By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
Dividing Maine into two states is at the heart of legislation introduced late last week by State Rep. Henry Joy (R-Crystal) to prevent what he says could lead to forced relocation of the population of northern Maine.
As far-fetched as the idea of massive relocation may seem at first blush, Joy said he is serious. And, he contends, it could happen if environmentalists succeed in getting the federal government to prevent further development in the area.
He said by invoking public domain provisions, enforcing restrictions on development and imposing prohibitive fees, it could become impossible to earn a living and the government could end up seizing private property. Much of the forestland being considered for declaration as a North Woods natural preserve is in private hands and subject to hot debates on either side of the issue.
“The environmentalists have been working towards this for years,” said Joy. “They plan to take 10 million acres in northern Maine and turn it over to the federal government. They don’t want anybody up there.”
Plans for a North Woods preserve were recently detailed in the Portland Press Herald. According to the article, a group called Keeping Maine’s Forests is working on a plan to protect 10 million acres of forests from further development. They may be ready to present the proposal to federal officials this month.
Ken Spalding of Restore: The North Woods based in Hallowell said: “We have no comment because Rep. Joy’s statement doesn’t relate to what’s happening.” Spaulding also said Restore: The North Woods has a proposal to make 3.2 million acres into a Maine North Woods National Park and Preserve and that there be a feasibility study for it.
Joy said he would be in favor of splitting Maine into two states. Under his plan, the state of Maine would encompass most of the northern, eastern and western counties – Aroostook, Piscataquis, Somerset, Franklin, Penobscot, and parts of Washington, Hancock and Oxford. The newly created state of Northern Massachusetts would include the counties of York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Waldo, Knox and Kennebec. Hancock County would be split in half. Washington County would remain part of Maine except for a strip along the coast.
“Some people might think a bill to divide Maine into two states is a joke,” said Joy. “It won’t seem very funny if the environmental extremists get their way, and we see a forced relocation of the population of northern Maine. That is exactly the plan of the 1992 Biodiversity Treaty, run by the United Nations. They want half of the United States to be returned to wilderness. Northern Maine would become part of the Northern Forest Bioregion, some 26 million acres of timberland running from northern New York to eastern Maine.”
However, Joy’s proposal must be cleared by the 10-member Legislative Council which is unlikely to happen by the time the legislature adjourns. Joy, serving his eighth term in the Maine House of Representatives, is a member of the Natural Resources Committee
