Laidlaw Energy Group, Inc.(fka LLEG)

[berlin nh resident]

Little progress on former mill site one year after stacks came down.

BY CRAIG LYONS

BERLIN — One year after the demolition of the mill stacks, the site shows little sign of new development filling the void left by the mill. Monday marked the one year of anniversary when North American Dismantling demolished remnants of the former Burgess Paper Mill, but little progress in developing the 120 acre site has taken place. After the demolition, N.A.D. sought to divide the property into two lots. The Berlin Planning Board approved a lot line adjustment for the property, dividing it into two 60 acres parcels, according to City Planner Pam Laflamme. She added that N.A.D. hasn’t taken any legal steps to exchange the deeds associated with the lot line adjustment. Since the lot line adjustment, only one of the pieces of properties has a prospective buyer. “The Berlin Daily Sun,” could not find any information that there are any prospective developers for the second parcel of property. The Laidlaw Energy Group is planning to purchase a 62 acre parcel of the site, on the southern end of the property, including the former chemical recovery boiler. Laidlaw plans to install a 60 megawatt biomass facility on the site. The company estimated the project would create about 40 jobs, but also have a multiplier effect through other local industries. Louis Bravakis, vice president of planning for Laidlaw Energy Group, said the Berlin project is still moving ahead, but at a slow pace. Currently, attorneys are working out the finer points of the sale, according to Bravakis. He added the companies have already signed a purchase and sales agreement, and tendered a deposit for the property. Bravakis said he’s expecting the deal to be closed soon. Once the deal is closed, Laidlaw will need to start a nine-month permitting process, according to Bravakis. He added it will take several months for the company to assemble the necessary information for the permitting process. ISO New England is conducting an interconnector study regarding connecting the Laidlaw facility to the electrical grid. While the project is moving forward from Laidlaw’s perspective,the city of Berlin is seeing little happening with the project. “Everything seems to be on hold,” said Norm Charest, economic development director for Berlin. He added that he’s not sure what the reason might be. Little information regarding the site has been shared with the city, according to Charest. Because the city is not sure of the fate of the Laidlaw project, it has resorted to a reactive position “It’s a wait and see situation,” he said. While the city may be waiting to see before offering ideas for development at the site, the people of Berlin have voiced their plans for the site. At almost every public session for Berlin’s master plan, Laflamme said someone has mentioned development at the site. She added that ideas for the site will most likely be incorporated into the final master plan. In March, the city hosted a visioning session to gather the public’s thoughts and ideas for future development of the mill site. Laflamme said the majority of ideas focused on a mixed use site. She added this would include light industry, a business park, some commercial space and a possible residential property, if it’s warranted. A mixed use space was the main goal of Citizens for a New Vision, a group comprised of business people, residents and concern citizens. The group promoted looking at development other than heavy industry like the mill that previously sat on the site. Terry Block, a member of Citizens for a New Vision, said the group wanted to demonstrate what was possible at the site without the mill. At the March visioning session,Block said he presented his personal vision for the site that included retail spaces, residential space and light industrial space. But like the city, Citizens for a New Vision doesn’t have much going on at the moment because the group is waiting to hear a final verdict on the possible Laidlaw development. Rick Marcicki, president of North American Dismantling, could not be reached to comment on this story.

http://berlindailysun.com/