Over the objections of some local residents and lawmakers, President Obama declared a new national monument Wednesday in northern Maine.
Mr. Obama set aside 87,000 acres donated by the founder of Burt’s Bees to mark the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service on Thursday. The new site is known as the Katahdin Woods and Waters monument and includes views of Maine’s tallest mountain, Katahdin. The land is cherished by Native Americans, and its history includes visits by naturalist Henry David Thoreau and President Theodore Roosevelt.
“Katahdin Woods and Waters’ daytime scenery is awe-inspiring, from the breadth of its mountain-studded landscape, to the channels of its free-flowing streams with their rapids, falls, and quiet water, to its vantages for viewing the Mount Katahdin massif, the ’greatest mountain,’” Obama said in a proclamation. “The area’s night skies rival this experience, glittering with stars and planets and occasional displays of the aurora borealis, in this area of the country known for its dark sky.”
Mr. Obama has declared off-limits more than 265 million acres of America’s public lands and waters, more than any other president in history.
Many in the Katahdin region have opposed the move, mostly over concerns of federal government intrusion, and residents in several Katahdin area towns cast nonbinding votes opposing a monument. Critics fear a National Park Service-maintained property adjacent to Baxter State Park would hinder efforts to rebuild a forest-based economy.
Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin last fall wrote a letter to Mr. Obama outlining “serious reservations” about the proposal. Mr. King’s position evolved, however, and he said he was open to exploring the idea.
In a statement Wednesday, Mr. King said he wanted to ensure “support for traditional recreation uses and respect for private property rights.” He said the benefits of the designation “will far outweigh any detriment and — on balance — will be a significant benefit to Maine and the region.”
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop, Utah Republican, accused Mr. Obama of exploiting the Park Service centennial “as a cover to subvert the will of Maine’s citizens and leaders.”
“The only votes taken on this proposal, at the local and state level, have demonstrated opposition from Mainers,” Mr. Bishop said. “If the president cared about local voices and improving our National Park System, he would have done this through the public process and not behind closed doors. Instead, he’s hijacked a moment of celebration to advance powerful elite special interests over Maine’s economy and citizens.”
This spring, Maine’s legislature passed a symbolic bill saying the legislature doesn’t consent to the federal government acquiring land for a monument.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage actively opposed the proposal, calling it an “ego play,” and characterized key supporters as “out-of-state liberals.”
But Rep. Chellie Pingree, Maine Democrat who strongly supported the move, said Wednesday it was “an exciting and historic day for Maine.”
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Supporters say the move will create hundreds of jobs in a region that needs it after the closing of paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket. Burt’s Bees co-founder Roxanne Quimby has been pushing for the designation for years.
Ms. Quimby’s son, Lucas St. Clair, who’s marshaled the effort, brushed aside the criticism Wednesday.
“Many parks over the history of the park system have been criticized upon creation. Gov. LePage is not the first governor to oppose the creation of a new park. But when we look to the future, we see huge amounts of success,” Mr. St. Clair told The Associated Press.
The National Park Foundation is administering a $20 million endowment to support operations and infrastructure development at the new monument, and said there is a pledge of another $20 million in future philanthropic support.
“This extraordinary gift sets the stage for a strong and vibrant second century for America’s national parks,” said Will Shafroth, president of the foundation. “Through their vision and generosity, Ms. Quimby and her family are carrying on the philanthropic tradition from which the national parks were born 100 years ago, and which helped create Grand Teton, Acadia, and Virgin Islands National Parks.”
⦁ This story is based in part on wire service reports.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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