Gov. Janet Mills has nominated fellow Democrat and former state Rep. Robert Duchesne to serve on the Board of Environmental Protection.

Duchesne, of Hudson, served six nonconsecutive terms in the Maine House of Representatives, where he chaired the environmental and fish and wildlife committees. For three decades he also hosted a popular radio show broadcast in eastern and central Maine. He has also served as president of Downeast Big Brothers Big Sisters, Maine Audubon and the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

Robert Duchesne

“Bob Duchesne is a dedicated sportsman with more than a decade of experience leading the Legislature’s efforts to protect Maine’s environment,” Mills said in a statement. “Bob’s love for the great Maine outdoors, his knowledge and his experience will be an important contribution to the board’s efforts to enforce Maine’s environmental protection laws and defend our natural resources.”

Duchesne, 65, an outdoors columnist for several publications, said he was honored by the opportunity.

“The board has the critical responsibility of being an independent voice to enforce our state’s environmental protection laws and I look forward to joining the other members in that effort,” he said in a statement.

The BEP is a seven-member board that oversees the administration and enforcement of state environmental laws. Duchesne will face a confirmation hearing before the Legislature’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and a subsequent confirmation vote by the Maine Senate.

Scott Thistle can be contacted at 791-6330 or at:

sthistle@pressherald.com

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