To the editor:
I am writing to lament the mining operation proposed by Canada-based Wolfden Resources at Pickett Mountain, and to urge the LUPC to deny Wolfden’s rezoning request.
The proposed mine is in pristine, ecologically rich land and waters important to local tourism and recreation. It is an area culturally, spiritually and historically held sacred by the Penobscot Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, who have protected it for centuries and are sustained by its plants and animals. Located at the headwaters of the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag, the proposed mine would significantly endanger groundwater, nearby lakes, streams and rivers, forests and habitat.
Wolfden has little experience or expertise in the destructive industry of metal mining, or in the environmental protection required. It proposes potentially devastating extraction, processing, and permanent waste storage facilities.
The proposed mine is in an economically struggling area, but the jobs it might provide are likely to be few and fleeting. The traditional outdoor economy, including guiding, hiking, hunting, fishing, and associated businesses offers far more promise, and should not be compromised. The opportunities so wonderfully provided now, and the area’s proximity to Baxter State Park and the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, are a gift.
I oppose Wolfden’s Pickett Mountain mining proposal, for the sake of the area’s land, waters, wildlife and people.
Mary Miller
Oakfield
