Blaine House Hopefuls Divided on LNG
Three gubernatorial candidates generally concurred on issues involving the future of families, education and jobs within Maine in a debate Friday evening at the University of Maine at Machias. But they sharply diverged on the prospect of liquefied natural gas coming to the Washington County coast.
"I don't support it, and our fuel problems will not be solved by LNG." — Pat LaMarche |
Republican Chandler Woodcock of Farmington, independent Barbara Merrill of Appleton and Green Independent Pat LaMarche of Augusta engaged in a forum that UMM hosted as "part of its commitment to public service," according to moderator Ronald Mosley, a UMM professor of business administration.
The candidates were speaking in advance of Maine's general election on Nov. 7. They are the only ones of the field of gubernatorial candidates who responded positively to the invitation to speak at UMM.
Gov. John Baldacci declined to take part because of a schedule conflict, event organizer and UMM professor Jon Reisman said.
The candidates made their presentations to an audience of about 45. The event was up against the musical for the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival, which drew 350 to the local church at the same time.
Mosley, Ruth Leubecker, a local journalist, and Marianne Thibodeau, an associate librarian at UMM, formed the panel that put questions to the candidates. A half-dozen additional questions, mostly about families, jobs and public education, came from the audience.
During the forum, the candidates were asked by the panel if they support LNG and where they would site an LNG facility in Maine, should various proposals gain federal approval....
LaMarche spoke adamantly against bringing LNG to Maine.
"I don't support it, and our fuel problems will not be solved by LNG," she said, showing her environmentalist background. "[One proposal] is on tribal land [at the Passamaquoddys' Pleasant Point reservation] and could be mired in federal legislation and the courts for eternity."
