To: Committee on Labor and Housing
From: Patricia Rubert-Nason, Sierra Club Maine
Date: January 28, 2022
Re: Testimony in Support of LD 1891 - An Act To Continue Supporting Safe Drinking Water for Maine Families
Senator Daughtry, Representative Sylvester, and Members of the Joint Committee on Labor and Housing. My name is Patricia Rubert-Nason, and I write on behalf of the Sierra Club and the over 20,000 members and supporters in Maine. Founded in 1892, Sierra Club is one of our nation’s oldest and largest environmental organizations. We work diligently to amplify the power of our 3.8 million members nationwide as we defend everyone's right to a healthy world. In support of that mission, we support LD 1891 and urge you to vote “ought-to-pass.”
When my family bought our home, the well water tested high in arsenic. That worried me. I wasn’t comfortable having my young children drink the water. I wanted our home to be a safe place that helped them grow to their greatest potential. Contaminated drinking water threatened that. But my family is lucky. We knew about the contamination prior to buying the house and had the funds to address the problem. But that isn’t the case for every family in Maine. The ability to provide clean water and a safe home for your children shouldn’t be limited by how much money you have. LD 1891 provides funding so that Maine can continue to support families in addressing contaminated drinking water.
Every family deserves clean water to drink, regardless of their economic situation. We urge the committee to vote “ought-to-pass” on LD 1891.
Sincerely, Patricia Rubert-Nason Sierra Club Maine Volunteer