The Wolfden Pickett Mountain Mining Project garnered support from Patten residents in a town vote Thursday despite missing a Maine Land Use and Planning Commission application deadline in March.
According to the Bangor Daily News, Wolfden, a Canadian mining company, filed for an extension on their third application to the LUPC, which had rejected their last two due to inconsistencies and gaps in the information they provided.
Many locals are conflicted on the 374-acre project, which Wolfden promises will boost economy and create high paying jobs for locals if the project is approved. Others doubt the Wolfden’s promises and worry how it will affect the watershed, which connects to towns like Patten, Bangor, Belfast, and Calais.
If Wolfden does get the clearance it needs to start mining, town votes don’t have the authority to stop it, but local approval would encourage more investors in the project. While Patten supported the project, residents of neighboring town Mount Chase voted against the mining company last week.
