Opponents say new guidelines endanger environment
A third proposal to update state mining regulations has again raised concerns about protecting water quality and the prospect of an open pit mine in the mountains of western Aroostook County.
Following a 2012 law, the Department of Environmental Protection is proposing new metal mining regulations to replace rules from 1990. The new proposal, which has to be approved by the legislature, would create permits for different levels of exploration and mining and set up a regulatory system for mine siting, waste and long-term pollution control.
The DEP says that the regulations meet the vision of the 2012 law, with “performance-based standards” and “requirements designed to prevent the contamination of surface and groundwater.”
The proposal, like the past ones, is drawing criticism from environmental advocates and groups who say the standards are not strong enough and not much different than previous versions.
The 2012 mining law was prompted by J.D. Irving Ltd’s interest in potentially developing a mine at Bald Mountain, a 1,526-foot mountain in the North Maine Woods, about 12 miles west of Portage. J.D. Irving is a majority owner of the forest land around Bald Mountain, which was evaluated for its mining potential by other companies in the 1980s and ‘90s.
The area under and around Bald Mountain contains copper, gold, silver and other minerals, including naturally-occurring toxins such as arsenic, and it sits at the headwaters of multiple lake and rivers systems, including Portage Lake, the Fish River and the Aroostook River.
“Many families consider this area to be a sacred place,” said Betsy Terrell, an agricultural sciences teacher in Storrs, Connecticut whose family has long had a camp on leased-land on Carr Pond, two miles north of Bald Mountain. Terrell’s late father was a railroad executive and worked as a guide from his cabin on Carr Pond, where Terrell and her husband Craig plan to spend much of their retirement.
Supporters of a potential Bald Mountain mine argue that modern industrial technology and regulations can prevent water contamination. Metal prices are currently low and there is no proposal for a mine.
The Terrells say they are concerned that the proposed regulations are not strong enough to protect surrounding water quality from a potential open pit mine, and that the Bald Mountain mine could affect a large area around the mountain, including the draining and replacement of Carr Pond and other lakes and wetlands.
They and others argue that Bald Mountain is too dangerous to mine, because of its proximity to important watersheds and the high concentrations of naturally occurring toxic minerals in its rock deposits.
“I’m opposed to mining because it can’t be done safely,” said Alice Bolstridge, a 78-year-old Portage native and retired teacher who lives in Presque Isle. Bolstridge raised concerns about the risks of mining at Governor LePage’s last town hall in Presque Isle and she plans to testify in Augusta at a public hearing with the Maine Board of Environmental Protection on Sept. 15.
