June 2020
Maine Magazine recently wrote about “The Conservation Legacy of Angus King,” from the mid-1970s to today. Did you know that he once lobbied on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine on Maine’s Bottle Bill?
Earlier this week, NRCM and others filed suit over the CMP corridor’s crossing of public lands without the two-thirds vote from the Legislature that is required for public land use such as this.
The Penobscot Nation’s mission to preserve the Penobscot River is facing threats from climate change. Learn more in this piece in the Maine Beacon.
Some good news for the Penobscot River is that fish, including shad, are returning in large numbers. The number of shad that have returned are breaking records.
The Bangor Daily News wrote an editorial about the need for clean energy and environmental justice as the US moves ahead to rebuild our economy post-pandemic.
National Public Radio wrote about the amazing transformation of the ecosystem of the Sebasticook River in Central Maine after dam removal on that river and 20 years after the removal of the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River.
Last week, NRCM filed an appeal of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s approval of the proposed CMP transmission line.
Along with the irreparable harm to Maine’s North Woods, wildlife habitat, and our outdoor recreation economy in the area, Maine Senator Scott Cyrway shares additional concerns about the potential wildfire dangers of the proposed CMP corridor in this Bangor Daily News op-ed.
All across Maine, there is momentum for the creation of “smart” electricity microgrids to support the transition to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels. Our own climate attorney, Sue Ely, is quoted in this article by Mainebiz.
Shout out to Governor Mills and Public Utilities Chairman Phil Bartlett for opposing a petition by a shady dark money group to harm Maine’s burgeoning solar industry.
We want to share this Huffington Post essay by Mary Annaise Heglar, a climate activist who wrote powerful piece entitled, “We Don’t Have to Halt Climate Action to Fight Racism.” NRCM’s CEO Lisa Pohlmann was quoted in this Portland Press Herald story about organizations across Maine taking a stand against racism.
More than one million alewives have climbed the Damariscotta Fish Ladder. Watch this WMTW news video about this restoration project.
Bangor Daily News writer John Holyoke recently shared “How you can catch 20 American shad in just a few hours,” thanks in part to fisheries restoration brought about by dam removals, such as the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec more than 20 years ago.
May 2020
As Beaches Reopen, a Record Number of Piping Plovers are Nesting — Portland Press Herald
Maine Voices: CMP is Pushing a Dirty Energy Plan for Maine — by Tom Saviello in the Portland Press Herald
State Opens Public Comment on Wording of Ballot Question to Stop CMP Corridor — Portland Press Herald
Maine’s High Court Lets Anti-CMP Corridor Question on November Ballot — Bangor Daily News
April 2020
The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day of course garnered a lot of media coverage, including an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News from our CEO Lisa Pohlmann about the lessons of Earth Day, this round-up of thoughts from the state’s environmental leaders including our CEO Lisa Pohlmann, and highlights of how the state’s environmental community was celebrating the anniversary.
According to the latest ethics filings, CMP and Hydro-Quebec have spent an astounding $9 million on their massive political campaign to defend their controversial transmission line proposal.
The Sun Journal ran a package of stories including the solar potential in Maine, featuring our very own Sophie Janeway and reducing food waste featuring tips from Sarah Nichols!
Our clean energy attorney Sue Ely was quoted in this Portland Press Herald article about clean energy under the pandemic and the need to invest in clean energy solutions as we recover. This LA Times analysis of how spending billions on clean energy in the last stimulus worked out has some good insights about how this could be a guide for our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
Bowdoin posted a nice Q&A with student Beckett Slayton who is a member of the Maine Climate Council transportation working group.
MOFGA’s director had a great op-ed laying out how we can protect family farms in Maine during the pandemic to ensure they are resilient and sustainable for the long-term.
The Trump Administration moved forward with its rollback of Obama-era clean car rules and said it would halt enforcement of environmental protections. This excellent op-ed by a Brunswick physician covers all the reasons why the Trump Administration’s efforts to try and take science out of decision-making are bad for our health and bad for our environment.
Despite CMP’s desperate efforts to stop a citizens initiative from moving forward, the Secretary of State reiterated that opponents had gathered way more than enough signatures.
The Portland Press Herald covered the departure of our long-time clean energy director, Dylan Voorhees. You can listen to an interview with him on our podcast.
