The federal government has hit the brakes on a plan to transform a part of western Maine’s High Peaks region into a National Wildlife Refuge. This decision comes after facing resistance from local residents and lawmakers who felt it was an intrusion on their local authority.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had floated the idea earlier this year, proposing to designate 5,000 to 15,000 acres of the High Peaks area around Rangeley as a new refuge. They identified this region as crucial for migratory birds and an opportunity for studying how species adapt to a changing climate due to its extensive high elevation.
However, this plan faced opposition from various groups, including loggers, outdoor enthusiasts, the Sugarloaf ski resort, Governor Janet Mills, Maine’s congressional delegation, and local lawmakers. They were concerned about losing access to and control over the land, particularly for activities like ATV and snowmobile use.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has now chosen to “pause its planning efforts,” as conveyed in letters from Shannon Estenoz, the U.S. Interior Department’s assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, to U.S. Senator Angus King and U.S. Representative Jared Golden earlier this month. This pause allows for a better understanding of how the Service can support local conservation needs.
The Fish and Wildlife Service engaged with the community through public meetings and received over 300 letters and emails on the proposal. While many wanted to conserve the region for the benefit of wildlife and recreation, the agency acknowledged differing perspectives on how best to achieve this goal.
Across the U.S., there are more than 560 National Wildlife Refuge sites covering 95 million acres. These refuges are typically established to protect specific species and often permit activities like hunting, fishing, photography, boating, kayaking, snowmobiling, and more.
A decade ago, a similar refuge plan for the High Peaks was shelved due in part to a lack of federal funding. The recent proposal aimed to protect various species and allow activities like ATV and snowmobile use, while banning bear baiting, a common hunting practice in Maine.
Opponents argued that existing state laws already protect the identified birds and habitat. They called for federal collaboration with residents and the state to address any concerns, highlighting that nearly two-thirds of the originally designated 200,000 acres are already conserved.
U.S. Representative Jared Golden welcomed the decision, emphasizing the importance of local input and the need for federal actions to align with local approval.
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DISCLAIMER: Author is under many pen names. This article was rewritten based on these links: Feds pause controversial plan for western Maine wildlife refuge (bangordailynews.com)
