Outdoorsmen say no need to rush mining legislation
By Jon Gulliver
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Jeff Reardon of Trout Unlimited now knows more about mining than he probably ever imagined he would and he said by no means is he an expert, but after sitting in on legislative hearings on proposed changes in the law to facilitate mining at Bald Mountain near Portage he still has more questions than answers about any possible negative environmental effects.
In an interview at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club Sportsman’s Show on Saturday, the Maine Brook Trout Project Director for Trout Unlimited voiced some of his concerns.
“Right now the language that is on the table, we’re opposed to,” Reardon said. “We think it goes too far and rolls back what our current mining regulations are.”
Reardon says his group is not opposed to mining but their biggest concern is this is an enormously complicated and technical issue and there are so few experts on it in Maine.
“Talking to colleagues of mine who work in areas of the country where there is a lot of mining — Pennsylvania, Montana and Michigan — they are concerned about what was proposed,” he said.
Reardon, of Manchester, said the region provides one of the best brook trout fishing experiences in the country and he is afraid of possible runoff which could contaminate the lakes, rivers and streams and in turn harm the trout.
“The biggest problems with these mines is that the mining activity may take place on the site for 20 or 30 years, but the potential environmental problems can happen 30, 40, 50 years after the mine closes,” Reardon said. “Current law requires the mining company to set up a trust fund which is held by the DEP so that anything that happens in the future could be cleaned up. Those standards are being relaxed quite a bit in what was proposed.”
The group also encourages the Maine legislature to slow the process down, so more expert opinions can be heard. Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, submitted the bill two weeks ago. He said he was prompted to introduce it because of the increasing price of minerals and the potential for mining gold, silver, copper and zinc on Bald Mountain. J.D. Irving owns the land along with Prentiss & Carlisle.
Sean Mahoney of the Conservation Law Foundation last week testified before the lawmakers. He also urged patience in crafting new mining regulations. Mahoney said he hopes lawmakers will defer judgment on the bill and instead spend the rest of the year studying the issue before next year’s legislative session.
“Other places have been through this, let’s take the time to get it right,” Reardon added.
