By Christopher Cousins, staff writer Bangor Daily News story AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature on Tuesday overturned a veto by Gov. Paul LePage of a bill that aims to protect delicate fish spawning habitats from motorized mining operations. After a unanimous vote in the Senate on Tuesday morning, the House voted 119-23 Tuesday evening to Read More
Mining Pollution
Mining is one of the most dangerous industrial activities, with mining pollution affecting wildlife habitat, clean waters, and public health. Mining metals in deposits with high levels of sulfides, which are common in Maine, is especially dangerous. Mining companies search for metals like copper and zinc in deposits where iron sulfide is present in large quantities. Iron sulfide creates acid when exposed to air and water. This acid kills fish and other aquatic creatures. It also leaches out toxic heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, that may also be in the mined rock.
Maine Senate Joins House in Rejecting Large-scale Mining Rules
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Senate on Wednesday affirmed a vote earlier this week in the House of Representatives that will force the Department of Environmental Protection to restart the process of implementing new large-scale mining rules. The rules were developed after the passage of Read More
House Deals Another Blow to Controversial Large-scale Mineral Mining Rules
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Rather than approve large-scale metallic mineral mining rules that have been under development for a year, the Maine House of Representatives Monday voted to send the rules back to state regulators for a do-over. The lopsided vote came over the objections of Read More
Maine House Votes to Toss Out Proposed Mining Rules
The bill calls for a new set of regulations, which are likely to be less friendly to open-pit mining of minerals at Bald Mountain. By Eric Russell, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Maine House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would throw out proposed mining rules drafted after a legislative vote Read More
History Shows Mining’s Consequences: Rules to Protect Maine’s Environment are Insufficient
By Fred Kircheis, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed I have observed mines and mining operations on three continents and in many countries. What too many have in common are the contaminated waters, decimated fish populations, polluted air and destroyed landscapes left behind. Those consequences elsewhere — and in Maine — should be Read More
Proposed Mining Rules are a Bad Deal for Maine Environment, Taxpayers
by Rep. Jeff McCabe & Rep. Larry Dunphy Kennebec Journal op-ed On Jan. 10, the Board of Environmental Protection passed mining rules that will not protect Maine’s environment or taxpayers. People in support of stronger rules outnumbered those supporting these weak rules by more than 100 to 1. The BEP, however, largely ignored this testimony Read More
Legislative Committee Endorses Do-over of Large-scale Mining Rules in Maine
By Christopher Cousins, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources committee on Thursday rejected metallic mineral mining rules that have been under development for more than a year. The committee endorsed a resolve, LD 1772, that essentially sends the rules back to the Department of Environmental Read More
Legislative Committee Rejects New Maine Mining Rules
Democrats, environmental groups applaud vote, citing pollution concerns. By Steve Mistler, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA – Democrats on the Legislature’s Natural Resources and Environmental Committee on Thursday rejected rules designed to revitalize metal and mineral mining in Maine, but fiercely opposed by environmental groups that feared its ecological impacts. In a vote of Read More
Contentious Mining Rules Come Before Lawmakers
By Alanna Durkin, The Associated Press Times Record news story A proposed overhaul of Maine’s mining regulations made its way to state lawmakers on Monday as supporters and critics remain deeply divided over whether expanded metallic mining is the answer to Maine’s economic problems or will result in the demise of the natural resources that make the Read More
