Supporting Seth

I write to voice my strong support for Seth Berry for State Representative for Maine House District 55 (Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Richmond) in this year’s election. Seth Berry has a proven record from his previous legislative service (2006-2014) of fighting for things that will make a difference in our lives. He has fought for and obtained stronger investment in innovation, infrastructure, small business support, early childhood care, and education. He is able to work across the aisle, and led the signature bipartisan committee of the 126th Legislature (2013-2014) which passed landmark, bipartisan legislation to boost Maine’s workforce and economy. He has listened to his constituents, kept his promises, and never walked out on a vote.

As the mom of two small children, I am especially concerned with issues that are going to shape their future, and I want policymakers who take that future seriously. Seth Berry’s track record demonstrates that he is one of those policymakers, and he gives me great hope because of his experience and leadership in two key areas. The first is education: I am counting on my children receiving a solid public education that will help to enable them to find success as adults. Seth Berry has tremendous experience with education, including 18 years as a teacher and teacher leader. From those years in the classroom, Seth knows what it is like in public schools for both teachers and students, better equipping him to legislate on educational issues. The second key issue for me is the environment. As our planet warms and the climate changes, we need someone in office who has a proven track record with the environment. Seth Berry has previously sponsored many groundbreaking and bipartisan environmental laws to help control pollution both on land and in the air, he helped to pass Maine’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and he consistently supports legislation to invest in cost-effective efficiency and renewables, including solar.

Seth Berry is the kind of advocate my kids need in our state government, and I look forward to voting for him on Nov. 8.

Liana Knight,
Richmond

Time for a Speed Limit

A couple of weeks ago a few friends and I paddled kayaks along the Kennebec River from Arrowsic into Merrymeeting Bay. I had not made the trip in several years. A steady stream of very fast and extremely loud motor boats was speeding up and down the river from Bath into and out of the Bay. A condition I did not recall in the past. We were visually and acoustically assaulted. It was decidedly not safe for us to cross the river. We were forced into staying near the shore. Several of the motor boats were exceeding 50 miles per hour. Because it was Sunday and hot we had to assume that at least some of the people driving those boats had been drinking. It is remarkable that a few individuals can so change the atmosphere for so many. One cigarette-type boat can disturb the peace for everyone for miles around. What right do those people have to create more noise than would certainly be considered illegal if on shore? There is no speed limit on the water when outside a harbor. No license is required to operate any noncommercial water craft. I have seen, over the years, many ill-advised maneuvers on the water. Sooner or later there is going to be a serious incident with an ultrafast speed boat and another, slower craft. Furthermore a good number of the fastest boats were rented to out of state residents. The operators of these craft presumably had very little experience operating a boat of this type. This is just another example of pollution: sound, light, ai, and water all are affected by the increase in extremely inefficient water craft, to say nothing of the hazard to slow and efficient self-propelled or wind-propelled boats. I am no fan of regulation, but I do not understand why a few people can monopolize a resource that is there for the public. It is time for a speed limit on the river with a hefty fine to back up the regulation.

Bart Chapin,
Arrowsic

Leave it in the Earth

A couple of months ago we read in these pages that Angus King had traveled by nuclear submarine to the Arctic and was excited about the oil drilling possibilities being made possible by climate change and melting glaciers. At the time I was dumbstruck by the obvious contradiction. It didn’t seem possible that this enthusiasm could continue in the light of reason.

Has climate change, resulting in large part from fossil fuel extraction, become an economic boon for the energy giants? If this is taken seriously, we should all be objecting as loudly as we know how to do.

I’ve read that the melting will also allow the United States to gain military advantage over Russia, which has the largest land border with the Arctic.

Now I learn that Sen. King has convened a meeting of “The Arctic Council” on Oct. 5 to discuss the ‘benefits’ of an open sea for future development in the region due to climate change.

The meeting will take place at the Portland Museum of Art. The choice of location suggests that the culturally literate among us are expected to support corporate business plans without considering the tragedy this implies for all living things on our planet.

I confess to being stunned by what appears to be disregard for natural science and long-term self-interest.

But then, one of the many things we’re hearing nothing at all about is the bio- and geo- engineering of natural systems that is supposed to allow us to continue our tragic approach to mining our planet for short-term gain. Perhaps that is the thought process being celebrated?

I am shocked and embarrassed by this announcement and will join in a protest outside the Museum at noon on October 5 and hope you will too.

Rosalie Paul,
Brunswick