AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Republican Gov. Paul LePage told a congressional subcommittee Thursday that “most” state residents oppose the creation of a national monument in Maine and that the federally managed land could have the unintended effect of increasing pressure on an adjacent state park.
But a key proponent disagreed with the notion that the monument lacks broad public support and said the state and federal land will complement each other. He also invited panelists to pay a visit to see the positive impact.
“Businesses are starting to grow and expand. Jobs are being created. Real estate prices have started to rebound,” said Lucas St. Clair, whose mother purchased the land that was donated to the government.
The House Natural Resources Committee’s subcommittee on federal lands hosted the oversight hearing in Washington, D.C., less than a week after President Donald Trump directed his interior secretary to review the designation of dozens of national monuments on federal lands.
The Republican president characterized the frequent use of a 1906 law to create national monuments as a federal land grab. Such federal land is generally off limits to timber harvesting, mining, pipelines and commercial development.
In Washington, LePage reiterated his opposition to former Democratic President Barack Obama’s decision to create the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument on 87,500 acres of donated land LePage has derided as lacking in distinction and unworthy of protection.
LePage told panelists that visitors will be underwhelmed by the area’s beauty and will want to see Baxter State Park, putting pressure on the wilderness park that’s home to the state’s tallest mountain.
“I fear that when the visitors to the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument become uninspired by its portions of cut-over forestland, there will be an unmanageable surge of demand to Baxter State Park,” he said.
St. Clair, meanwhile, said he feels that a National Park Service-managed property with a loop road, facilities and snowmobiling complements the state park that has special rules designating that it remain “forever wild.”
He also took exception to the idea that the public was not included in the discussion or that residents don’t support the monument. He pointed to support for the monument from the Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce and other groups, and a statewide poll that showed most Mainers actually support the monument.
The monument proposal was modified based on listening sessions, public hearings and other opportunities for local residents to speak up, he said.
“The voices of the people were heard,” St. Clair said.
Trump’s review applies to monuments created over the past 20 years that are 100,000 acres or larger or where there was inadequate local input into the decision-making process.
St. Clair said Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told him the Maine monument is exempt from review because it’s smaller than 100,000 acres.
But LePage said he was told that the Maine monument met the criteria for review based on there being too little public involvement.
LePage told WVOM-FM on Tuesday that he’s sent a letter to Zinke asking him to clarify whether the Maine monument will be reviewed.
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