Dear Friends--
This week, we turned our focus to the very serious issue of fire safety in light of the rash of powerline-caused wildfires that burned in Maine last weekend. These fires served as a grim reminder of the real threat CMP’s corridor project poses to our vast wilderness.
Last year, the Maine Federation of Firefighters sent a letter to Governor Mills outlining just how unprepared we would be if a wildfire were to spark within the first 100 miles of the proposed route. For the first 70 miles, there isn’t a single fire department to respond. The next 30 miles are covered by only three volunteer fire departments that lack the equipment and resources required to fight wildfires under those conditions.
It is a common misconception that wildfires aren’t really a concern here in Maine, but as this unusually active fire season has shown us, that isn’t necessarily true. CMP often uses the fact that Massachusetts ratepayers are picking up the tab for their for-profit project as a selling point to Mainers, but it’s important to consider that in the event of a wildfire, it’s the Maine taxpayers and volunteers who will be liable to extinguish forest fires; not CMP or the Massachusetts ratepayers.
So please, take to your keyboards this week to draft letters to your local papers. Make sure that your friends and neighbors are aware of the risks associated with CMP’s high voltage line.
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Activist of the Week
This week, we would like to recognize Kate Weatherby of New Sharon. During the signature gathering process, Kate was instrumental to making sure the inner workings of headquarters ran smoothly. From assembling packets to sorting petitions, Kate regularly went above and beyond to make sure that signature gathers were well equipped to complete the task at hand. Kate also gathered many signatures herself, helping with election day efforts and traveling all over the state to cover events. She was truly an unsung hero of the signature gathering process, and we were so lucky to have her on our team.
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Thank you all for your continued support!
Best,
Sandi Howard