Maine needs balance

I have read articles about the Ethics Commission regarding Rep. Thomas Saviello. What I find puzzling is that if he has a special interest in that he works for International Paper as a compliance officer on environmental regulations, wouldn’t this be a benefit to the panel he was on?

I believe the Department of Environmental Protection has the health of us all at heart, but have any of you ever seen the rules and regulations that the DEP and other regulatory agencies are putting on industry and public endeavors in this country?

It seems the Conservation Law Foundation, the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Maine Rivers, among others, only want their opinions heard in Augusta. If Saviello was the only person on this panel there would be a real problem, but from what I have learned he is one of about 12 people on it. I, for one, would want to have people with some expertise on panels working on regulations for the good of us all, including representatives from the environmental community and industry.

If the CLF, NRCM and Maine Rivers were the only voices heard then Maine would be a wilderness park with no industry. There needs to be some balance.

Thomas A. Bonner

Alexander