To the Editor:
On July 14, Maine lawmakers sent a formal letter with credible documentation to DEP Commissioner Loyzim and the Board of Environmental Protection regarding their findings on the CMP Corridor. Bill Hinkel, BEP Executive Analyst, ordered “the Board members have been instructed to disregard the letter for the time being.”
The state’s legislative branch is known as the “people’s branch” because it most closely represents the citizenry. These legislators put the Department of Environment Protection on notice – a state agency whose commissioners are appointed by the executive branch (governor) – calling out its failure to properly enforce permit specifications on Maine’s most controversial and litigated project.
The department had awarded three inspectors the job of ensuring compliance on a 145-mile project which should have 13 inspectors. By delaying enforcement and/or cessation, they are ushering in CMP’s destruction of Maine.
Board members were “instructed to disregard” OUR legislators – elected officials properly representing and fighting for Maine and Mainers. This is the essence of “checks and balances”, yet the state agency is now rebelling against this constitutional provision/intent.
This same type of behavior is not limited to just the DEP. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands granted a permit to cross Maine public lands without legislative approval. That permit is ONLY granted through a legislative vote required by Maine constitutional law. It was put into law by Mainers for Mainers. It’s your land. Not Spanish, Canadian, Massachusetts or a private corporation’s land. Public lands belong in public hands.
The DEP and MBPL are flagrantly avoiding their duty, dishonoring the legislature and the citizenry by purposefully and unabashedly “disregarding” their correction/rebuke. That’s an absolute dereliction of responsibility to the people of the state of Maine.
Vote YES November 2 to STOP the CMP Corridor and fight political corruption!
Todd Towle
Kingfield
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