AUGUSTA, Maine — U.S. Sen. Angus King is making a renewed effort to expand access to the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument through a proposal backed by Maine conservationists and the Penobscot Nation.
King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, reintroduced legislation Tuesday that would give the National Park Service permission to acquire additional land from willing donors or sellers in order to better connect the monument to the Millinocket region and major roads.
The attraction in northern Penobscot County to the east of Katahdin, Maine’s highest point, was created by then-President Barack Obama in 2016 and covers 87,563 acres formerly owned by Burt’s Bees entrepreneur Roxanne Quimby. The federal government’s move to acquire it drew opposition at the time from Republicans such as then-Gov. Paul LePage and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins. More recent tension has revolved around town officials in Patten sharing they cannot afford to pay for repairing roads leading to it.
King, who chairs the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, first put forward a bill in 2022 that would have authorized the acquisition of about 42,000 acres. That legislation received a hearing in 2022 and did not advance to the floor, but King used feedback from various groups to return with this year’s proposal that would only allow the government to acquire 2,465 acres.
King’s office said the Trust for Public Land, which owns the majority of the potential addition, requested the significant reduction in acquired land. The trust is separately working to transfer adjacent land to the Penobscot Nation as a working forest. Since the 2022 bill that Collins joined King in sponsoring, the state has acquired an easement for a trail from Millinocket to Medway to ensure no changes for that east-west connection for ATVs and snowmobiles.
The new proposal would provide additional access on portions of Stacyville, Huber and Roberts roads “so that more people can experience this Maine treasure, including a smoother entry into the monument,” King said Wednesday.
“While not always easy, modernizing infrastructure in a thoughtful way will support the future of the monument and Maine’s outdoor recreational heritage,” King said. “I’m grateful for the local leaders who have helped develop this bill.”
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument has received roughly 40,000 annual visitors in recent years, with a new $31 million visitor center that highlights Wabanaki culture set to open this summer at the summit of Lookout Mountain.
King’s bill forbids the use of eminent domain and would allow the National Park Service to acquire additional buildings for administration and visitor services outside of the monument’s boundaries. Though the final text was not yet available, King’s office said the legislation will also protect hunting, fishing, fiddlehead collection and other recreational opportunities on the acquired land and ensure “safe interactions” between visitors and regional timber operations.
Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis said his tribe supports the legislation and looks forward to “putting tribal land management front and center as visitors enter the monument at both ends.” Betsy Cook, the Trust for Public Land’s associate vice president and Maine state director, called it “an essential step towards creating reliable, convenient southern access to the monument, benefiting communities in Millinocket, East Millinocket and Medway.”
Former U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat who chairs the East Millinocket Board of Selectmen, and other local leaders were also mentioned as supporters in the news release from King’s office.
King’s bill has been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
