Verso quiet on future of Bucksport mill

Verso Paper is appearing quiet on the future of its to-be-closed Bucksport mill, just as workers are beginning to receive notice of job opportunities from out of state.

Bucksport Economic Development Director Dave Milan told the Bangor Daily News that Verso has kept “the town in the dark as to what” it plans to do with the Bucksport mill, which “makes it hard for [the town] to figure out [its] next steps.” The mill is scheduled to close in December, putting 500 people out of work and significantly affecting area businesses that depend on the mill and its workers.

Milan said he has forwarded two legitimate inquiries to Verso from companies interested in the property, but those companies said they have not heard from Verso yet.

“We don’t own the mill, and we don’t control the mill. It’s up to the company to determine what the future use will be of the property,” Milan said. “Our first choice is for them to be running a viable business out of there. Our second choice is that they would be receptive to someone else doing that. All we get for answers is, ‘We don’t know.’”

Milan said Wisconsin-based Flambeau River Papers and Minnesota-based Boise Paper are interested in potentially hiring Verso workers who will be getting laid off. To help the workers with life after Verso, Milan has launched versobucksport.com.

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