by Kevin Miller Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine – Members of Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission indicated Wednesday that they could stomach an unprecedented amount of development in the Moosehead Lake region as long as it comes with land conservation on an equally historic scale. It wasn’t an official vote, but the commissioners Read More
Plum Creek's Massive Moosehead Proposal
In April 2005, Seattle-based Plum Creek submitted a development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region that was the largest development ever proposed in Maine. The company’s proposal called for 975 house lots, 2 resorts, a golf course, a marina, 3 RV parks—with convenience stores, beauty salons, and gas stations—and more than 100 rental cabins, right in the heart of Maine’s spectacular Moosehead Lake region.
NRCM was the first organization to oppose this plan, which, in addition to too much development in the wrong places, proposed no additional permanent conservation. NRCM spoke out, and so did the people of Maine, including residents of the Moosehead region. As a result of NRCM’s work, the Plum Creek plan was improved — less sprawling, with much improved required conservation measures, and with proposed development removed from remote ponds and other areas.
LURC Deliberations Reveal Taxpayers would Subsidize Conservation for Plum Creek’s Developments
Should taxpayers subsidize Seattle-based Plum Creek’s development so shareholders can profit at the expense of Maine people? Joint statement by Brownie Carson and Kevin Carley Natural Resources Council of Maine and Maine Audubon “While Plum Creek continues its three-year push for Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) to rezone more than 400,000 acres of the Read More
LURC Urges Plum Creek Changes
By Kevin Miller Bangor Daily News news story Staff at the Land Use Regulation Commission are recommending that Plum Creek change the scope of several proposed subdivisions near Moosehead Lake and be required to complete several large conservation deals before any houses go up. But critics of Plum Creek’s plan say they are disappointed that Read More
Maine’s Leading Environmental Organizations Respond to LURC Plum Creek Recommendations
Statement of Kevin Carley, executive director, Maine Audubon and Brownie Carson, executive director, Natural Resources Council of Maine Natural Resources Council of Maine and Maine Audubon “Our organizations respect and appreciate the enormous service of the staff and commissioners of Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) in regard to the unprecedented Plum Creek proposal to Read More
Groups: Developer Ignored Concerns
by Kevin Miller Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine – Two environmental groups attempted to keep the heat on Plum Creek officials Tuesday by accusing them of ignoring concerns raised about the company’s historic development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region. A Plum Creek spokesman countered that now is not the time, given the Read More
Plum Creek Offers Up No Changes In Post-Hearing Brief
No Changes Despite Overwhelming Public Criticism of Moosehead Plan AUGUSTA, March 18, 2008 —Maine’s two leading environmental organizations said today that Plum Creek, the nation’s largest commercial landowner, has submitted a post-hearing brief that dismissed long lists of concerns raised during hundreds of hours of public testimony by Maine residents and technical experts about Plum Read More
Despite Overwhelming Public Criticism of Plum Creek Plan, Plum Creek Offers Up No Changes
Statement at March 18, 2008, press conference by Brownie Carson, NRCM executive director Good morning. We are here today to talk about the serious, continuing problems with Plum Creek’s proposal for a massive development in the Moosehead Lake Region – the largest development in Maine history. In late January, under this very roof, Maine’s Land Read More
Moosehead Belongs to Maine — We Must Protect It
by Tony Owens Sun Journal op-ed My late friend introduced me to the lake; my heart has never left Over 30 years ago, having moved from New Hampshire, I started my first job in Maine working overnights at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. The graveyard shift creates a tight fraternity and it wasn’t long Read More
Up the (Plum) Creek
By Edgar Allen Beem Forecaster op-ed On Saturday morning, Dec. 15, I attended the Land Use Regulation Commission’s public hearing in Portland on Plum Creek’s mammoth development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region. I went with my daughter Tess, who was interested in writing a letter to LURC urging defeat of the monstrous resort/summer colony Read More
