Published: 5/8/2021 8:00:08 AM Although I make my home in Maine, I once lived in Deerfield near Pawtuckaway State Park. What a treasure for citizens to be able to visit and enjoy natural surroundings. For the past 30 years, my wife and I have traveled across northern NH, often staying in Littleton. When I heard that Casella was trying to force a huge landfill into Dalton, even though their Bethlehem dump is leaking into the Ammonoosuc River system, I contacted the people fighting this effort and asked how I could help. I’m vice chair of Don’t Waste Maine, a coalition advocating for responsible policies that protect the health of communities most at risk from landfills and waste facilities. Maine and New Hampshire share a common threat of out-of-state waste imports negatively impacting our communities and natural resources. Establishing a buffer around state parks is a measure to protect not only the future of our watersheds, but our present tourist economies that rely on undisturbed tracts. Imagine struggling to the top of a peak in the Presidential Range and gazing at a huge scar of toxins below. A family visiting state parks should not be forced to endure dump odors as they approach their picnic spot. Each state bears the responsibility of handling its own waste. We must be on guard against unscrupulous waste companies like Casella who wish to profit from manipulating landfill siting rules and protections.