To the editor:
The citizens of Maine have made it clear to the legislature they we are not willing to sacrifice the environment that provides us with beauty and economic opportunities to the interests that will destroy it through mining. There have already been numerous hearings about mining regulations.
Many people have gone to testify and overwhelmingly those testifiers have strongly advocated for the protection of Maine’s environment. Still the legislature continues in its quest to defy the will of the people and force inadequate mining rules into reality.
There will be another hearing on Monday, May 11 at 9 a.m. in Augusta (room 216, Cross Office Building).
The process to get to this newest hearing has been convoluted and confusing. It does not allow for easy citizen participation. A final draft is not yet available to read. Although the Environment and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) has spent many work sessions on this issue, it still does not answer a basic question that I have had since the beginnings of this in 2011.
We are consistently told that there is new mining technology to treat the water used in the mining process that removes all toxins and contaminants. That is where ends. There is no explanation of that technology or even any references to where anyone could find further information. Listening to the ENR Committee on April 27, it is clear they are confused about this also.
I have researched and cannot find a single example of a mine that does not leach toxins either during active mining or after closure. They all require perpetual treatment at taxpayers’ expense. It is as true of modern mines as it is of 100 year old mines.
Mining rules will rely heavily on the honesty and integrity of any potential mining company when they present their mining proposal. Mining companies are notorious for their willingness to violate environmental law and risk being fined because fines are not punitive enough to discourage violations. At Bald Mountain we will be relying on the integrity of JD Irving. Irving has a history of violating child labor laws, forestry practice laws, and environmental laws.
There are no provisions in the proposed mining rules to ensure that mines will employ Maine workers. A mine at Bald Mountain will likely only last 5-10 years. If metal prices drop it would close sooner. There are no provisions for worker retraining or to help towns that are left economically devastated by a mine closure.
The mining rules do not require mining companies to put up sufficient financial assurances to deal with an environmental disaster. The tailings pond, which contains contaminated mine waste, at the Mount Polley mine in British Columbia failed last August. The entire tailings pond emptied into the Polley Lake. The Mount Polley mine is modern using modern technology. A failure at Bald Mountain would release arsenic and sulfuric acid into the Fish River Chain (FRC). The FRC is known as one of the best sources of brook trout in the nation. Contamination that ruins that would be economically devastating for Aroostook County.
I do not know how you calculate how much money would be sufficient to remediate that kind of disaster but the proposed rules will not provide for it.
Please consider going to Augusta on May 11 to let the ENR committee know how much we value the environment and way of life in Aroostook or submit written testimony to: Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, c/o Legislative Information, 100 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.
Please let your State Representative and Senator know that you value the Fish River chain and all that it currently provides us.
Shelly Mountain
Mapleton
