The Oct. 30 South Portland Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) meeting led with public comment. An unprecedented 80 people showed up. Although the CPC has a tough job, it could do better by including the public.

It was alarming when the chair announced public comment would be shut down after a brief time. People were told to go home and write emails. Sixty people with lots of wisdom and expertise walked out. There is community consensus, and 80 people showed up to share this. The January storms that took our fishing shacks and eroded our precious coast have galvanized South Portlanders to demand better coastal resilience policy and avoid building in risk areas.

South Portlanders have a vision to build in safer areas away from sea level rise and tank hazards. We’ve been traumatized by three EPA lawsuits against the tank farms for overshooting their emissions permits. We may never know the long-term health damage of breathing these excessive pollutants. It is our responsibility to protect our future neighbors from dangerous health-harming exposures.

The caring people of South Portland, who show up to confront difficult matters, deserve to be heard and need to have an equal voice to monied interests in these matters. This is about human rights. Let us support the CPC to bring the 2040 Comprehensive Plan into alignment with the public.

Debbe Davis
South Portland