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August 25, 2009

Lawmakers pursue purchase of railroad tracks

By The Mainebiz News Staff

Lawmakers from Northern Maine are working on legislation that would allow the state to buy 241 miles of railroad tracks between Madawaska and Millinocket that Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway wants to abandon because of high maintenance costs.

Rep. Charles Theriault (D-Madawaska), with support from several other legislators from Aroostook and Penobscot counties, has submitted legislation for the Legislature's next session that would authorize a $20 million bond allowing the state to purchase and upgrade the railroad tracks, according to the Bangor Daily News. Bangor-based MM&A said earlier this month that it wants to abandon the tracks because the recession and annual maintenance costs of about $2.5 million had rendered the tracks unprofitable. It wants the state to buy and maintain the tracks. The tracks and land between Madawaska and Millinocket are worth roughly $17 million, according to the paper. Upgrading the tracks would cost an estimated $6 million, on top of the annual maintenance costs.

Theriault told the paper that submitting the bill was just the first step in what would be a lengthy process. "I just wanted to submit the bill so that we could explore all of our options. I wanted to make the first move," he told the paper. "I feel that if the tracks were abandoned, it would isolate this area and hurt economic development."

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