To the editor:
This is to express my strong opposition to proposed LD 1853 intended to “streamline” the permitting process for metallic mineral mining in Maine. This industry-backed bill would, in part, facilitate open-pit copper and other metals mining on the slopes of Bald Mountain in Aroostook County.
Bald Mountain is in T12 R8 about 20 miles west of the towns of Portage and Ashland. It is located on the watershed divide in the pristine headwaters of the Fish River and Machias River basins. The Machias is a tributary of the Aroostook River.
In 1985, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP), estimated (in Open-File Report 85-174) that the copper deposit, centered in the Bald Mountain Brook watershed, was about 850 feet deep with a projected surface area of 22 acres.
At the time of this writing, LD 1853 was being rushed through the Legislature’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources by its chief sponsor Rep. John L. Martin of Eagle Lake. The 32 pages of draft legislation were unveiled for public inspection less than a week ago!
Based on my review, the environmental protection weaknesses and risks in the proposal — crafted with the help of the Maine Forest Products Council and Aroostook Timberlands — are many, but the primary one is the very minimal opportunity for public participation during the permitting process. As an aside, MDEP currently has only two Portland-based mining inspectors with oversight responsibilities for 889 relatively large gravel pits and quarries in Maine.
I had to chuckle when I read in The Star-Herald that MDEP mining waste water treatment standards “require treatment to make water drinkable.” This was according to Anthony Hourihan, the director of land development for J.D. Irving, Limited.
If the Environment and Natural Resources Committee fails to table this fast-track proposal, I encourage you to join me in voicing concerns to the Legislature’s Aroostook County delegation.
Steve Sutter
Presque Isle
