News tagged: Five-Town Dam Committee


Toddy Pond Dam Meeting: 2/12

A public information and feedback session will be held on Wednesday, February 12 to:

  • provide an update on the process for considering ownership of the Toddy Pond dam,
  • answer questions about the status of the effort, and
  • most importantly, solicit community input on how potential ownership of the dam should be structured and who should bear the costs of ownership

Feedback from this session will inform the Blue Hill Select Board, and the other three towns abutting Toddy Pond, as to the community’s views on:

  • Whether the dam should remain or the waters forming Toddy Pond released, and
  • If the dam is retained, how costs of ownership should be apportioned between property owners and general Blue Hill taxpayers.

All members of the community are invited to attend to share their input.

For more information about the developments surrounding Toddy Pond, please visit this page.

Property Tax Survey Available

Although the 2025 budget won’t be set until our Annual Town Meeting in April, the developments around what to do with the Toddy Pond dam have caused the four abutting towns to develop a survey of residents and waterfront property owners to better understand whether and, if so, how much municipal funds (i.e., property taxes) should be used to support the future ownership and operating costs of the dams.

We are looking for the broadest possible representation of Blue Hill voters (and others’) views on this matter via a very short survey.

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Toddy Pond Dam: 1/20 Joint Statement

This is the latest in a series of bi-weekly “joint statements” reporting on progress to resolving the proposed abandonment of three dams, one of which has created Toddy Pond as currently known.

Representatives from the 5 Town Dam Committee met at the Bucksport Town Office on Wednesday, January 18 to discuss new developments regarding Bucksport Mill LLC’s petition to abandon the Toddy, Alamoosook, and Silver Lake dams.  

Continue reading “Toddy Pond Dam: 1/20 Joint Statement”

Toddy Pond Dam: 12/19 Joint Statement

This is the latest in a series of bi-weekly “joint statements” reporting on progress to resolving the proposed abandonment of three dams, one of which has created Toddy Pond as currently known.

Representatives from the 5 Town Dam Committee met at the Bucksport Town Office on Wednesday, December 18 to discuss new developments regarding Bucksport Mill LLC’s petition to abandon the Toddy, Alamoosook, and Silver Lake dams.  

Continue reading “Toddy Pond Dam: 12/19 Joint Statement”

The End of Toddy Pond?

Public Meeting at Maine Maritime Academy’s training facility in Bucksport on Thursday, November 14 at 5:00pm (details)

Background

As you may be aware, Toddy Pond is what it is because of a dam in Orland that maintains the water level. This dam, originally associated with the paper mill in Bucksport, is now the subject of a petition by Bucksport Mill LLC has petitioned the DEP for permission to abandon the dam. Two other dams (creating Alamoosook Lake and Silver Lake) are also proposed to be abandoned.

In the event a new owner (prepared to maintain the dam(s) going forward) is not identified, Maine DEP’s preferred action is apparently to order release of the water held by the dam, which would all but drain the three water bodies.

Continue reading “The End of Toddy Pond?”