Along the Androscoggin River in Leeds and Turner, nearly 2,600 acres of state-owned land sits undeveloped and, some say, unappreciated. There’s only one entrance to the area, trails are minimal and largely uncared-for, and no one oversees the land as a recreational center.

Local lawmakers and land preservationists hope to change that.

They want the Maine Department of Conservation – using private funds and state money already earmarked for conservation projects – to start planning to turn the Androscoggin Riverlands into Maine’s newest state park.

Backers picture a riverfront park with water access for paddlers, trails for ATV riders, hikers and others, facilities for visitors, and official management to ensure the area is properly maintained. They would also like to see the park connected to Lewiston-Auburn and Turner through the river and a network of trails.

If the park develops as proposed, it would be the first state park along the Androscoggin River – now cleaner after once being named one of the 10 dirtiest rivers in the country. The state park would also be the first in Maine linked to an urban downtown.

“We envision a time when canoe or kayak outfitters are renting boats to people in Lewiston-Auburn staying in hotels. They go up to the state park, they can paddle along the rivers and they can paddle straight back down into downtown,” said Jonathan Labonte of the Androscoggin Land Trust.

The land trust and the Androscoggin River Alliance began talking about the state park proposal a few months ago. State Sens. Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, and John Nutting, D-Leeds, joined the discussion soon after. They believe such a park – located within an hour’s drive of half the state’s population – could be an economic boon to the region.

According to Neil Ward, program director for the Androscoggin River Alliance, 2.1 million people visited Maine’s state parks last year, pumping $55.5 million into nearby towns with purchases that ranged from food and gas to clothes and beach toys. He also credited state parks for more than 830 vendor-related jobs.

“This is not just some warm, fuzzy thing we’re thinking about for our future,” Ward said. “This will have a real economic impact.”

The state already owns the Leeds and Turner land, acquiring various parcels over the past two decades. The most recent addition – 326 acres at Turner Cove – came last summer. ATV riders, cross-country skiers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts freely use the property’s woods, fields and river, but there has been no regulation of the land and overuse of certain areas has been a problem.

“That is really hurting the park’s land value somewhat,” Nutting said.

Rotundo, Nutting and other lawmakers on Thursday officially asked the head of the Maine Department of Conservation to begin the state park planning process, studying what the area would need for facilities, looking into what it would need for development and how the state can maximize its use.

In a letter to Commissioner Patrick McGowan, they asked the department to seek planning money through the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and other state programs with money earmarked for land conservation. They also asked the commissioner to look into private funding.

Although the state doesn’t have the money to develop the park now, backers say it is a good time to start planning – especially with private funding.

“It’s about getting things in place so that when the economy does bounce back we’re ready to move forward. I’m so sensitive to what we’re dealing with here in terms of potential cuts. I don’t want anybody to think, ‘Oh, here they are planning a multi-million-dollar park when people don’t have heating oil,’ ” said Rotundo, senate chairwoman of the influential appropriations committee.

It is unclear how much planning will cost or how much it will cost to develop the park once that planning is complete. McGowan said the planning process could take about six months.

Maine hasn’t created a new state park in more than 25 years. The last one was Swan Lake in Swanville.