This is in response to Sen. John Nutting’s comments in the Sun Journal regarding the Auburn Sewerage District (Oct. 23).

The Auburn Sewerage District was recently selected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for a National First Place Award in the combined sewer overflow category as part of the 2006 U.S. EPA Clean Water Act Recognition Awards. The second-place finisher was the city of Little Falls, N.Y. The award was presented at the National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Ceremony in Dallas, Texas.

The award was received solely because of the insight, professionalism, hard work and dedication of Norm Lamie, John Storer, Andy Farris, Craig Millet and the rest of the staff of the Auburn Sewerage District. In the last few years, the ASD ratepayers and taxpayers have funded $12.5 million (local dollars) to eliminate five of the 11 combined sewerage overflows.

Sen. Nutting chooses not to commend the ASD, but take a negative approach. His comments that “I hardly think that they were the best in the state” makes one wonder if the significance of the award is fully understood. I think that comments made by Dave Deegan, spokesman for the EPA’s New England office, summed things up nicely when he said, “I don’t want local politics to diminish giving the people of Auburn a pat on the back.”

This is a very significant accomplishment that should be recognized. Please give credit where credit is due.

Pat DeFilipp, president,

Auburn Sewerage District Board of Trustees