I am writing in response to George Smith’s April 5 column, “Mining is not Maine’s future”). I agree that Maine’s brook trout are more valuable than gold — we are one of the few states that still have native brook trout.
Yes, blasting away our mountains to mine the precious metals that are searched for, also releases the toxic metals that do destroy our environment and fisheries with the runoff that Smith mentions.
Smith is an advocate for renewable energy as mentioned in his March 22 Maine Stream column, “Maine could (and should) be energy independent”). He is in favor of wind power, which also blasts away our mountaintops and releases the same toxic minerals that flow into our streams and lakes, killing our valuable brook trout, not to mention the scenic views that are lost forever when the windmills replace the mountaintops.
If the mining companies financially sponsored his website and outdoor news blog, as the wind companies did (First Wind), would he favor mining? If Smith really wants to protect Maine’s resources, he should think twice about how the financial support he receives influences his decisions on Maine’s environment.
Richard L. Harris
Fairfield
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