September 29, 2008
LURC Office
Augusta, Maine
“Why did you sell our future?” Group Asks LURC
Act of Civil Disobedience a Way to be Heard When the System is Broken?
Today, in an act of civil disobedience, four women locked their necks together in the office of the Land Use Regulatory Commission (LURC). Last week, LURC signaled their approval for the controversial Concept Plan put forth by Plum Creek to rezone a large tract of the Moosehead Lake Region. The women, part of Maine Earth First!, refused to leave the office until the LURC staff could explain why they had recommended approval of the plan.
Last week, the Commission approved the plan revisions that LURC staff recommended in a move that surprised many who have been watching the process closely. Critics of the plan noted that LURC received over 1,700 comments opposing a resort development at Lily Bay as part of the Plum Creek Concept Plan. LURC received only 6 comments in favor of the plan. Despite this overwhelming public statement against the Plum Creek development, the commission refused to amend their recommendations by removing the Lily Bay resort. “The public has spoken on this issue, and LURC refuses to listen. We want to know why they are selling our future,” said Emily Paine, one of the four locked together.
Many of the groups that intervened in the formal Concept plan review process are expected to file appeals to LURC’s decision in Maine Superior Court. Some of the grounds for these appeals are likely to revolve around the flawed process that has LURC staff writing changes to Plum Creek’s plan so that it can be rubber stamped by the Commission. The staff that is working on tailoring the Concept Plan for Plum Creek works in the office occupied by Paine and others. “We aren’t leaving until the LURC staff who made the recommendations can adequately justify their actions. Many Mainers believe their process has been undemocratic and corrupt… LURC’s decision flies in the face of thousands of Mainers who have expressed serious concerns about the Concept Plan.” said Meg Gilmartin, another of the women locked down.
Maine Earth First! has been critical of the plan from the beginning, but this is the first time people from that group have committed civil disobedience to express their concerns. LURC will meet on Wed. October 1st to present its final version of the plan to Plum Creek who will then have ten days to accept or reject the plan. Members of Maine Earth First! are pledging continued resistance to the plan as it moves forward in the coming months. Gilmartin said, “We are completely dedicated to doing what LURC has refused to do: protecting a way of life, safeguarding biodiversity, promoting climate stability and preserving the culture that makes the Moosehead Lake Region so unique and so wonderful. This is just the beginning.”
Maine Earth First! is an all volunteer movement dedicated to protecting the long term climate stability of the planet, maximizing biodiversity, and maintaining the rural way of life and culture of Maine. No Compromise in Defense of Mother Earth!
Plum Creek proposes to rezone 20,000 acres, for development of high-end resorts and second homes as part of its Moosehead Lake Concept Plan. The plan includes 90,000 acres of conservation easements to satisfy the Land Use Regulatory Commission’s (LURC) requirement for a conservation balance. An additional 266,000 acres worth of development rights on Plum Creek land will be sold to The Nature Conservancy and The Appalachian Mountain Club for $35 million. This conservation is being hailed by many as an unprecedented opportunity to protect a large tract of land in Northern Maine, however, the conservation easements only prevent further development. They still allow ecologically destructive practices such as gravel mining, spreading of sewage sludge, commercial water extraction, industry defined “sustainable forestry,” road building and the erection of power-lines.
A contentious component of the Concept Plan is Plum Creek’s development visions for Lily Bay on the undeveloped eastern shore of Moosehead Lake. This area is natural habitat for the endangered Canada Lynx and abuts the highly valued and utilized Lily Bay State Park. Plum Creek wishes to build a resort that can accommodate over 700 units, a marina and golf course. Plum Creek’s lead attorney, Severin Beliveau told LURC that “Lily Bay is the keystone to this plan. Without Lily Bay there is no plan.” However, over 1700 citizens have written to LURC expressing a different view, opposing any development in this area (just six have written LURC in favor of Lily Bay development). LURC is prepeared to approve the Concept Plan, including Lily Bay development and discard this clear public outcry against Plum Creek’s proposed ecological destruction of the Moosehead Region.