Letters to the Editor
This letter is addressed to anyone in Maine who cares about the future of this land and our families. There’s a really dangerous piece of “Emergency” legislation in Augusta that’s hiding behind the name “An Act To Ensure Proper Disposal of Debris and Protection of the Environment”.
This bill, LD 141, will essentially market Maine as the dumping and incineration grounds of the Northeast and open Maine to a flood of out-of-state toxic trash. It will force into effect new DEP rules on the incineration of construction and demolition debris. These rules are based on information obtained from studies funded by the some of the same waste corporations that stand to benefit from the bill. The Board of Environmental Protection (BEP), a citizen’s board which is charged with ensuring “credible, fair and responsible public participation in [DEP] decisions,” has been studying these rules, which would allow for the incineration of millions of pounds a year of plastics, arsenic-treated wood, and wood coated with paint containing lead and mercury, and result in massive amounts of out-of-state waste being trucked into Maine. The BEP was not convinced that the rules would be protective of public health, and voted for a 30-day Public Comment period on the rules.
That Public Comment period would be eliminated by this bill, which would override the BEP’s decision and force the Board to accept the DEP’s rule changes on incineration of construction and demolition debris immediately.
Representative Joanne Twomey has proposed an amendment that would replace the current wording of the bill with a year long moratorium on any new permits for incineration of construction and demolition debris - whether she can get this moratorium voted on is not yet known.
This bill cannot go into effect until it is voted on by the House of Representatives and Senate. Community groups “We the People” in Old Town and CAPIT in Athens are encouraging people to call their representatives and to come down to Augusta to participate in the public process and be heard.
Information on when the vote takes place should be available through the Legislative Info Office at 800-301-3178. People concerned about this bill can find and post information online at maine.indymedia.org and www.wethepeoplemaine.com.
Sincerely,
Hillary Lister
Athens, ME
To All State Senators And Representatives,
You must vote no on LD141, unless they vote to include Senator Twomey’s amendment.
IF YOU PLAN--- to ensure proper disposal of debris and to protect the environment.
IF YOU PLAN--- to protect the health of your family, your friends, the communities and the state.
IF YOU PLAN--- to allow the BEP and DEP to do their job properly: to protect the people and the state.
Then we expect you to vote for the right thing, or else you will be:
- allowing millions of tons of C.D.D. from out of state, to be burned and piled into our landfills here in Maine.
- allowing the burning of tens of millions of pounds a year of plastics, wood painted with paints containing lead and mercury and arseninc-treated wood. You will ok the release of poisons in the air.
- helping to pollute and to destroy Maine
- helping to ensure that pollution lawsuits from Canada and Europe plague the taxpayers for decades.
- helping a large waste disposal industry to purchase Maine for their own use and profit and to cause the demise of a great state — “so goes Maine” — lost to lack of leadership.
It appears to all of us that most politicians are more interested in helping the big industry — maybe thinking they can keep a few jobs here that will be going off shore. Anyway, get their votes and paycheck at the expense of all the people of Maine and live happily ever after away, from the CDD burning plants and the poisoned water; dirty burning and a bad picture.
Thank you for reading this, and for helping all the people. Please be sure to inform your constituents of your no vote on LD141 and your yes vote for Senator.Twomey’s admendment.
David Mercier & Family (USN -Ret)
Athens, ME 04912
Letters to the Editor are most welcome and even encouraged! Email editor@allmainematters.com or send it via USPS to PO Box 788, Kingman, ME 04451.
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