By Steve Mistler, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — About $6.5 million in voter-approved bonds for the Land for Maine’s Future program that Gov. Paul LePage withheld as a political bargaining chip have effectively expired, imperiling some conservation projects funded by the program. Director Sarah Demers told LMF board members Tuesday that although Read More
Governor Paul LePage
Lawmakers Should Take Bonds Out of LePage’s Hands
The governor’s overuse of political leverage creates a system of unchecked one-man rule. By The Editorial Board Maine Sunday Telegram editorial Nineteen bills that Gov. LePage did not veto dominated last week’s political news, but that should not distract attention from a single bill that he did veto. L.D. 1378, sponsored by Republican Sen. Roger Read More
Increased Logging and Oversight on Maine Public Lands Passed into Law
by Christine Parrish Free Press news story In spite of increasing questions about whether Maine’s Public Lands are being treated more like commercial forests than the multiple-use forests they were established by law to be, logging targets increased from 141,000 to 160,000 cords per year when the new biennial budget was signed into law in Read More
LePage Vetoes Land for Maine’s Future Bond Bill
The measure seeks to force him to issue bonds for the conservation program. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — As expected, Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a bill Tuesday aimed at forcing him to sell $11.4 million in bonds for the Land for Maine’s Future program that he has been Read More
Legislature Overrides Veto of Bill Calling for PUC to Develop Solar Policy
Vote shows bipartisan support for helping Maine catch up on solar NRCM news release AUGUSTA, ME – Today, the Maine House (119-28) and Senate (32-3) voted to override Governor LePage’s veto of a Resolve aimed at developing a comprehensive solar policy for Maine. LD 1263, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gideon of Freeport, was amended to Read More
$9 Million Down East Solar Project on Hold as Bill Vetoed
By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — A bill to study a new way to compensate electricity customers for the power they generate and return into the grid was vetoed by Gov. Paul LePage on Monday. The legislation, LD 1263, comes as uncertainty looms over just how long the Read More
Future of Solar Energy in Maine Still Cloudy
Disagreements persist over how generators, ratepayers and utilities may benefit from the clean power of the sun. By Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The tussle over the future of solar energy in Maine also is a fight over competing visions for how to develop the limitless resource. One continues the existing Read More
Lawmakers Must Hold Firm to Put Land for Maine’s Future Back on Track
Bangor Daily News editorial Lawmakers have taken strong stands on two important issues in recent weeks, pushing back against an obstinate governor to put two programs — Land for Maine’s Future and Efficiency Maine — back on track. We’d like to see lawmakers continue to stand firm against a governor who is demonstrating no interest Read More
Lawmakers Unanimously Override LePage Veto of Efficiency Maine Funding Bill
The proposal, known as the ‘missing and’ bill, fixes a clerical error made in the state’s 2013 energy law. By Steve Mistler. Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — The Legislature overrode several more vetoes by Gov. Paul LePage on Tuesday, including his rejection of a bill that corrects a one-word clerical error Read More
