Weekly Column: The Way Life Should Be

June 6, 2007

Maine’s business climate right now is buzzing with activity. All you have to do is pick up a paper and read the headlines to see that there are some really great things happening in our state right now.

This week for example, legislative leaders are in the process of passing our state’s two-year state budget. One provision in the budget would provide a $6 million tax credit for the former Hathaway Mill site in Waterville’s downtown district. Just as Augusta received a similar tax credit two years ago for the Kennebec Arsenal, Waterville is on its way to redeveloping the former mill into a multi-use complex that will include condominiums, shopping, office space, and restaurants.

I think it is important to note that the Waterville redevelopment may not have happened had it not been for the positive business climate established by state and local leaders during the Kennebec Arsenal project. I know this for a fact because both sites are being redeveloped by the same investment firm—Niemann Capital. Tom Niemann, the company’s president, routinely talks about Maine’s beautiful downtowns that are poised for revitalization.

Looking around the state, there are a lot of other great stories to be told. The city of Bangor is in the middle of a $130 million hotel and racino development on its waterfront. While people may have different views about gambling, the construction project is creating hundreds of new jobs and revenues from the racino will help build a new sports arena to replace the aging Bangor Auditorium.

Across the river in Brewer, Cianbro Corp. plans to turn the former Eastern Fine Paper mill into a modular construction facility for the fabrication and assembly of modules weighing more than a half ton each. The modules would be used for industrial process plants in North America. In addition to the construction project, which will create hundreds of construction-related jobs, Cianbro says the new plant will ultimately create more than 500 good-paying jobs.

Taking the drive a little further up I-95 to Old Town, Red Shield Environmental, LLC, just announced plans to restart the pulp mill operation at the Old Town facility. According to the company and Governor Baldacci, the plans will add additional workers at the Old Town site, bringing the total work force to approximately 175 employees.

In addition to making pulp, Red Shield will be working with the University of Maine to use new-patented technology that will allow the Old Town facility to become the first plant of its kind to manufacture biofuels from cellulose. Prior to the pulping process, hemi-cellulose will be extracted from the wood fiber to create the biofuels.

The Old Town and Brewer mill sites represent two forward-thinking approaches to Maine’s economic development strategies. In Old Town’s example, a paper mill will continue its traditional practices, but will also use state of the art technologies to create green energy. Red Shield said it will commit $100 million in the mill to see the investment through. The green energy technology used by Red Shield would not be possible without the research and development born out of the University of Maine with the support of Maine Taxpayers. Conversely, Brewer is taking a different approach to its redevelopment of its former mill site by thinking out of the box and looking at other possibilities for long-term sustainable jobs.

Of course, none of these economic development efforts would be possible without a high-skilled and trained workforce. Maine is on a good path to secure a promising future for those with highly sought after job skills and for those that want to increase their job opportunities. Even though our two-year state budget includes many cuts, $41 million was committed to Maine’s University and Community College System over the next two years to help provide more opportunities to Maine students.

To further bolster our state’s economic development goals, a recent Bureau of Census report suggests that the largest population of people moving into our state is in the 15 to 49 age group. Our state is known for having an older population, but this recent federal study suggests that Maine may be regaining an important population of people either through new residents moving in or through residents returning home for a better quality of life.

Our state is moving forward in a positive direction finding new niches to attract business development and new residents. It is a great time to experience the way life should be.

Libby Mitchell is the Senate Majority Leader in the Maine Senate. She represents the communities of Augusta, Vassalboro, China, Oakland, and Sidney for District 24.