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I am 80 years old, born in Millinocket, where my husband and I have lived and worked teaching school since 1972. For the last 40 years, we have resided in the tiny village of Norcross where my husband’s family settled in the early 1900s.
We grew up here during the “glory days” when Great Northern Paper Co.’s mills were world-renowned and when millworkers made good money and their children were able to find jobs in the area or could afford to attend college and tech schools.
We were also here when Great Northern was nibbled away at by outside investors with empty promises. When the mill closed, we were here when the area began its downward trend. It has been a long, difficult journey, which is far from over. We are still here, continuing to work with our friends and neighbors to find our way back to a place where people can earn a living and enjoy recreating in this beautiful country, but the struggle is real.
We remember when our lakes and streams were polluted with industrial and personal waste, and we know how long and hard it has been to clean them up. Many in our area make a living from outdoor recreational opportunities. I think those opportunities could be poisoned by the after-effects of mineral mining proposed by Wolfden.
We need jobs here, but not the kinds of jobs that could destroy wildlife habitat and poison our waters, not now and not for our future generations to have to clean up.
Marian Hale Fowler
Indian Purchase Township
