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Candidates' Forum: Republicans back N-power, differ on Sunday hunting

Five hopefuls for governor spoke in unison on many issues to a Forest Products Council forum.

By Susan M. Cover scover@mainetoday.com
MaineToday Media State House Writer

AUGUSTA — Five Republicans running for governor said Thursday they all support bringing nuclear power to Maine, all oppose a national park in the North Maine Woods, and are all leery of a constitutional amendment to protect fish and wildlife funds.

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GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Abbott, right, responds to a question Thursday during a forum at the Maine Forestry Products Council in Augusta.

Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal

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They differed over Sunday hunting.

The forum hosted by the Maine Forest Products Council featured five of the seven GOP candidates, with Bruce Poliquin and Sen. Peter Mills, R-Cornville, unable to attend.

The format gave attendees a chance to talk about energy issues, government consolidation and the state's regulatory environment, and to address an audience of people who work in forestry, farming, fisheries.

When questioned on energy issues, the five all said they support bringing nuclear power to the state, but did not go into detail. They also offered other ideas concerning state energy policy.

Les Otten said he served on the state task force that made recommendations for taking advantage of the state's wood-to-energy potential. He is a director of a Bethel-based wood pellet stove company, Maine Energy Systems.

Otten said the wood-to-energy report ended up "on the bottom shelf of a closet in the Blaine House."

"When oil is back to $4.50, this state is going to be in crisis, and we have no energy plan," he said.

Maine & Co. President Matt Jacobson said the high cost of energy is the biggest deterrent to starting a new business in Maine. "It's time for a governor to lead on this issue," he said.

William Beardsley, former president of Husson University in Bangor, said any effort to diversify the state's energy portfolio must include a number of reliable sources.

"There's no way we're going to produce Aegis destroyers with wind alone," he said.

The candidates had particularly harsh words for the Land Use Regulation Commission, which oversees 10.4 million acres of unorganized territory in northern Maine.

"LURC, like the Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency, have become control freaks," said Waterville Mayor Paul LePage. "The state of Maine needs regulatory oversight, not regulatory control."

Otten said the board is not as professional as it should be.

"I don't believe LURC is a viable government agency anymore in the state of Maine," he said.

Jacobson said he favors Sunday hunting.

"I can drink a beer on Sunday, why shouldn't I hunt on Sunday?" he said.

Otten said he wants to study the issue while Steve Abbott, former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, said he opposes it because of issues with landowners.

LePage said he supports it, but would want to leave it up to landowners to decide.

Beardsley said he opposes it. "It think that's a time for family, faith, things like that," he said.

On consolidating the state's four natural resource agencies, Abbott said the state does not have the kind of information it needs to make sure government is working effectively.

"We should audit all state spending and use the audit to determine how agencies are performing," he said.

Unlike the Democrats -- all of whom said they would support a constitutional amendment to protect funds dedicated to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife -- Republican candidates at the forum uniformly opposed it.

Abbott, LePage and Jacobson said they would be very careful about supporting any amendments to the state constitution. Beardsley said he opposes "dedicated funds," and Otten said he doesn't like the idea of funding something "in perpetuity."

On a lighter note, the candidates took the opportunity to poke fun at the current Legislature, particularly lawmakers from the Portland area.

In response to a question about whether the size of the Legislature should be reduced by one-third, Abbott said he believes there should be fewer lawmakers. He said it would help rural Maine because there would be fewer lawmakers from Portland who "hatch and promote kooky ideas in this state."

LePage picked up on the theme. "In southern Maine, yes, there's a lot of kooks down there," he said.

Registered Republicans will vote June 8 to choose the GOP candidate to represent the party in November.

MaineToday Media State House Reporter Susan Cover can be contacted at 620-7015 or at:

scover@centralmaine.com