State eyes next steps for Moosehead Lake region after shelving controversial plan

Photo / Jim Neuger The Natural Resources Council of Maine welcomed the LUPC's decision as an opportunity "to breathe new life and economic vitality" into the Moosehead Lake region.

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By Renee Cordes

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Land Use Planning Commission is set to launch a new regional planning process around zoning for the Moosehead Lake region after shelving a controversial development plan.

LUPC's decision concerns the Moosehead Region Concept Plan to develop more than 380,000 acres submitted by Plum Creek Timber Co. and recently withdrawn by its owner since 2016, Seattle-based Weyerhaeuser Co. (NYSE: WY).

Weyerhaeuser, one of the world's largest timber companies, owns or controls 11 million acres of timberlands in the United States and manages manages additional timberlands under license in Canada. The 120-year-old company is a real estate investment trust that generated $6.6 billion in net sales in 2019 and employed about 9,400 people serving customers worldwide.

It submitted a petition to withdraw the Moosehead Region Concept Plan last September.

This past March, the LUPC determined that the petition was complete for processing, paving the way for last week's decision that takes the plan off the table forever and means a restart for regional planning.

'Opportunity to choose'

Signalling the start of a new chapter with the Weyerhaeuser plan shelved for good, the LUPC said its latest decision "offers the community and the region an opportunity to choose future land uses on 16,910 acres previously designated for development."

The commission noted that community members have worked hard for more than a decade to plan to region's future, through efforts including a regional branding and economic development plan, a community-based visioning project, designation of the Moosehead Lake Scenic Byway, community input on public access trails and conservation initiatives and the Greenville Master Plan.

A community planning process is just starting to engage the community in determining the future zoning for the region, it added.

Ensuring 'things get done right'

The Natural Resources Council of Maine, which had been the main opponent of the development plan, said the LUPC's decision means the more than 390,000 acres of conservation easements created by the Concept Plan will remain in place forever.

It also welcomed the fact that Weyerhaeuser has agreed not to develop, submit development proposals or make clear cuts until December 31, 2022, or until the regional planning process concludes, whichever comes first.

Melanie Sturm, the organization's forests and wildlife director, welcomed the LUPC's decision as an "opportunity to breathe new life and economic vitality into the region," and said that her organization is tracking the ongoing planning for the Moosehead Lake region.

"Well-planned development concentrated around existing development that recognizes the potential richness of outdoor and tourism economic sectors for Moosehead could be the ticket to a bustling economy without sacrificing sensitive habitat and wildlife," she added.

Concerning the next steps, Sturm said: "We look forward to seeing the community, stakeholders and LUPC come together to think long-term about conservation and economic development around Moosehead Lake. Let’s work together to do all we can to help ensure things get done right."