LaMarche Demands Return of $26M in Taxpayer Monies

Portland, Maine — Gubernatorial candidate Pat LaMarche said today the current governor is turning Maine into a toxic waste dumping ground and that he is continuing his practice of deliberately hiding plans to burn more toxic material at the Old Town biomass boiler. At a press conference yesterday, the incumbent pointedly avoided answering questions about what would be burned in the biomass boiler.

"The current governor has refused to answer one simple question: is this facility going to be burning construction and demolition debris?" said LaMarche. "Every other state in New England has banned the dangerous practice of burning construction and demolition waste in biomass boilers. The current governor is turning our beautiful state into the dumping ground of New England," said LaMarche.

Burning construction waste releases poisonous substances such as mercury, lead and arsenic into the air. In 2004, over 80 per cent of the 600 million pounds of construction and demolition debris burned in Maine came from out of state sources.

New Hampshire's Governor, John Lynch, recently extended a moratorium on burning construction and demolition debris, saying, "The burning of construction and demolition debris poses dangers to the health of New Hampshire's citizens and the health of our environment."

By extending the moratorium, Lynch said he wasn't going to allow his state to "become the new dumping ground for this toxic material."

That distinction is unfortunately reserved for Maine.

LaMarche also demanded that the incumbent give an accounting of the $26 million of taxpayers' money that went into upgrading the biomass boiler. According to news reports and information made available to the public, the upgrading of the boiler has not been done.

"Two years ago the current administration brokered a deal that sent $26 million of taxpayers' money to Georgia Pacific and Casella Waste Systems so these parties could burn debris at the Old Town Landfill and protect 450 mill jobs at risk. Two years later, the jobs are gone, the mill is gone, and Maine taxpayers are left holding the garbage bag — not to mention the toxic debris. Where did the money go? Will the boiler burn toxic debris? We need answers from the incumbent, not empty promises," said LaMarche.

LaMarche said the Attorney General should demand that Georgia Pacific return the missing $26 million of taxpayer money.