Letter to the editor: Pickett Mountain mine would pollute

My grandfather worked for a mining company for 32 years until he died 2,000 feet below the surface at age 59, when I was 6 years old. His health was diminished by his life in the mines.

I defy anyone to find a mining community where the air is clean and one can drink the water and eat the fish and game. Wolfden’s deceptive branding of “Environmental. Sustainable.” on their Patten office window is an insult to Mainers’ intelligence. There is no question their proposed Pickett Mountain mine would pollute. Acid mine tailings pose a threat to water and air quality, as do the processing or smelting of ores.

The state’s Land Use Planning Commission has an important role to play and they must reject this proposal now. Wolfden’s proposal is an extreme change of use and sharply contrasts with the LUPC charter. Some say, because of Maine’s strict mining rules, there is little risk to the environment. Similar arguments were made before the state took ownership of the Juniper Ridge Landfill, where promises proved valueless and there is a constant threat of pollution and fire.

Wolfden has shown its predatory nature by making statements like “There are no Indigenous rights in Maine.” While we continue working to restore full sovereignty for Maine’s Wabanaki tribes, we know that what is good for the Wabanaki is good for Maine. Wolfden’s zoning change would be bad for both.

Ed Spencer
West Old Town