Playing chicken?

Green groups have picked up any number of obnoxious left-wing habits, but this is one of the worst - they always want someone else to pick up the tab.

In this case the utility was expected to bend over and pick up the tab for a $4,000,000 fish lift. They opt to remove the dam instead because it will cost about half as much. So now locals are protesting about removing the dam, and with good reason.

Fletcher, who has a home on the banks of the Sebasticook River in Winslow, has cited the Kennebec Coalition as an environmental group that wishes to see dams removed so that the Sebasticook River could return to its original free-flowing state.

Kennebec Coalition spokeswoman Laura Rose Day has denied that charge. Day said the Kennebec Coalition wants to see the goals of sea-run fish passage achieved and has no objections to the installation of a fish lift to accomplish this goal.

Does Ms. Day also deny this? Does it help that the owner of the dam is based hundreds of miles away?

If the fish lift is worth $4,000,000 fine - let the green groups raise the money for it. Surely they could put out a mailing and tap the Ted Turners and usual-suspect Hollywood stars.

Or is it more important to spend the money on a new headquarters building for the Democrats, so they can continue the fight for campaign finance reform?

How much do you want to bet that the Kennebec Coalition won't raise any money to help pay for the lift?

On the other hand, other locals are putting forward legislation to chip in $1,000,000 toward the fish lift. It's still much less than the cost, and it distributes the cost across all Maine taxpayers, but it sure beats the Kennebec Coalition's contribution. (Of course if all of Maine benefits, why shouldn't all of Maine pay?)

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