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FOREST ECOLOGY NETWORK
Historic Victory for Maine's Forests
Paper Corporations' "Compact" Defeated
Augusta, Maine. November 5, 1997. An unusual alliance of
environmentalists and small woodland owners have defeated a
ballot question that would have enacted new timber harvesting
regulations in the state of Maine. Although the paper
corporations spent nearly $9 million to pass the measure over the
last fourteen months, voters rejected it yesterday by a 53 to 47%
margin.
"This is truly an historic victory," declared a jubilant Jonathan
Carter, Executive Director of the Forest Ecology Network. Carter
lead a citizen's referendum to ban clearcutting in November of
1996. The paper corporations and Governor Angus King drafted a
competing measure that defeated the citizen's initiative but
failed to garner the 50% needed to become law. The so-called
"Forest Compact" then faced Maine voters yesterday for an up or
down vote.
"It was a trick question," noted Carter. "It allowed clearcutting
and herbicide spraying to continue at or even above present
levels. The people of Maine rejected the paper corporations'
'Forest Compact' with the same gusto that they would a 'Tobacco
Company's Compact to Protect Kids' Health'." Acknowledging the
support from smaller landowners that was critical in defeating
the measure, Carter said "Most small landowners in Maine are
doing a good job managing their land. The facts are that seven
large corporate landowners are doing 78% of the clearcutting and
fully 98% of all forest herbicide spraying in the state."
The task of defeating the measure was daunting. In addition to
literally owning half of the state, the paper corporations'
collective power and influence in Maine are legendary. A very
popular Governor, as well as state officials working at
significant taxpayer expense, lobbied for the Compact's passage.
Every major newspaper and television station urged voters to pass
it. Outspending opponents almost three to one, Compact supporters
waged a campaign based on questioning the credibility of
opponents and being vague when it came to explaining the details
of the 27 page bill. Nevertheless, opponents of the Compact
managed to get the truth out to the Maine voters.
The forest debate now returns to the state legislature, where
bills that would bring an end to cut-and-run forestry and reward
landowners that manage their land responsibly have been put forth
by several parties. Reflecting on the challenges that lie ahead,
Carter said, "The people of Maine made it clear yesterday that
they will remain steadfast in the defense of our common heritage,
and that any solution that threatens the long-term economic,
ecological, and aesthetic integrity of the Maine Woods will
remain no solution at all. Now that the Compact is behind us, we
hope that all parties interested in the formation of sound forest
policy can come together in a spirit of mutual cooperation."
ends
Forest Ecology Network, Box 2218, Augusta, Maine 04338.
Phone: 207-623-7140 Fax: 207-623-7512 Email: fen@igc.org
World Wide Web: http://www.powerlink.net/fen
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