Maine delegation wants Acadia concession deal scrutinized
The four members of Maine’s congressional delegation have called for scrutiny of a decision to award the concessions contract for Acadia National Park to a New Mexico company.
The Bangor Daily News reported that Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree have asked the House Natural Resources Committee to review the park service’s contract award process. Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King on Thursday wrote to John Jarvis, head of the National Park Service, that they believe there are “serious flaws” in the process.
Dawnland LLC, owned by the New Mexico-based Ortega National Parks LLC, was awarded the 10-year contract instead of the Bar Harbor-based Acadia Corp., which has held the in-park concessions deal for more than 80 years. The New Mexico company also holds concessions contracts in Death Valley, Hawaii Volcanoes and Carlsbad Caverns national parks and at the Muir Woods and White Sands national monuments.
The contract award to Dawnland is not yet final and requires congressional approval following a 60-day review period. The new contract takes effect March 2014. In addition to review requests from Maine’s federal lawmakers, supporters of the Bar Harbor company have started an online petition, which had more than 6,100 signatures by early Friday.
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