KINGFIELD – Poland Spring began clearing trees Wednesday in the first step toward construction of a third bottling plant in Maine.

The 200,000-square-foot plant will employ 60 workers when it opens in early 2008, and it’ll eventually provide 100 jobs, said Tom Brennan, regional natural resources manager for Nestle Waters North America, Poland Spring’s parent company. Construction costs are estimated at between $60 million and $100 million.

Last May, residents overwhelmingly turned back a proposed moratorium on industrial projects that targeted the bottling plant.

The plant will use water that comes through a 31/2-mile pipeline from a nearby pumping station in Kingfield, Brennan said.

Poland Spring is providing $120,000 to drill a secondary well for the town and another $250,000 for upgrades for the water district, he said. Also, Poland Spring and town officials are discussing possible tax incentives.

Poland Spring has existing bottling plants in Poland and Hollis; it also utilizes five pumping stations in Maine.