Amazon's proposed warehouse in Gorham has cleared the state's environmental review, but the approval spells out exactly how the job has to be built.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved environmental permits for the warehouse and distribution center off Main Street, WMTW 8 reported. The department found the project won't "adversely affect existing uses, scenic character, air quality, water quality or other natural resources in the municipality or in neighboring municipalities."
The project
Friday's order approves a facility of about 146,280 square feet on undeveloped land in Gorham's industrial park, according to WMTW. The project is expected to create about 20.5 acres of developed area and alter about 39,660 square feet of freshwater wetlands.
Conditions that shape the job
The DEP attached several requirements that will affect how construction is done, WMTW reported:
- Mitigation fees first. Amazon must pay for 1.187 wetland credits and 13 stream credits through Maine's In-Lieu Fee program before construction begins. At current rates, that's about $342,853.
- Third-party inspector. An independent inspector must oversee construction.
- Blasting plan. A site-specific blasting plan is required before any blasting within 500 feet of off-site buildings or wells.
- Bat season pause. No tree trimming, cutting, drilling or blasting from April 15 through Sept. 30, to protect migrating and breeding bats.
That last condition is a big deal for scheduling. It essentially limits clearing and rock work to the fall and winter months.
How the in-lieu fee works
Maine's In-Lieu Fee program lets a developer pay into a fund instead of building replacement wetlands or stream habitat on its own. The state then uses that money for restoration and conservation projects elsewhere. For a developer, it means a known cost up front instead of a separate mitigation construction project.
In this case, the order requires the payment before construction begins, according to WMTW. That puts the roughly $342,853 near the top of the project's pre-construction checklist, alongside the blasting plan.
Wetlands on an industrial lot
Altering about 39,660 square feet of freshwater wetlands is a bit less than an acre. On a site with about 20.5 acres of new developed area, that means crews will be working close to protected areas. Silt fence, stabilized entrances, sediment basins and careful limits of disturbance are all part of that kind of job, and the third-party inspector will be watching.
Opposition
More than 100 people and organizations opposed the project during a DEP public meeting in Gorham in July, WMTW reported. Residents raised concerns about noise, lighting, air quality and wildlife.
The department said concerns about traffic, public safety and property values were outside the scope of its review under the state environmental laws that apply.
Still facing a court challenge
Gorham's Planning Board approved the project in September. Earlier this month, the citizens group Gorham United appealed that decision, asking a court to overturn the approval and send the project back for more review if needed, according to WMTW.
Hello Contractor News covered the residents' lawsuit earlier. The state permits don't resolve that case.
Why it matters for contractors
A warehouse of this size is a solid job for southern Maine site, concrete, steel and building envelope contractors. But the DEP conditions make it a more complicated one.
The April 15 to Sept. 30 pause on tree work, drilling and blasting means clearing and rock removal will have to happen in the colder months. In Maine, that means frozen ground, short days and winter weather. Site contractors bidding this work will need to plan for that window, or face waiting most of a year.
The blasting plan requirement within 500 feet of off-site buildings or wells means pre-blast surveys, vibration monitoring and careful planning. And with a third-party inspector on site, crews should expect close attention to erosion control and wetland boundaries.
The local appeal adds uncertainty. Until the court rules on Gorham United's challenge, it's not clear when, or whether, construction will start. Contractors interested in the job should watch that case closely.