MOUNT DESERT ISLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Members of Maine's congressional delegation are working to authorize Acadia National Park to acquire 1,441 acres of land on the Schoodic Peninsula.
While Acadia says it has already been deeded the land citing a 1929 law authorizing them to expand the park, surrounding towns are concerned this threatens their own land.
While there have not been many people opposed to Acadia National Park annexing the Schoodic area, it's the question of whether this may happen again in the future, that concerns some, and next time that parcel could be controversial and impactful for taxpayers.
Acadia National Park officials say the Schoodic Peninsula land is theirs because of a 1929 law allowing donations of land to expand the park, but others say a newer bill from 1986 establishing the boundaries of the park is the one that should have been used.
Acadia spokespeople say they have been managing the land for years and a bill authorizing them to annex the land is legal.
“The land has been deeded to the United States government. It's being administered by Acadia National Park the same as it has been since 2011 under the conservation easement so we've had the legal authority to operate and manage it as Acadia National Park since that conservation easement was granted,” said John Kelly management assistant of Acadia National Park.
But Maine's congressional members are eyeing this move to make sure the National Park Service is not overstepping its boundaries.
“Any expansion of Acadia National Park must go through congress and we need to make sure that the national park service follows that law. There's a question of whether or not they have done this with this expansion and so we're weighing in to make sure that law is being followed,” said Congressman Bruce Poliquin.
Most people in the area don't mind annexing the Schoodic area, including the Schoodic Woods Campground, to the park, but it's what may happen in the future that has them worried.
Towns that surround the park are concerned the park may creep up on homes in their area. That issue was supposed to be cleared up by the boundary bill established in 1986, and now officials are wondering how this may affect taxpayer dollars.
“I think the main issue is the way in which the solicitor of the interior department determined that they could acquire the Schoodic Woods land. Well it might present an issue in the future if another piece of land outside of the boundary in the town of Mount Desert will wish to be acquired. That's a possible. Right now this particular piece of legislature doesn't affect us directly but it could,” said Durlin Lunt, town manager of Mount Desert Island.
Poliquin, along with two other members of congress, will be meeting in Tremont for a town meeting to further discuss this issue Tuesday.