Senator Doug Smith to Serve on the Natural Resources & Utilities and Energy Committees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 29, 2006

Augusta - Senator Doug Smith of Dover-Foxcroft has been assigned to the Joint Standing Legislative Committees on Natural Resources & Utilities and Energy for the 123^rd Legislature. Representing District 27, which includes large parts of Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset counties, Smith will add these two committee assignments to his list of legislative duties.

Among other issues, the Natural Resources committee has jurisdiction over policy proposals relating to air and water quality, natural resource protection, shoreland zoning, energy facilities, general environmental policy and oversight of the Department of Environmental Protection.

As a member of the Utilities and Energy committee, Senator Smith will be closely involved with any policy proposals relating to electrical energy, the natural gas industry, the telecommunications industry and water and sewer utilities.

Smith said he was pleased with his committee assignments because District 27 is heavily impacted by environmental regulatory agencies such as DEP, and is very vulnerable to the increasing costs of electricity seen recently. “The heavy costs of environmental regulation and ever increasing electrical costs are injuring central and northern Maine,” Smith said. “Environmental regulatory costs and electricity costs are both within the jurisdiction of the committees on which I will serve, and I look forward to the opportunity to advocate for balanced policies that will help this vast and rural area that I represent recover from some very bad economic times.”

Senator Smith is confident he will be both a vocal and effective member of each of these committees. “I’m excited to get started with my committee responsibilities. I was elected by the people of District 27 to represent them in Augusta, and committee work is just one of the ways to fulfill that obligation,” the Senator said. “I will be a member of two very important and closely related committees, and I welcome the challenge that these committee assignments present.”

Senator Smith can be reached by calling the Senate Republican office at 287-1505, or by calling 564-8819, or e-mailing dsmith@kynd.net.

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