PaintCare’s program makes paint recycling more convenient PaintCare news release AUGUSTA, ME – (October 1, 2015) – Paint recycling just got easier for all Mainers. PaintCare, a Washington, DC-based product stewardship organization for the paint industry is pleased to announce the start of a new paint recycling program in Maine. The Maine Paint Stewardship Program Read More
Department of Environmental Protection
Pesticide Disposal Program Aims to Help Farmers, Homeowners
By Abigail Curtis, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Got pesticides and are unsure of what to do with them? A state program aims to help, by allowing Mainers to dispose of banned or unusable pesticides next month at sites in Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta and Portland. According to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Read More
Why There’s Cause for Concern with Maine’s Water Supply
By Mario Tesil and Kate Warner Bangor Daily News oped As other regions of the country struggle to find adequate supplies of clean water, Maine has abundant, and comparatively clean, water resources. Maine’s water is approximately 20 percent to 60 percent cleaner than lakes and streams in the rest of the United States, according to Read More
Healthy Pregnancies Depend on Good Information about Toxic Chemicals
Maine lawmakers should pass the Healthy Kids Bill introduced by Rep. Sara Gideon, D-Freeport. By Dr. Jeff Peterson Portland Press Herald op-ed When a woman finds out that she is pregnant, usually one of the first things she does is seek out information from books or health care professionals about what she should and shouldn’t be Read More
NRCM Testimony In Opposition to An Act to Reduce Carbon Emissions from Residential Heating (LD 595)
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and distinguished members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Pete Didisheim and I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to LD 595 NRCM opposes this legislation because Maine already has a Read More
Maine Digs In to Review Mining Rules in Fight Over Remote Mountain
Canadian conglomerate faces off against environmentalists, tourism industry; compromise appears possible by Jon Kamp Wall Street Journal news story Closely held Irving, the state’s largest landowner, was the main driver behind a 2012 law that directed state regulators to replace 1991 mining rules, lawmakers say. The law’s proponents, including Republican Gov. Paul LePage, blame the Read More
EPA Decision: Maine Water Quality Standards Inadequate for Tribal Waters
By Susan Sharon MPBN news story AUGUSTA, Maine – In a decision that is being welcomed as “historic” by Maine Indian tribes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has asked the state of Maine to revise some water quality standards for tribal waters. The decision comes during ongoing litigation brought by the state against the EPA. Read More
Toxin Ruling Should Put Maine Kids’ Interests First
Mandating disclosure of phthalates would help consumers make safer choices for their families. Portland Press Herald editorial In about two weeks, Maine environmental regulators will have to decide whether they’ll require manufacturers to disclose which of their products contain phthalates: chemicals linked to serious health problems in kids that are in everything from lunch boxes and Read More
Draft Rule to Protect Mainers from Phthalates Weakened by State DEP
The regulation now would apply only to products targeted to kids under 12 and not to pregnant women, sparking an outcry from advocates of chemical safeguards. By Colin Woodard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Gov. Paul LePage’s administration has endorsed a substantially weakened draft of a rule requiring manufacturers to reveal which products Read More
