Central Maine Power plans to profit from our loss by carving up the Maine woods. Are we supposed to sit back and say, “It’s not going to be that awful”?

Maine’s North Woods are a treasure that belongs to all of us. Our rights are protected in part by the Land Use Planning Commission and specifically the nine appointed commissioners. The following counties each have a seat on the commission: Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington. The Penobscot seat is currently vacant, and the Somerset seat is being filled soon.

No contact information is provided for the commissioners on the state website, www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/about/ commissioners/index.shtml. However, you can contact them through Bill Hinkel, the commission’s permitting and compliance regional supervisor, at bill.hinkel@maine.gov.

Just because Central Maine Power has already purchased the land necessary for this invasive project does not give them the right to destroy our environment.

Here is the list of commissioners to contact and express your opinion: James May of Mapleton, Millard Billings of Franklin, Betsy Fitzgerald of Machiasport, Robert Everett of Bethel, William Gilmore of Freeman Township, Durward Humphrey of Benedicta Township and Everett Worcester of Orneville.

Presumably these people love the Maine woods as much as we do.

Wendy Mae Chambers

Jackman