Are Your Elected Officials Working For You?

This summer, Maine Governor Paul LePage vetoed bipartisan legislation in that state that had been proposed to improve testing and treatment of private residential drinking wells. Some areas in Maine are hotspots for arsenic: “In Gorham, an overwhelming 57 percent of our private wells are contaminated with too-high arsenic levels, while arsenic contaminates 47.5 percent of Scarborough’s private drinking water and 41.2 percent of wells in Buxton,” says an article by state Senator Amy Volk in the #Portland Press Harold.

Additionally, other representatives felt the health hazards presented by the ongoing #arsenic contamination warranted no concern. According to the Maine Beacon, “conservative ideologues led by Rep. Deb Sanderson (R-Chelsea) and Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Auburn) argued that government has no useful role in protecting public health, and that people should be left alone to use the Yellow Pages to find private sector solutions.”

Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral that is dissolved from weathered rock and soil. Arsenic occurs in ground water not only in #Maine, New Hampshire and New England, but there are also widespread concentrations in the west, mid-west, and Texas. While it is a naturally occurring substance, the Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum contaminant level at 10 parts per billion. Arsenic contamination, along with other elements such as uranium, manganese, and #radon, can adversely affect IQ scores and developmental milestones in children. Arsenic exposure can be seen in skin issues, such as pigmentation changes, while long-term exposure can cause skin, lung, bladder and kidney #cancers. Arsenic contamination is a serious threat to the public health, and it is surprising that some of those elected to represent and protect their citizens are not more proactive in providing funding for education, testing, and treatment.