Monday of this week it was announced by Governor Paul LePage that an agreement of intent to buy the idle Great Northern mill in Millinocket had been signed with Meriturn Partners. This agreement is subject to some further conditions but looks doable under the current situation.
.....Hansen announced Monday that Meriturn had signed a letter of intent to acquire the mills if several conditions are met. The conditions include arrangements to establish a biomass cogeneration facility at the Millinocket mill to relieve the mill of its expensive dependence on oil; set property taxes — and seek tax breaks — with local municipalities; and finish environmental and commercial reviews begun in December"......
Keep in mind that now we have a very pro business man in the Blaine House that is serious about putting Maine people back to work and eliminating some of the choking environmental regulations that have stifled business in the northern part of the state as the greenies continue their quest to create the North Woods National Park in a de facto way by just regulating all of the people and businesses out of it.
I am 64 yrs old and this is shaping up to be the best pro-business administration in Augusta in my lifetime.
One of the conditions required by Meriturn is the biomass boiler approval at the mill. This would relieve the mill of its heavy dependance on foreign oil.
......"The deal’s deadline is April 29. If completed, it would restore as many as 150 full-time manufacturing jobs at the Millinocket mill plus dozens more to help operate and supply a new biomass boiler that will relieve the mill of its costly addiction to foreign oil that forced its closure in September 2008, state officials said".....
....."Meriturn specializes in redeveloping industrial sites and manufacturers. According to its website, meriturn.com, Meriturn specializes “in middle-market, corporate restructurings and turnarounds. We invest in basic industries (manufacturing, distribution, services, etc.).”.....
Bangor Daily News Story
Keep in mind that with Paul Lepage in the governor's office this is very well within the realm of possibility. If Baldacci and pals were still there we wouldn't even be reading this. In another story it was noted that the biomass boiler would be on the fast track and that it could be up an running in 6 mos from the word go. These folks sound very serious and have a good track record as far as I know.
Keep fingers crossed. This should be good for the railroad business if it happens. Lots of woodchips could be hauled into Millinocket from all points. A license to burn constructin debris would be even more golden.
SR