That is when the company asked the Land Use Regulation Commission to rezone 90 acres in Sapling Township which will allow the company to construct a mill capable of producing 200 million board feet of dimension lumber a year. The commission will discuss the request on June 9 when it meets in Greenville.

Simko said recently that town officials were bound by a confidentiality agreement that changed when the project became public. After a worldwide search for land in which to build the sawmill, Marra approached Greenville officials about his plan. And up until about a month ago, the sawmill was slated for the town's industrial park, which had the right combination of wood, rail and three-phase power, he said.

When it appeared there would not be enough room in the industrial park for the proposed project, Marra moved it across the town line into Somerset County, about 12 miles from Greenville, Simko said.

"This is literally a Piscataquis County project which jumped over the county line," Simko said. Piscataquis County and Greenville are the most apt parties to provide a number of basic services to a mill of this size since the next nearest service center is Jackman, 40 miles away, he said.

Simko said he has high hopes that this investment will lead to significant job growth in Greenville through future complementary business growth to the sawmill. The waste stream from the mill will both bolster the biomass steam plant and also make possible many composites and engineered wood products plants, he explained. The use of the railroad also will play a key role in the new mill, which should make the rail line a higher priority for its owners.

"We have to be patient, it's going to take time for the mill to happen," Simko said. One thing he is certain of, however, is that SMIS Group LLC has the financial and human capital to complete the project.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Monday, June 07, 2004 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."