Political Quotes

“the people of Maine have always been faithful stewards of the forest because we understand its tremendous value to our economy and to our way of life. From the vast tracts of land in the north to the small woodlots of the south, forest land helps shape the character of our entire State. While our commitment to stewardship has preserved the forest for generations, there is a new threat to Maine's forest that requires a new approach. The threat is suburban sprawl, which has already consumed tens-of-thousands of acres of forest land in southern Maine. Sprawl occurs because the economic value of forest or farm land cannot compete with the value of developed land. The problem is particularly acute here in southern Maine where a 108 percent increase in urbanized land over the past two decades has resulted in the labeling of greater Portland as the ``sprawl capital of the Northeast.'' I am alarmed by the amount of working forest land and open space that has given way to strip malls and cul-de-sacs.”