TESTIMONY BY MARK ISHKANIAN

ON BEHALF OF THE

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS

OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE

JULY 25, 1983

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SENATOR MITCHELL AND SENATOR

CHAFEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE VIEWPOINTS OF

THE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE, A CITIZENS CONSERVATION

ORGANIZATION.

IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS

THAT THE FUNDY TIDAL PROJECT IS CANADA'S MEANS OF SEEKING

RENGE UPON THE UNITED STATES FOR THE MILLIONS OF TONS

OF SULFUR DIOXIDE WE DUMP ON EASTERN CANADA EACH YEAR IN

THE FORM OF ACID RAIN. WHILE MAINE, AS A VICTIM OF ACID

RAIN POLLUTION ITSELF, CAN CERTAINLY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE

CANADIAN VIEWPOINT, WE FEEL THAT THEIR EFFORTS ARE SOMEWHAT

MISDIRECTED. INSTEAD OF FLOODING THE MAINE COASTLINE, THEY

SHOULD TRY TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF LAKE ERIE ENOUGH TO PUT

PORTIONS OF THE MIDWEST UNDER WATER. THEN WE MIGHT GET

SOMEWHERE!

ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE

THE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL HAS A STRONG INTEREST

IN THE USE OF TIDAL POWER AS AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCE

TO REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS AND NUCLEAR POWER.

WE HAVE CLOSELY FOLLOWED DEVELOPMENTS OF THE COBSCOOK BAY

AND HALF MOON COVE TIDAL PROJECTS AND MAINTAIN AN OPEN MIND

PENDING THE AVAILABILITY OF DETAILED ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.

BUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE MINAS BASIN PROJECT AND THE TREMENDOUS

ENVIRONMENTAL UNCERTAINTIES SURROUNDING IT CANNOT HELP BUT

ALARM CONSERVATION INTERESTS. AT STAKE ARE MAINE'S RICH

COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES A UNIQUE PART OF OUR NATURAL

HERITAGE AND AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR STATE'S ECONOMY

AND A WAY OF LIFE.

THE GULF OF MAINE IS A VAST, COMPLEX, AND POORLY UNDERSTOOD

ECOSYSTEM. THE EXPERTS HERE TODAY HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO

HINT AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE FUNDY TIDAL

PROJECT. THEY READILY ADMIT THE DIFFICULTY OF PREDICTING

WITH ANY ACCURACY THE FULL IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT. IT IS