Letter 1 : 

Mail to : Environmental & Public Works Committee U.S. Senator Boxer, Chair  Majority Office  410 Dirksen Senate Office Building  Washington DC  20510-6175 

Dear Senator Boxer,

I write you today as a resident of the State of Maine.  I  join the Coalition To Lower Fuel Prices In Maine , as well as United States Senators; Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in asking that the  United States Senate and the Environmental & Public Works Committee, which you chair, lift the unfair 80,000 lb. federal weight limits on Maine's interstates, creating a uniform 100,000 pounds weight limit throughout the state.

I agree with the Coalition and the United States Senators; Olympia Snowe & Susan Collins that such a state-wide limit would enable Maine's transportation industry to conserve fuel, minimize maintenance costs on their vehicles by reducing the numbers of trips necessary to haul the same amount of freight and prevent the unnecessary idling ( promoting cleaner air quality ) and slow travel on local roads by allowing truck operators to use the federal highways at a higher weight limit rather then forcing them onto secondary roads not designed for that kind of traffic. Roads which have many smaller bridges that should be considered also.

We join the Coalition and U.S. Senators; Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in stating that the lack of action to immediately address and approve this measure is putting Maine's transportation industry at a competitive disadvantage on a daily basis in a time when this industry can not afford to be further burden financially.  This industry supports numerous Maine families.  Families of loggers, mill workers, and truckers.  Families that in turn greatly care for their elderly as well.   

An industry that pays 11.5 billion dollars a year in Maine revenue not to mention the commerce that comes with that revenue.  An industry that pays exorbitant taxes to use Maine's highways , including a Heavy Use Tax to the federal government each year.

The lifting of the unfair 80,000 lbs to a uniform state-wide standard of 100,000 lbs. to get these trucks onto Maine's interstates would greatly increase the safety of Maine people on the secondary roadways of Maine.  Roadways that are winding, have long hills, blind drives, far to many traffic stops, and pedestrians on foot, bicycle , pushing baby carriages, pulling children in wagons, and other modes of transportation. 

 Roads which have a diverse quality of care in Maine winters, which these trucks are forced to travel upon. Icy roadways that have snowmobile crossings and pickups plowing backing in and out of roadways as they plow their driveways, icy intersections often glazed over by the continuous stops and starts of traffic between the small town plow contractors trips throughout Maine's wintry nights.

We plead with you to support Maine being given the same advantage to it's transportation industry that 28 other U.S. states already have been given.  We plead with you to help us to increase safety for all of Maine's people , especially the children by giving these truckers the competitive edge they deserve; the right to operate their trucks at the 100,000 pond weight limit on Maine's interstates.

Thank you .

Respectfully Submitted By: _________________________________     

Date :_________________

Letter 2:

Mail To:

Mr. J. Richard Capka; Administrator, Federal Highway Administration  1200 New Jersey Avenue  SE  Washington DC   20590                                                       

Administrator Capka,

As a Maine resident, I support the Coalition To Lower Fuel Prices In Maine and U.S. Senators Snowe & Collins in requesting that you lift the unfair weight limits on Maine's interstates from the existing 80,000 lbs. to a uniform state-wide 100,000 lbs. 

This weight increase will give Maine's trucking industry the fair competitive edge that they deserve.  An advantage 28 states in the United States already have been given. Yet an advantage in Maine that can make the difference in Maine's trucking industry surviving or not through this very winter and spring.

I have also written a request letter to the United States Senate's Environmental & Public Works Committee.  Chair, The Honorable Senator Boxer which further explains all the more reasons why Maine residents and truckers alike deserve this weight limit increase on Maine interstates.

I agree with U.S. Senator Snowe when she states that she vehemently disagrees with the interpretation you offered her in your January 11th, 2008 letter stating that you simply do not have the authority to lift these restrictions.

I also agree with the Coalition To Lower Fuel Prices, U.S. Senators; Snowe & Collins and M.M.T.A. that we will move Heaven and earth to finally put this issue to rest, by introducing legislation, and seeking any means available to us all to eradicate this unfair, inconsistant standard that compromises safety and increases maintenance costs for our local roads and forces Maine's trucking to continue to operate at this unfair competitive advantage.

I ask you, Administrator Capka to reconsider your position on Maine's interstate weight restrictions today.  Thank you in advance.

Respectfully Submitted By:________________________  

Date:____________