AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   An angry Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he had “zero” involvement of the diversion of lumber from state-owned land to a Canadian-owned mill.

The Republican governor appeared before the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry committee on Tuesday to chastise lawmakers for the tone of a letter asking a series of questions including whether he was behind the diversion of timber.

He lit into what he described as “outrageous accusations.”

LePage said the 400,000 board feet of wood was diverted to a mill in Stratton, Maine, because a fire in Canada left it perilously close to running out of wood.

He said there was no retribution against mills owned by a Maine family that’s critical of his position on tariffs imposed on Canadian softwood lumber.