By Lindsay Tice, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story The upper Androscoggin and upper Kennebec rivers are “hot spots” for mercury pollution, according to two studies published this month in BioScience, a peer-review journal. The studies identified five northeastern regions with high mercury levels in fish and birds. The hot spots include the Adirondack Mountain Read More
Mercury Pollution
Extent of Mercury Pollution More Widespread, Report Shows
Maine Wildlife Ranging from Loons to Otters to Bald Eagles at Risk National Wildlife Federation * Natural Resources Council of Maine PORTLAND – Mercury pollution is making its way into nearly every habitat in the U.S., exposing countless species of wildlife to potentially harmful levels of mercury, a new report from the National Wildlife Federation Read More
HoltraChem Cleanup Proceeds
Tons of mercury-contaminated soil remain at Orrington site Bangor Daily News news story BANGOR – Hazardous materials crews recently removed more than 1,400 pounds of mercury from the former HoltraChem site in Orrington and soon will dismantle more than a dozen buildings and storage tanks during the next phase of the cleanup, Maine officials said Read More
Maine Governor Signs Two First-In-Nation Laws To Reduce Mercury Pollution
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
Recycling Mercury Thermostats Urged
by the Associated Press Portland Press Herald Mainers are being urged to recycle old thermostats that contain mercury now that a new law outlawing sales of the thermostats has gone into effect. The Natural Resources Council of Maine held a press conference Tuesday at a hardware store to demonstrate the use of digital, nonmercury thermostats Read More
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
