Dave Sartwell Gloucester Times news story The Penobscot River in Maine is on the verge of an historic reclamation. The Lower Penobscot River Restoration Project has cleared what at first seemed insurmountable opposition to removing dams and restoring the natural flow of the river. Although the implementation will take several years, all of the agreements Read More
Waters
Clean, healthy waterways are vital to our day-to-day lives. They help ensure safe drinking water, suitable habitat for fish and other wildlife, and recreational opportunities that make Maine a special place to live, work, and visit. NRCM has been working on clean water issues since we were founded in 1959 to protect the Allagash.
NRCM continues to advocate for clean and healthy waters across Maine. Read more news & blogs about our work to protect Maine's beautiful rivers, lakes, and streams.
Salmon’s Return Means Much to Tribe
By Tom Bell, State House Writer Maine Sunday Telegram news story INDIAN ISLAND – In 1835, when the new dam at Veazie was closed in the winter, blocking all fish passage, the Penobscot Indians protested that the dam would destroy the annual runs of salmon and other sea-run fish. Their complaints went unheeded, even when Read More
Alewives Spark Legal Debate
By Nick Bennett, NRCM Staff Scientist Maine Lobsterman’s Association newsletter August 2011 guest column More than two years ago, the Maine Lobstermen’s Association joined the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Rivers and nearly 50 other conservation, sporting, and commercial fishing groups in petitioning the International Joint Commission (IJC) to reopen Read More
Senate Holds the Line on Protecting Vernal Pools
A LePage-backed bid to reduce buffer zones for development is overwhelmingly rejected. by Tom Bell, MaineToday Media State House Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA – By a wide margin, the Maine Senate on Wednesday rejected an attempt by Gov. Paul LePage to roll back regulations aimed at protecting the state’s largest vernal pools. Read More
Seeking to Cut Vernal Pool Buffer, LePage Spurns Warning of Federal Scrutiny, Lawmaker Compromise
By Steve Mistler, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story AUGUSTA — The LePage administration is continuing its push to reduce the state’s buffer zone for vernal pools, despite warnings that the temporary wetlands could suffer irreparable harm. The Maine House of Representatives on Friday unanimously killed a bill that would slice the current 250-foot buffer Read More
Opposition to LD 341, An Act To Exempt Artificial Wetlands and Artificial Significant Vernal Pool Habitats from State Regulation
Senator Saviello, Representative Hamper, and Members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee: LD 341 would exempt a huge number of wetlands in Maine from state regulation. Most Maine lakes have outlet dams that increase lake levels, and these dams also create wetlands around the lakes. Most Maine rivers are dammed, and these dams also Read More
Maine Voters Oppose Environmental Rollbacks
New Poll Shows Strong Support for Environmental Laws NRCM news release A poll conducted two weeks ago by Portland-based Critical Insights shows that Maine voters overwhelming oppose specific environmental rollback proposals now before the Maine Legislature, including efforts to weaken shoreland zoning, the bottle bill, and Maine’s energy building code. The survey finds that Maine voters Read More
Vernal Pools at Center of Maine Environmental Regulation Debate
MPBN radio news story Conservationists, sportsmen and wetlands scientists gathered today in Augusta to speak out — again — against proposals before the Legislature. They complain the measures will undermine decades of progress by dirtying Maine’s waterways and polluting the wetlands that wading shorebirds and other waterfowl depend on to thrive. But Republicans say the Read More
Sportsmen, Scientists, Clammers, and Others Speak Out Against Attacks on Water Quality Safeguards
NRCM * Maine Audubon * SAM * Maine Rivers * Maine Clammers’ Association * COLA * BRCA * Lakes Environmental Association AUGUSTA – At a statehouse news conference today, sportsmen, lake advocates, and experts on wildlife, water quality, and fisheries decried legislative attacks on Maine’s natural heritage. “There is an all-out assault on Maine’s water Read More
