Summary
While arguments over whether Sears Island should be used as a port facility or set aside as a nature preserve have run for years, the large island has remained largely unused, no sign directing tourists there and chain link fence limiting access. Conservation advocates may like the status quo, but the island is doing nothing for the local economy, which, like much of the rest of the state, could use a boost. After years of animosity, area residents are naturally skeptical of the Department of Transportation, which owns the island. While the department continues to work toward having both conservation and commerce on the island, it is past time to bring another perspective to the debate, that of the state's director of innovation.
It's been said so often that it has become cliched, but Sears Island is big enough to accommodate multiple uses. At 940 acres and with hills and dense vegetation to shield development from view, it is possible to have commercial ventures and recreation on the island. The midcoast location would likely be appealing to a research facility, maybe even more than one. Bringing Janet Yancy- Wrona, the state's new director of innovation, into the conversation could yield new and constructive ideas for the island.See the full content of this document
Extract
Sears Island Compromise
Maine has long prided itself on its working waterfront and has long mixed tourism with ocean-based c...
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