Increased disposal fee costs will ultimately drive up the costs of doing business in the state of Maine

LD 1639 would result in direct loss of 75 jobs from closure of the ReSource Lewiston processing facility

On May 17, Ben Gilman, general counsel for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, submitted the following testimony in opposition to LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste, to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. We are reprinting it here for your review and consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Ben Gilman by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailing bgilman@mainechamber.org.

“Sen. Brenner, Rep. Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources: My name is Ben Gilman from Gorham, and I represent the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, a statewide business organization made up of both large and small businesses, here to provide you with our testimony in opposition to LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste.
 
Solid waste is a statewide issue that has a long history in our state. The Maine State Chamber weighs in on issues when they impact the business community as a whole and, if LD 1639 were to pass, it would impact all businesses in Maine. LD 1639 will increase disposal fee costs that will in turn drive up the costs of doing business in the state of Maine. The cost of doing business in Maine already is high and every little bit adds up, including increased disposal fees. If that was not enough, if LD 1639 were to pass, it would directly impact 75 jobs in Lewiston - the closure of the ReSource Lewiston processing facility would result. ReSource is currently investing millions to increase recovery and recycling rates at its Lewiston facility to comply with new state mandates passed just last year and expand in-take capacity, but we will never see the result of that investment if LD 1639 were to become law.
 
Solid waste is part of our culture, and we all want to deal with it in an economical and environmentally sensitive manner. Maine’s solid waste community does a great job for Maine’s businesses and citizens ensuring that we maximize our capacity in Maine. To have facilities in Maine available for Maine businesses into the future is not only important but also necessary. The Maine State Chamber has always advocated for more certainty in Maine’s long term business climate, and solid waste disposal is part of that equation. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with our testimony.”