Following a hearing on April 8, the Eastport Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a variance request from the Eastport Port Authority for three 125-foot silos for storing wood pellets at the Estes Head terminal. The port authority is preparing for a possible new customer that would make the wood pellets in Washington County and ship them to Europe, although no definite plans have yet been announced.

As conditions on the approval, the board stipulated that the variance is only for the storage of industrial wood pellets in three silos and, if the silos are dormant for more than 18 months, that they must be dismantled within six months.

About 30 people attended the hearing, with Port Director Chris Gardner answering questions about the proposal. He said the wood pellet plan would be important for the viability of the port, since the port has been essentially dependent on only one customer for 25 years. The operation would involve loading wood pellets aboard ship at the rate of 1,000 tons to 1,500 tons an hour. For a conveyor system to be able to load at that rate, gravity is required, which is why the port authority is proposing to use silos. "We're forced by mere physics," said Gardner. "This is the only way we can do this." If the port authority was unable to obtain approval for the silo height, the customer would probably go to another location, he said.

The three gray, corrugated steel silos would be constructed at a location about 40 feet above sea level, with a hill above that level providing some screening in certain directions. Tom Critchley of Federal Marine Terminals said the port facility would need to keep 30,000 tons of wood pellets on hand before a shipment, and the design with the silos was developed so that ships could be loaded as fast as possible.

The wood pellet manufacturing facility would offer a number of jobs, but details about the operation have not yet been announced by the company that is interested in setting up the plant. The company would make at least a 10-year commitment to shipping wood pellets. There would also be more work for the logging industry and truckers, and the export of wood pellets would help the port retain jobs for approximately 70 families, Gardner said.

In response to questions about noise, Gardner said he did not expect the noise would be any greater than when a ship is now being loaded. The number of trucks hauling wood pellets would be about the same as the number now hauling wood pulp from the Domtar mill in Baileyville to the port, he guessed. As for the impact on local roads, he said that primary routes for cargo, including the route to the port, are among the priorities for the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) for road improvements. He added that he understands the DOT is willing to pay for needed repairs to that section of County Road from the intersection with Washington St. to Barron Road. Port officials are also meeting with railroad company officials about supplying cargo to the port through rail.

Richard Church of Rhode Island, who owns property on nearby Prime St., asked whether the silos might affect the port authority's ability to attract cruise ships. "Is this something we want to jump right into in this economy?"

Gardner replied, "We don't need to dress ourselves up and be something we're not. People want to see working, small communities. We just need to be who we are."

Gardner added that the variance request is just the first step in a long process. "There are a lot of questions that need to be answered before we start building." The Department of Environmental Protection has not identified any stumbling blocks, he said, and other agencies also will be involved in reviewing the project. The Eastport Planning Board will have to approve the conveyor system that will be in the shoreland zone.

Concerning the timeline for the project, Gardner said he hopes that the infrastructure for the shipment of wood pellets would be completed by this time next year.

Stephen DeWitt, president of the North East Longshoremen's Association, which has 40 members, commented, "I've been there 25 years, and the only thing that's stayed is paper." Support was also expressed by David Morang, area manager for Cooke Aquaculture, whose facility abuts the port terminal.

One of the property abutters, Mary Bowles, who lives in Massachusetts, spoke in support of the project. Lora Whelan of Eastport also supported it, noting that the wood pellet venture would be using the county's resources in a sustainable manner and the silos would have a relatively light footprint on the land.