The Land for Maine’s Future Coalition hopes to tap key constituency in effort to pressure governor to release voter approved bonds. By Steve Mistler, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA –– Supporters of the Land for Maine’s Future program used the first regular day of the deer hunting season and the expiration of 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.
NRCM Blasts LePage Administration on Energy Efficiency Policies
By Mal Leary MPBN news story In what may be the opening skirmish in a long battle over the three-year budget for Efficiency Maine, the Natural Resources Council of Maine is accusing the LePage Administration of seeking to reduce funding for weatherization and for home heating system improvements. The LePage Administration says that is just Read More
LePage Administration Pushes to Cut Funds for Home Heating Efficiency
NRCM news release On Tuesday, Governor LePage’s top energy staffer, Patrick Woodcock, led an effort to cut $7.5 million for home weatherization and heating efficiency from the Efficiency Maine’s proposed three-year budget at the same time the governor is refusing to release voter-approved Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) funds because he claims to be concerned Read More
Public Lands Commission Slams the Door on Governor’s Demands
By George Smith Bangor Daily News blog The legislature’s Public Lands Commission has slammed the door on Governor Paul LePage’s demand that revenue in the Public Lands Bureau be diverted to purchase wood stoves for poor Mainers and other purposes. At the Commission’s Tuesday meeting, not a single voice was raised to support the governor Read More
LePage Frees $2.2 Million for Land for Maine’s Future
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage has reversed his earlier stance and will allow the Land for Maine’s Future program to use $2.2 million in cash it has on hand to fund conservation projects. However, LePage will continue to block the issuance of $11.5 million Read More
Attorney General: LePage Probably Can’t Use Timber Harvest Profits to Pay for Heating Assistance
by A.J. Higgins MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Attorney General Janet Mills is casting doubt on plans by Gov. Paul LePage to use revenues from timber harvesting on public lands to pay for heating assistance for the poor. Citing past court opinions and restrictions in the Maine Constitution, Mills says the governor’s plan Read More
Maine People Tell Governor: You’re Wrong!
By George Smith Bangor Daily News column It is time for the Governor to realize he isn’t going to get his wish of diverting funding away from Maine’s public lands, and do the right thing: release those Land for Maine’s Future Bonds. Maine people strongly agree on this, and an opinion issued yesterday by Janet Read More
Public Lands About Much More Than Cutting Trees
By Jenn Burns Gray, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Over the past few months, the revenue generated from the timber harvest on Maine’s public lands has been in the spotlight. The Bangor Daily News published an editorial Sept. 25 that highlights the numerous problems with Gov. Paul LePage’s plan to increase timber Read More
Diverse Leaders Call for Strong Efficiency Plan to Maximize Energy Savings
Efficiency Maine Trust seeks input on 3-year plan that will go to PUC NRCM News Release Augusta, ME – Today, as the Efficiency Maine Trust is holding a public input session, a diverse group of experts called on Efficiency Maine and the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to develop and approve, respectively, a strong three-year Read More
