AUGUSTA, Maine — An application to rezone roughly 197 acres of land near Pickett Mountain to allow for a Canadian mining operation has been kicked back to the company for additional information.
The Maine Land Use Planning Commission completed its initial review of the zoning petition received from Wolfden Mt. Chase, LLC. to rezone land for Pickett Mountain, but determined additional information was needed before it could process or begin its analysis of the project, according to a March 16 press release.
The LUPC received the zoning petition on Jan. 27 to rezone the area near Mt. Chase, to build an underground metallic mineral mine, and buildings associated with that mine. The request seeks to rezone the land from general management to a planned development area.
In its letter requesting additional information, the LUPC said it needs a revised project description.
“The current proposal includes disposing of a portion of the mine tailings in the mine shaft,” the letter said. “This disposal method is not allowed under Maine’s Metallic Mineral Mining Act nor under the associated rules of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.”
Mine tailings are the ore waste of mines, and are typically a mud-like material.
The LUPC letter said that a revised project description and tailing management plan needs to be submitted before the project can proceed. Numerous other requests for information on the project are included in the seven-page letter sent by the LUPC. The full letter can be found online.
Written public comments on the proposal can be filed with the LUPC at any time up until the close of the record after the public hearing. That meeting has yet to be scheduled.
