SUN JOURNAL • March 8, 2025
When I was a child I lived next to the Androscoggin River. Toxic industrial waste flowed past my home and out to sea. Fish died by the millions. Between 1971 and 1978, the Environmental Protection Agency documented the environmental pollution caused by the paper industry’s chemical discharge and provided assistance to develop pollution controls. It provided financial assistance to states to monitor water quality. Today Maine residents can boat and fish the Androscoggin River. The EPA protects our health. Protecting our environment so we can all safely enjoy swimming, boating, fishing and hunting should be a priority for every Mainer. The EPA can’t accomplish these critical goals, to protect our health and safety, with a 65% budget cut. ~ Bonnie Brown, Industry