By Richard Nelson, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed I rose the other morning and began my preparations to head out on the water from Friendship Harbor to take up the my last load of lobster traps. My thoughts turned from from closing out my season to chuckling over my selection of boots Read More
Clean Water
Clean, healthy waterways are vital to our day-to-day lives. They help ensure safe drinking water, suitable habitat for fish and other wildlife, and recreational opportunities that make Maine a special place to live, work, and visit. NRCM is working hard to protect and restore Maine’s lakes, rivers, and streams, now and for generations to come.
NRCM Calls on Collins, King to Reject Trump EPA Nomination of Scott Pruitt
Statement of Lisa Pohlmann, executive director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “Scott Pruitt, President-Elect Trump’s selection to lead the EPA, is an anti-science, anti-environment ideologue. Over the last decade, he has sued the EPA to challenge nearly every major environmental protection, from the landmark Clean Power Plan to rules that protect clean water to standards Read More
Environmental Group Seeks Private Donations to Help South Portland Fight Pipeline Lawsuit
By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The group posts a video requesting donations as the city’s legal costs head toward $1 million in the ‘Clear Skies’ ordinance case. SOUTH PORTLAND — A local environmental group has ramped up efforts to help the city defend its so-called Clear Skies ordinance in federal 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
NRCM Leadership, Then and Now
By NRCM Board President Kate Rush and founding NRCM Board member Bill Townsend One afternoon this summer, I had coffee with Bill Townsend, a founding Board member of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Serving as the second President of the Board, Bill has served as a board member or advisor for NRCM since 1960, Read More
Mining Rules Face Overwhelming Citizen Opposition
Record Shows Opponents Outnumber Proponents: 436-2 NRCM news release Mainers are overwhelmingly lining up against draft rules that would weaken environmental protections from mining pollution in Maine. The Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) is holding a deliberative session to consider the draft rules today at the Augusta Civic Center. According to an analysis by the Natural Read More
LePage Administration Resurrects Plan to Weaken Mining Rules
by Andy O’Brien Free Press news story No metals have been mined in Maine since 1977, according to the Maine Geological Survey, but the LePage administration is hoping to revive the dormant industry if he can elect enough allies to the Legislature this November. Last Thursday, Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) unveiled its third Read More
Hearing on Changing Maine Mining Rules Hits Wall of Opposition
For the third time in three years, a Department of Environmental Protection proposal to rewrite mining regulations finds little support. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A LePage administration push to rewrite Maine’s mining regulations ran into a wall of opposition Thursday from conservation groups, former state environmental employees Read More
Opposition to Chapter 200: Metallic Mineral Exploration, Advanced Exploration and Mining
Good morning Chairman Parker and members of the Board of Environmental Protection. My name is Nick Bennett, I am the Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I am testifying in opposition to these proposed rules. Previous versions of these rules were not protective of Maine’s water quality or its taxpayers, and Read More