Governor Seeks to Prevent Dismantling of Bucksport, Maine Mill
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According to a new report recently published by the Times Record, Brunswick, Maine, USA, Gov. Paul LePage’s administration said this past week that he’s concerned about the proposed sale of a Maine paper mill to a Canadian scrap metal recycler and is weighing state actions to ensure the mill remains intact.
Verso Paper Corp. has now reached a deal to sell its Bucksport mill to a subsidiary of Montreal-based American Iron and Metal for $60 million. That news has devastated the community, said town and union officials, who had hoped that a buyer would continue papermaking operations.
LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said that the governor remains dedicated to protecting the mill from being dismantled and is "looking into whatever options may be available to him." She declined to say what options are on the table. "If there is anything the state can do to step in, we will do so in the best interest of the employees," Bennett said. She added that the administration is hopeful that a positive resolution is in sight.
Verso officials have said that the official shutdown date for the mill will be December 31. The more than 500 workers who are losing their jobs will remain on the payroll until then.
