by David Trahan Portland Press Herald op-ed On June 11, the Maine Senate and House voted by overwhelming, veto-proof majorities to stand with Maine people when it comes to honoring their will as expressed at the ballot box. On Thursday, they should stand firm again. The issue is Gov. LePage’s continued refusal – for unrelated Read More
State House Watch
Working for legislation to protect Maine’s environment is an essential part of NRCM’s mission for the people of Maine. During the legislative session, we are at the Maine State House, just a block from our office, to work for new safeguards and also to defend existing legislation that protects Maine’s land, air, water, and wildlife.
Legislature Overrides Veto of Bill Calling for PUC to Develop Solar Policy
Vote shows bipartisan support for helping Maine catch up on solar NRCM news release AUGUSTA, ME – Today, the Maine House (119-28) and Senate (32-3) voted to override Governor LePage’s veto of a Resolve aimed at developing a comprehensive solar policy for Maine. LD 1263, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gideon of Freeport, was amended to Read More
Lawmakers Must Hold Firm to Put Land for Maine’s Future Back on Track
Bangor Daily News editorial Lawmakers have taken strong stands on two important issues in recent weeks, pushing back against an obstinate governor to put two programs — Land for Maine’s Future and Efficiency Maine — back on track. We’d like to see lawmakers continue to stand firm against a governor who is demonstrating no interest Read More
Bill Passed by House and Senate would Force LePage to Sell Conservation Bonds
The bill, sponsored by a Republican senator, is a response to the governor’s decision to withhold bonds from a state conservation program as leverage with lawmakers. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A bill that would force Gov. Paul LePage to sell voter-approved bonds received strong bipartisan support in Read More
Legislature Gives Veto-proof Approval to Bill that would Force LePage to Issue Bonds
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s blockage of voter-approved bonds, which he has used several times during his tenure in attempts to force his will on the Legislature, received significant pushback Thursday when the Senate voted 26-9 and the House voted 102-48 for a bill Read More
Maine Legislature Gives Final Approval to Efficiency Bill to Fix the “And” (LD 1215)
Senate Approves Bill Unanimously, Under the Hammer Sending it to the Governor’s Desk Statement of Dylan Voorhees, NRCM Clean Energy Director “We applaud the Senate and the full Legislature for final passage of this simple bill to uphold the clear legislative intent of the omnibus energy bill and save Maine people and businesses a billion Read More
Bill to Loosen Maine’s Mining Rules Overwhelmingly Rejected in House
By A.J. Higgins MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine – A proposal to loosen mining regulations in Maine has suffered a setback in Augusta. The Maine House overwhelmingly rejected the measure, which first emerged three years ago, after a Canadian corporation expressed interest in developing mining operations on land it owns at Bald Mountain in Aroostook Read More
Maine House Delivers Major Blow to Rewritten Mining Rules
The long, heated debate over opening land to digging for metals is replayed again before the bill is rejected in a 109-36 vote. By Steve Mistler, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A hotly debated bill that would rewrite Maine’s metal mining regulations was dealt a decisive setback Thursday in the House Read More
Loose Mining Rules Endanger the Proven Job Creators for which Maine is Known
By Jeff McCabe and Jen Brophy, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Metal mining is a boom and bust industry with a long record of polluting the water and leaving taxpayers to pay the cleanup costs in Maine and elsewhere around the country. More than 40 years after the Callahan mine in Brooksville Read More
