Unfortunately, the Maine area has been hit with another tremendous blow. What was once one of the most productive paper mills in the world has shutdown. Sky-rocketing oil prices are said to be the cause. A price per-barrel of oil has increased over eighty dollars since last year.
Governor John Baldacci promises that the state of Maine is working to get the mill back up and operating as soon as possible. They are hoping to get the biomass gasification system installed like in East Millinocket, which would save huge amounts of energy.
Over 200 employees will be put out of work and many will be seeking assistance from the government. Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are working to put the assistance programs in place.
Katahdin Paper Co. is owned by Fraser Papers Co and was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2003 by Brascan Financial Group.
Once the beacon of Northern Maine, producing toilet paper and phone books, it is now a memory that we will have to look at photographs and hear stories about.