PEER Chapters - Maine

PEER's Maine office opened in the fall of 1999. The office, located in Millinocket, offers an avenue for Federal and State employees to hold their agencies accountable for the natural resources they safeguard.

So far, the response from employees in Maine has been great. As in other parts of the country, state and federal employees in the Pine Tree State have been frustrated by political influence in their day-to-day activities.

Maine PEER director Tim Caverly believes that "Public employees have a right to feel proud of their work accomplishments, and feel secure to ask questions and offer suggestions to improve an agency's effectiveness. In fact, trust and open communication are essential elements for a healthy agency."

Formerly a Regional Supervisor for the Bureau of Parks and Lands, Tim has retired after over 32 years of state service, 18 of which he spent as Supervisor of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (AWW). Through Tim's efforts the Waterway, a Nationally Designated Wild and Scenic River, enjoys a comprehensive management plan, the first in over 26 years.

In his time with the AWW, Tim oversaw the preservation of the Waterway's natural history, the implementation of water quality monitoring procedure, the cataloging of ancient archaeological sites, the establishment of a Natural History Guide, and the development of a Jr. Ranger volunteer program. Tim worked with private landowners to mitigate the effects of timber harvesting, and strived to preserve the Waterway's wilderness character. Tim also helped to establish the non-profit Allagash Alliance, which speaks out on issues specific to the AWW.

Public employees can make a difference, and Maine PEER is proud to work with the people that care for the public resources of the state.

Tim Caverly
P.O. Box 365
Millinocket, ME 04462
Phone: (207) 723-4656
Email: mepeer[at]peer.org

Politics Alive and Well in Maine

Maine state employees are being inundated by negative politics as never before. The impact of legislative micro-management is being felt throughout all agencies.

This past spring the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (See PEEReview Winter 2006) resigned after it was uncovered that she had offered to drop a pollution enforcement case in exchange for a lawmaker’s support on a key bill. There was so much behind-the-scenes finagling that newspapers declared Open Government: DEP not yet clear on the concept.

In the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the Northeast’s only designated Wild and Scenic River, legislators introduced legislation assaulting the area’s wild character. This law, which ultimately passed without the Governor’s signature, mandated vehicle access and permanent bridges, and it requires the State to get legislative approval before changing AWW Management Plans. Then they carried the intrusion one step further. Last summer, two legislators opened a road that had been closed by the State. This was done as park rangers watched helplessly.

Our public employees do make a difference and they have the right to work without fearing political repercussions. Whether it is submitting Freedom of Information Act Requests, filing law suits, releasing news information or meeting with legislators, PEER ensures that public employees’ concerns are heard.

See the updated version of Losing Paradise: The Allagash Wilderness Waterway Under Attack

Learn more about PEER activities in Maine