On July 10, the Sun Journal editorial praised the condition of the Androscoggin River. I was both delighted in this recognition and disappointed.

The editorial finally recognized how much the river has changed, and noted that the river’s water quality has improved and is still improving. The editorial recognized that people actually swim in and boat on the river. It also took time to focus on the world-class fishery present in the river.

Unfortunately, the editorial then slammed the Legislature for not taking action. As was written, “Science, unfortunately, took a back seat to politics.”

I strongly disagree.

The Environment and Natural Resources Committee weighed the information presented by the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay to change the lower Androscoggin River’s classification. We listened to the hard work they did for a year collecting more than 600 one-minute data points on the river’s condition. Unfortunately, there are more than 8,000 one-minute data points in one day. Their hard work was not a fair sample of what really happens daily in the river.

Even with the small sample size, I asked Sen. Seth Goodall to see if we could work something out with the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay and the Department of Environmental Protection. They could not, without totally destroying the present river classification system in the state.

That classification system is based on science.

The committee voted unanimously not to change the state river classification system. Politics did not win the day, science did.

I would also note, the editorial did not point out one reason why the river is so improved. The hard work done by the paper mills and municipalities upstream was not mentioned. Maybe it is time to give them some credit.

In closing, I would ask the editorial writers to get the whole story before writing. I do not think that is too much to ask.

Sen. Tom Saviello, Wilton