WESTBROOK, Maine, March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of
Westbrook and Sappi Fine Paper North America announced today a
collaboration to study opportunities for the recreational and
economic development of the Saccarappa Falls stretch of the
Presumpscot River in downtown Westbrook. Options to be examined
include the potential removal of Sappi's hydroelectric dam located
at the Falls and to provide effective fish passage while preserving
the aesthetic value of the site. As part of this collaboration,
Sappi will provide the City with engineering resources and
expertise as well as explore the donation of land along the
Presumpscot River to the City of
Westbrook.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130306/NE71923)
As a major employer in the Westbrook community, Sappi looks
forward to working with the City to protect this stretch of the
Presumpscot River for all users and to contribute to the vitality
of Westbrook and the region. In exploring alternatives, the City
and Sappi will specifically focus on ensuring timely and effective
fish passage at Saccarappa Falls for blue-black herring, alewives,
shad and other species. As a part of this collaborative work, the
City and Sappi will work with local and state agencies as well as
environmental groups to identify, study, and implement chosen
solutions.
"The Presumpscot River runs through the heart of our community
and we think it is the key to our environmental and economic
revitalization," says Mayor Colleen
Hilton. "The more natural and accessible this stretch of
river becomes, the more likely it is that fish species will
flourish, and recreational use of the river will expand. We hope
that all of our stewards of Maine's rivers, including Sappi and the
regulatory agencies, can look back on this as a significant moment
in time."
The City of Westbrook is
currently in the midst of a number of other initiatives with
public, private and non-profit organizations, including Sappi, to
improve the overall quality of life in Westbrook. The City has made recent
investments in the "River Walk" along the Presumpscot, giving
residents more access to walking trails that connect several major
public parks. The City will also install ramps and floats in the
river this spring to promote kayaking and other recreational uses
of the river. With Sappi's support, the City of Westbrook has filed a grant
application with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) to explore the potential impact of dam
removal and to provide successful fish passage while maintaining
the natural aesthetic of the site.
"It's important to Sappi that we invest in the communities in
which we operate, especially in a city such as Westbrook, where our
history dates back to over 150 years," says Donna Cassese, managing director, Westbrook Mill, Sappi Fine Paper North America.
"We are embarking on this collaboration in hopes that it will yield
the most positive results for the people who live, work and play
around the river, while keeping in mind the impact our decisions
have upon the environment."
Sappi is dedicated to upholding its commitment to the Westbrook
community as well as working within the constraints of its
licensing requirements from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. The City of Westbrook
and Sappi Fine Paper North America are excited about this
opportunity to meet both the needs of the environment and the
community.
About The City of
Westbrook
The City of
Westbrook has a population of 17,494 and sits on the western
edge of Portland, Maine's largest
city. Westbrook is home to some of Maine's largest employers including Sappi,
Idexx, Disability RMS, Acadia Insurance, and Synergent & Maine
Credit Union League. Westbrook is also a key player in the
Portland and Mountain Division
Trail systems; host to some significant snowmobile trail linkages;
and has many other unique environmental attributes such as
Millbrook Stream and the City Forest. Westbrook has begun to
look at low impact development and energy alternatives that create
balance between environmental preservation and economic
development.
About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper
North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent
North American producer of coated fine and release papers and
market pulp headquartered in Boston,
Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly
recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium
magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. The
company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for
the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including
the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers
provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in
footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the
textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths,
flooring and other decorative surfaces. An integrated pulp and
paper producer, with state-of-the-art pulp mills, Sappi is the
third largest seller of hardwood pulp in North America.
Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited
(NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000
employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven
countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world.
Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.
For further information:
William D. Baker
Assistant City Administrator, Business & Community
Relations
City of Westbrook Maine
Office: 207-591-8101
wbaker@westbrook.me.us
Joanna Rieke
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sappi Fine Paper North America
Office: 617-423-5409
joanna.rieke@sappi.com
SOURCE The City of Westbrook;
Sappi Fine Paper North America