Identity theft protection
AARP Maine commends the Legislature for its recent override of Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of LD 382, An Act to Amend the Allowable Security Freeze Fees Charged by a Consumer Reporting Agency, which will provide free protection against identity theft for Mainers.
Thanks to the veto override, the current fees to place or remove a security freeze on credit reports will be eliminated. Because a security freeze safeguards a person’s credit report, it is one of the most effective ways to protect consumers from identity theft. Without access to this sensitive information, an identity thief is unable to obtain credit in that person’s name, thereby greatly minimizing the potential damage from the attempted identity theft.
On behalf of our 230,000 members in Maine, I applaud the Legislature’s wisdom in supporting this strong legislation to help Mainers safeguard their credit reports. Identity theft can have devastating long-term consequences and a majority of those individuals targeted in these crimes are older adults.
LD 382 positions Maine as a national leader in proactive protection from identity theft as we are the third state in the nation to offer this security freeze at no cost. During an era of unprecedented data breaches, the passage of LD 382 could not come at a better time. AARP commends bill sponsor Sen. Rod Whittemore, R-Skowhegan, and legislative leaders for their support of this important legislation.
Rich Livingston
AARP Maine Volunteer State President
Auburn
Welcome immigrants
I am frankly surprised at our governor’s response, as well as many of his Republican cohorts, to the issue of immigrants coming to and residing in Maine. I would think that, instead of making life more difficult for these people who have often fled unimaginable horror, the governor and the Legislature, would welcome them with open arms, doing all they could to keep them here.
With Maine having the oldest state in the nation, a stagnant population and declining workforce, welcoming these immigrants into Maine could do so much to help our beleaguered state. It could increase our dwindling workforce, add to our declining population and bring us youth, vitality and diversity. Seems to me that this is a win-win for our state.
How wonderful it would be if we became a state of inclusion, hospitality and welcome instead of exclusion, poor shaming and prejudice.
Ellen Farnsworth
Berry Township
Protect clean water
I am thrilled with the newly finalized Clean Water Act protections from the Environmental Protection Agency, which will restore protections to more than half of our nation’s streams and millions of acres of wetlands.
The rules clarify protections for our nation’s headwater streams and adjacent wetlands. According to a recent Trout Unlimited report, nearly 60 percent of all stream miles in the U.S. are considered small, intermittent or headwater. The small streams that will be protected by the rule provide drinking water for 117 million Americans.
The Clean Water Act, championed by Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine, has served to protect our nation’s waterways from pollution for more than 40 years. But for more than a decade, most of our nation’s streams and many of our wetlands have been stuck in a legal limbo caused by two divided U.S. Supreme Court decisions, actions of previous administrations and inaction by Congress.
The legal confusion has had real consequences for our clean water resources. For example, the rate of wetlands loss increased by 140 percent in the wake of the Supreme Court rulings.
Protecting waterways from pollution is critical to maintaining clean water for drinking and recreation, as well as safe and healthy fish and wildlife habitats. This also is good news for the U.S. hunting- and fishing-based economy, which generates $200 billion in annual economic activity and supports 1.5 million jobs.
For all of these reasons, I encourage Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King to support the newly finalized Clean Water Act protections.
Lee Margolin
Harrison