BANGOR – The state is still talking with three potential buyers for the closed Georgia-Pacific mill in Old Town, Gov. John Baldacci said Friday.

In the city to address an American Legion convention, Baldacci said in an interview that the talks have been “progressive.”

“Prospective buyers have been working diligently,” Baldacci said. “We hope to have a much clearer picture and to pull things together by the end of the month.”

When G-P announced the closure of its Old Town mill on March 16, the company agreed to work with the state for 60 days to secure a new buyer. The deadline and G-P’s involvement have passed.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced earlier this week that all workers who were laid off because of the Old Town mill’s closure are eligible to apply for assistance under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act.

The Labor Department originally determined that only 40 pulp line workers at the Old Town mill would be covered under the act, according to U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud’s office.

As a result of the closure, more than 420 millworkers lost their jobs.