Dear Editor:

CMBG Board Member David Emery has, in two successive letters to the editor, muddied the truth about CMBG’s massive development as much as that development has muddied the waters upstream of Knickerbocker Lake. And like the threat posed by the phosphorus in their poorly-managed run-off, there is now an ominous note in Mr. Emery’s writing. He writes now of “trespass” and “sabotage” in a bizarre and desperate attempt to manage what has become a public relations nightmare for the Gardens.

And like most desperate attempts, he is only making it worse.

The facts are plain, simple, and public. Maine DEP has issued a Notice of Violations (Docket # 2017-004-L) for multiple erosion-control failures at CMBG during the spring. As the Boothbay Water District documented, CMBG’s run-off damaged Significant Vernal Pools and other wetlands, and sent extremely high levels of phosphorus downstream toward Knickerbocker Lake, the drinking water supply for the region. As Mr. Emery knows, Knickerbocker is already at-risk for phosphorus overload.

Mr. Emery, like Executive Director Bill Cullina, cites “unusually heavy rain” as the culprit, but all rainfall amounts cited by DEP were less than 2 inches. It was just ordinary rain for everyone but CMBG, which again and again has neglected to control run-off and protect wetlands. And this is an organization which claims it is capable of controlling run-off from its planned 850 parking spaces in a 5-inch “25-year storm.” Really?

For those keeping track, this is only the latest set of serious problems with a planned $30 million expansion at CMBG which has obliterated 18 acres of wetland habitat, threatened the Boothbay region’s water supply, and badly impacted its neighbors.

CMBG’s actions no longer demonstrate the environmental or community values they claim, and they act as if nothing can stop them: not facts, not large-scale ecological damage, not the concerns of Boothbay residents.

The only sabotage happening at CMBG is to their own credibility. As they continue to cause harm, to make up stories, and to refuse to apologize, it just gets worse.

Money talks, I suppose, but it doesn’t always make sense.

If you’d like to help, please come to the July 27 Board of Appeals hearing at the Boothbay Town Office.

Jason Anthony

Bristol