No Maine jobs lost

My attention was drawn to a letter to your paper by Greg Webb of Orono (Dec. 18-19) in reference to the involvement of Sen. Susan Collins in assisting Alliance Shippers and the operators of the Presque Isle intermodal facility to secure permits to transport merchandise from Canada to that facility.

Webb may have good intentions, but he is misinformed. The products we are transporting from Canada are not manufactured in Maine, so no Maine jobs were lost. The fact is we have created jobs that are badly needed in northern Maine and expect to continue to do so. Our intermodal operations have resulted in much needed jobs for the fleet of drivers needed to transport the materials, plus a surge for the Presque Isle facility that is creating even more jobs.

I am privileged to be a major participant in this development and will continue to expand my efforts to enhance the vitality of the Maine economy in an area where every new job is precious. John A. Punola Director Northern Maine development Alliance Shippers Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.