St. John River sunrise, by MissingLynx/NRCM The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), since its inception in 1959, has opposed the construction of hydroelectric dams on the upper St. John River because of the environmental harm they would cause to the region. So when word spread about the Dickey-Lincoln Dam proposal, it was not long Read More
Success Stories
Throughout NRCM's more than 60 years of work to protect the nature of Maine, we have worked with thousands of people who love our state and want to keep our beautiful, clean, and healthy environment here for generations to come.
NRCM has had some big victories for Maine's environment, which were won in partnership with people who spoke out, wrote to elected officials, testified, and worked to protect special places like Moosehead Lake, Casco Bay, and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Read about some of our successes since NRCM was founded in 1959.
Billboard Ban: Protecting the Beauty of Maine’s Scenic Highways
Before passage of pioneering legislation in 1977, Maine highways were lined with billboards advertising everything from motels and car dealerships to cigarettes and junk food. The “billboard ban” law, which took effect on January 1, 1978, slowly worked over many years to decommission and dismantle existing billboard advertisements along major roadways in the state. The final Read More
Maine’s “Bottle Bill”: Passing and Protecting It
In the summer of 1976, Maine Senator Edmund Muskie spoke on the floor of the United States Senate regarding the importance of beverage container redemption legislation. “It is a needed step to assist in developing a ‘conservation ethic’ that rejects waste and embraces thrift, husbandry, and saving part of the Earth’s abundance for our posterity,” Read More
Allagash Protection, One of Maine’s Exceptional Natural Treasures
In Allagash, Maine, near the border with New Brunswick, Canada, a river connects with the St. John, passing through a chain of natural mountain lakes. This river has remained largely unspoiled. In 1857 Henry David Thoreau explored its waters and wrote about them in The Maine Woods. Known today as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the Read More
