By Tom Walsh
Bangor Daily News staff writer

    AUGUSTA — There hasn’t been an active mining operation in Maine for 40 years, but the prospect of new mining activity in Aroostook County is fueling a State House debate over the environmental effects of open-pit mining.
    During a May 8 work session, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources discussed a proposed amendment to Maine’s existing Metallic Mineral Mining Act that is targeted at protecting both groundwater and downstream surface waters from pollution associated with mining operations.
    Much of the discussion Wednesday focused on how to hold mining companies accountable for water pollution and other cleanup costs after a mine closure.
    Rep. Jeff McCabe, D-Skowhegan, introduced the legislation in response to Canadian-based Irving Energy’s interest in developing an open-pit metals mine on a parcel that it owns on Bald Mountain, which is located 11 miles northwest of Ashland.

    PRESQUE ISLE — Twenty Aroostook County high school students from the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s TRiO College Access Services — Upward Bound program recently were selected to travel to Nashua, N.H. to attend TRiO Day events this spring. National TRiO Day is an opportunity for celebration, reflection and action around increased access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Federal TRiO programs help disadvantaged students successfully pursue higher education, complete a college degree and initiate a successful career.

Photo courtesy of UMPI
    Twenty Students  from the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s TRiO College Access Services — Upward Bound program recently traveled to Nashua, N.H., to attend TRiO Day events. They joined nearly 650 students from all six New England states for the celebration. Pictured are, from left, front row: Kali Pelletier and Carolyn Brundage. Second row: Sophia Maile, Tonya Bell, Briana Dyer, Kierra Carmichael, Justin Hodgkin, Daniel LaCasse, Cassidy LeFay, Meghan Hebert and MacKenzie Roy. Back row: Kaleb Dampf, Brian Gilpatrick, Erin Williams, Virginia Farley, Ryan Boucher, Krista Albert, Bianca McGirt, Matthew Theriault and Patricia Walsh.

Contributed Photo/Sharon Campbell     U.S. Senator Angus King toured the newly constructed Van Buren Port of Entry last Wednesday, discussing the state-of-the-art facility with representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. General Services Administration.

By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer

    VAN BUREN — U.S. Senator Angus S. King Jr. was in Aroostook County for a couple of days last week, touring various facilities around the area, including Northern Maine Community College, University of Maine at Presque Isle and the new, yet to be opened port of entry in Van Buren.
    After its completion in June, the state-of-the-art facility will connect Maine to St. Leonard, New Brunswick. It will replace the existing port of entry that sustained significant damage when the St. John River flooded in 2008.