In the 50 plus years since the concept was first proposed, the Wiscasset bypass has faced a number of obstacles ranging from irate environmentalists to distressed property owners grappling with the possible forced sale of multigenerational homes.
The latest threat comes not from government red tape or taxpayer concerns but rather a Bald Eagle’s nest that has brought the $100 million project to a screeching halt just as transportation officials were set to begin preliminary engineering work.
Officials from the Maine Dept. of Transportation expressed surprise at the discovery, but are confident that an alternative will be found.
“The groundwork is in place so I don’t anticipate this to drag out for years, probably closer to 6-12 months,” said DOT’s Gerry Audibert.
According to Audibert, the eagle’s nest lies “smack in the middle” of the proposed route on a section of Edgecomb’s Davis Island. DOT officials learned of the undocumented nest in June and immediately consulted the US Fish and Wildlife to discuss possible options.
In November, the DOT was informed that the nest was protected and the Army Corps of Engineers would have to reissue a Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA). The discovery and consequent impact of the nest has some Lincoln County residents shaking their heads.
“With all due respect to the eagle, it seems like they could, should be able to move it. To have a project of this size be derailed by a nest seems kind of ridiculous,” said Anthony Marlowe of Edgecomb.
According to a document submitted to the DOT by Sarah Nystrom of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an eagle’s nest remains protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA). While no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act, the continued preservation of the Bald Eagle remains a priority.
BGEPA allows for the taking of a nest only under four conditions including removal for public safety, removal for a net-benefit of an eagle, or if the nest prevents the use of a pre-existing human-engineered structure.
In the case of the proposed Wiscasset Bypass, there are a number of alternatives that would leave the eagle’s nest intact and result in little disturbance of the site, maintains Nystrom.
While it’s not entirely back to the drawing board, Audibert concedes that the development is frustrating.
A previous study by the DOT identified a longer route, known as N2a, as a preferred option, a conclusion supported by the Federal Highway Administration, which faced little opposition from the Midcoast Bypass Task Force. The Army Corps of Engineers ultimately chose the current proposed route, N8c, because it had fewer natural and cultural resource impacts.
The DOT is in the process of evaluating whether to resubmit an application or to support one of the remaining alternatives. A meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15 with the Midcoast Bypass Task Force, which will include time for public comment.
