On Wednesday, Dec. 13, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Solid Waste met in Augusta. Several concerned citizens were present at that meeting, as were the corporate representatives who want not only to keep the status quo, but elevate the problem of importing out-of-state-waste for energy. The agenda was for public comments to begin at 10 a.m. for the people to weigh in on all of this, many leaving their jobs at their own expense to testify before the commission.

First up, Jack Cashman from the governor’s office. Second, Don Meagher of Casella, who rambled for an hour! The third to speak was Edward Paslawski of Red Shield (environmental?). It’s now time for lunch. John Martin (co-chairman) doesn’t return for the afternoon session. As co-chairman there is no need for him to get input from the public. My curiosity wonders if Casella’s campaign contributions to the Eagle Lake PAC in 2001-2002 come into play on that. Don’t any of you wonder why a simple definition of what is and is not out-of-state-waste has become so difficult for the BRC to determine?

The entire commission is a joke and a waste of taxpayers’ money. There is only one person on the commission who really cares, and that is outgoing Rep. Joanne Twomey of Biddeford. She gets it. The rest of the commission members are what my dad used to call “four-flushers” (five are needed for a flush), i.e., fakes. The attitude is, “Let’s make it look like we are doing something. Now that the election is over we can do what we want (Baldacci and his commissioner of economic development, Jack Cashman, who I submit are behind all of this).

Check out Baldacci’s statements as congressman on the bottle bill. At that time he stated, “Maine doesn’t have enough landfills.” You can find this at the law library in Augusta. This governor is giving the entire state to out-of-state firms all over the Northeast and allowing Maine to be filled with out-of-state trash in all its forms. I’m sure that the $56 million of highway maintenance funds that was used for the General Fund to help make the state budget look rosy before this past election will give us all great comfort as we hit potholes and contemplate a bond for repair of which we have already paid for, with taxes already paid once.

What’s insane about this is that trucks carrying out-of-state waste are damaging our roads. Every time a complaint is aired, the shift seems to go to Maine’s logging trucks, at least in my experience in this matter. Anyone who is willing to work as hard as the men and women in the logging industry have my respect and have already paid for their road use in more ways than one.

If you’re a true Mainer, you know what I’m talking about. Maine should not become a dumping ground for all of the Northeast and beyond. We don’t deserve this.

Charlie Gibbs lives in Alton.