As the lead sponsor of the water quality legislation referred to in the recent OpEd column, “Regulations That Serve No Purpose,” (BDN, March 25) I must take exception to the assertion made by the column’s authors that the proposal – a proposal that is supported by hundreds of Androscoggin River Valley residents, the Maine Medical Association, the Maine Rowers’ Association, and many other groups and individuals – provides “no tangible environmental benefits.” In fact, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, LD 99, if enacted, would result in 30 percent less pollution in the Androscoggin River downstream of the paper mills and two-thirds less pollution on the St. Croix. This reduction in pollution under the stronger standard is hardly a negligible difference.

Furthermore, the argument that the proposed legislation would impose enormous costs on a number of Maine paper mills and thus threaten jobs makes no sense. According to a recent state study, the number one problem facing our pulp and paper industry is lack of adequate investment. It is investment that keeps our paper mills competitive, and it is competitive mills that provide the best guarantee of jobs long term. Lowering water quality standards serves neither our state’s millworkers, nor our environment.

Rep. Elaine Makas

Lewiston