To the Editor

A recent news article indicated the Alna Selectboard is undecided whether to place on the March 23 town meeting warrant an article to tighten up the controls on mining and blasting in quarries. Some background is important here.

About 1 ½ years ago, the corporation that owns a large gravel pit and rock quarry in Alna announced that they wished to draw down the water table so they could blast and remove bed-rock that was below the water table. Their site was within a few hundred feet of the Sheepscot River and several homes. People were concerned and believed that Alna's land use regulations didn't fully provide the means to regulate this activity and protect the interests of the town the way land use regulations in other towns did.

About a year ago, the Alna Planning Board, at their regular open public meetings, started discussing amendments to the Alna land use regulations. They gathered regulations from other similar towns, sought public input, and issued a number of draft amendments to Alna's existing mining and quarrying regulations. In my view, they worked very hard in an open and accessible process. They were aware that the town has many small gravel pits and these are not affected by the proposed changes except that a permit will be required. The draft proposals would allow blasting and quarrying to continue in non-conforming mines and quarries for five more years.

I anticipate that special interests may be unhappy with some of these proposals but they are consistent with those other towns have enacted and they have been generated in year-long consultation with town citizens. One selectperson has expressed concern about future legal expenses, meaning, I think, that he is worried that a mining company could sue the town. However, I do not believe the town should make important public policy decisions on the basis of threat or fear. I hope the voters will support the proposed land use changes when they come before them at town meeting.

Brett Donham

Alna