BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 28, 2024
A state environmental board on Wednesday morning imposed a quarter-million dollar fine on the Worcester family for building more than 50 unpermitted cabins in Washington County. The Worcesters, who recently scrapped their plans to build an enormous $1 billion-plus veterans history park in Columbia Falls, did not get state approval to develop more than three acres and did not take any measures to control erosion or sedimentation at the cabin site. It requires the Worcesters to file an after-the-fact application by March 1 for a permit for the already completed work. Susan Lessard, chair of the board, said that the Worcesters have had five years to apply for the required state permits. She characterized the violation as “egregious,” and said she worries the enforcement and compliance process will drag out even further if the state does not set a hard deadline.