Mr. Wight’s record

The Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee takes up today the renomination of Steve Wight to the Land Use Regulation Commission. The public hearing, at 1 p.m. in the State Office Building, promises a noisy afternoon of firsts.

It will be the first time a nominee of Gov. King’s has faced substantial organized opposition, the first time the mighty Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine has opposed a King nominee and, as a result, the first time the Maine Forest Products Council, a major land-use stakeholder and an organization usually not at all shy about expressing its views, will sit one of these things out. It is not, of course, the first time a public official with a long record of making hundreds of difficult decisions has been attacked – or abandoned – for making a couple of very difficult decisions.

Mr. Wight, owner and operator of a cross-country skiing business in Newry, has been a LURC commissioner for 14 years, he is one of seven on the commission that serves as the planning board for Maine’s 10.5 million acres of unorganized territory. It is a huge expanse of land, vast and remote areas in 14 of the state’s 16 counties, with land uses that vary from industrial forest to pristine wilderness, the landowners from multinational corporations to backwoods campowners, all reflected in the scope of decisions facing LURC.

In his three terms, Mr. Wight has made 619 of those decisions which, considered as a whole, demonstrate a thoughtful and balanced approach to protecting natural resources, encouraging economic development and respecting the right of property owners. He has, to cite a few examples: worked to revise the comprehensive land-use plan to guide new development toward existing development and to protect unspoiled areas; supported irrigation permits for agriculture; approved many other small-business applications; approved energy projects ranging from wind power and solar to natural gas pipelines; supported the protection of wildlife habitat and expansion of sporting camps; supported the rafting industry, snowmobile trail improvements, the rebuilding of the Churchill Dam and backed improvements to state parks and other outdoor recreation facilities.

He also has supported 42 out of 43 public boat ramp proposals that have come before LURC. It is that one he did not support – Spencer Lake in 1977 – that has put him on SAM’s list for removal from office. SAM, according to executive director George Smith, also opposes Mr. Wight because he initially opposed the ultimately approved ramp at John’s Bridge and supported the Passamaquoddy Tribe’s unsuccessful bid to build a bingo hall in Albany Township.

SAM’s opposition to Mr. Wight is narrowly focused and, in the case of the tribe’s property rights, contradictory. In contrast, Mr. Wight’s record reflects the diverse land-use demands of that half of the state under LURC jurisdiction and is remarkably consistent. Today’s hearing will not be the first time a legislative committee has been called upon to tell the difference.