Opinion: Susan Collins needs to stand up to attacks on public lands

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 9, 2026

As Mainers, the natural world is key to everything we hold important: we shape our identities with it, it builds our economies, even our license plates bear its symbols. With places like Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and Acadia National Park, we are lucky that our wild is protected for future generations of Mainers and non-Mainers alike. Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee comes from a state with similarly immense natural beauty. However, Lee’s time as a senator is notable for his assaults on the wild. Why should you care? On a vote to overturn Lee’s effort to allow mining that threatens protections for Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Maine’s Susan Collins was one of only two Senate Republicans to break with the party and attempt to keep protections in place. If Collins wants to keep her seat this November, it’s important she ensures our public lands stay protected regardless of where they are. Call your local branch of Susan Collins’ office to ensure these treasures exist in the future. ~ Peter Eckhardt, South Portland