Dear Editor:

As a civilized and smart society, we come together and decide to protect resources that serve the greater societal good and we do this, in part, is by passing rules and regulations that govern everyone while providing a greater benefit to society, often referred to as the public trust. One example everyone can relate to is requiring development to be set back from the edge of lakes.

This form of regulatory approach has been a hallmark of how we preserve things we collectively value from clean water, wildlife habitat, natural beauty, clean air, and clean water as examples. The fact that these rules and regulations impact everyone and are adopted through a public process means that most of us feel that the process is fair and no one feels singled out. There are consequences for those who decide to violate these rules and regulations.

Mr. Spinney, and those others involved, recently decided to violate the public trust and rules designed to protect the Sheepscot River and its valuable tidal marsh habitat by violating state and local rules and regulations. He decided to move ahead with his boat access construction contrary to the very process in which everyone has been participating now for well over a year.

There are a number of reasons this violation is wrong. Certainly, no citizen can be allowed to take the “law” into his/her own hands. This action thumbs its nose to town, state and federal protections for our river and to the hundreds of land owners and citizens who have followed and voiced their perspectives within the public process allowed by law.

Here’s what needs to happen going forward:

– Cease and desist any further actions on this river site related to a boat access.

– Evaluate and determine those violations that have occurred.

– Determine appropriate actions to take as a result including fines.

– Develop a restoration plan to restore the damaged site to its original pre-violation condition.

– Assign all costs of planning and implementing a site restoration to those responsible for the unlawful actions.

Mark and Dale DesMeules

Alna