As the much-loved gubernatorial candidate of Maine's Tea Party, Republican Paul LePage has made it clear in his campaign that he wants to loosen environmental regulations, opposes big government, supports states' rights and considers the science behind global warming "a hoax" and "a scam." But as mayor of Waterville, LePage has signed onto the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, something that runs counter to his publicly expressed position on climate change.

In an appearance on the "Aroostook Watchmen" radio show last December, Paul LePage got into a discussion about the science of global warming with the show's host, Steve Martin.

Host Steve Martin: "You've probably heard, in recent days, about the leaking of these memos from the East Anglia University, about the fact that the entire global thing is a hoax anyway."

Paul LePage: "Exactly."

Host Steve Martin: "This is just one minor example of an impact on the econoy based on flawed science. Not just flawed science - made up science, lying science."

Paul LePage: "Exactly. Al Gore must be laughing himself into a frenzy here. "Cause he's making millions on it.""

Martin goes on to say that the people resonsible for pushing the global warming agenda are primarily interested in getting control over people and Paul LePage agrees.

Host Steve Martin: I can't understand how anyone with good conscience puts up with it. And then, despite all these revelations, these globalist, global-warming idiots are just marching forward as though nothing happened."

Paul LePage: "Exactly. They buy into the scams, and you know, we just need to fight back."

LePage often emphasizes that policy-makers should rely on the best available science and technology. As governor he has said he would do that. But when asked at a recent gubernatorial forum whether he considers global warming a myth LePage responded this way.

Paul LePage: "I don't know if global warming is a myth or not, but I will say this: I do not believe in the Al Gore science."

What LePage does endorse, at least according to a form on file with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, is a climate protection agreement signed by more than 1000 U.S. mayors. Kevin McCarty of the Mayors' Climate Protection Center says LePage's own signature is on the document.

"We do actually have in our possession what we would deem a formal register of the mayor's signature to the agreement," McCarty said.

McCarty declined to provide the date of LePage's signature for policy reasons. But according to Maine Parners for Cool Communities, the City of Waterville became an official member in 2006 after Mayor LePage signed onto the Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, which makes the case that - quote - "scientific evidence and consensus strengthens the idea that climate disruption is an urgent threat to the enviornmental and economic health of communities."

"We're setting a goal of trying to reduce our carbon in our cities, our carbon output by basically what was laid out in the Kyoto Protocols, by 20 percent or so," said James Brainard. He is the mayor of Carmel, Indiana and co-chair of the Mayors' Climate Protection Task Force.

"We're also asking the federal and state government to take steps to make the United States energy independent, to reduce the amount of carbon, to do better planning, to eliminate sprawl and to do things which reduce greenhouse gases going into the environment," Brainard said.

As a designated "cool community," the city of Waterville has conducted a greenhouse gas inventory and created a climate action plan that so far includes more energy efficient lighting for traffic signals and at town hall; more insulation in municipal buildings; and a uniform rollback of temperature settings. The cities of Waterville and Winslow also shared a 170-thousand dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for subsidized energy audits for homeowners in their towns. Brainard says signing the mayors' agreement does not qualify a city for funding, but he says it does show Congress that the city is serious about the issue of global warming.

"It's somewhat surprising to think that somebody who's skeptical of global warming would sign," said Brainard.

Efforts to reach Paul LePage through his campaign for comment for this story were unsuccessful. The City of Waterville is also a member of the Governor's Carbon Challenge, a voluntary goal-setting program to reduce greenhouse emissions.