Chief Seattle reminds us that “we do not own the land.” We should be good stewards of the land. The proposed wetland setbacks are considered “bare minimum” and yet there is wringing of the hands, complaints of lost revenue, degraded property value and growth zone.

We have disregarded Chief Seattle’s reminder that we are not the sole inhabitants of the land. Birds, animals and vegetation depend on the marshland. The last costly January storms, flooding, and destruction are long forgotten. The proposed wetland setback helps to provide a buffer for the land. A buffer from future storms that impact our pocketbooks and the land. Move forward on the “bare minimum” wetland setback. Remember the lessons from Chief Seattle.

Marilyn Fraktman
Scarborough