Greenville Steam Company
One of Piscataquis County’s true assets, the Greenville Steam Company, has been purchased by New Energy Capital Corporation. New Energy invests in, owns, and operates renewable energy generation plants. Greenville Steam currently employs over 24 workers and is an important link in attracting wood product manufacturers to the Greenville Industrial Park. With the purchase, New Energy also announced a multi-million dollar upgrade to the plant that will allow it to “improve performance, increase generating capacity, and reduce emissions.”

Upper Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Board of Directors of the Upper Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce has voted to join the Coalition. The Board also voted to endorse the Plum Creek Plan. Thank you to Wes Baker and the Board, and we look forward to working with them. For more information on the Chamber, click on their website: www.upperkennebecvalley.com. The Chamber includes the towns of Solon, Bingham, Concord, Pleasant Ridge, Moscow, Caratunk, The Forks, and West Forks.

Your Comments on the Plum Creek Plan
Last week we shared with you some of the responses the Coalition has received to our request for suggestions for changes to the Plum Creek Plan.

Plum Creek has not yet made its final submission to the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC), and the Coalition is talking to people about how to make this plan work best for the residents of Somerset and Piscataquis Counties.

Here are examples of what Coalition Co-Chairs Jim Batey and Mark Scarano have heard this week from northern Mainers:

Consider the impact of development on emergency services in the Jackman area, as many services are staffed by volunteers and do not receive much funding from the unorganized towns despite covering approximately 1,500 square miles of territory.

Concern about the prospect of a golf course and huge resort building in the Lily Bay region. There are already two under-utilized golf courses in the region and if resort visitors used these courses it would spread the economic boom to other areas.

Concern that any development on the north end of Indian Pond would degrade its wilderness character. Access to those lots would be over the Burnham Pond Road, presently seeing light traffic, adding to its wild character. If development were to happen on Indian Pond it would have lesser impact if done on the south end where the road to the dam already sees a lot of traffic and on an area of the pond where a good number of cabins already exist.

Concern about Long Pond becoming like Sebago Lake.

Gratitude to Plum Creek for allowing people to use Plum Creek lands as if they were their own.

Support for the Plum Creek Plan and for their continued willingness to work with the good people of Maine as well as encouragement that Plum Creek not be discouraged by recent acts of terrorism against the company and the families of its employees.

We have been collecting your e-mails about the Plum Creek Plan and continue to pass along your comments, questions and concerns to Plum Creek. Please keep the comments coming.

What are your main concerns with the Plan, and how would you address those concerns? What would you like to see different in the Plan? What changes do you think would make the Plan better?

Please email your ideas to: info@preservegrowme.org, or mail them to:

Coalition to Preserve and Grow Northern Maine
P.O. Box 944
Greenville, Maine 04441

Dog Powered Racing
For the past five years, the Southern Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce has sponsored the successful Maine Highlands Sled Dog Challenge. Now, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Plum Creek Timber Company, the 100 Mile Wilderness Sled Dog Race also is approaching its second year. According to the race’s chief volunteer organization, the Appalachian Mountain Club, interest among mushers is running high for the February, 2006 race.

PCEDC Annual Meeting
Don’t forget the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council on Monday December 5th from 4-7 p.m. at the Nor’easter Restaurant in Dover-Foxcroft. Please send your RSVP via email to Mark Scarano at mscarano@emdc.org.

Visit the Coalition Web Site
You can find more information about the Coalition at our web site at www.preservegrowme.org.

Coalition Information Center
Location: Community House · 6 Lakeview Street · Greenville · Maine
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 944 · Greenville · Maine · 04441
Telephone: 207-695-2264 (toll free 888-702-7466)
Web Site: 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.