By Rick Levasseur, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Prior to traveling to East Millinocket with congressmen from Utah and Arkansas for a congressional field hearing and public forum on the proposed Maine Woods National Monument, Rep. Bruce Poliquin said, “The local people need to be heard.” His colleagues then invited to their Read More
Maine Economy
Why Do LePage and the NRCM Keep Fighting?
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — The war of words — and recently letters — between Gov. Paul LePage and the Natural Resources Council of Maine has been simmering for years but reached a boil lately with LePage trying to interfere in the organization’s donor pool and the Read More
They Say a Monument Will Drive a Stake Through the Heart of Our Industry. I Disagree.
By Roger Milliken, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed For the last 35 years, I have worked for the Baskahegan Company, which grows and harvests trees on lands acquired by my grandfather in 1920. As a longtime member of the forest products industry, I am writing in support of the proposed national monument. Read More
LePage Offers to Meet with Leader of Natural Resources Council of Maine
But the way the invitation is announced – and the response from the group’s executive director – highlights the chilly relations between the governor and Maine’s largest environmental group. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Gov. Paul LePage has invited the head of the Natural Resources Council of Maine to meet Read More
LePage Launches New Salvo Against Environmental Group
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage continued confronting the Natural Resources Council of Maine, accusing them Wednesday of “playing to the media” and inviting the group’s director, Lisa Pohlmann, to meet with him. LePage, critical of a news conference held by the NRCM last week Read More
Timeline of Governor LePage’s Attacks on NRCM
Starting in 2016, Maine’s then-Governor Paul LePage mentioned the Natural Resources Council of Maine by name more than 75 times in nearly two dozen speeches, interviews, communications, and Town Hall meetings—more frequently than he mentioned any other organization in Maine. Read full news release. March 8, 2016: Governor LePage radio address attacks NRCM by name five Read More
Speaking Up for a New National Monument
On May 16, 2016, more than 1,100 supporters of new National Monument for Maine attended a hearing in Orono, hosted by Senator Angus King, who invited National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis to hear from Maine people about the proposal. The incredible turnout included people from every corner of the state. About 200 people came Read More
Northern Maine Deserves Better
For example, Rep. Bruce Poliquin wants to inflame people to help his campaign along. By Alan Caron Portland Press Herald op-ed Over a thousand Mainers converged on two northern Maine public gatherings last week to argue over a proposal to set aside 87,500 acres of the North Woods as a so-called national monument. Opposition arguments Read More
Expectations Mixed in Wake of National Monument Meetings
Opponents of the Katahdin-area proposal are determined to fight on, but others see the designation as a done deal and believe it’s time to plan for that outcome. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The head of the National Park Service had just wrapped up a marathon day of hearings on Read More
