Maine Conservation Voters 2022 Environmental Scorecard for members of the Maine Legislature arrived in my mailbox last week. I was pleased (but not surprised) to find my representative, Bill Pluecker, again scored 100% with his votes to pass significant policies in support of climate change and environmental issues.

Last year, friends who had been farming a piece of land for the past 11 years, learned that their well water and soil were highly contaminated with PFAS chemicals. The spreading of sludge containing PFAS as fertilizer on agricultural land has been widespread throughout Maine for decades. These toxic chemicals have a devastating impact on our farmers, from loss of livelihood to contamination of their farmland to endangering the health of their families.

Bill sponsored legislation that made Maine the first state in the US to ban the application of PFAS contaminated sludge. In addition, that legislation included testing and assistance to farmers whose lives and well-being have been affected. Bill recognized the ethical investment in protecting our land and those who work tirelessly to make a living providing us with safe food.

So, if you believe that protecting our natural resources is essential to our state’s prosperity, you’ll vote with me for Bill Pluecker as State Representative for District 95. By the way, during his career in the legislature, Bill has earned a lifetime voting record score of 100%. If you want a conservation champion working to protect our environment, vote for Bill.

Stuart Finkelstein lives in Warren