I’m writing to rebut the LePage administration’s reasoning for pulling South Portland’s “business friendly” certification recently.

Your article (“LePage administration pulls ‘business friendly’ status from South Portland,” April 17) said the decision came on the heels of Portland Pipe Line Corp. suing the city.

But the story didn’t mention that the decision also came just weeks after the Maine Department of Health and Human Services was to move its district offices from Portland to South Portland.

Funny, I haven’t heard of any grumblings from that agency in the news. Nor have I heard of a mass exodus of Maine Mall tenants or large South Portland companies relocating because of uncongeniality.

And why not? Because it’s nonsensical, just like the LePage administration’s accusations that placing a ban on the dirtiest oil on Earth (tar sands) somehow means that a city isn’t business friendly.

What a cheap shot. And what a shame they aren’t listening to the citizens they serve, who continue to strive for the highest and best use of the land and natural resources. What price must Maine cities pay for such a status going forward?

The courageous citizens of many Maine cities and towns have stood by South Portland to help them choose the right course of action for all their neighboring towns and for New Hampshire and Vermont (where the 70-plus-year-old pipeline runs up to Canada.) The safest, healthiest, most sensible conclusion was not to allow tar sands oil to flow through New England and out Maine’s pristine deep-water port.

I’d much prefer to live in a city that forfeits a shortsighted and short-lived status label than one that welcomes horrific tar sands oil. I’m looking forward to South Portland thriving for the long haul tar sands-free, and I know I’m not alone.

Melinda Timpf

South Portland

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