Maine Democratic Party

For Immediate Release:
September 2, 2010

Contact:
Mary Erin Casale
mecasale@mainedems.org
(207) 622-6233

It's Heating Up

PORTLAND- The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is "warning people that the air quality in Maine over the next several days will likely be the worst in several years. Ground-level ozone concentrations are expected to reach unhealthy levels along the entire coast of Maine today and spread inland tomorrow."

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the same agency that Republican nominee for Governor, Paul LePage, is going to go after on "Day 2" of his administration. It's the same agency that LePage claims has "too much power" and "puts companies out of business." LePage cited a non-existent buffalo and black-fly study to back up his claims. No evidence of either study exists.

Today, the Maine DEP explains that "ground level ozone is formed by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sunlight. Man-made sources of NOx and VOCs include automobiles, trucks and buses, large combustion and industrial sources such as power generating facilities..." The DEP in part helps regulate emissions and protects Mainers from the very same hazardous air conditions affecting the state today.

LePage has also said he is "deathly against preservation" and on an ultra-conservative radio show, he agreed that global warming is merely a "scam."

"Today Mainers are suffering from the poorest air quality in over a decade and Paul LePage wants to eliminate the very agency that protects us from that," said Arden Manning, Victory 2010 campaign manager. "Our environment and our natural resources are our greatest source of economic development and a LePage administration would put them both in jeopardy. Paul LePage would move our state backwards when it comes to basic environmental protection and conservation of our natural heritage. "

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