According to Gov. Paul LePage, it’s time to start defending business interests, as he put it, “with the same vigor that we defend tree frogs and Canadian lynx.”
In an otherwise even-handed tone, LePage outlined his partisan plan to repeal laws protecting the environment and public health. He ended his weekly radio address with the sentiment that this initiative puts “people before politics.”
But politics and persuasion are the only answer to he governor’s opening bid in a campaign to rein in regulators and repeal environmental laws. We believe most Mainers would stand up for legislation banning bisphenol-A, a potentially dangerous chemical, in the formulation of plastic cups and bottles for young children, and for laws aimed at keeping mercury out of landfills and incinerators.
LePage’s regulatory reform proposal seeks to relax air pollution standards, sand dune rules and vernal pool setbacks. He proposes to open an estimated 3 million acres in Maine’s Unorganized Territory to development. The agenda also calls for the repeal of a law requiring “medical sharps” to be shredded prior to disposal, and for recycling requirements to be eased for electronics manufacturers.
The legislative game plan also calls for the Board of Environmental Protection to be replaced by an administrative law judge. It argues that landowner permission should be required for data-gathering work on private land and that fines for environmental violations should be reduced.
This extensive agenda has aroused widespread and well-founded opposition. We hope the Legislature, which has shown bipartisan respect for the state’s natural resources, will be reluctant to reverse course on laws and regulations that protect many of the attributes that are prized in Maine.
“Democrats will not back down from our commitment to Maine people to protect clean air, clean water and our natural heritage,” said State Rep. Bob Duchesne, D-Hudson, in reply last weekend. “Frankly, we hope our colleagues across the aisle will stand with us to prevent the governor and special out-of-state interests from rolling back our strong environmental protections.”
It seems entirely reasonable to hope that a majority of Mainers, and their legislators, will be unwilling to go along with LePage’s broad attack on essential state laws and regulations.
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Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com.
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