New Laws Will Recycle Mercury Thermostats, Ban Sale of Mercury Button Cell Batteries NRCM news release AUGUSTA, MAINE – At noon today, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into law two new precedent-setting measures that will reduce mercury pollution. One of the laws requires manufacturers to provide the nation’s first financial incentive to recycle building thermostats Read More
Mercury Pollution
Mercury Thermostat Sales Ban Started on January 1st
But 5,600 Pounds of Mercury Still on Walls of Maine Homes, Businesses News release Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine hosted a news conference at the Maine Hardware Store in Portland to inform Maine people about the new mercury thermostat sales ban that went into effect January 1, 2006, and to highlight the need Read More
Most Mercury Found in Swordfish and Tuna Bought in Maine
NRCM: Warnings Needed Where Fish Is Sold, Clean-Up Still Needed AUGUSTA – Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine released the results of a major mercury testing project which included samples of swordfish and tuna taken from Shaw’s in Portland ME. The swordfish and tuna steaks from Maine supermarkets contained the most mercury contamination of Read More
NRCM Applauds Sen. Collins’ Leadership Efforts to Force Senate Vote on EPA Power Plant Mercury Pollution Rule:
Rule Triples Allowable Mercury Levels, Harms Children Statement by Brownie Carson, NRCM executive director “Today, Senator Collins is joining with Senator Patrick Leahy to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution disapproving of the Bush administration rule that exempts mercury from power plants from being treated as a hazardous air pollutant. Thirty senators have signed the Read More
NRCM Files Suit Challenging U.S. EPA Air Toxics Rule
NRCM news release Washington, D.C. – Today the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) filed suit in the federal Court of Appeals challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to remove power plants from the list of industrial pollution sources requiring strict controls for mercury and other toxic air pollutant emissions. “Merely declaring that Read More
NRCM Urges Senator Collins to Investigate Fraudulent Mercury Rule
In response to Tuesday’s Washington Post report that the Environmental Protection Agency decided to ignore Harvard University researchers’ analysis of health benefits from reducing mercury pollution from power plants, the Clean Air Task Force, National Wildlife Federation and Natural Resources Council of Maine, are renewing their request that Senator Susan Collins, as Chair of the Read More
16,896 Mercury-laden Car Switches Collected Under Maine’s Landmark Program!
NRCM news release At the urging of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, in 2002 Maine lawmakers passed a first-in-the-nation law to require carmakers to pay to collect harmful mercury switches from junked cars before scrapping them. Maine’s car mercury switch law was challenged in court by the carmakers, but the law prevailed. In December Read More
Maine Pregnant Women Warned: Children May Face Higher Risk of Developmental Disabilities from Mercury
Taxpayers End Up Footing Big Bill for Special Education Costs in Schools News release Youngsters in Maine could be suffering an above-average rate of developmental disabilities as a result of the federal government’s failure to take steps needed to curb lake and river-polluting emissions of mercury, according to according to a new report released today Read More
NRCM Launches Mercury Campaign in Greater Portland and Brunswick
PORTLAND –Maine’s leading environmental advocacy group, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, launched a summer door-to-door educational campaign as part of statewide efforts to inform the public about mercury pollution in Maine. “Mercury pollution from power plants is an environmental issue that hits Maine hard,” said Jon Hinck, Toxics Project Director for NRCM. “For Maine Read More
