Monument Review, MS-1530
U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Submitted to the public record on May 23, 2017
The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is a statewide, member-supported conservation organization established in 1959 and located in Augusta, Maine. We have 20,000 members and
supporters located in all sixteen counties of Maine, including Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Aroostook counties, all of which include portions of the Katahdin region.
NRCM was instrumental in the establishment of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the restoration of fisheries in the Penobscot River through the removal of three major dams, the adoption of the state’s Forest Practices Law, Liquidation Harvesting Law, Land For Maine’s Future program, Billboard Law, and Bottle Bill, all of which directly affect the Katahdin region, and a wide variety of other statewide policies affecting forests and wildlife, healthy waters, climate and clean energy, and sustainable communities. Information on all of our work can be found at www.nrcm.org.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was the product of a large-scale, statewide, multi-year dialogue with key stakeholders who shaped the ultimate outcome.
For the past decade, Maine people have been discussing, learning about, and debating various proposals related to lands purchased by Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. (EPI), which EPI wanted to
donate to the American people to be enjoyed in perpetuity. This very public and inclusive process can be measured through literally thousands of news articles, editorials, letters to the editor,
meetings, presentations, and public and private events.
During the five years leading up to the August 24, 2016 establishment of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (the Monument), NRCM staff were involved in hundreds of presentations, meetings, debates, hearings, listening sessions, and one-on-one conversations with residents of the Katahdin region, interest groups, and local, state, and federal elected officials about the initially proposed national park, and eventually about the Monument. To suggest that this Monument had insufficient public input prior to its designation is patently absurd. This has been one of the most discussed and debated land conservation-related topics in Maine over the past 10 years.
The proposal for a national park made in 2011 evolved significantly as a result of those hundreds of discussions. Areas where hunting and snowmobiling would be permanently guaranteed were added. The proposal increased in size when it evolved to include both a national park and national recreation area (during 2014-15 discussions), but then was significantly decreased in size when it
was designated a Monument in 2016, although the areas open to snowmobiling and hunting remained.
Although there was significant opposition to the original proposal for a national park in 2011, over the years of discussions and changes to the proposal based on input received, the Monument now has very broad support in the Katahdin region and across the state of Maine. Already, just nine months after designation, businesses have seen an increase in economic activity and are expanding, reservations are up, new businesses are opening, visitation is increased, and real estate prices (which had been significantly depressed over years of economic downturn) have begun to rise. The people in the region have a sense of hope and opportunity that they have not experienced in decades.
Former opponents are now some of the most outspoken supporters of the Monument. Elected officials, grocery store owners, and snowmobile rental and lodge owners are just some of the former opponents who are now speaking up in support. They are joined in support by the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce, the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, the Houlton Chamber of Commerce, the Maine Innkeepers Association, and hundreds of businesses statewide, all of whom recognize that the Monument will benefit the entire state. The most recent poll shows 72% support for the Monument statewide, including 66% support in the 2nd Congressional District.
Demonstrating the extent to which Maine people have been following this issue, a May 2015 poll by Moore Research, a year prior to designation, found 67% support vs. 25% opposed to establishment of a national park, with only 8% choosing a “Don’t Know” response. In the October 2016 Critical Insights poll mentioned above conducted two months after designation, only 6% responded “Don’t Know” to a question that found 72% support and 22% opposition to the new Monument. Clearly, Maine people had a good understanding of and well established positions on this matter well in advance of designation. To suggest that there has not been sufficient awareness, engagement, involvement, and dialogue on this subject statewide and among key stakeholders is not accurate. (Copies of these poll questions are attached as Exhibit C.)
The Monument is also supported by recreational users of all types from hunters and snowmobilers to hikers, anglers, wildlife watchers, and bicyclists. Because the land was previously private, there was no guarantee that it would be open for recreational uses prior to the establishment of the Monument. The Monument permanently guarantees snowmobile corridors and the opportunity to hunt on the eastern portion. It also provides the opportunity for scenic drives, fishing, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and other recreational activities.
There were hundreds of public outreach events over five years.
Since early 2011, NRCM staff have been involved in a multi-year, statewide effort to connect with members of the public to discuss and promote dialogue about EPI’s proposal to protect their privately owned lands by transferring them to the federal government. We participated in literally hundreds of public outreach events and meetings to foster conversation, gather reactions and input, and provide that information to EPI to reflect in modifications to their proposal.
Meetings ranged from informal one-on-one meetings with residents of the Katahdin region to official meetings hosted by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, Senator Angus King, Congressman Rob Bishop (Utah), and Congressman Bruce Poliquin. At the official event in Orono in May 2016 hosted by Director Jarvis and Senator King, almost 1400 people attended, of whom 1200 were supporters of the proposed Monument. We believe this is the largest number of people to attend a public hearing on a conservation issue in Maine history. At the field hearing two weeks later hosted by Rep. Bishop, and the public meeting immediately thereafter hosted by Rep. Bruce Poliquin in East Millinocket, about 200 people attended. Supporters outnumbered opponents 4 to 1.
NRCM staff participated in at least 71 meetings attended by hundreds of residents of the Katahdin region. Those meetings included one-on-one meetings with municipal and civic leaders and business owners in the region. In each of these meetings, we shared information about the proposal and solicited feedback. That feedback was shared with EPI, and over time changes were made to the proposal to respond to the comments received.
Additional public outreach events in the Katahdin region included focus groups, a telephone town hall in which 5000 people participated, and evening open houses at East Millinocket and Medway public schools in 2015.
In additional to those meetings with residents of the Katahdin region, NRCM staff made at least 72 public presentations about the proposal across the state. These were attended by thousands of
people. Every presentation included an opportunity for questions and answers. In Nov. 2015, a petition in support of Katahdin Woods and Waters was signed by 13,500 individuals living in 371
Maine towns, all 50 states, and 53 countries. (A news release announcing this support and a list of the 371 Maine towns represented is attached as Exhibit E.)
Finally, although we were not present at the meetings, we are aware that Lucas St. Clair also had hundreds of separate meetings and conversations with residents of the Katahdin region and across
the state between 2011 and August 2016.
A partial list of these public outreach events is attached as Exhibit A.
There were dozens of consultations with relevant stakeholders over five years. Over the course of five years, there were multiple meetings with a wide variety of relevant stakeholders to solicit their input about the proposal. Types of stakeholders consulted included federal, state, regional, and local officials; recreational users including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, snowmobiling, guiding, cross-country skiing, and biking groups; forest products industry-related entities including landowners, paper mill operators, paper mill workers and loggers; business-related groups including multiple chambers of commerce and hundreds of individual businesses; and others.
A partial list of those with whom NRCM staff or EPI and its representatives met includes:
Federal, state, regional, and local officials:
• Maine’s Congressional Delegation, including Sen. Angus King, Sen. Susan Collins, Rep. Mike Michaud, Rep. Bruce Poliquin, Rep. Chellie Pingree
• The Governor of Maine and his staff
• Members of the Millinocket Town Council
• Members of the Selectboards of East Millinocket, Medway, Sherman, Stacyville, Patten, and Mt. Chase
• Members of the Penobscot County Commissioners
• Members of the Maine Legislature, both House and Senate
• Members of the Bangor City Council
• Lincoln Town Manager
Recreational users:
• Snowmobile clubs in the Katahdin region including the Bowlin Matagamon, Twin Pines, Jo Mary Riders, Northern Timber Cruisers, and East Branch Sno-Rovers Snowmobile Clubs
• Hunting, fishing, and guiding groups including Trout Unlimited, Maine Wilderness Guides Organization, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, and Maine Professional Guides Association
• Hiking, camping, wildlife watching, cross-country skiing, and biking groups including Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Maine Audubon, New England Mountain Bike Association, The Wilderness Society, and National Parks and Conservation Association
Forest products industry:
• All of the major landowners owning land adjacent to the Monument
• The manager of the East Millinocket paper mill
• The head of the union representing the paper mill workers at the East Millinocket paper mill and a group of workers
• Maine Forest Products Council
• Hard wood manufacturing businesses in the Katahdin region including Maine Heritage Timber, Larry’s Wood Products, Inc., and Sherman Wood Works, Inc.
• The New England Forestry Foundation
Business related entities:
• Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce
• Katahdin Area Rotary Club
• Houlton Chamber of Commerce
• Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce
• Maine State Chamber of Commerce
• Maine Innkeepers Association
• 200 Maine businesses that endorsed EPI’s proposal (See attached list, Exhibit D)
Others:
• Penobscot Nation
• Millinocket AARP
• East Millinocket and Medway Seniors groups
• Patten Women’s Group
• Superintendents of Schools in Millinocket, East Millinocket, and Medway
• Millinocket Regional Hospital
In addition to these meetings, we know that EPI and its representatives had numerous other meetings with stakeholders in each of these categories.
With many of these stakeholders, there were multiple meetings as we worked to incorporate their ideas into the proposal and resolve concerns. After coordination with these stakeholders, the
overwhelming majority of them supported the Monument.
There are no relevant stakeholders of whom we are aware with whom there were no consultations.
The Monument is already providing significant economic benefit to the Katahdin region.
In 2013, an independent consulting firm, Headwaters Economics, conducted two studies analyzing the likely economic impact of a new national park in the Katahdin region. Those reports can be found at https://headwaterseconomics.org/. Those studies found that, based on the experience of other national park units in other similar areas, the Katahdin region was likely to experience a net positive impact in jobs, personal income, and population.
More than 3,000 copies of those studies were widely shared in the Katahdin region and across the state. No credible alternative analysis disputed those findings. In fact, a group of highly
respected Maine economists, including the former Maine State Economist, reviewed the report and signed a positive letter about its findings.
Nine months after designation (and before the major summer season has even started), the positive economic impacts of the Monument are already being felt. Businesses, including lodges, restaurants, grocery stores, and hardware stores, have seen increased business and are expanding to service new visitors. New businesses including snowmobile, canoe, and bicycle rentals and new lodging and eating facilities are opening. Real estate businesses report a significant jump in real estate sales. All of these businesses have added employees to serve the increased demand.
Former opponents have now embraced the Monument.
Many former opponents of the Monument have now embraced it. They are seeing the positive economic impact on the region. And perhaps just as important, they are seeing the hope and optimism the designation has brought to the region.
Rep. Steve Stanley, the Maine legislator who represents the Katahdin region and who sponsored a bill opposed to the Monument one year ago, is now an outspoken supporter. He has joined local
residents in trying to ensure that there are adequate signs for visitors to find the Monument. Other local officials, including Millinocket Town Councilor Jesse Dumais and Patten Selectman
Richard Schmidt, are now publicly talking about how they can best position their communities to take economic advantage of the Monument.
NRCM has surveyed local newspaper coverage on this issue and found that there has been an overwhelming volume of engagement and public support. In the three years prior to designation of
the Monument, by our count, at least 257 letters to the editor and op-eds in support of the Monument were printed in Maine newspapers. Since Aug. 24, 2016, an additional 92 letters and opinion pieces supporting the Monument have been printed. Attached to these comments as Exhibit B is a list of those letters to the editor and opinion pieces. This is likely the largest number of letters to the editor and opinion pieces submitted to Maine newspapers about any conservation issue in the state’s history.
The Monument permanently guarantees access for recreational uses.
Prior to designation of the Monument, the land comprising the Monument was privately owned by EPI. Under Maine law, members of the public have no legal right to cut timber, hunt, snowmobile, camp, or drive on privately owned land. After closing their privately owned land to public access for a period of time after purchasing the land, EPI opened their land and gave permission for some types of public access. They allowed public vehicle use in limited areas, and hiking, wildlife watching, fishing, biking, and camping. In addition, they allowed hunting on the east side of the Monument, and they allowed snowmobile use on defined trails.
With the designation of the Monument, all of those uses that were previously allowed only by the permission of the landowners have been permanently guaranteed. Any suggestion that traditional uses on the land have been limited by the Monument is false. The public previously had no legal rights to many uses on EPI’s privately owned lands, but now the public has permanently protected rights for a broad range of uses on this public land in perpetuity.
Pursuant to the Executive Order dated April 26, 2017, Katahdin Woods and Waters does not meet the criteria for review by the Secretary of the Interior.
Based on this summary of the broad-based, multi-year public dialogue that occurred prior to designation of the Monument, with targeted engagement with relevant stakeholders, we conclude that
the Secretary of Interior’s review of Katahdin Woods and Waters should be promptly terminated following closure of the public comment period. Therefore, factors (i) through (vii) in the Executive Order are irrelevant to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
Based on this summary of the broad-based, multi-year public dialogue that occurred prior to designation of the Monument, with targeted engagement with relevant stakeholders, we conclude that
the Secretary of Interior’s review of Katahdin Woods and Waters should be promptly terminated following closure of the public comment period. This review process is discouraging investment and jobs in the Katahdin region as the major summer tourist season approaches. A public statement announcing the end of the review process should be immediately issued so that this cloud of
uncertainty currently hanging over the Katahdin region can be removed and the communities in the region can get on with their business of promoting this remarkable Monument as an asset for the region, the state of Maine, and the nation.
Respectfully submitted,
Catherine B. Johnson
Senior Staff Attorney and Forests and Wildlife Project Director
