Rep. John Martin of Eagle Lake offers no help to Maine’s growing auto graveyard problem.

A new law passed in the last session that would have helped Maine towns cope with auto graveyard problems has effectively hurt town efforts because of an amendment offered by Martin and ultimately placed in the bill.

The new law redefines junkyards and allows towns to mitigate violations if a violator does not follow a court order to clean up. That would have helped towns cope with junkyards and auto graveyards.

The problem came when Martin introduced an amendment, now law, that excludes anyone who is not primarily engaged in the business of selling vehicles, or parts of vehicles, from being an auto graveyard. These people are now defined as “hobbyists,” and their vehicles and vehicle parts can no longer be regulated whatsoever. Vehicles and parts covered in this “hobbyist” category include all vehicles, whether they are antiques, classics, street rods, horseless carriages or just plain vehicles being restored or their parts that will someday be reconstructed.

The amendment also follows another disturbing trend in recent years. It takes all power away from local governments that would like to pass ordinances that would be more restrictive than this section of law in any way. Towns cannot restrict the distance from abutters’ wells, property lines, roads, screening or restrict the number of these vehicles or the amount of time they can remain on a property.

Richard A. Marble, Farmington

Editor’s note: Marble in the code officer for the Livermore and Mount Vernon.