Gov. King’s new proposal to severely limit emissions of mercury, while aimed at all industries, clearly is, as he said in announcing the plan Thursday, “a cocked gun” pointed at HoltraChem.

And the Orrington company, if it would stop acting so picked on and abused for a moment, would realize its own actions have made it a target and its own actions will determine whether the trigger is pulled.

Yes, HoltraChem has reduced air emissions and water discharges of mercury substantially since it bought the plant in 1994. That is laudable, and in ordinary circumstances, would make the company deserving of a nice plaque for environmental achievement.

But improvements in production techniques are one thing; the pattern of mistakes, accidents, stonewalling and alibi-making are quite another. It’s not HoltraChem’s normal operating mode that’s driving the governor, a growing number of legislators, the DEP and just about everyone downstream and downwind nuts. It’s the sloppiness, the carelessness, the repeated threats of closing the plant if the state doesn’t back off.

With every mess up, HoltraChem asserts that more stringent regulations could force it to lock the gate and toss 72 people out of work. At least the company realizes this is a bottom-line issue. The bottom line is that 72 jobs, while valuable, don’t match up well against the health threat to an entire regionful of people and a to a riverful of fish.

No, HoltraChem is not responsible for all the mercury floating around Maine’s air and water. A lot blows in from plants in the Midwest, but Maine has a notoriously tough time telling Ohio what to do — that’s a federal function. Trash incinerators also contribute, but the operators of those plants, while not overjoyed by the governor’s proposal, are talking about specific detail problems to be ironed out, not about shutting down.

Companies that use or produce dangerous materials must be held to a high standard. More importantly, those companies must hold themselves to a high standard. The overflows, the discharges, the unclosed valves, the unanswered alarms suggest that is not the case at HoltraChame. If the company is in the governor’s sights, it’s because it walked into the line of fire.