Weekly FACT
Much of the media coverage on the Plum Creek Plan has focused on the 9,000 acres of proposed development.

Often overlooked is one very important fact: In the Plan, 382,000 acres would be zoned as working forest.

In testimony provided at the LURC Issue Scoping Session in Hallowell on August 24, Peter Gore, Senior Governmental Affairs Specialist at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, discussed the importance of maintaining a working forest in Maine.

“I hope the public and the (LURC) Commission recognize the significant public benefits attached to the Plan’s proposal to keep over 382,000 acres in sustainable forestry for a minimum of 30 years, with the Commission having the exclusive right to renew that zone for successive 20 year periods.

It is not just the foresters who work for Plum Creek who depend upon the viability of Plum Creek wood supply, but also the contracting loggers who account for about 700 additional jobs and Plum Creek’s customers who employ close to 10,000 people.”

LURC Issue Scoping Sessions Provide Feedback to the Plum Creek Plan
You may have read or seen in the news that Plum Creek may be making changes to their Plan before they re-submit it to LURC.

If changes are proposed, they would be a result of what Plum Creek heard from local residents within the Plan area during the August LURC Issue Scoping Sessions.

Plum Creek spokesperson Jim Lehner states that the company listened very carefully to the concerns raised by the residents of Piscataquis and Somerset Counties. This public phase of the LURC process has been helpful in terms of clarifying what local residents feel are the good points about the Plan, areas of concern, and suggestions for how the Plan can be improved.

The Coalition will work with Plum Creek as they move forward in this process.

Successful Snowmobile Show
Thank you to everyone who visited the Coalition booth during last weekend’s Maine Snowmobile Show at the Augusta Civic Center. The Maine Snowmobile Association has been an active member of the Coalition.

Many people signed up to be on the Coalition list; and no one left the booth without a handful of written material about the Plan.

Special thanks to Frances Turner, Val Turner and John Rust for helping to man the booth throughout the busy, rainy weekend.

The 71 miles of snowmobile trails within the Plum Creek Plan are very important to outdoor enthusiasts, and very important to Maine’s economy. Wintertime recreational activities provide a lot of income to the state of Maine and the Plum Creek trails will be a boon to the snowmobile industry.

Speaking of Trails…
From a September 23rd Bangor Daily News article:

Plum Creek and the Department of Conservation have been working with local ATV and snowmobile clubs on a new policy for ATV usage on Plum Creek lands which will transition the company’s open riding policy to one of organized trails in approved locations.

“Plum Creek has strongly supported recreational trail development, with such employees as Mark Doty and Doug Denico providing key input. The company has pledged $50,000 per year for three years to help ATV and snowmobile clubs build trails on their property. It has to be matched by contributions.”

“They are the first landowner who has stepped to the plate with that level of contribution.”

“We have had very good cooperation from Plum Creek on ATV use on their land,” Eugene Ritchie said (trail master for the Rockwood Blue Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club). “They have been very helpful to us. They have been pushing the joint trail system between ATV and snowmobiling so they would only have one area for us to take care of.”

“Plum Creek has been super to work with,” Scott Snell said (President of the Moosehead ATV Club). “They’ve provided materials, including gravel, and when the company recently started logging west of Greenville Junction, they sat down with us and helped us come up with three alternative routes so we could avoid their work area.” He indicated that Plum Creek also built 4 miles of trails to provide an alternative route."

There are currently 17 ATV clubs operating on Plum Creek lands.

Coalition Information Center
Frances Turner at the Coalition Information Center in Greenville is available to answer questions about the Coalition. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to request a speaker from the Coalition, please contact:

Location:

Community House 6 Lakeview Street Greenville, Maine
Frances Turner, Information Center staffer

P.O. Box 944 Greenville, Maine 04441

• Local (207) 695-2264
• Toll Free 1-888-702-7466

www.preservegrowme.org

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. Please forward this to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and organizations you belong to and help us spread the word. Any questions or comments may be directed to Edie Leary eleary@eatonpeabody.com or Will Gardiner wgardiner@eatonpeabody.com or by calling The Coalition Information Center at 1-888-702-7466 or (207) 695-2264.