By Anthony Brino, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story The Maine Senate has passed a bipartisan metal mining bill that would ban open pit mines and wastewater impoundments, although some environmental advocates fear it does not go far enough. LD 820, An Act To Protect Maine’s Clean Water and Taxpayers from Mining Pollution, passed Read More
Brownie Carson
Bill to Restrict Mineral Mining Headed for Maine Senate
Sen. Brownie Carson says his bill would be ‘the most protective piece of mining legislation I believe that can be found anywhere.’ by the Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Leading environmental groups and state environmental regulators are working together on a bill they say would create strict regulations for mining Maine’s Read More
Lawmakers Back Bill to Overhaul Maine’s Mining Regulations
The long-sought compromise, which has the support of several major environmental organizations, would ban open-pit mines and prohibit mining on state-owned public lands and under lakes. by Kevin Miller, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A legislative committee gave near-unanimous support Wednesday to a proposed overhaul of Maine’s mining regulations that has Read More
Open Pits, Water Contamination Banned in New Protections Added to Mining Bill
By Anthony Brino, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story A key legislative committee this week could advance a mining bill backed by the Natural Resources Council of Maine that would ban large open pit metal mines and impoundments of mine waste. Members of the state Legislature’s Joint Environment and Natural Resources Committee spent three Read More
Lawmakers to Revisit Maine’s Rules for Mining
Proposals range from easing environmental regulations to enacting a ban on metal mining. by Kevin Miller, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story The years-long debate over mining in Maine will return to the State House on Monday when lawmakers consider proposals to either rewrite the state’s environmental regulations or enact a total ban on Read More
Picking Ourselves Back Up
Today we awoke to the results of a bitter and divisive election, wondering what it all means. The outcome has many of us deeply concerned about whether the harsh rhetoric of the campaign will translate into policies that put our communities and places we love at risk. At a time when we need to be Read More
Explore Maine: Protecting the Allagash
The Push for Protection: Saving the Allagash by Doug Watts Conservation of the Allagash River is what brought together the founders of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), at a time when the river was threatened by dams. Since its founding in 1959, NRCM has continued to be at the forefront of efforts to Read More
DEP’s Mining Plan Draws Strong Opposition at Public Hearing
By Mal Leary MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine – A renewed effort to overhaul Maine’s mining regulations is re-igniting a fierce debate in Augusta, where lawmakers are considering the Department of Environmental Protection’s plan. A crowd of mostly opponents filled two legislative hearing rooms for a public hearing on Wednesday. But first, there was a Read More
A Huge Win for the Whole Team
The day of the Great Works Dam removal celebration dawned sparkling clear. For me it started early at the Veazie Salmon Club, and had a few moments by the Penobscot River before everyone arrived. The power of the river was palpable, especially after all the rain we’ve had. It coursed over the Veazie Dam, and I Read More