MILLINOCKET – Maintaining an air emissions license is integral for the Katahdin Paper mill in Millinocket if the company is ever to get the facility up and running again, Department of Environmental Protection officials said Thursday evening.

Attended by less than a dozen people, Thursday’s public meeting in the council chambers was the most recent step in the federally required process the company is undergoing for a five-year renewal of its license.

The company likely would face serious financial constraints if its emissions license lapsed, according to Bryce Sproul, director of the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality Licensing Division. If the license lapsed, the DEP would treat Katahdin Paper as a new facility when it reapplied for the license and would hold it to the more burdensome and expensive standards required of a newly constructed facility, Sproul said.

The century-old mill now is considered under less stringent DEP standards applied to companies with existing facilities and licenses, Sproul said. “If this license ceased to exist, there’s little hope the mill would ever reopen,” he said. “It’s not something paper mills want to let expire.”

Bought by Katahdin Paper’s parent company, Brascan, in April, the mill in Millinocket has yet to reopen, while the East Millinocket facility has employed roughly 400 people since it reopened in June. The Millinocket facility is operating a steam plant in order to keep the machinery warm.

While the DEP has yet to grant the license, senior environmental engineer Marc Cone of the DEP said it’s likely the facility’s current machinery and setup will meet all state and federal standards and regulations that relate to air emissions.

Resident Charles Cirame, who requested the public hearing, said he supported having the business in the area but questioned the renewal of Katahdin Paper’s license when the company hasn’t brought the Millinocket facility back on line.

“Maybe I’m idealistic, but I think there should be a balance between emissions going into the air and jobs,” Cirame said. “If there’s no jobs, there should be no emissions.”

Cirame objected to the “fast-tracking” of the license process and said he wanted proof that gave some indication of what the company plans to do once the license is in hand. He also objected to the fact that Katahdin Paper is seeking a renewal of the air emission license when the new company has never actually made paper in the town.

Cone said that existing licenses and pending applications change hands when companies are sold. Bryce added that the DEP is obligated to issue a license as long as the company meets DEP requirements.

The period for public comment will remain open until Jan. 9 and a decision is expected to come from the DEP a month or two later. Comments can be forwarded to environmental engineer Lynn Ross, 17 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.