LOCAL Announcement :: Environment : Globalization : Maine Department of Transportation : Protest Activity : Sears Island

Sears Island: radio debate and teach-in June 5th and 6th

Author

Ron Huber

Date Created

04 Jun 2008

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Sears Island defenders to debate island development wannabe Ken Cline of Maine Sierra Club on WERU Community radio Thursday June 5, AND hold rally, teach-in outside Maine DOT port meeting, on June 6, Searsport.

For Immediate release.

Contact Harlan McLaughlin, Fair Play for Sears Island. 207-548-9962
brRon Huber, Penobscot Bay Watch 207-691-7485

Searsport. On Thursday Friday, June 5th and 6th, opponents of the proposed state/NGO agreement to allow the paving over of at least one third of Sears Island as an industrial port zone will hold a radio debate and a rally, teach-in and press conference outside a meeting of Maine DOT's Sears Island Joint Use Planning Committee. More about Sears Island issues.

The radio debate will pit Ken Cline, Maine Sierra Club's Conservation Chair, and another person, against Harlan McLaughlin and Peter Taber of Fair Play For Sears Island.

It will be held on Thursday, June 5, 10-11am. WERU Community Radio. All are welcome to call in with their questions, facts and opinions. The toll free number is 1-866-625-9378. Local call in number is 469-0500. WERU also streams live on the web at www.weru.org

The meeting and teach-in is being held at the Searsport Congregational Church on Church Street in Searsport, from noon to 3 pm. All are invited.

"Everyone - port supporters, port opponents, fishermen, windjammers, and the just curious - is welcome and urged to come and speak their mind and quiz representatives of all points of view," said Harlan McLaughlin, president of Fair Play for Sears Island. "We will brainstorm how to derail this runaway 'joint use' train."

He noted that the JUPC will have a public comment item on their agenda, and urged the public to come offer the Joint Use Committee their point of view.

Critics of the state plan, including representatives of Fair Play for Sears Island and Penobscot Bay Watch - and numerous other citizens of Maine - say approval of the proposed division of the island would create a fast track for would-be container port developers, threatening Penobscot Bay's biggest wild fish nursery and degrading what scientists agree is the unique and irreplaceable island/nearshore waters ecosystem of Sears Island, which hosts members of virtually all Maine coastal species.

They are also concerned about a decision by the Maine Sierra Club chapter , as well as Islesboro Island Land Trust and Coastal Mountains Land Trust to support conversion of one third of Sears Island to an industrialcontainer port.

"Sierra Club has always been a staunch opponent of port development on Sears Island," said Jody Spear, Sierra Club Conservation Committee member. "The mitigation banking of Sears Island makes a travesty of the conservation ethic. The present leadership has not explained to its members why it is willing to be used as a pawn in the Federal Wetlands Mitigation Banking tradeoff, destroying the island in order to 'save' it."

Port opponents have asked Sierra Club to defend their position on Sears Island in a debate on WERU Community Radio, but have received no response.

This lively discussion of the issues will take place on Thursday, June 5, 10-11am.

"Sierra Club is playing duck and cover in their support for industrial development on Sears Island," Ron Huber of Penobscot Bay Watch said. "We think they should come out and either explain their support, or admit their error and withdraw their endorsement for the Joint Use Plan for Sears Island."

All are urged to listen and call the show with questions and information or opinions. The toll free number is 1-866-625-9378. Local call in number is 469-0500. WERU also streams live on the web at www.weru.org

Mainers have repeatedly shown support for keeping the island wild. In 1996, they fended off Angus King's port plan for Sears Island. Governor Baldacci bowed to public opposition in 2005, backing off on a Sears Island LNG port plan.

"Why is Governor Baldacci bringing back a plan for industrial development?" Huber said. " Destroying the most ecologically precious parts of Sears Island and its nearshore eelgrass meadows to build and operate a noisy air polluting container port is like torpedoing Noah's Ark," he said.

The Searsport Congregational Church is located on Church Street next to the Searsport Marine Museum in downtown Searsport. Sears Island is the largest undeveloped coastal island on the Atlantic coast of the United States.

For more information contact:Harlan McLaughlin, Fair Play for Sears Island. 207-548-9962 or Ron Huber, Penobscot Bay Watch 207-691-7485

More information and updates at Penobscot Bay Blog

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Re: Sears Island: radio debate and teach-in June 5th and 6th

Current rating: 1
04 Jun 2008

by Anonymous

LOCAL Announcement :: Environment : Globalization : Maine Department of Transportation : Protest Activity : Sears Island

Sears Island: radio debate and teach-in June 5th and 6th

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