Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
Protecting Maine’s coast
I am a young fisherman making my living for the last decade in Frenchman’s Bay. I recently attended a hearing by American Aquafarms, which is deceptive with its name for a starting point. The areas this Norwegian-backed company is proposing to turn into industrial aquaculture with two 50-plus acre leases for large fish pens, is heavily fished by lobstermen and has been for years. I am not a fan of foreign corporations making their money at the expense of Maine people.
I hope before anything moves forward, that the Department of Marine Resources denies this lease. We need to take a hard look at this company and all the large-scale aquaculture rules that have been put in place so that out-of-state and out-of-country interests don’t own one of Maine’s greatest treasurers: our coast.
Zach Piper
Hancock
Not a climate denier
I’m writing in response to the Dec. 23 OpEd, “Climate is a Winning Issue.” I’d be surprised if my comments are printed, but at least I’ve tried.
I am not a climate denier. I have learned over the years how scientists and historians have viewed our Earth. The Earth has warmed and cooled, been wet and dry many times over millions of years. Mountains were once ocean bottoms and deserts were once lush forests and vice versa. Once, neither pole had ice and what is now separate continents were once a single land mass. Sea levels have raised and lowered and land masses have risen and subsided.
I read a book at the Abbey Museum in Bar Harbor that said Schoodic meant “Burnt Place.” I understand from history that the First Peoples burned parts of the forest for hunting and farming. Forest management doesn’t seem to be done much any more, particularly in California.
Our land has been drained, dammed, plowed, tarred, covered in concrete and built on. We have the largest population in the history of the planet. Of course storms have more impact.
Do people really believe that other countries, many of whom view the United States as the enemy, would give a hoot about climate change if we weren’t contributing billions of dollars to their economy?
I’m sure humans have a better chance of surviving climate change, as they have for thousands of years, than a nuclear winter or major nuclear disaster. Wouldn’t it be wiser to spend those billions on figuring out how to deal with nuclear waste?
Edesse Fox
Prospect Harbor
COVID-19 vaccine concerns
Last week, I received my first dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. It was not an easy decision because of my stance on pro life. Many vaccines these days are researched with aborted fetal cells. Some vaccines are made with them. To my knowledge, Pfizer has used it for research.
After much deliberation and thought, and because of my work at a local hospital with direct COVID patients, and my husband being high risk, I finally decided for the common good to get the vaccine. I pray that pharmaceutical companies will stop using aborted fetal cells and use adult and umbilical stem cells for research, which have proven to work as well.
Claudette Michaud
Bangor