In response to the opinion of Dec. 13 about mining in Maine, I am disappointed to see the same outdated tropes considering the robust mining rules that were established for Maine in 2017 (“Opinion: Maine Legislature needs to strengthen mining regulations”).

By way of background, I am a retired environmental geologist of 37 years and worked briefly on the Callahan Mine site on behalf of the Maine Department of Transportation, who represent Maine for the investigation and remediation process.

Notably, this mine was operated in the 1960s before any environmental regulations were in place. This holds true for the nation as well, with many abandoned mines in the western United States that also operated before environmental regulations existed. Everyone agrees that these sites caused environmental damage and many are still being cleaned up. However, despite it taking many years, the Callahan Mine remediation is close to completion, with the site posing no risk to human health.

Regarding mining rules in Maine, the Legislature directed the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in 2012 to develop new metallic mining rules. The subsequent rulemaking process involved a variety of interested parties including many environmental organizations.

The 2017 mining rules are based on modern scientific standards and focus on the protection of the environment and human health. Importantly, these rules require any mining company to guarantee financial capability to properly close the mine in accordance with the rules.

The statement that the DEP is not staffed with qualified scientists to address metallic mining is inaccurate and insulting. To the contrary, the DEP was involved in the recent revision of the mining rules to distinguish between metallic mining involving sulfide minerals that can produce acidic leachate, and the mining of inert metals such as lithium.

I encourage the writer and any others to contact them if they have questions regarding mining in Maine.

Keith Taylor

Hallowell