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October 11, 2013

DEP, environmental group spar over mining analyses

The Natural Resources Council of Maine has released a report criticizing state regulators for not providing data from two decades-old mining proposals to the public and lawmakers. Those proposals, the group said, show that an open pit mining operation at Bald Mountain in Aroostook County would pose the risk of polluting waterways with acids and heavy metals.

The Maine Public Broadcasting Network reported that Heather Parent, policy director for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, denied that the department withheld any information from lawmakers and the public. She also noted that the documents were provided to the environmental group when requested.

The Bangor Daily News reported the NRCM study also takes issue with employment estimates put forth by J.D. Irving Ltd. for its proposed mining operation at Bald Mountain. The NRCM says the company has not provided any support for its claim that the mining operation would create around 700 direct and indirect jobs, citing two previous mining proposals that estimated a full-scale open-pit mining operation would employ approximately 100 people at Bald Mountain.

The report comes in advance of a hearing over a proposed revision of the state’s mining regulations, set for Oct. 17 at the Augusta Civic Center.

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