Mainebiz

V O L . X X I N O. X X I V O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 5 10 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E recently over issues with its use of ammonia, seeking as much as $320,000 in penalties. e Bangor Daily News reported Oct. 8 that the EPA's complaint against Penobscot McCrum LLC included concerns about safety measures and emer- gency planning regarding the plant's use of ammonia in its freezing and refrigeration operations. A represen- tative from the EPA's New England Regional Offi ce told the BDN that it isn't aware of any injuries caused by the ammonia refrigeration system. e federal agency's biggest concern is the lack of capacity to respond to a major ammonia release emergency. e EPA representative said the $320,000 sought by the federal agency is the statutory maximum and a stan- dard procedure in such situations, but the agency has made a confi dential settlement off er to the company. Jay McCrum, owner of the company, told the paper the plant has been work- ing with the Waldo County Local Emergency Planning Committee to create a better emergency plan and that the plant doesn't pose a danger to nearby residents. Gouldsboro lobster processor plans to boost production A lobster processor in Gouldsboro plans to add up to 75 new employees as it expands production with the help of a new investor, the Ellsworth American reported. Maine Fair Trade Lobster, founded in 2012 by two seafood distributors, Garbo Lobster and East Coast Seafood, is looking at building employee housing to expand its 150-employee workforce to around 175 to 225. Undercurrent News, a sea- food industry publication, reported in July that the expansion was made possible by investment from Seafood Investment Group, owned by Jacksonville, Fla.-based asset man- ager Forum Capital Group. Company offi cials told the Ellsworth American that the investment it will enable the company to add products, improve logistics and increase operating effi - ciencies. Maine Fair Trade processed 4.3 million pounds of lobster in 2013, 7.5 million pounds in 2014 and expects to process more than 9 million pounds this year, the company told the paper. Garbo, the largest buyer of live lobster in Maine, is based in Groton, Conn., and sells live lobster worldwide. East Coast Seafood is a subsidiary of American Holdco Inc., a Lynn, Mass.-based company whose subsidiaries process and distribute seafood worldwide. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T U.S. Cellular built a new cell site in Steuben that will bring new coverage in the towns of Steuben, Milbridge, Gouldsboro, Harrington, Cherryfi eld, Addison and Columbia. Camden National Corp. announced that its board of directors declared a dividend of $0.30 per share payable on Oct. 30, 2015, for shareholders of record on Oct. 19, 2015. The bank also unveiled a new logo and brand to coincide with its upcoming merger with The Bank of Maine. Jaret & Cohn, a real estate fi rm with offi ces in Belfast, Camden, Rockland, Vinalhaven and Waldoboro, has joined RE/MAX and will be known as RE/ MAX Jaret & Cohn. First part of EMMC's $305M expansion to open next year e fi rst phase of a $305 million expan- sion project at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor is expected to open by the end of March 2016, the Bangor Daily News reported. e eight-story, 350,000-square-foot addition will include a 32-bed cardiac telemetry unit, a 29-bed neonatal intensive care unit, a new entrance, lobby, gift shop and din- ing area. As part of the second phase of the expansion, which is already under- way, the hospital will consolidate its car- diac services and add 14 new operating rooms, a new post-anesthesia recovery room and a renovated labor and deliv- ery unit. ose projects are scheduled to be completed in 2016 and 2017. When hospital offi cials fi rst broke ground on the expansion two years ago, they estimated the project would cost about $287 million. e project is being funded by a combination of bonds, MaineCare settlement funds paid by the state, operating cash and equity and private contributions, the BDN reported. e hospital had announced in March 2014 that it was facing a $7 million short- fall because of reduced government reimbursements, fewer patients than expected and an increase in unpaid care. But hospital offi cials told the BDN that the hospital closed last fi scal year with a slim positive operating margin and is projecting a 5.4% operating margin for the fi scal year that began Oct. 1. 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