 207-287-1073 email: keith.kanoti@maine.gov

For more information about the Maine Forest Service, go to: http://www.maineforestservice.org

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

Otherwise, they will have to wait until 9 a.m. for the gate to open in order to access the day use portion of the park in Casco, according to park officials.

This is the second year that the park has offered the Early Launch Permit, said Park Manager Matt McGuire.

“We have had a really good response to the Early Launch Permit, and we encourage anyone interested in finding out more to stop by the park office,” McGuire said.

Sebago Lake State Park will resume its normal schedule of closing the Day Use entrance gates at sunset on Friday, May 11. The park gates normally are closed and locked at sunset each evening and opened at 9 a.m. daily.

The Early Launch Permit is $10 and includes the gate combination. The pass is available at the park office at 11 Park Access Road in Casco (Phone: 207-693-6231).

In a related matter, McGuire said that fishing is “very good right now – now is the time to be fishing” at the park. Reports are that salmon fishing is excellent, with fishermen quickly reaching their limits. Those who don’t have boats also are finding success at Songo Locks, McGuire said.

“The fishermen are getting more successful every day,” he said.

For more information about Sebago Lake State Park, go to: http://www.maine.gov/sebagolake

For more information about Maine state parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

Please show your support for The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

“Links to FDA advice are the most significant source of timely updates. The Maine Department of Agriculture has monitored recalls in other states since the initial outbreak in early April. Products sold in Maine were in included in the expanded recall issued on May 7, 2012,” said Steve Giguere, Acting Director of the Division of Quality Assurance & Regulations. Salmonella is potentially a very serious illness to pets and pet owners.

Human health concerns that might be associated with the potentially contaminated pet food should be reported to Dr. Stephen Sears at the Maine Center for Disease Control. Pet illnesses should be reported to the Maine Department of Agriculture.

The FDA became involved in early April when Salmonella from an intact package of Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice Formula for Adult Dogs was collected during retail surveillance sampling collected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Diamond Pet Foods was notified of the sampling results, and agreed to voluntarily recall the product.

FDA, Center of Disease Control and state investigations are ongoing in an effort to determine if other brands of dry dog food produced at the Diamond Pet Foods’ South Carolina facility may be linked to confirmed human illnesses.

Consumers should check the company’s website, Diamond Pet Foods Recall Information, for information on how to read lot codes and “best by” dates involved in the recall:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild
• Apex (distributed only in the state of South Carolina)
• Kirkland Signatur
• Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain
• Canidae

The following companies have announced voluntary recalls for products that were also produced at the Gaston, South Carolina facility:

Wellpet LLC

• Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy with “best by” dates of JAN 9 2013 through JAN 11 2013 (15 LB bag, 30 LB bag, 5 oz sample bags)

The company reports that no other Wellpet recipes, sizes or brands of food are impacted by the recall. Complete details are available at Wellpet LLC News7 .

• (Dick Van Patten’s) Natural Balance Pet Foods

“Best by” dates and the states where they were distributed vary for these products. Check the Natural Balance Pet Foods recall website8 for details.

• Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog (5 LB, 15 LB and 28 LB)
• Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog (5 LB, 15 LB and 28 LB)
• Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog (5 LB, 15 LB and 28 LB)
• Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog (5 LB)
• Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Large Breed Bites (28 LB)
• Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites (5 LB and 12.5 LB)

Diamond Pet Foods continues to work directly with distributors and retailers where the recalled products are carried to remove them as quickly as possible from the marketplace. FDA will provide updates on the recall and the investigation as new information becomes available.

To report human health concerns contact Dr. Stephen Sears at the Maine Center for Disease Control at 1-800-821-5821.

To report animal illness associated with pet food contact the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator for Maine at 1-800-891-8295. Or to report electronically go to:http://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov/

For more information about the recall go to: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Corenetwork/ucm302904.htm

For more information about the Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources go to: http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/index.shtml

Maine Department of Agriculture Contact: Steve Giguere, 207-287-4456, steve.giguere@maine.gov

The two-year Freeport study, published in 2012, is the most exacting analysis of water withdrawal from this watershed done to date, and the study approach already is being applied to another site, said Dr. Robert Marvinney, Maine state geologist and project manager.

“This is the most rigorous analysis of the impact of water withdrawals in this watershed, and it now provides watershed managers with a robust tool to consider future water-use scenarios under varying climatic conditions,” Marvinney said. “This effort married the respective strengths of the Maine Geological Survey (MGS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in a well-coordinated and useful study.”

The newly developed computer model is “a detailed model of the aquifer system that explicitly shows how the groundwater system and streams interact in the study area,” said Martha Nielsen, USGS hydrologist and study author. “The purpose was to understand how climate and aquifer management affect overall water availability and changes in stream flow.”

The extensive study was directed by the Water Resources Planning Committee, a statewide advisory group composed of water professionals, such as water district officials, state and federal officials, commercial water users, environmental groups and geologists. Marvinney, the committee’s chairman, said the group meets several times a year to discuss water issues in Maine and to recommend where state agencies should focus resources and research.

A watershed is defined as a geographic area in which all precipitation flows to a common point such as a river or lake. In 2006, MGS did a study of smaller watersheds in Maine that had the potential for “too much water use for what was available,” Marvinney said. Out of 973 watersheds examined – each about 35 square miles in size – about a dozen sites, including Freeport, were shown to have relatively high water use compared to supply.

That earlier study “was used as a guidance tool for where we should focus additional work,” the state geologist said.

The Freeport watershed was chosen collectively for the detailed study, begun in 2009, because it is a relatively small watershed, at 19 square miles, with a use of 100 million gallons a year; it has a major water user, the Freeport Water District utility; and there is a well-defined aquifer, or underground water source, Marvinney said.

For Freeport, “the overall goal was to look at how ground water and surface water [flowing streams, ponds and rivers] are tied together and how withdrawals from ground water would affect surface-water flows,” the state geologist explained. Environmental water need for aquatic habitats also was taken into consideration along with human use, he said.

In building the computer model, the purpose was to look at different climate and demographic risks and pumping scenarios, he continued. “What happens if there’s a drought? What happens if the population grows? So managers can begin to use the model as a planning tool,” Marvinney said.

As part of the project, Dan Locke, MGS hydrogeologist and study author, made numerous stream-flow measurements during 2009 and 2010 at five sites along Harvey and Merrill brooks in the Freeport-Pownal area. The measurements were made under different flow conditions and through the changing seasons. He also compiled information on groundwater levels and oversaw the drilling of two new observational wells. In addition, the Freeport aquifer also was studied in detail to understand its dimensions and thickness of sand, gravel, mud and clay layers, Marvinney noted.

Compiling data into the computer model resulted in “the most detailed analysis we’ve done on a small watershed in Maine,” Nielsen said. As a result, “what we have now is a tool that can help water resources managers look at future impacts on water resources, as in drought conditions and population increases. It gives us a framework that we can use for other watersheds.”

For Freeport, the computer model indicates there is an adequate water supply to meet direct demand, both human and environmental, the state geologist said. “With current usage, there is not an issue of annual supply,” he said.

The same modeling approach now is being used in an investigation of the Branch Brook watershed in York County where data collection is under way, Marvinney said.

The state geologist pointed out that the USGS is initiating a water census for the entire nation, and the analytical approach, designed for small watersheds, “undoubtedly” could be used in the Northeast and the type of geology found there.

“Our work can be part of this national effort,” Marvinney said.

To view the Freeport report, go to: http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5227

For a summary of the study, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/water/sites/may10.htm

For more information about the Maine Geological Survey, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/water/sites/may10.htm

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

Maine State Senator Roger Katz

AUGUSTA –Hunters, fishermen, snowmobilers, sportsmen, conservationists and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle will gather at the State House on Monday to call on the Maine Legislature to replenish the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program.  Lawmakers will be asked to support LD 852, a $5 million bond proposal designed to help fund working waterfronts, farmlands, and forests; wildlife habitat; and special recreation lands across the state. If passed, Maine voters will have the opportunity to vote on an LMF bond this November.

Supporters will herald the economic and community benefits of conserving Maine’s natural resources.  They will discuss the LMF program’s long-standing popularity and its importance to Maine’s agriculture, forest products, fishing, and tourism/recreation industries.

Since its inception, the LMF program has conserved land in each of Maine’s 16 counties, including working farms, commercial fishing waterfronts, timberland, and important tourism and recreation sites. Nearly 200 projects have been completed statewide, ensuring more than 500,000 acres of land remains open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor recreation.

Senator Roger Katz, a Republican from Augusta who is sponsoring the legislation states, “Our natural resources are what set Maine apart – they are our biggest competitive advantage.  Preserving and conserving them has got to be a top priority as we develop and grow.  This is a value shared by families and businesses across the state.”

WHAT: Land for Maine’s Future press conference

WHEN: Monday, May 14th at 12:30 PM

WHERE: Hall of Flags, State House, Augusta

WHO:

• Senator Roger Katz, Augusta
• Representative Jeff McCabe, Skowhegan
• Carole Dyer, hunter from Bowdoinham
• Dave Ramsey, sportsman and President of the Brownville Snowmobile Club
• Melanee Osier-Gilbert, fisherman from Bremen

WHAT ELSE: Graphics from recent economic impact study

The Maine Land Bond Coalition is comprised of more than 350 supporting organizations, including sportsmen, business leaders, citizens, health organizations, conservationists, recreational enthusiasts and environmentalists.

Natural Resources Council of Maine
3 Wade Street
Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 430-0103
fax (207) 622-4343
www.nrcm.org

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

Business and nonprofit entities can file quickly and easily using the Secretary of State’s online filing system. To file online, go to: https://www10.informe.org/aro/index_on.html . Payment may be made by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, electronic check or with a subscriber account.

The Annual Report fee is $85 for domestic business entities, $150 for foreign business entities and $35 for domestic or foreign nonprofit corporations. Entities that filed online in a previous year will be able to review the information provided at that time, and will simply need to update that information as necessary prior to filing this year’s report. For account subscribers, the online filing service includes additional functionality to assist with managing multiple annual report filings.

Another online service allows noncommercial clerks or noncommercial registered agents to change their addresses. Additionally, this service allows an authorized individual of a foreign entity (organized outside Maine) to change the principal or home office address. Anyone wishing to make these address changes separately from the online annual report filing service, should visit: https://www10.informe.org/icrs/change/ .

For entities that prefer to file a paper annual report, a preprinted form can be downloaded at: http://www10.informe.org/aro/form_download.html .

A substantial late-filing penalty will be assessed, and may not be waived, on all reports received after June 1, 2012, the legal filing deadline.

The Secretary of State’s Corporations Division is available to answer questions regarding Annual Report filing or changing an address. The division can be reached at (207) 624-7752.

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this story. Thank You!

Otherwise, they will have to wait until 9 a.m. for the gate to open in order to access the day use portion of the park in Casco, according to park officials.

This is the second year that the park has offered the Early Launch Permit, said Park Manager Matt McGuire.

“We have had a really good response to the Early Launch Permit, and we encourage anyone interested in finding out more to stop by the park office,” McGuire said.

SebagoLake State Park will resume its normal schedule of closing the Day Use entrance gates at sunset on Friday, May 11.  The park gates normally are closed and locked at sunset each evening and opened at 9 a.m. daily.

The Early Launch Permit is $10 and includes the gate combination. The pass is available at the park office at11 Park Access Roadin Casco (Phone: 207-693-6231).

In a related matter, McGuire said that fishing is “very good right now – now is the time to be fishing” at the park. Reports are that salmon fishing is excellent, with fishermen quickly reaching their limits. Those who don’t have boats also are finding success at Songo Locks, McGuire said.

“The fishermen are getting more successful every day,” he said.

For more information about Sebago Lake State Park, go to: http://www.maine.gov/sebagolake

For more information about Maine state parks, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

Please “LIKE” The Valley Voice on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You for your support!

Maine Secretary of State Charles Summers

Secretary of State Charlie Summers announced today a series of seminars to educate Maine’s business community of the risk of corporate identity theft. The Office of the Secretary of State is working in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service and regional business development organizations to inform Maine businesses about how they can minimize specific identity theft threats to their businesses. The goal of this series is to help business owners and managers learn how to be alert to risks, best protect their operations, and effectively respond should breaches in their identity security occur.

The National Association of Secretaries of State reports that criminals look for ways to steal a legitimate business identity by gaining access to its bank accounts and credit cards, as well as other sensitive company information. Once they realize they are victims of such crimes, businesses may need to spend valuable time and resources to repair the damage to their credit and reputation, and banks and retailers may be left with significant financial losses.

The seminars are open to the public and free of charge. Each is approximately one hour in length and allows time for questions and answers. The Small Business Advocate at http://www.maine.gov/sos/sba/index.html from the Office of the Secretary of State will begin each seminar with a brief summary of the assistance now available to Maine businesses facing regulatory challenges.

•Bangor: Husson University, Dyke Center for Family Business, Tuesday, May 22, noon – 1:00 pm •Presque Isle: University of Maine Presque Isle, Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room, Wednesday, May 23, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. •Portland: Portland Regional Chamber, 443 Congress Street, Thursday, May 31, 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. •Machias: Sunrise County Economic Council, 1 Stackpole Road, Thursday, June 7, Noon – 1:00 p.m. •Calais (via simultaneous teleconference from Machias): Washington County Community College Administration Building, Room 6, Thursday, June 7, Noon – 1:00 p.m. “Maine business owners and managers unaware of how to best protect their operations are at risk of not only losing a great deal of money to identity thieves, but also of severe damage to their reputations. By directly presenting this critically important information to our business community, we aim to equip owners and managers with the tools they need to understand, prevent, and respond to identity theft,” stated Secretary Summers.

For more information about these seminars, please contact Jay Martin at the Office of the Secretary of State at (207) 626-8410.

Please “LIKE” The Valley Voice at the bottom of this page. Thank You for your support!

Starting this month, a total of 955 distinctive, purple bug traps will be placed high up in the canopy of local ash trees at specified locations to see if the emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect that has destroyed millions of acres of ash trees in other parts of the U.S., is present in Maine.

The survey – the 2012 National Cooperative Emerald Ash Borer Survey in Maine– is the collaboration of federal, state and tribal agencies, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is part of a national survey effort taking place in 46 states. Because of the insect’s potential adverse impact throughout Maine, the survey also is supported by numerous private businesses and landowners.

Agriculture Commissioner Walt Whitcomb emphasized the importance of the survey, commenting that “we’re heading off an invasion.” He stressed the value of ash trees in Maine, describing the species as a “much-desired tree” that he personally has harvested around his farm.

Whitcomb also praised the collaborative survey effort, saying, “It’s an example of how we work in the state.” Preventing  in Maine the kind of devastation that has occurred in other states “is worth the effort of all our agencies and the public,” the commissioner said

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a highly destructive insect not yet found in Maine that has destroyed millions of acres of trees in other Midwest and eastern states and Canadian provinces, including New York and Quebec.

The survey project in Maine is a combined effort of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Maine Department of Agriculture; Maine Forest Service (MFS), under the Maine Department of Conservation; and the Penobscot Nation Department of Natural Resources. The cost of the federally funded survey is about $90,000, with in-kind services provided by the three Maine agencies.

Earlier this year, MFS Forest Rangers found most of the sites, and all cooperating agencies will begin hanging the traps this month. The sites include trees at private businesses and lands, state parks, and campgrounds. A high proportion are being placed in Franklin and Oxford counties, determined by the USDA to be high-risks zones because they are within 100 miles of Quebec and the Catskill Mountains in New York, both infested areas.

The purple traps will be monitored in July and then again in September, when they will be removed. The analysis of the traps’ contents should be completed by December, according to state entomologists.

Introducing Thursday’s event, Colleen Teerling, Maine Forest Service forest entomologist, stressed the need for public awareness. “Having people look for [EAB] is great,” she said. Pointing out that the Maine Forest Service welcomes public support and reports of possible invasive insect infestations, Teerling said that so far those reports have been of a harmless nature and just “look-alike” insects.

Terry Bourgoin, State Plant Health director, with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, also commented on the combined effort and noted the economic and cultural loss to Maine should the EAB become established in this state. In particular, he cited the loss to American Indian culture, as ash is used byMaine tribes to make traditional baskets.

Rick Abare, Maine Campground Owners Association (MECOA) executive director, said his organization, which includes about 200 members, was very supportive of the survey effort.

“Tourists love Maine, love the forests of Maine, and we want to keep them,” Abare said, adding that protecting Maine’s forests “is very important to our industry.”

Some 35 traps will be placed at Maine campgrounds as part of the survey. Campground owners also have actively supported the Maine Legislature’s ban on out-of-state firewood – one of the primary ways EAB is spread — by providing local firewood to campers.

“This is an opportunity for the public-private partnership that is so important today,” Abare noted.

To report suspected findings in Maine, call: (207) 287-2431 or 1-800-367-0223 (in state).

For more information on EAB, go to:

http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/InvasiveThreats.htm
http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/pi/pestsurvey/pestinfo/EAB/EAB.htm
www.purpleEABsurvey.info

National Cooperative EAB Survey in Maine
Fact Sheet

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a small, metallic-green, wood-boring beetle from Asia that has invaded North American forests:

 It is believed that EAB hitchhiked to the U.S. in solid wood packing material used to import goods from Asian countries. EAB also is known to spread through moving firewood.

 EAB was first found in Michigan in 2002.

 There currently are EAB infestations in 15 states and two Canadian provinces. The closest infestations to Maine are in New York and Quebec.

 The emerald ash borer has not been found in Maine.

There are almost 424 million ash (white and black ash species) trees in Maine; ash makes up 4 percent of all Maine hardwood, and 2 percent of all tree species in Maine.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2012 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Survey will employ the purple, prism-shaped tree “trap” to monitor known EAB infestations and locate other unknown beetle populations. Using risk-based survey strategies, approximately 50,000 traps will be deployed in 46 states at specified sites.

The Maine agencies involved with this program include: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Maine Department of Agriculture; Maine Forest Service, under the Maine Department of Conservation, including about 50 MFS Forest Rangers; and the Penobscot Indian Nation.

The EAB survey is funded by USDA-APHIS at $90 a trap, with in-kind services provided by Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Agriculture and Penobscot Indian Nation.

A total of 955 EAB traps will be placed around Maine: 115 by USDA-APHIS; 50 by MeAg; 60 by Penobscot Indian Nation; and the remaining, 730, by MFS.

MFS Forest Rangers found most of the sites, and all cooperating agencies will begin hanging the traps this month (May). The sites include trees at private businesses and lands; state parks, and campgrounds.

 A high proportion are in Franklin and Oxford counties, determined to be high-risks zones because they are within 100 miles of Quebec and the Catskill Mountains in New York, all infested areas (see map).

Details about the purple trap:

 The traps are sticky and contain two chemicals that smell like ash trees to EAB;

 The color purple is slightly attractive to EAB;

 EAB is attracted to the silhouette of the trap; the trap shape mimics the trunk of the tree;

 The trap is hung high in the tree because EAB attacks the tree crown and works down.

 The trap attracts only from the site tree and neighboring trees and won’t cause an infestation.

Project Timeline:

May – traps are hung

July – traps are monitored for EAB

September – traps are monitored and removed

November/December – analysis completed

http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/InvasiveThreats.htm

http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/pi/pestsurvey/pestinfo/EAB/EAB.htm

www.purpleEABsurvey.info

Report Suspected Findings in Maine to: (207) 287-2431 or 1-800-367-0223 (in state)

Please Support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

For those who qualify, MSP pays the $99.90 Medicare Part B premium that would otherwise be deducted from their Social Security check, and also pays their Medicare Drug Plan monthly premium, keeping their co-pays at the pharmacy low.  For those who qualify at the lower income level, they would also receive MaineCare as a supplement to fill in the gaps for what Medicare does not cover or pays a share.  The Low Cost Drug Program for the elderly and disabled program wraps around their Medicare Drug Plan and reduces their co-pays even more at the pharmacy.

Mainers are traditionally a proud people, not wanting to take help and always believing that someone else needs the help more.  For them to actually accept this help speaks volumes, because really, if they did not “have to” they would not!  The Appropriations Committee is due to vote on these programs May 9.  Get involved, let your voice be heard!

Gloria Rhode, Consumer Information Specialist &
State Health Insurance Supervisor
Spectrum Generations (the Central Maine Area Agency on Aging)
596-0339  www.spectrumgenerations.org

The rule making proceeding was initiated in the summer of 2010 when Maine’s Citizen’s Task Force on Wind Power brought a citizens’ petition to the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP). Friends of Maine’s Mountains (FMM) Attorney Rufus Brown assembled a team of experts and presented a solid case for enhanced protection from turbine noise emissions. Despite steadfast opposition by the wind lobby, the BEP heeded the testimony of experts, citizens and those who are suffering from the effects of wind turbine noises, and in September they provisionally adopted new rules.

In March, Maine’s 125^th Legislature overwhelmingly approved the stricter noise rules for industrial wind turbine noise emissions. All future wind projects in Maine, either in the jurisdiction of the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) or the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), will be subject to the safer standards. The major change is a night time sound limit of 42 decibels instead of the prior 45 decibels. The new rule also improves protection relative to Short Duration Repetitive Sounds (SDRS), which are best defined as undulating high and low sounds.

“We are pleased to know that if more wind projects are built, they will be located in areas where they will have a lesser negative impact on people,” said FMM President, Chris O’Neil.

While less restrictive than what citizens originally requested and what leading experts believe is necessary to protect health and quality of life, this standard is a definite and positive step in the right direction. Due to this new sound standard, wind projects built in Maine will be less likely to be sited close to homes. The new rule will not apply to existing wind projects that were permitted according to the old noise standards.

Attorney Rufus Brown stated that, “We are pleased that the BEP was willing to spend time examining the noise issue which was a consistent concern and was willing to do something about it. While the BEP did not go as far as we felt necessary, the rule that was adopted today was a step forward and sets a foundation for further examination of this important issue in the future.”

FMM applauds the BEP, the Maine Legislature, and the citizens of this state for their efforts to protect humans from the harmful effects of noise from industrial wind turbines.

Friends of Maine’s Mountains,  P.O. Box 60,  Weld, Maine  04285   (207)585-2005

Please “LIKE” The Valley Voice by Supporting us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

Eason family on Malaga Island, 1911

AUGUSTA  “Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives,” the newest exhibition at the Maine State Museum in Augusta, opens to the public on Saturday, May 19, 2012.  The museum will be open free of charge all day.

The exhibition tells the controversial story of the poor, mixed-race community that lived on Malaga, a 42-acre island at the mouth of the New Meadows River in Phippsburg, Maine.  Archaeological artifacts, historical photographs, objects, documents, and news stories from the time help bring the story to life.

In 1912,Maine’s state government evicted the people who lived on Malaga Island.  The Maine State Museum exhibition and public programs explore the events that preceded and followed the eviction one hundred years ago.

“The Malaga Island community, numbering about 40, included fishermen, laborers, and their families.  They were caught in a time of great change for Maine in the early 1900s,” explains Museum Director Joseph R. Phillips.  “As fishing and shipbuilding economies declined along the coast, Maine officials looked to tourism as a new source of economic growth.  Not pristine or traditional, Malaga Island’s community did not conform to a marketable image of mid-coastMaine.  Racism, eugenics, and social reform also played a part in the resulting government-sanctioned effort to send people from their homes.  All traces of the community were removed, even the school and cemetery.”

“For nearly 100 years, Malaga Island was scarcely spoken of, except negatively,” adds Curator Kate McBrien, who developed the exhibition.  “Descendants and people in surrounding communities felt the need to hide the island’s painful past.  When archaeologists from the University of Southern Maine began excavations on Malaga, the long-missing fragments of peoples’ lives began to re-surface to provide a record of a multi-faceted, vibrant community.  These archaeological fragments form the core of the exhibit and, with historical photographs and documents, allow us to glimpse and understand more about Malaga Island’s people.”

The museum’s year-long exhibition about Malaga Island will include extensive educational programming, such as gallery programs for students, teacher training workshops, webcasts, and teacher and student materials.  These will all be available in the fall.

“The Malaga Island story is a rich one, full of educational potential,” comments Maine State Museum Chief Educator Joanna Torow.  “Teachers are already expressing great enthusiasm for using materials and programs about Malaga Island to explore civil rights, civic engagement, and the role of government in Maine, both past and present.”

The Maine State Museum has partnered with several organizations and individuals to develop and present “Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives,” including Malaga Island descendants, historians Allen Breed and John Mosher, NAACP Portland Branch, Maine Freedom Trails, Inc., University of  Southern Maine Departments of Anthropology and Environmental Science, and Phippsburg Historical Society.  Maine Coast Heritage Trust, which currently owns and manages Malaga Island as a nature preserve open to the public, is another key partner in the project.

“Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives,” is presented through grants to the Friends of  the Maine State Museum and the Maine State Museum from several foundations, including the 1772 Foundation, Davis Family Foundation, Emanuel and Pauline A. Lerner Foundation, Libra Foundation, and Maine Community Foundation’s Green Meadow Fund.

“Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives,” will be on view at the Maine State Museum in Augusta from May 19, 2012 – May 26, 2013.  Opening day activities will include gallery talks by University of Southern Maine archaeologists, the Maine State Museum’s curator, and a representative from Maine Coast Heritage Trust.  Educational activities for school-age children and their families will be available all day.  For more information, see the museum’s website, www.mainestatemuseum.org.

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this story. Thank You!

Analysis of data and observations indicate the turkey population in the WMD is healthy and will support a hunting season like neighboring districts 10 and 14.

The season in WMD 9 will open ½ hour before sunrise on May 5th. All the rules and regulations involved in turkey hunting will apply, including having a valid spring Wild Turkey Permit and a valid hunting license.

For more information please check our website at: www.mefishwildlife.com

Please support The Valley Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook at the bottom of this post. Thank You!

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reminds everyone that they have until May 14^th to apply for a Moose Permit!

This year’s lottery will take place at the Oquossoc Marina in Rangeley, Maine on June 23^rd. Maine plans to award 3,725 permits this year. The winners will be announced first in Oquossoc, and then the entire list will be published.

To apply for a permit to hunt a moose you must apply on-line – the deadline for paper applications has passed.

www.maine.gov/ifw

If you’ve already applied for a permit, we thank you for your application. If you haven’t you can beat the rush of last minute filers!

Good Luck and Good Hunting!

Go to https://www5.informe.org/online/moose/ for online application and details

Please Support The Local Voice by “LIKING” us on Facebook. Thank You!

Seboeis Lake

AUGUSTA, Maine – The acquisition today by the State of Maine of more than 5,700 acres south of Millinocket in Piscataquis County, including 2 miles of Seboeis Lake shoreland, is expected to enhance outdoor recreation, tourism, public access and economic development throughout the region, according to state and conservation officials.

The $2.7-million Lakeville Plantation land acquisition finalized Monday expands the Seboeis Lands Unit managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL), under the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC), to more than 21,000 acres, according to MDOC and The Trust forPublicLand. The total parcel amounts to 5,741 acres.

The parcel acquisition is funded through federal and state monies and purchased from the Bigelow Timber Corp. ofMadison. As a result, the purchase brings into state ownership a key linkage in a regional system of snowmobile and ATV trails betweenMiloand Millinocket and includes important shoreland and associated wetlands. Designated as “Public Reserved Lands” by the BPL, it will continue to be managed for timber production, recreation and wildlife, officials said.

“Acquiring the south end of Seboeis Lake not only completes shoreline conservation and water access around the lake at the geographic center of Maine, but it also provides the critical inter-connection point of major snowmobile and ATV trail networks between the central Maine and Millinocket regions of the state,” said Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley. “This is what public access forMainepeople toMaine’s natural environment is all about. This also is working forest that will produce revenue that supports management of the public reserved lands system.”

“Bigelow Timber Corp. is pleased that the property will continue to be a working forestland and an outdoor-recreation opportunity,” according to a statement issued by company officials.

“We are really pleased to be adding this piece of property to our Seboeis Unit that will provide increased public access through snowmobile and ATV trails, as well as public access to virtually all of the shoreline on this beautiful lake,” said Will Harris, BPL director. “These public benefits will be assured while still maintaining this as working forestland.”

“We are grateful to the State ofMainefor its steadfast commitment to protecting access toSeboeisLake, preserving recreational trails, and supporting the local timber economy,” said Wolfe Tone, The Trust forPublicLand’sMainestate director. “This is a big victory forMaineand for recreation and jobs tied to our best natural assets. We are thankful for the support from the federal congressional delegation and many Millinocket andMainepartners.”

SeboeisLakeis popular for boating, water access, and its views of Mount Katahdin and theBarren-ChairbackRange. Maintaining large intact sections of productive forestland will complement and enhance the region’s forest-based economy. Key regional ATV and snowmobile trail linkages on the property will facilitate future trail investments and support outdoor recreation and tourism development.

The State ofMaineand The Trust forPublicLand, a national conservation organization, has worked for several years to purchase this strategic property. Most of the $2.7 million purchase price was secured with $2,187,941 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP). Additional funding included $483,136 from the state’s Land forMaine’s Future program and $14,461.50 each from both the federal Department of Transportation’s Recreational Trails Program and the state Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Lands. In addition, The Trust for Public Lands contributed $37,000 for appraisal and survey costs.

Maine’s congressional delegation was instrumental in getting the funding for the acquisition.

“As a long-time supporter of the Forest Legacy Program and a member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I am pleased to see the addition of the Seboeis Lake shoreland, part of the Katahdin Forest Expansion project, finalized,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.  “This acquisition will allow for all Mainers to enjoy our state’s priceless assets. Public recreation is vital toMaine’s tourism and is a great service to local residents. In the heart of Maine’s North woods, this acquisition will connect existing recreation and conservation lands and will preserve the working forest while maintaining public access and protecting the natural beauty of our state.”

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe noted: “The Katahdin region is the jewel ofMaine’s preeminent outdoor economy, and this conservation project will help to not only preserve, but in fact, bolster the fishing and hiking opportunities the area affords, while also maintaining key ATV access.  I am proud to have supported this vital project in 2009 and am grateful to the Town ofMillinocket, the State ofMaine, and The Trust forPublicLand, as well as the many other organizations and countless individuals who have played an integral role in the completion of this project.

“It’s great to see the State ofMainecontinue its strong commitment to land conservation through collaboration with local interests,” U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud commented. “State, local, and private partnership is theMaineway of maintaining working landscapes and recreational activities. ThisSeboeisLakeacquisition will continue to enhance outdoor recreation, promote economic development, and improve public access throughout the Katahdin region.

Conservation of the property creates one of the only remaining linkages for ATV travel along the 50-mile-long, multi-use trail running between Millinocket and the southern and western parts of the state. Nearly 12 miles of the proposed trail travels through the Seboeis Land Unit and now links north and south legs of the trail, which both terminated at the property’s borders. The public now can access approximately 5 miles of ITS 111, which links southwest to the Brownville area and north to the Jo-Mary region and directly north through Millinocket.

The addition of the southern Seboeis Lake property also will serve as an anchor to Maine’s largest contiguous block of conservation land — more than 500,000 acres. From this property, visitors can travel across entirely protected land in all directions, north along either side of the lake, through the Katahdin Forest to the Nahmakanta Reserve and on to the Canadian border, or through the 100 Mile Wilderness toBaxter State Parkand the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Paul Sannicandro, secretary of the Northern Timber Cruisers ATV and Snowmobile Club, a Millinocket recreation group instrumental in supporting the funding of the Seboeis acquisition, pointed out the five-year collaborative effort made by the club, the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, the communities of Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway, Katahdin Forest Management LLC, The Trust for Public Land and MDOC in acquiring the unique property. He also stressed the possible impact of the acquisition on the area as it relates to the newly developed Katahdin Region Multi-Use Trail.

“This purchase is what this region has been relying on to encourage trail connectivity to the ATV system to the south,” Sannicandro said. “It is going to expand our recreational and economic opportunities.

“The Katahdin region already is known as the gateway to the Northern Maine Woods, but now we have the opportunity to enhance the potential of what ATVs can do for our outdoor recreation and tourism development,” he said. “It’s been proven to help economic development in other parts of the state, and now it can happen here.”

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, within the Maine Department of Conservation, manages 48 state parks and historic sites, 600,000 acres of public reserved land and 3 million acres of submerged land and provides conservation oversight monitoring of 3 million acres of conservation easements on private lands. Its multiple-use guidelines provide an extraordinary array of working forests, wildland preserves, outdoor recreation, and more than 20,000 miles of ATV, snowmobile, waterway and coastal trails.

The Trust forPublicLand, established in 1972, specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiations, public finance, and law to protect land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas. TPL depends on the support of individuals, foundations, and corporations. InMaine, TPL has protected more than 130,000 acres, includingKatahdinLake, the western shoreline ofSeboeisLake, andMillinocketForest.

For more information about the Maine Department of Conservation, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc

For more information about the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com

For more information about The Trust for Public Lands, go to: tpl.org/Maine

Please “LIKE” The Valley Voice on Facebook. Thank You for your support!