From the Town of Berwick Planning Board Meeting Agenda 6/4/2026:

• Conditional Use & Site Plan Review. Mineral Extraction. Off Ridlon Road(R2-15 & 8). R3 & AP Zone. Two Sisters’ Working Lands, LLC.
Kendra Marass presented on behalf of Two Sisters Working Lands LLC. The project proposes mineral extraction (sand and gravel) in seven phases of approximately 10 acres each, located off Ridlon Road past the end of pavement, across from Keay Road. An existing wood road will be widened to 24 feet with 1- foot gravel shoulders and is approximately 800 linear feet to the extraction area. No more than 20 acres of open pit area will be active at a time per DEP standards.

Key project details discussed included:
• Reclamation of each phase with loam, seed, and meadow mix following excavation
• Anticipated traffic of approximately 20 dump trucks per day average; hours of operation 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays and 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays
• Noise analysis indicating the crusher must be at least 725 feet from abutting parcels during initial clearing to meet the 60 dB ordinance standard; noise levels expected to decrease as the pit deepens
• The pit area is internally drained; a ditch and level spreader will manage runoff from the access road
• An existing 2-foot diameter culvert at the stream crossing will be replaced with a 4-foot diameter culvert
• Dust control via water truck and a 100-foot paved apron at the road entrance
• Three groundwater monitoring wells proposed; groundwater to be monitored quarterly per DEP requirements; minimum 5-foot separation from groundwater table required at all times
• No onsite fuel storage proposed; all equipment maintenance to occur offsite
• Correspondence is ongoing with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regarding potential wildlife concerns

A waiver request for a high-intensity soil survey was submitted; the applicant requests substitution with a medium-intensity USDA soil survey given site conditions. The Board agreed to table the waiver and seek additional clarification from the town's engineering consultant prior to acting on it.

Motion: George Claassen motioned to find the application complete.
Second: Niles Schore

VOTED – 5-0-0 in favor, Motion Passed.

In favor: Rick Raynes; Niles Schore; George Claassen; Megan Burgess; Daniel Hook
Opposed: None
Abstain: None 

Google AI Summary:

The Ridlon Road mineral extraction project in Berwick, Maine, is a major sand and gravel mining proposal by Two Sisters Working Lands, LLC. The multi-phase, commercial excavation pit—which spans approximately 70 acres off an undeveloped stretch of Ridlon Road—has triggered significant environmental reviews and neighborhood concerns. [1, 2]

Project Details & Logistics

• Applicant: Two Sisters Working Lands, LLC [1]

• Location: Off Ridlon Road (Tax Map R2, Lots 15 and 8), across from Keay Road. [1]

• Scope: Mineral extraction (sand and gravel) divided into seven phases of about 10 acres each. No more than 20 acres will be open/active at any given time. [1]

• Access & Operations: An existing wood road is being widened to 24 feet. The operation is planned for weekdays (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) and Saturdays (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), averaging about 20 dump trucks per day. [1]

• Reclamation: Each phase will be progressively reclaimed with loam, seed, and a meadow mix. [1]

Planning & Public Response

• Planning Board Review: The project has been undergoing Conditional Use and Site Plan Review. Recent planning board meetings and public hearings have been scheduled to address the proposal and noise analyses (including required buffer distances for heavy machinery and rock crushers). [1, 2]

• Community Concerns: The location has faced opposition from local residents and regional representation due to anticipated noise, impacts on property values, and increased heavy truck traffic on residential roads. [1, 2]

To get the most recent determination, view the official Town of Berwick Planning Board agendas and minutes for updates on project approvals and public hearings. [1]