Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to letters@bangordailynews.com
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, please join me in voting for Matt Dunlap. I believe he is an outstanding individual who has dedicated his career to doing what is right for the people of Maine and the country.
Matt co-chaired the Legislature’s Inland Fish and Wildlife Committee while I was commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. He is a skilled statesman, working
effectively between parties to achieve important goals. During that period, I watched him take the lead on a wide variety of initiatives, such as improved hunting and fishing opportunities for
Mainers of all ages, with special new programs for youth. He supported land conservation by the Land for Maine’s Future Program (LMF), ensuring public access and protecting wildlife
habitat. He helped to develop the lifetime hunting-and-fishing license program as well as the current moose lottery system.
Most important, he ensured that the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was on a firm financial footing. These are just a few of his many achievements.
From an environmental perspective, the years under Gov. Paul LePage’s leadership were a disaster. He hobbled LMF, the most popular land conservation program in the state, and he emasculated the Department of Environmental Protection, the agency responsible for ensuring a clean, healthy environment.
Is LePage the person we want to send to Washington to stave off President Donald Trump’s multiple attacks on the nation’s environment? A resounding no from me!
Please join me in supporting Matt Dunlap, an honorable man who will fight for a healthy environment, as he represents us in the U.S. Congress.
Bucky Owen
Orono