by Scott Weidensaul and Jeffrey V. Wells New York Times op-ed STRETCHING from interior Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland, and sandwiched between the prairies and the Arctic, North America’s boreal forest is a mind-boggling 1.5 billion acres in size — bigger even than the vast rain forests of the Brazilian Amazon or the Congo. And 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.
Lots of Effort Went Into Writing Maine’s Mining Rules, But They’re Still Too Weak
By Hendrik Gideonse, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed For three months I’ve been part of a tiny handful of citizens watching a drive to approve weakened metallic mining regulations that threaten Maine’s precious environment and that challenge the very character of Maine’s democracy. We have attended a dozen-plus mining hearings and work Read More
Proposed Mining Rules Still Too Weak to Adequately Protect Watersheds, Taxpayers
Legislature must reject the rules again they still don’t address concerns leading to defeat last year. By Rep. Ralph Tucker & Rep. Jeffrey Pierce Kennebec Journal op-ed A mining statute to relax our laws and attract mining to Maine was rushed through the Maine Legislature in 2012. The Legislature last year rejected weak rules to Read More
Legislative Committee Passes Controversial Mining Bill
Advocates say Maine’s mining regulations are unduly restrictive while critics cite fears of pollution. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — In a divided vote, a legislative committee has endorsed a controversial proposal to rewrite Maine’s mining regulations after a months-long debate focused largely on a potential mine at an Read More
Politics, Preservation, and Salmon Fishing
An annual rite of the Penobscot River sporting world brought a Maine angler and the year’s first Atlantic salmon to the president’s doorstep. By Catherine Schmitt Boston Globe news story ON MAY 25, 1992, Claude and Rosemae Westfall drove their Buick south on Maine’s I-95. Claude was dressed sharply if atypically in a green suit Read More
Mining Rules for Maine: Weeks of Negotiations Fail to Forge Consensus
By Mal Leary Maine Public news story AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine Lawmakers have worked for weeks on an effort to overhaul the state’s mining regulations. But it was mostly opponents that showed up at an unusual second public hearing on the same legislation. And it appears that the committee is still divided on the issue, Read More
NRCM Testimony in Opposition to Proposed Committee Amendments, LD 750
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee: My name is Nick Bennett, and I am the Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with over 16,000 members and supporters. NRCM opposes the Committee’s proposed amendments to LD 750 because: Read More
Will Legislators Take Mining ‘Jobs’ Bait This Time Around?
By Dennis Chinoy, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed In December 2012, three lawyers from the legal firm Pierce Atwood published a somewhat self-congratulatory article in a mining journal. “About Face: How a mine moved toward operating in Maine” described how the authors helped craft a bill mandating relaxed mining regulations on behalf Read More
Maine Lawmakers Pass Lakes Protection Bill Similar to One LePage Vetoed
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill designed to protect Maine lakes by banning the use of fertilizers containing phosphorus or nitrogen near shorelines is headed to Gov. Paul LePage after near-unanimous support in the House and Senate. LePage vetoed a bill with similar setbacks last year Read More
