Acadia looks to Congress to allow workforce housing on 50-acre property

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 11, 2022

In hopes of developing an approximately 50-acre property on Mount Desert Island into sorely-needed workforce housing, local supporters of the idea are looking for an act of Congress to make it happen. Federal legislation enacted in the 1980s dictated that the parcel — which is owned by Acadia National Park but is not publicly accessible — can only be developed into a transfer station. But since that legislation was approved, the need for an island-wide transfer station has vanished while the need for workforce housing has soared. Now, another vote by Congress is needed to develop that parcel for any other use.