EAST MILLINOCKET, Maine — The Quimby family pulled its 70,000-acre national park proposal off the table just as what might have been the plan’s most powerful opponents were gearing up, Selectman Mark Marston says.
The Penobscot County Board of Commissioners formed a Coordination Committee to oppose the park Aug. 21. County Administrator Bill Collins informed Secretary Ken Salazar of the U.S. Department of the Interior of the committee’s creation by letter a week later.
The Coordination Committee was created under a federal law that allows citizens groups to achieve legal standing equal to federal agencies in areas where the agencies seek to assert themselves. The park would be located in unincorporated areas of northern Penobscot County adjacent to Baxter State Park, within the commission’s jurisdiction.
The commissioners’ declared their opposition to the park in August and the committee takes the same position, said Marston, a committee member. He said that he would hope that the Quimby family’s decision “has to do a little bit with the committee” and its formation.
“In my opinion, a national park cannot co-exist with the forest products industry,” Marston said. “I have grave reservations that [the Quimby family’s decision] is not going to change the situation a whole lot. To me, the national park [plan] has just gone from the front burner to the back burner.”
Roxanne Quimby’s son, Lucas St. Clair, did not immediately respond to email and telephone requests for comment on Saturday.
Collins requested a meeting “with the appropriate representatives of your Department to begin the discussion no later than Sept. 28,” according to the letter he wrote, which also was addressed to National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. Collins released a copy of the letter on Friday.
The president of the board of directors of Quimby’s charitable foundation, St. Clair made news Tuesday when he announced that Quimby had withdrawn in September the proposal to the National Park Service, which is under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
A noted entrepreneur and environmentalist who is among the nation’s top 100 landowners, Quimby in March 2009 proposed building a 70,000-acre national park on her land adjoining Baxter State Park as a gift to the nation in 2016. The proposal ran into almost total opposition politically. Most recreation and forest products industry groups opposed it.
Support came from environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, Katahdin region businesses and the town of Medway, though a 2011 survey commissioned by a park support group found 60 percent of Mainers favored a national park.
Quimby’s 70,000-acre national park proposal “will never be resubmitted,” St. Clair said earlier this week.
“The main piece that we want to make clear is that there is no specific proposal that we feel is the right one,” St. Clair said. “We are engaging in this collaborative effort to come up with one.”
Former Millinocket Town Manager Eugene Conlogue, vice president of the Maine Woods Coalition, was among the leaders supporting the committee’s formation in August. Marston has assumed Conlogue’s roles with the coalition and on the committee since Conlogue resigned in Millinocket to become Houlton’s town manager, Marston said.
In his response to Collins’ letter, Regional Park Service Director Dennis R. Reidenback said it would be premature for the federal government to take a position on Quimby’s proposal. Members of Maine’s federal delegation, Reidenback said, would have to initiate federal involvement in the park evaluation process before that could happen.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who represents southern Maine, has expressed support for a national park, but U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe and U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud have opposed it.
Isn’t the majority of the Penobscot county commissioners republican? Why were they the only government agency speaking out against it? Business before people….
not likely, the new one to be appointed will be another Democrat. Try not to blame Republicans for everything. Most up around here don’t want including a majority of Democrats. Snowe, Michaud, and Collins are against it, I would say they are a Government. Also some towns.
“Support came from environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, Katahdin region businesses and the town of Medway, though a 2011 survey commissioned by a park support group found 60 percent of Mainers favored a national park.”
That wouild be the opinion of the majority, not the whine of the minority.
If Mark Marston spent less time worrying about the tree hugger and more time opening his eyes to the fact that the mill is going belly up right in front of town hall, this town might benefit a lot more. Quimby and her park are old news, about as old as the last time someone said, ” I’ve got a dream!”.
this is a win in my veiw for the reigon
Yeah, right. I wonder what the median age is in Piscataquies County these days.
Some good news for the region, but keep an eye on her.
I truly hope roxanne keeps everyone off her land and makes access to any part strictly forbidden. Man you people should go live out west when wealthy people by enormous tracts of land and bans everyone from it. You should be so lucky that she wants to preserve this land. While i agree a national park wouldn’t be the best use for this land, it’s alot better then most alternatives.
Why do people think “things are even worse elsewhere” is a valid counterargument to “this would be bad and we don’t want it”? Never understood where that impulse came from.
It’s her right to do anything she wants with her land, including locking people out.
We in the area are against the nationalization of the northern forest which, after all, is what this whole plan is about.
Hopefully Mr. St.Clair will have the vision that his mother lacks and discover how the environmental industry is nothing more than a self perpetuating bloodsucking money grab.
You Are correct look at much of the sothern main wildreness is now housing developments gated cumminities for the massholes , But i guess they would rather look at wind mills than have turist in East Milliocket.
Maine has the 10 Acre Pond Law, and ROW law that allows people to access lot’s of Quimby’s land.
The post-industrial Millinocket area is totally reliant on unemployment checks, MaineCare and food banks. This park, when it is built, will help to correct that. It’s too bad the locals are too short-sighted to see that.
Where are your facts to back up your rant?
The unemployment rate in that town is more than twice the State average. The rest of us are keeping it afloat.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/11/22/business/maine-unemployment-rate-falls-to-7-3-percent-in-october/
Just curious did you favor or oppose Plum Creek?
2010???
No, God help you.
Please come out of your parents basement, leaching of them…Using their internet etc…..You are a joke.
I live in Millinocket. I am not reliant on unemployment checks, Mainecare or food banks! Another comment from you that is completely insane. You will never get your Park, I see your comments all over the place, you do need some help!
he doesn’t need help, just ignore him.
Bangorian, you seem to be always giving your “less than” 2 cents worth of opinion about things you think you are an expert on. You seem to have alot of time between “work” to let us all be blessed with all your positive comments. I for one could easily do just fine without your rediculous and unknowlegable rants.
Just another in a long line of implants sent here from outastate to “help” us.
It will probably become a park after her death, this is a very long term project.
Do you constantly make comments based on nothing but your opinion and try to pawn them off as fact just so people will notice you ? The majority of the folks in Millinocket are retired and quite well off due to their previous employment at the mill. Their loyalty to an industry that provided them with quite a good standard of living will not die easily !
Your information is not correct: 80% of the population of Millinocket is below age 65 (retirement age). I’m sorry that you don’t like what I’m saying, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of
18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and
19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years.
For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age
18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millinocket,_Maine
Ah – Wikipedia. Such a totally reliable source of information.
The MOOSEHORN National Wildlife preserve has approx. 24,000 acres and is a lot more scenic, but visitors are scarce.
Now take the Quimby holdings and scrutinize them against Moosehorn and you find that they have little if any scenic value; let alone sustaining tourism.
Industry, industry..is that all they think about? The park was a great idea. It would at least preserve SOME of Maines beauty and wildlife for all to appreciate and enjoy without worry of crossing loggers and hunters. They have enough trees to wipe out…why was this a bad idea? Freaking greedy bastards.
Freaking nutty tree huggers.
Freaking whatever dude. I just said its the owners choice..and a park is never a “bad” idea. Get over yourself .gee
How would a NP effect you Brenda? Are you from the Katahdin Area?
So Brenda, why will you not answer the questions? Is it because you are from away and just want to play where most of the people from the Katahdin area work? Here is another question for you: Who is the real “Freaking greedy bastards”???
Yes..i am in the area..and no..i dont play.. but others may appreciate it.keep saying tree huggers? Ok..when they are all gone..we will be too. Keep that in mind ;)
Hey Brenda. The reason they want to make a park out of it is because of the great stewardship by the previous owners. You do realize that the land Quimby purchased was former paper company land….right?? Right?
obvious which they didn’t need because they sold it.
When you must hold onto an asset for 100 years for the crop to mature and be profitable, and the people making the rules (the legisvermin) are bat crap crazy, and you have no idea what they’re going to do next; then owning forestland and a paper mill doesn’t make economic sense. We could still have a thriving forest products industry but the Maine Dems are puppets of the enviros and never did want it here.
Most of that industry is history. There are a lot of people who seem to think that a handful of envirowhackos are the only thing standing between them and some great economic boom which will be brought about by the **drum roll….** paper industry. The paper industry which abandoned them a decade or two ago and sold most of the land in question to Ms. Quimby. They would rather put most of Maine’s woods into the hands of South African timber executives than take advice from some highly educated progressive who may have once visited Massachusetts. Take away their entitlement to snowmobile on other people’s land and the gloves come off!
Exactly.
worry about running across a logger or a hunter…are these nasty fierce people? Do you know any? Are you Bangorian’s girlfriend?
Actually yes..some really are..and some even screw up and shoot eachother..go figure?
On another note..I dont agree she should make it a ” national” park..if it were kept as a local or family run commodity..I think it would be nice. Parks can generate money as well…but the owner has their say..and should not be pushed. Its HER land.
Maine, its main attraction is tourism… Why would we ever want to have another park to attract people? They might spend money here… It would be too good for small businesses… Locals would never want that!
We have enough parks……..
Do we have enough jobs?
Creating Govt jobs is a vicious circle..Tax payer ends up footing the bill at a time were the taxpayer is tapped out of funds.
and more Federal involvement, taking away more rights.
Just a question: which rights would be taken away if private preserve land land became public preserve land? Mightn’t guaranteed access to all citizens be an added right, in a way?
The Federal Gov. would have control over the land. Maine would have no say over it as it does now. You would be denied access from the great ponds act. Land can be preserved without making it a Federal Park. They talk about the thousands and thousands that would visit, do you really believe they would come to the end of the trail to see what?
Nice work Penobscot County Board of Commissioners , nothing like cutting your nose off to spite your face…lmao
The Quimby family still owns the land and they just purchased another 7000 acres that now is not going into public hands either which came with a trust fund.
An now the Quimby family will properly post it for no trespassing of any kind, just wonderful, You old farts think you won for the forest industry. what forest industry, ha ha ha that is funny. The Quimby family will still not allow logging They are environmentalist that is what they do. this family has enough money to make postive change and got slapped in the face, good one I wonder if you can go hunting and fishing, camping and sight seeing now that she took the offer of the table. that 70 thousand acres is private land which that could have been public. .. Talk about ungrateful people. If I was her, and go through with her plans and I would make it a private park, and advertise like hell in Florida and Mass,charge an outages fee that only wealthy out of state people can afford and take my earning out of this state . Its private property what they gonna do steal away from her under eminate domain and cut the wood and sell it to mills in China, lol good luck with that.
when you slap people in the face, such as the camp owners at Mattagammon, sometimes it comes right back at you. it is her land she can do what she wants with it, but it is her arrogant disregard for peoples way of life in the Katahdin Valley that cost her the national park status
Then they should have bought the land to perserve “their way of life”. But, they didn’t and the new property owner exercised her property rights and kick them out.
As long as the 10 Acre Pond rule remains in effect, and the original ROW’s are required to stay open, then the people of Maine will still be able to access lots of Quimby’s land.
True. Most people that I have run into are not familiar with that rule.
Have you hugged a tree lately???LOL
Why yes I did . it felt good. and got no complaints from the tree either :)
have you made a lame one liner comment lately?
No, but you just did…LOL
It’s ALL good here in Maine now.
Even tree’s got rights.
I wonder if a tree hugs back????LOL
You got it right.
I think it is a shame land has to be one or the other. For man, or completely for the wildlife, and we cannot share. Why force man to only live near or on cement? Some people do not care for such city commodities.
Besides, forestry is a way of taking care of the forest. Forests and other lands have their own natural ways of renewal. They can only grow up so big or for so long. When a forest gets too much growth, or undergrowth the risk of a forest fire goes up in the right conditions. If it is cut or groomed, then there may not be the sticks or twigs to start a fire, or items in such close proximity to spread fire or gain momentum.
Animals can also become overly populated without something in place.
I think there are other ways of protecting forests and animal species besides parks and national preserves.
I would like to preserve the Maine way of life. Unfortunately, though one may be able to live off of the land, [eople are getting kicked off of land and the Maine way of life is not one that pays for itself, and everything these days costs money.
“………………The Quimby family will still not allow logging ………………” If the land is in tree growth there “HAS” to be a plan for harvesting wood …………… Of course if the land is “NOT” in tree growth and they are paying full value taxes, then they can just let trees fall down.
So why would they be afraid of the the commissioners? Snow, Collins and Michaud carry less weight then the bumbkins? Try again BDN.
I can see not many people wanted it, voice of the people finally came through, the tree huggahs will be upset, but that is life.
Ever heard the term “vocal minority”?
How would the tree huggers be upset? No development is taking place not, you know what tree huggers want. Think before you post.
you know what everyone is real quiet about mentioning,.. the real reason no one, especially the mills wants a park? There are special, higher air quality restrictions in a radius around national parks, that could shut the mills down and prevent any new industry from opening. If quimby real just wanted a park, and was not against idustry she could just donate it to baxter with harvest restrictions…. as state parks do not have special federal air quality protection.
Yeah I hear that paper thing is really taking off. Should be lots of new jobs at paper mills in northern Maine soon. That should boost the economy. Maybe that will happen.
Are you kidding? The long term plan for the Maine woods has nothing to do with paper, instead it will be turned into “bio-coal” and wood pellets for export to Europe. At least until the woods are gone. All to fuel demand for “renewable” energy. They can still make pellets from 2 inch stems. Think about it people, the Park would at least preserve some of the Maine woods for future generations.
Uhhh…sarcasm maybe?
If preservation is so important while allowing “appropriate uses,” as she often said, offer it up as a National Monument or Recreational Area.
We don’t need either.
We have (or had before RQ arrived on the scene to “save” us) our park.
I agree! I was just noting how she would publicly say she “wanted” a preserve with the character of a rec area, when she really wanted a more strictly controlled NP.
You realize that charcoal factories, like the new one in Millinocket are highly automated and request only a handful of unskilled workers to operate them, right? If you’re aspiration is to be a dump truck driver you might be in luck, otherwise this “long term plan” about which so seem so enamored, might be disappointing to you.
You need to stop posting your meaningless comments and reflect on why you think it’s ok to dump your household grease down your sink.
The Millinocket locals should just say, “we don’t want our welfare competeing with a national park.” The Millinocket natives always claim to be concerned with federal spending yet they always have their hand out for something. I don’t know how many stories I’ve seen on the news and read on the BDN about Millinocket asking for or receiving federal and state cash. Their worries over the economic viabilityof the region are a laugh. By the way, I got the joke. Paper is going to be real big for Millinocket. They get their welfare checks printed on it!
As someone who once camped every summer for two weeks in a remote section of Baxter; I really couldn’t understand her arrogance at not negotiating with the Baxter Park Authority over accepting jurisdiction over some or all of her parcels when it became clear she upset enough people who live in the region to result in organized citizen opposition.
I think she wanted to ‘gift’ over the park to the National Park service, put her name on it, and then let NPS assume responsibility for maintaining it…and this is the same NPS who is converting Schoodic into some kind of retreat at the expense of maintaining and improving Acadia.
The authority operates autonomously from the State Govt…..just as Gov. Baxter wanted it too—these is a story that needs to be told over and over to the socialists who want government to own everything. The authority balances revenue producing activities with sustainability and restoration, not development which chokes off enjoyment of the many environmental attractions……o.k. a hot shower in the N. part of the park would be welcomed!! hint, hint.
Baxter Park wanted nothing to do with the area she owns.
It would just be more acreage to look after with no benefits due to the lack of any extraordinary features.
Dam good tree and black fly growing ground, but not much to see.
I checked out her holdings and from a scenic or recreational perspective you are absolutely right; but Baxter would have selectively cut parts of it for income and maintained the rest with sustainable forestry. I’d prefer to strengthen the finances of the Park Authority than drain NPS so they can build their palatial retreat on Schoodic peninsula.
Nothing left to cut.
The previous owners left so little that deer have to pack a lunch when traversing it.
Good riddance.
Good!!! It’s about time the county shows some clout!!!
It’s only pure arrogance for the Penobscot County Board Coordination committee to think that they had anything to do with Roxanne pulling her bid for the National Park. Public Relations for the park were so poorly handled, I would not be surprised if it shows up as an example in some college textbok of how NOT to handle public relations. This was a cluster-f**k from the get go, with Ms. Quimby not getting professional public relations people to deal with the region’s anxiety about the National Park.
The reason the people in Millinockett opposed this so strongly is they feel like that is their personal playground and they don’t want tourists coming in . and enjoying what they think of as theirs. It is too bad because their economy is dead and more and more people are leaving the area to find work. Maybe if they were more concerned with revitalizing the town then with a proposed national park that would bring an influx of tourists to the area they might see their error.
Meghan,I beg of you to do your research on this subject. I am from Millinocket, why would you make a comment about how I “the people” feel about this park? I can tell you for sure that you are completely WRONG! You are no different from all the arrogant people that need to tell us how to live. I am surprised that you have not gone down the road of dumping on our school system, our town government and our way of life. I have seen it over and over. Every time it looks as if you people will not get your playground, you will start the name calling and insults. I hope people reading these comments can read through why you people say the things you do.
We would all like to know the opinions of the locals, but just saying “you are wrong” doesn’t enlighten us at all. Talk to us.
CE, Please read again,”The reason the people in Millinocket opposed this so strongly is they feel like that is their personal playground and they don’t want tourists coming in . and enjoying what they think of as theirs.” County Escapee, I am telling you that statement is WRONG!! If you are that interested in what the locals opinions are enlighten yourself, do your own homework and come to YOUR OWN conclusion! Its not that hard to do your homework, there is information everywhere. Nice try though..
I AM trying to educate myself with an honest plea for opinions of both sides from the actual affected residents in that town.
If that opinion is wrong (as you say), then what is the right one and is that the consensus of all residents?
Since I haven’t lived or worked in that area for over 30 years, it doesn’t matter enough to warrant me doing all that ‘research’, so I simply asked a civil question of you. Now I realize that a civil reply won’t be forthcoming anytime soon.
Merry Christmas..
make an amusement park some thing that makes money and produces jobs,and the small stores get more bizz too.can have a race track too.
Do that in southern Maine.
Too bad wise heads can’t find a win-win. It is possible to provide open access, land preservation, bring tourist to the area, improve local business, provide a future for the youth and reason to them to stay in the area, …..other. Selective cutting is good for the forests, provides fresh under brush and habitat for wildlife, and provides woods roads and trails for hikers, snowmobilers, canoeist and kayakers, and ATVs. All this can be done on a win-win basis and still provide land protection for the ages.
Come on people in Millinocket and the Quimby family, please come together and work this out. The Quimby family’s protecting the land is a good thing. The desire of the people of Maine and the area to have access to the land is a reasonable thing as well. Areas can be set off for old grown forests. Other areas can be set off for hunting, trapping, fishing and use access.
Just saying NO is what happens in Washington D.C. We can be wiser than that. Access without destroying preservation is something that can be worked out so it is a win-win for most all.
What do you know, a reasonable comment.
It’s to bad a feasibility study was’nt done. Everything is conjecture without it. Who knows if the feds would even approve a park there.
It would be fine if she wanted to use her own property to set up a private park. However, she shouldn’t “donate” this property, taking it off the tax rolls, in an effort to avoid paying her fair share of taxes to the local communities. Let her make it a park, set her rules, operate it herself, and pay her fair share of taxes.
If she didn’t want the taxes, she would sell it.
“Powerful New Opponents” , please, give me a break. It sounds like they are trying to make themselves into something important. What a bunch of horse poopy. “Forest Products Industry” ? In Maine? Where did that idea come from?
What a lovely looking lady.
Send this wench packing back to N.C.! she thinks she owns the state of Maine & can do as she pleases. Take yer $$$ and leave maine Roxanne. Money won’t get cha to heaven either!
Well,she DOES own quite a bit of land.Seems that she can do what she wants with it? Or wait,maybe this is communist Russia?
But “that’s different” say the entitlement hypocrites of Northern Maine!
Why do you continue to call northern Mainers names? Please stop crying joey boy, that will not help you. You will never have your NP!
And you will never have another paper industry……deal with it. And stop using Southern Maine taxpayer funds for your “lifestyle” of hunting, fishing, ATVing, and drinking. Time for Northern Maine to get out of 1950 and join the modern world!
Joe I understand you are grasping at straws. I do not use southern Maine taxpayer funds, I do hunt and fish, don’t drink and was not around in the 50’s. Please keep throwing **** at the wall perhaps something will stick. The fact is you will never have your park in our back yard and you can’t deal with it! Please continue to show us you ignorance and arrogant’s.
PS: Katahdin Paper is running, Woodland Pulp is running and looking at two new tissue machines, Old Town F&F is running, Lincoln P&T is running and Twin Rivers is running. What were you saying about the paper industry? I’m done Joe, time to watch football and I do have to go to work tomorrow.
I bet that you do……..
I hunt,fish,and trap and pay my own taxes.Whats your modern world?Mortal sins,and keeping God out of everything?No thanks.
What an interesting trick she was trying for. She wanted to have the government own the land that she wanted to harvest trees on? Neat, she doesnt pay taxes on lands she wants to forest.
What a bunch of obsessed weirdos………stop living on Southern Maine taxpayers, Northern Maine and get out of the woods and start working! If you can’t find a job up there then move! Your entitlement mentality doesn’t jive with the rest of your beliefs………hypocrites.
See what I am talking about people? Old Joe here is a perfect example of someone who wants a NP where we in Northern Maine live and WORK. No park for you Joe, sorry. I work, get a paycheck and ask nothing from southern Maine! “obsessed weirdos”, Come on Joe you can do better than that.
Nope….I can’t. That is what is presented time and time again. Hopefully, those Irving mining operations will give you everything that you wish for……and deserve.
Hey joey, I didn’t think so. No park for you!
No jobs or welfare for you!
Your the weirdos.I live in northern Maine and work,and pay my own taxes.
Build a fence around the whole damn thing, Roxy! Let them ATV around town and fish and drink off from the town docks!
When she passes it will become a park.
Why are moonbatt environmental liberal women so dead set against wearing makeup? They need it most but are least to wear it!
Why are lazy conservative men intent on weighing 300 pounds?
Good comeback!
What intelligence!
I have read your other post, you are a bible thumper, I am sure Jesus would like a comment like that
A bible thumper that wants women to wear make-up……..surprise, surprise!
Just stating the obvious with humor! Your panties are too tight .
No, I am not the one throwing the bible around saying such and such is a sin. You either follow your religion or you don’t. I am sorry but do you quote the bible ever again if you are going to make comments like that, obviously you do not take it very seriously.
Madmen begins filming soon, you lucky dog!
33 percent of all income earned in that county comes from the government and yet these “powerful people” are opposed to this job creation opportunity.
I guess the powers that be must like having my northern cousins helpless and living off of my taxes.