Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Another View: Poland Spring is a good Maine business unfairly smeared

Anti-bottled-water activists are running down the kind of employer we need to keep.

By DANA CONNORS

- I am writing in response to the recent letters baselessly attacking one of our iconic Maine businesses, Poland Spring. It is regrettable that a small group of activists is willing to jeopardize the livelihoods of hundreds of Mainers in an effort to push its agenda.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dana Connors is the president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce.

Maine people have been hit hard by the recession. As many businesses struggle to stay afloat and with unemployment rates still high, good-paying jobs with quality benefits are increasingly hard to come by. However, even in these tough economic times, Poland Spring has continued to contribute to Maine's economy.

The company employs hundreds of local residents and spends millions of dollars every year with local Maine businesses. We need more responsible companies investing in our local economy every year, not less.

Our natural resources have supported us and created economic opportunity for generations. Since the mid-1800s, Poland Spring has added value to our state's plentiful spring water by sustainably bottling it and, in the process, creating hundreds of jobs for Mainers. It's in Poland Spring's best interest to protect local water resources and keep them healthy. It's in our best interest to support this important Maine business.

The activists contend that Maine doesn't benefit from Poland Spring, but their assertions just don't hold water. Poland Spring has continuously proven its commitment to investing in Maine people, creating jobs and protecting our groundwater.