More than 6,000 petitions against Plum Creek are submitted

March 13, 2008

AUGUSTA, Maine—Two environmental groups opposed to Plum Creek Timber Co.'s historic development plan for the Moosehead Lake region have filed more than 6,000 petitions.

Environment Maine Research & Policy Center and RESTORE: The North Woods submitted the petitions on Thursday, the day before the Land Use Regulation Commission's deadline for public comment.

Matthew Davis from Environment Maine says the petitions represent "just a sliver of the opposition to Plum Creek's plan." A vote by the Land Use Regulation Commission could come by August or September.

Plum Creek is proposing to rezone approximately 20,000 acres in the Moosehead region for 975 house lots and two large resorts. The company has also pledged to permanently protect more than 400,000 acres in the region through easements and land sales to conservation groups if the development plan is approved.

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