Crandall says paper industry still vital part of state’s economy, Maine Public reports

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

January 6, 2017 In the News, School of Forest Resources

Maine Public reported the death of Maine’s pulp and paper industry is highly exaggerated, according to a preliminary report by Mindy Crandall, an assistant professor of Forest Management and Economics at the University of Maine. Crandall told those attending a Forest Resources Association meeting in Brewer that despite the closing of eight major biomass power generators and paper companies, forest products are still a vital component of Maine’s overall economy, according to the report. “We tend to hear a lot of the bad press about the forest products industry and we sort of don’t take into account the real historical view,” Crandall said. “The fact is we’re in about the same historical position in terms of its economic impact and value as we were in 2011. So yeah, some mills have closed and some of those were big important mills, but the mills that are still remaining tend to employ a lot more people and have a lot more output than the ones that have closed.” Crandall said her preliminary findings suggest that despite the loss of 1,800 jobs in the papermaking and biomass energy sectors, the forest products industry will have a 2016 sales output of $8.5 billion, compared to $9.8 billion in 2014, Maine Public reported.