Residents in the northern Penobscot county town of Patten are raising questions about a proposed metallic mineral mining project.
Ontario-based Wolfden Resources held a public meeting with its community advisory committee Wednesday to discuss its application to the state to rezone 400 acres.
Among those who turned up at the Wolfden office in Patten was Esther Harte, a seasonal resident of nearby Island Falls, who worries that the project could have far-reaching impacts on ground water sources.
"I think the water quality is paramount in this decision, paramount," Harte said.
Other residents voiced support for the project.
Several people traveled from the Pembroke area Downeast, where residents halted a Wolfden mining proposal last year.
Dwayne Tomah is a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe from Pleasant Point, near Pembroke. He spoke about the concerns residents had about the Pembroke project.
"Historically, mining operations don't have a very good record, so it's really about a money-grabbing scheme, scam," Tomah said.
The Land Use Planning Commission has yet to schedule a public hearing on the rezoning request. If approved, Wolfden would be allowed to do further studies for the project. It would still need the approval of the Department of Environmental Protection to begin mining.
