JAY – One of the more significant decisions facing voters at the June 8 town meeting will involve a 22-year old environmental ordinance.
Article 44 on the warrant will ask residents if they want to enact “Twenty-Fourth Ordinance Amending the Jay Environmental Control and Improvement Ordinance,” which the article notes will suspend and alter portions of the existing ordinance. These alterations have drawn both support and opposition in Jay.
The Environmental Control and Improvement Ordinance was enacted in May 1988 at town meeting, representing an attempt to locally regulate industrial pollution released into the air, water and landfills. It can only augment state and federal regulations regarding environmental impact, rather than supersede them. The ordinance also set up a system of fees, which fund an environmental permitting reserve account. That money is currently used to fund the town’s environmental code enforcement officer, consultants, supplies and the work of the planning board.
The ordinance attempted to regulate issues that the state and federal government weren’t addressing at that time. Over the past two decades, however, state and federal regulations have generally expanded to encompass most of Jay’s local ordinance.
If the amendment were approved, the environmental code administrator’s salary and other expenses, previously funded through the fee system, would instead be paid for by the town. The assumption is that as the town and ECA/CEO Shiloh Ring would no longer actively dealing with environmental issues, reducing the roughly $200,000 in annual expenditures, funds that come out of the permitting reserve account. Ring would be freed up to serve as a code enforcement officer and building inspector for the town, positions mandated by the state in 2012.
The intent would be to continue paying Ring and planning board expenses out of the ordinance-funded account until it is exhausted. After that, the cost to fund the CEO/building inspector position and planning board would be borne by the town, like any other department. Prior to 1988, such functions were paid for by the town.
The proposed modifications have provoked some debate at selectmen meetings. Supporters of the change say that the town’s environmental ordinance has been largely overtaken by federal and state regulations that have become significantly more stringent since 1988. They also argue that nullifying the permitting process will make the town more attractive for businesses. Those against the change point out that the planning board and other associated functions are currently self-sustaining, and that allowing the reserve fund to run down will force the town to pick up an additional cost.
Verso Paper Company released a statement today regarding the process. The company’s Androscoggin Mill represents the vast majority of the environmental code administrator’s workload and provides the majority of the fees.
“The Androscoggin Mill has always complied with the ordinance and will continue to do so,” Mill Manager Marc Connor said, as part of a prepared statement. “While we recognize that we will have to continue to live with the ordinance if so voted, there is no denying that the amended suspension will be better for the company and we will no longer be spending large sums of money (and time) on unnecessary local regulations that only duplicate comprehensive state and federal regulations. By law the mill can not ‘backslide’ and we must continue to constantly improve our environmental footprint. Maine’s environmental regulations are among the most stringent of any state.”
The last modification to the ordinance was in 2009, when voters agreed to lower the reserve fund’s cap from $1 million to $800,000. An attempt to suspend the ordinance was made in 1999, but was voted down at town meeting.
Keep the ordinance. It’s necessary funding for the town.
Go Jay Go! Tax ’em some more. Regulate ’em some more. You’ll drive out the paper company. Didn’t another company leave a few years ago? In addition, remember, IP sold of the mill to Verso. Why???? Jay can do what the Democrat State Legislature has done for 35 years, make it very very very hard to be competative and do business in Maine. You’ll drive off the hen that lays the golden eggs for Jay. It is amazing to watch economic blindness in action. It is even amusing, in an odd way, like waching stupid or inept people on America’s Funniest Videos.
What a stupid ordinance….written by a town who has reaped millions in taxes from the paper company. Written probably by people who are still angry about a strike that didnt go thier way.I guess you guys will “show them who is boss huh?” I wonder what the population of jay would be is there was no papermill here. How big would the fire dept be? How well would the teachers be paid? How big a police force, sewer district, etc etc etc??????? There has to be enough people in this town that realize what this ordinance is really about and will vote to get rid of something that never should have been in the first place. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
Interesting there is no mention of a stiepend or qualifications for the new building inspectors job? Has Ms. Ring a building or educational background in the trade? Why is this new taxpayer supported Town postion not being advertised? If Ms. Ring is the most qualified, after looking at other applicants, she would get the postion through merit.
How in this economic climate, that a town, state, or a country can continue to impede businesses in every step possible is baffling to me!
The town of Jay, if you think that the mill couldn’t or won’t close their doors for a small town ordinance like this you are highly mistaken, your town has enjoyed low taxes for a long time thanks to this mill, without it i hope your prepared for a 20-30% rise in your property tax.
i grow up in a town that had a prosperous paper mill that is now defunct, let me tell you it sad to return home and see almost every store front empty!