In 1967, the federal government gave Maine $1.5 million to put the Allagash River into America’s wild and scenic rivers program. Wild and scenic means you walk, you don’t drive, to the water. Well, from 1967 to 2001, the Maine Department of Conservation (DOC) built roads and vehicle access points in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway so people could drive right to the water. But, nothing much happened until the DOC rebuilt Churchill Dam without a legal permit.

Now, the National Park Service says move John’s Bridge and Bissonnette Bridge vehicle access points away from the water and we’ll give Maine a legal permit and no fines. What a great opportunity for the DOC to break away from John Martin’s negative control, do the right thing and move the Allagash River in a positive direction.

The DOC could return the federal government’s money and keep the roads and vehicle access points where they are. But, $1.5 million, compounded at five percent a year, figures out to a hefty price change. So, I guess the DOC better follow the lead of the National Park Service and start putting the wild back into the Allagash.

Paul Shanley

Eddington