Composing titles...

Composing excerpts...

Composing authors...

Composing slugs...

Composing contents...

Composing dates...

Composing tags...

Composing categories...

Composing URLs for featured images...

Composing URLs for attachments files...

Composing unique keys...

Processing posts...

`Debate begins on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`More than 300 attending "scoping session" on Plum Creek project` post created successfully

`More than 300 turn out in Greenville to discuss Plum Creek development` post created successfully

`Moosehead development in Maine sparks controversy` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's "pig in a poke"` post created successfully

`Paper Company Sued Over River Pollution` post created successfully

`Environmentalists sue IP over pollution` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's fine print important` post created successfully

`LMF` post created successfully

`Senators sign on to force vote on mercury` post created successfully

`Moosehead region won't benefit from Plum Creek's plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek plan fails` post created successfully

`North Woods project panned` post created successfully

`Wilderness at a crossroads` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci signs cleaner cars law` post created successfully

`Brownie Carson presented with Bowdoin College's 2005 Common Good Award` post created successfully

`Group plans to sue IP` post created successfully

`Feds must protect Maine from other states' toxins` post created successfully

`NRCM files suit challenging U.S. EPA air toxics rule` post created successfully

`It's time to finish cleaning up the Androscoggin` post created successfully

`Maine moves to reduce global-warming pollution` post created successfully

`Response to the Votes on the Budget Resolution that Open the Arctic to Oil Drilling and Cuts Environmental Protection` post created successfully

`Bracing for a change in Maine's landscape` post created successfully

`The Education of Brownie Carson` post created successfully

`Moosehead plan's impact weighed` post created successfully

`Debate ensues over Moosehead proposal` post created successfully

`Houses, resorts planned for North Woods` post created successfully

`Northeast battles its status as US "tailpipe"` post created successfully

`Cuts in federal budget will stall Maine's clean water efforts and eliminate funding for recreation areas` post created successfully

`Maine to sue EPA over mercury emissions` post created successfully

`Collins takes on mercury` post created successfully

`Collins assails U.S. agency on mercury rule` post created successfully

`New mercury rules have activists fuming` post created successfully

`EPA Triples Allowable Power Plant Mercury Emissions` post created successfully

`Remaking Greenville` post created successfully

`Give voters the say on Land for Maine's Future` post created successfully

`Mercury at center of controversy` post created successfully

`Parent, School, Health and Environmental Groups Call for Bill to Remove Poisons from Maine Schools` post created successfully

`Schools' Chemical Cleanups Unfunded` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Consider Funding to Cleanup Toxic Chemicals in Schools` post created successfully

`More car mercury switches recycled` post created successfully

`Plum Creek project is a reminder of missing land bond` post created successfully

`A Plum of a Deal?` post created successfully

`Large shorefront project planned for Moosehead region` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's grand plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek at a glance: Two resorts in works in Moosehead Region` post created successfully

`Plum Creek floats radical land use plan` post created successfully

`Owner outlines big plan for land` post created successfully

`Activists speak out against toys containing mercury batteries` post created successfully

`State's plan aims to cut pollution` post created successfully

`Federal Action Best to Fight Impacts of Global Climate Change` post created successfully

`State Releases Global Warming Action Plan` post created successfully

`Sebasticook River will see rebirth when dam is removed` post created successfully

`Maine groups unite in push to stop global warming` post created successfully

`Maine Finds Stockpiles of Hazardous Chemicals in Schools` post created successfully

`21% of Women Tested Nationwide Have Mercury Levels Higher than EPA Limit` post created successfully

`Cost of Mercury Pollution Control: Four Cents Per Month for Maine Ratepayers` post created successfully

`Environmentalist Honored in Portland` post created successfully

`Mitchell lauds environmentalist's 20 years` post created successfully

`Brownie Carson honored for 20 years at helm of Natural Resources Council` post created successfully

`A "Brownie" who's green` post created successfully

`Another Carson` post created successfully

`Senators Snowe, Collins Advance $2 Million Spending Measure to Restore Penobscot River` post created successfully

`EPA chief defends mercury proposal` post created successfully

`Clean Air Ride` post created successfully

`It's that serious` post created successfully

`Maine's newest river` post created successfully

`EPA excuses don't reduce mercury levels` post created successfully

`NRCM Launches Mercury Campaign in Greater Portland and Brunswick` post created successfully

`High levels of mercury taint fish` post created successfully

`Maine's mercury levels are high` post created successfully

`Mercury warning remains for Maine's rivers` post created successfully

`Kellogg's to drop mercury-battery toys after Spider-Man promotion` post created successfully

`Spider-Man toy in cereal has some climbing walls` post created successfully

`Penobscot's rebirth is cause for rejoicing` post created successfully

`River Revival: Kennebec teems with life 5 years after dam breach` post created successfully

`Penobscot restoration deal signed` post created successfully

`Clear Skies plan falls short` post created successfully

`DEP approves Mars Hill wind farm plan` post created successfully

`Settlement Will Mean Cleaner Air for Portland, Maine` post created successfully

`Suit contends EPA mercury rules will not protect health` post created successfully

`State Now Has Plan for Your Old Television` post created successfully

`Legislature Establishes Recycling for Old Computers and TVs` post created successfully

`Bill to require renewable power urged` post created successfully

`Mars Hill wind farm gaining support` post created successfully

`Maple syrup makers note tapping dates getting earlier` post created successfully

`Concern about our climate is heating up` post created successfully

`NRCM Supports Mars Hill Wind Power Project` post created successfully

`Conservation group endorses wind power project` post created successfully

`Bill Seeks to Relax Pollution Standards` post created successfully

`Maine Dam May Serve as Preview` post created successfully

`Bush Plan Gives Maine More Mercury from Coal Plants` post created successfully

`Clean cars, land bond on environmentalists' agenda` post created successfully

`Urgent Environmental Issues Need Legislative Action, Says Group Representing 100,000 Mainers` post created successfully

`Clean Up Wyman Station` post created successfully

`NOx Air Pollution Up 45% Between 1998 and '99 at Wyman Power Plant` post created successfully

`More Than 1,000 Citizens Support BEP Move to Require Clean-up at Wyman Power Plant` post created successfully

`Florida Power & Light Should` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that FPLE has chosen to hide behind a front group they are funding in the company's fight to avoid cleaning up Wyman Station, Maine's largest single source of air pollution. Wyman Station is an old polluting power plant in Yarmouth that Florida-based FPLE purchased a year-and-a-half ago. FPLE is a subsidiary of FPL Group that announced a $27 billion merger last July that would make it the nation’s largest power company.While FPLE's primary goal is to increase their profits, the Natural Resources Council of Maine's goal is to clean Maine's air, and we know that cleaning up Wyman is a necessary part of that challenge. Wyman emitted as much pollution as 280,000 cars in 1999, increasing its NOx pollution by 257 percent over the last four years as the dirty plant ran longer hours.An FPLE-funded advertisement that appeared in the Maine Sunday Telegram on December 3 presents misleading information about emission reductions that ignores basic facts about Wyman’s pollution:1. Requiring full pollution reductions at Wyman is the most effective, predictable and best way to reduce local health impacts of NOx and downwind impacts of ozone pollution. 2. Purchasing “pollution credits” from plants that have already cleaned up, which is what FPLE has proposed, will not help Maine's air quality at all;3. Cleaning up Wyman allows Maine to insist that upwind states from Ohio to New Hampshire clean up their dirty old plants. Until we’ve cleaned up Maine’s power plant pollution, how can we ask upwind states to commit to do so?In a preliminary vote, Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection did the right thing for our environment and supported full clean up at Wyman, without “pollution credit” trading. The final vote will likely take place in about a month. In other states, great progress is being made. In late November, the News-Press, a Florida newspaper, reported that FPL spent $500 million to clean up their Fort Meyers plant and convert it to gas. That is more than 30 times more money than the Environmental Protection Agency says it would cost FPL to clean up at Wyman!More recently, a November 16 story in the New York Times reported that a Virginia power company agreed to clean up emissions at its eight plants by 70 percent without “pollution credit” trading. The New York Times states: "The company has also agreed not to sell or trade to other companies the 'pollution credits' it earns by cutting its own emissions, so that its clean-up will not lead to other companies gaining legal permission to pollute more."We don't think Maine should let Wyman gain "legal permission to pollute more" either. Because it won't help Maine's air as much, it reduces Maine's ability to convince upwind states to clean up their air pollution that flows to Maine and it's not fair to Maine people. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Chapter 145 Nox Control Program at Wyman Station` post created successfully

`Comment to the Board of Environmental Protection on Chapter 145 NOx Control Program` post created successfully

`Maine's Biggest Air Pollution Victory in 30 Years!` post created successfully

`State of Maine Offers Rebate on Energy Efficient Light Bulbs` post created successfully

`Global Warming Report Released` post created successfully

`Report Lays Out Blueprint for Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Opportunities Seen for Major Pollution Reductions from Electricity, Transportation Sectors</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> AUGUSTA -- In order to help the state meet global warming pollution reduction goals set by Governor Baldacci and other Northeast Governors, a report released today by the Natural Resources Council of Maine - A Blueprint for Action -- lays out the critical elements of climate-friendly policies that should be included in Maine’s Climate Action Plan. “To significantly reduce global warming pollution in Maine, the state needs stronger energy efficiency programs, more clean, renewable wind and solar power, and better car emission standards,” said Sue Jones, one of the report’s authors and the Energy Project Director for NRCM. “None of these is a ‘pie in the sky’ recommendation – other states have already adopted them.”The report (click on link to open pdf file of report) predicts that without action, Maine’s direct global warming emissions from all sources other than electricity generation will increase by about 32% between 1990 and 2020, while regional emissions from the New England-wide electricity sector could increase about 42% over the same time period. In 2001, the Governors of the New England States and the Premiers of the Eastern Canadian Provinces set goals to reduce global warming pollution in the region to 1990 levels by 2010; 10% below 1990 levels by 2020; and 75-85% below current levels in the long term, to reduce human harm to our climate. That regional plan was viewed as a major step forward for efforts to control rapidly rising levels of global warming pollution. Since then states and provinces have been working to craft plans that will achieve the necessary reductions. Last year, Governor Baldacci signed these targets into Maine law, and embarked on a major initiative to help Maine meet these targets, which included kicking off a year-long effort to create Maine’s own Climate Action Plan, which is expected to be complete this fall.“Governor Baldacci has shown great “leadership by example” in reducing global warming pollution in Maine during his tenure,” said Matthew Davis of Environment Maine. “Now he needs to take the next step and ensure that the State adopts a strong Climate Action Plan that outlines how the state will meet – or exceed -- those goals. Blueprint for Action outlines the policies that are essential to a successful Climate Action Plan.” Blueprint for Action calculates the expected global warming pollution reductions from a mix of clean energy policies and compares the “clean energy” scenario to the “base case” scenario. The report finds that adopting 14 key policy options will get the state a large part of the way toward meeting its 2010 and 2020 targets. The policies recommended in Blueprint for Action include stronger energy efficiency programs; additional use of clean, renewable wind and solar power; emissions standards for cleaner cars, among others. All of the policies are being implemented in at least one other state. Adoption of these policies will bring immediate benefits -- in reduced global warming pollution, smog and ozone, reduced public health emergencies and threats, and significant energy savings to all consumers.“This report shows that Maine has an opportunity to join other states in adopting common sense, reasonable measures that fight global warming and save on energy costs to consumers,” state Melissa Carey, Climate Change Policy Specialist at Environmental Defense. “Action on global warming is about the legacy we leave to future generations. This report highlights important opportunities for Maine to take real action toward achieving the goal of a stable future for the next generation.”Also critical to Maine meeting its target goals are forestry policy options that help reduce global warming pollution. During the development of the Action Plan, scientists and stakeholders were surprised to learn that Maine's current forestry practices are contributing to global warming. “There are ways we can turn Maine’s vast forests into an asset in the effort to meet the targets set by the Legislature,” states Kate Dempsey, Government Relations Coordinator, Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. “In addition to these 14 policy options, we need to create options and opportunities for sound forest management to be part of the solution to global warming.” A significant finding of the report is that Maine’s biggest challenge will be cutting transportation emissions, which are rising rapidly as people drive less efficient vehicles, and more miles each year. Despite the expected challenge, the report identifies six policies that can be implemented today that would achieve significant reductions in pollution levels from the transportation sector, which accounts for 46% of all carbon emissions in Maine. A combination of emissions standards for cars and trucks, measures to help reduce the number of miles driven, and other programs would reduce global warming pollution in 2020 by 120 thousand metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE) by 2010, which is nearly 48% of the reductions in direct emissions necessary to hit the regional goal. “We know the important first steps toward cleaner transportation policy: more efficient vehicles and reducing vehicle miles traveled,” said Jones. “Maine needs to commit to adopt those steps today, and devise other policies and practices to reduce all major sources of global warming pollution.”<a href="/uploads/me_gw_report04.pdf">Read full report, "A Blueprint for Action"</a> `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Most Mercury Found in Swordfish and Tuna Bought in Maine` post created successfully

`Maine Senators Deserve Praise for Leading Anti-Mercury Efforts` post created successfully

`Environmental group decries Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Stores asked to post warnings on mercury in tuna, swordfish` post created successfully

`Tests find higher-than-allowed mercury levels in store bought fish` post created successfully

`New Maine Health, Business, Conservation Coalition Rallies for Strong Plan to Stop Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Chapter 137, Emissions Statements Rule (a.k.a. Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule)` post created successfully

`LD 1929, An Act to Promote Economic Development in the State by Encouraging the Production of Electricity from Renewable and Indigenous Resources` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1892, An Act to Protect Public Health and the Environment by Providing for a System of Shared Responsibility for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Electronic Waste` post created successfully

`LD 1899, An Act to Amend the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Standard and the Bacteria Standard for Class C Waters` post created successfully

`Proposal to Weaken` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Testimony at the EPA’s public hearing in Philadelphia, PA</h2> <h3 class="author">by Jon Hinck, NRCM toxics project director</h3> I testify here today on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, a citizen supported environmental advocacy organization with 8,000 members and supporters. We have reviewed the two alternative proposals put forward by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA” or “Agency”) for federal standards to govern mercury emissions from electric utility power plants, and the extensive record in this matter. We conclude that both proposals are environmentally unsound and legally deficient. We encourage adoption of proven methods to achieve more substantial and expeditious control of mercury emissions. The Clean Air Act (“CAA” or “the Act”) Section 112(d) sets forth a “maximum achievable control technologies” (“MACT”) standard. 42 U.S.C. § 7412 (d) (2000). The Act contemplates control of emissions from hazardous air pollution sources equivalent to what is achieved by the best-controlled similar source in the industry. When Congress amended the Clean Air Act in 1990, it specifically called for “maximum achievable” clean-up of major sources of toxic air pollution, including mercury. It is beyond dispute that EPA has the authority under the Act to adopt a standard requiring a minimum of 90% mercury emissions reductions at all of the nation’s power plants. Instead, EPA’s first proposed alternative relies on an attenuated interpretation of a marginally less stringent standard that the Agency has discretion, but is not required, to apply to existing sources. This proposal is for a standard beneath the ground floor set by Section 112(d). EPA’s second, and preferred, alternative would create a novel “pooled performance standard” that is apparently designed to escape the restrictions of the law entirely. Both alternatives fall far short of the clean air standards required and should be rejected.In Maine, it is fair to say that there is a remarkable consensus that mercury pollution must be curtailed to the maximum extent feasible. A legacy of toxic mercury deposition has forced Mainers to realize that our state is positioned at the end of the tailpipe of the continent’s prevailing winds. After years of assessing mercury’s effects, Mainers would never choose a discount on our electric bills in exchange for more mercury pollution. Why Washington is ready to accept such a trade-off baffles us.Surveys done both in Maine and nationally, indicate that 10 to 20% of women of childbearing age have blood levels of mercury considered too high for the safety of a developing fetus. We are aware that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found that some four million American women of child-bearing age have blood mercury levels that exceed E.P.A.’s 5.8 parts per billion standard. Exposure to mercury puts the babies born to these women at risk of brain damage, learning disabilities and motor skills deficits. Unsafe mercury levels forces Maine’s Bureau of Health to maintain strict fish consumption advisories for all of Maine's lakes, rivers and streams, as well as for coastal bluefish and striped bass. This takes something of great value both from those who observe and those who ignore the warnings. We also see insidious effects of mercury on Maine wildlife. A quarter of Maine’s loon population is considered to be at “high risk” from the effects of mercury. Adult loons with high mercury body burdens are far more likely than uncontaminated birds to exhibit a range of atypical and harmful behaviors, to abandon their nests and suffer from reduced reproductive success. Studies show that mercury pollution is the decisive contributor to a negative loon population growth rate in Maine. There is obvious evidence, if not a direct chemical footprint, of upwind power plants on the mercury levels in Maine loons. Laboratory tests show that mercury levels in feathers from Maine loons is four times higher than the levels in Oregon loons. Similarly, Maine’s bald eagles have mercury body burdens comparable to Maine’s loons. Moreover, Maine bald eagles have the lowest reproductive success rate of any major bald eagle population in the country.In response to such facts - but too often in the absence of federal leadership -- Maine has made great strides to control mercury pollution.In 1997, the Maine Legislature called for a report and plan of action to control mercury pollution. The State’s goal, set back then, was “to ensure that, over time, Maine people and wildlife are able to enjoy the full use of the state’s waters and fisheries” and to “make Maine’s fish safe to eat and to protect our wildlife and other resources.” The resulting 1998 report recommended passage of laws “to require reduction and possible elimination of mercury from consumer and commercial products sold nationally and in Maine.”That year, state legislation closed the loophole that allowed a soon to be notorious chlor-alkli plant to discharge mercury into the Penobscot River and limited its airborne emissions. Over the ensuing years Maine took the following actions on mercury:· Before 2000, achieved mercury emission reductions of more than 90% at four municipal waste combustors achieved substantial reductions) meet or exceeding federal limits, or where inapplicable applying equally stringent state limits;· Enacted a law lowering mercury emission standards statewide (2000);· Implemented voluntary mercury manometer replacement program for dairy farmers (2000);· Closed the heavily polluting chlor-alkli plant, the last plant in New England using a once common mercury-cell process to produce chlorine gas and caustic soda. (2000). Made arrangements for safe removal and storage of 185,000 pounds of surplus mercury from the site (2002);· Reduced mercury from hospitals through: 1) a voluntary pollution prevention agreement; 2) legislation requiring disclosure of mercury in products sold to hospitals; and 3) closing of medical waste incinerators (2001);· Enacted a law to require automobile manufacturers to recover mercury-containing switches from vehicles before they are scrapped (2002); and defended against and won a lawsuit brought by the automakers to invalidate the statute (2004); · Enacted a law requiring dentists to install amalgam separators that collect 98% of mercury from dental wastewater (2003); and· Enacted a law that bans the sale of most mercury-added switches, relays, and measuring devices (2003).This sustained effort on the part of Maine to control an environmental scourge attests to the broad recognition there of the harm caused by mercury pollution. Unfortunately, the federal government, not Maine governs the standards for power plant emissions. Mainers find it hard to understand the federal government’s failure to take strong action on this issue. EPA is apparently aware of the same basic facts that has led Maine to act. EPA’s February 1998 report to Congress on threats to public health caused by emissions from power plants concluded that: (1) mercury presents the greatest public health hazard among pollutants from power plants; (2) those plants are the largest source of mercury emissions in the United States, (3) mercury in the environment presents significant hazards to public health and the environment; and (4) mercury emissions from power plants give rise to elevated methylmercury concentrations in fish, the worse pathway for human exposure to mercury. In light of these findings, what is called for is genuine maximum achievable control standards and vigorous enforcement. Instead, EPA’s proposed rulemaking ignores the obvious option of requiring universal compliance with a regulation requiring efficient, cost-effective pollution controls.· Commercially available technologies and techniques in use today achieve up to 91 percent emissions reductions over uncontrolled levels -- and do so at a cost of approximately 1/50th of a penny per KWh. Up to 98 percent reductions have been observed in tests of the most modern mercury controls. · An EPA analysis in 2001 found that the use of currently available pollution controls at each power plant could reduce total emissions by 90% by 2008. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management in 2003 reviewed the pollution control technologies and concluded that existing technologies can reduce mercury air emissions from coal-fired power plants nationwide by 90 percent. · 90 percent reductions at all existing coal-fired power plants (the same standard that is now achieved at medical and municipal waste incinerators) would bring total mercury emissions from that sector down from the current 48 tons to five tons annually. This can be achieved by 2008, as required by the Clean Air Act.EPA’s proposed “flexible cap and trade” system would delay until 2018 a 70 percent decrease in mercury emissions - and still allow 15 tons of mercury from the power plants to be released into the environment. It would also ensconce as policy a tolerance for the mercury “hot spots” that would persist downwind of plants owned by utilities that buy mercury emission credits on the emissions trading market. The Agency’s proposed “variability analysis” is transparent data manipulation to justify a lax pollution standard. In the interest of public health and environmental quality, we urge EPA to abandon its two proposals and instead follow the Clean Air Act as written. This requires adoption of a maximum achievable control technology standard that would achieve at least 90% reductions of mercury emissions at each electric generating facility by 2008. Genuine maximum achievable control standards are technologically feasible, legally sound and eminently defensible. We urge EPA to recognize the health, environmental and economic importance of this outcome to Maine and elsewhere.I appreciate the opportunity to present our views to EPA as part of this rulemaking process. ________________________See 65 Fed. Reg. at 79,825-30; Stipulation for Modification of Settlement Agreement at 2, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. EPA, No. 92-1415 Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants: The Case for Regulatory Action, November 2003. `, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post created successfully

`On the U.S. EPA’s Proposed Rulemaking on National Standards for Reduction of Mercury Emissions from Coal and Oil-Fired Electric Utility Power Plants and Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of LD 1617, An Act to Improve Subdivision Standards` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1790, An Act to Reduce Contamination of Breast Milk and the Environment from the Release of Brominated Chemicals in Consumer Products` post created successfully

`Neither For Nor Against LD 1806, An Act To Provide for the Safe Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste` post created successfully

`Comments on LD 1312, the PUC’s Draft Report and Recommendations on the Promotion of Renewable Resources` post created successfully

`Comments in Regard to LD 669’s Report entitled, “Maine Energy Policy: Overview and Opportunities for Improvement”` post created successfully

`The Budget of the Department of Conservation` post created successfully

`Written Comments of the Natural Resources Council of Maine relating to LD 397, An Act to Promote the More Efficient Use of Natural Gas` post created successfully

`Neither For Nor Against LD 381 “An Act To Enhance the Safe Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste”` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 562, An Act To Improve Public Understanding in Rulemaking` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 682, An Act to Create a 5-year Statute of Limitations for Environmental Violations` post created successfully

`Written Comments relating to LD 641, An Act to Create a Limited License for Solar Electric Generation System Installers` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 668, An Act to Amend the Land Use Regulation Laws` post created successfully

`Written Comments relating to LDs 275, 305, 308, and 778 regarding supporting new and existing cleaner car purchase incentives and infrastructure development` post created successfully

`Testimony on behalf of NRCM and the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine On SB 128, “An Act Relative to the Establishment of Emissions Reductions Standards as Required by the Clean Power Act”` post created successfully

`Written Comments Opposing LD 615 regarding making LEV standards rules “major substantive”` post created successfully

`Written Comments Supporting LD 197, regarding advancing the use of biodiesel in Maine` post created successfully

`Written Comments Supporting LD 1047, regarding the Resolve to Study the Feasibility of Expanding the Market for American Fuels` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 185 “An Act To Amend the Law on Mercury-added Products”` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Testimony at the Maine Legislature</h2> <h3 class="author">by Jon Hinck, NRCM toxics project director</h3> Senator Cowger. Representative Koffman. Honorable Committee Members. My name is Jon Hinck. I am Staff Attorney and Toxics Project Director with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The Council supports LD 185. The bill proposes simple, straightforward and amply supported improvements to current laws on two mercury-added products: auto switches and fluorescent lights. As this Committee knows, mercury remains a serious environmental and public health problem. Methyl mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin. Even at low levels it can impair infant and child development and poses risk of harm to adult cardiovascular and immune systems. In the environment, mercury pollution threatens wildlife populations and builds up in game fish that people eat. Maine has some of the highest mercury pollution levels in the nation. For this reason, the State’s Bureau of Health issues advisories with strict limits on consumption of fish caught in Maine’s inland waters. Both of the measures proposed in this legislation will improve on Maine’s existing efforts to control mercury pollution that arises from products that have mercury as a component. I will focus my comments on the proposal to raise the bounty paid by automakers for mercury switches removed from cars in Maine. Most American–made vehicles manufactured before 2003, and some older European models, have capsules of mercury installed as part of convenience lighting in trunks and hoods as well as in some anti-lock brake systems. Typically, there is about 1 gram of mercury per light switch and up to 3 grams per anti-lock brake system. Some 217 million of these switches were installed in vehicles between 1974 and 2003. If switches containing mercury are not removed before automobiles are recycled, the mercury is emitted into the air from electric arc furnaces during a smelting process. Automobile scrapping is the fourth largest source of mercury pollution nationwide, behind waste incineration, coal-fired power plants and commercial/industrial boilers It is estimated that last year vehicle smelting released some 18,000 pounds of mercury into the air over the United States. A significant share of this mercury travels to the skies over Maine and settles onto our land and waterways. To the great credit of this Committee and the Maine State Legislature action was taken on this issue. In 2002, Maine became the first state in the nation to pass a law to require automakers to pay to prevent mercury pollution from old cars. To the credit of Maine DEP, this law has been very efficiently and effectively implemented and is resulting in the recovering of mercury that would otherwise be accumulating in the environment. The Maine auto switch law, 38 MRSA § 1665-A, among other things, requires that automakers pay a $1 bounty for each mercury switch brought to a consolidation center by the auto recyclers. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers opposed Maine's legislation and filed a federal lawsuit against the State arguing that it was illegally discriminating against out-of-state businesses and interfering with interstate commerce. Last year, the U.S. District Court upheld the landmark law. The decision rejected the suit in its entirety affirming Maine’s auto switch law on each count. I would like to read two excerpts from the excellent decision written by Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk. “The Alliance has not challenged Maine’s assertion that upwind release of mercury results in appreciable mercury deposition in Maine or that the burden placed on manufacturers is wholly out of proportion to the degree of harm presented. Each of the challenged provisions appears to have a rational relationship to advancing the mercury remediation effort.” (slip op. p. 30) “According to the Alliance, because certain provisions in the Act serve the purpose of protecting domestic industries from certain financial and administrative burdens under the regulatory scheme, the Court should infer that these same burdens were relegated to manufacturers 'solely because of their residence.' This simply does not follow. It is far more plausible that the primary burden was imposed on manufacturers in recognition of the fact that the need for a mercury switch recovery program existed solely by virtue of the manufacturers' incorporation of these mercury-laden components in their automobiles for roughly ten years after the industry's cognizance of the mercury disposal problem.” (slip op. pp. 31-32). The federal court’s decision makes plain that the State not only has broad authority to protect the environment and public health, but in pursuing that objective can shift attendant costs to parties responsible for creating a recognized hazard such as mercury pollution. Finally, the Court was also dismissive of automakers’ slippery slope argument alleging harm that would arise if other states adopted their own version of this law. In response, the Court said that “the consequence would be akin to multi-state bottle bills,” posing no great restriction on commerce. (slip op. p.21) As we now know, other states, thankfully, are following Maine’s lead. Arkansas enacted a law that sets a $6 per switch bounty and New Jersey’s new law provides for a $2.25 bounty. In the meantime, the Maine DEP has taken a careful look at the experience here and examined the recommendations from New Jersey’s DEP in arriving at its recommendation to raise the Maine bounty. The DEP concluded that fair compensation for Maine’s recycler would require a bounty of $3 if no Vehicle Identification Number (“VIN”) is required, and $4 if the VIN is required. This recommendation accords with what my organization learned when we conducted a phone survey of 115 Maine auto recyclers. A great majority of respondents made clear that the current bounty is simply too small to break even on the operation. The suggested range from thoughtful respondents was $2.50 to $5.00. One recycler related his recent experience of hiring someone to do auto switch recovery in his yard. He had to pay the worker $2 a switch and incur other costs on top of that. The news yesterday from the Asbury Park Press of New Jersey, quoted one Anthony Zaccaro of Cosmo's Ocean County Auto Wreckers, when told of New Jersey’s $2.00 bounty "It won't totally offset our costs for removing the switches, but our industry is all for the environment." Good for Mr. Zaccaro. He sounds like many of the guys we talked to here in Maine. And he had the same basic conclusion regarding the appropriate bounty figure. We appreciate that many of the car recyclers do care about the environment. We see no reason why Maine recyclers, instead of the automakers, should be required to cover the cost of cleaning up this widespread problem. A remaining question is whether the State of Maine should also recover some of its costs in the process. Maine DEP does not make that recommendation but this Committee obviously could consider it. On the issue of fluorescent light bulbs: the bill would require that these carry labels like other mercury-added products sold in Maine. Such labels are now required elsewhere and should be here as well. For the foregoing reasons, we urge you to vote “Ought to Pass” on LD 185. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. `, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1058 (“An Act To Regulate the Use of Batteries Containing Mercury”) and LD 854 (“An Act To Ban the Distribution of Children’s Products That Contain Mercury Batteries”) with Amendments` post created successfully

`Supplemental Written Comments Supporting LD 197 regarding advancing the use of biodiesel in Maine` post created successfully

`Neither For Nor Against LD 1089, Resolve, To Establish a North Woods Park Feasibility Study, LD 1395, An Act Regarding National Forests, and LD 1406, An Act to Preserve Public Access and Job Opportunities in the North Woods` post created successfully

`Neither For Nor Against LD 1327 (An Act To Prohibit the Use of Mercury Fillings) and LD 1338 (An Act To Limit Human Exposure to Mercury)` post created successfully

`In Support of L.D. 192, An Act to Establish the Pine Tree Recreation Zone` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 904, An Act To Create the Maine Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1157, An Act To Protect Children from Toxic Chemicals in Schools` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1465, the Cleaner Cars Sales Goals Resolve` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1435, An Act Establishing Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Certain Products Sold or Installed in the State` post created successfully

`In Support of L.D. 1198, An Act To Promote Responsible Advertising by Public Utilities` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1547, An Act To Ensure Appropriate Development in Lands under the Jurisdiction of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1034,“An Act to Prevent Lead Poisoning of Children and Adults”` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1558, An Act Concerning Stormwater Management` post created successfully

`Written Comments in Support of LDs 1065 and 1434 Relating to Renewable Portfolio Standards` post created successfully

`Comments in Support of LD 1379 Regarding An Act to Amend the Maine Wind Energy Act` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1591: A Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Chapter 920, Maine Model Building Energy Code, A Major Substantive Rule of the PUC` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1586, Regarding An Act to Encourage the Use of Solar Energy` post created successfully

`In Support of the Amendment regarding the RGGI provision to LD 1588: An Act to` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Testimony at the Maine Legislature</h2> <h3 class="author">by Sue Jones, NRCM energy project director</h3> Thank you for the opportunity to present comments in favor of LD 1588 on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (Council). I am Sue Jones and I live in Freeport. The Council is a public interest, nonprofit organization that seeks to protect and conserve Maine’s environment for now and future generations. As part of the Council’s work, we advocate for clean air and energy measures, including those that reduce air and global warming pollution.Adoption of LD 1588 would clarify the State’s authority to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from Maine’s largest source of global warming pollution by the most-economic means.Global warming is a serious problem that requires the adoption of thoughtful, and creative actions. As a result of the Northeast region’s increasing dependence on burning fossil fuels for energy, global warming is changing weather patterns and temperatures all over the world, with harmful effects on our health, our environment, and our economy. The impacts are already occurring – the world’s average temperature has increased .6 degrees Celsius over the last century, and scientists predict further increases of 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius between 1990 and 2100. As a result, our region and the rest of the world has already begun to experience more extreme weather events like storms and flooding, receding coastlines as a result of rising sea levels, and more unhealthy smog days in the summer months. In order to undue the effects of global warming, many states like Maine have taken action to reduce in-state generated emissions. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is an opportunity for the Northeast states to work collaboratively together to reduce emissions in the least-cost manner.The following bullets highlight some of the key aspects of the RGGI Program now being developed:<ul><li>In April 2003, NY Republican Governor Pataki invited Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to join in a cap-and-trade program to reduce the power sector’s CO2 emissions; model rule will likely be finished this summer.</li><li>Participating states created Staff Working Group, Action Plan and received the endorsement from seven Republican Governors in the Northeast as well as environmental commissioners and energy regulators.</li><li>Nine Participant States:</li><ul><li>CT, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT</li><li>These nine states account for approximately 14% of all greenhouse gas pollution in the U.S., which is nearly 3.4% of world greenhouse gas pollution (about the size of Germany’s emissions).</li></ul><li>Observer States</li><ul><li>MD, PA, DC, and CA</li></ul><li>Sets an overall cap on emissions and allocates allowances to generators which can be traded.</li><li>Leads to cost savings over traditional command-and-control policies, because specific reductions are not imposed on individual sources. Rather, sources can choose whether to reduce at their source or purchase allowances.</li><li>Crafted after the successes of the regional NOx reduction program and federal Acid Rain Program.</li></ul>The Council urges you to pass LD 1588.Thank you `, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1664 (“An Act To Limit Mercury Emissions from Crematoria”)` post created successfully

`Maine Receives Grade of B- on Actions Taken to Reduce Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Report Shows Some Northeast Power Plants Produce Too Much Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`NRCM Applauds Sen. Collins' Leadership Efforts to Force Senate Vote on EPA Power Plant Mercury Pollution Rule:` post created successfully

`NRCM, NRDC Sue International Paper for Polluting Androscoggin River` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci Signs Maine’s Cleaner Car Sales Goals Law` post created successfully

`Response to WCSH Channel 6 Editorial Regarding Toxics` post created successfully

`New England groups call for reductions in power plant carbon dioxide pollution` post created successfully

`Maine Leaders Renew Their Commitment to Combat Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`NRCM Launches Campaign to Boost Sales of Hybrid Cars` post created successfully

`Fate of the Arctic to Be Decided` post created successfully

`NRCM Urges Senator Collins to Investigate Fraudulent Mercury Rule` post created successfully

`New EPA Mercury Rule Omits Conflicting Data` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> When the Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a rule last week to limit mercury emissions from U.S. power plants, officials emphasized that the controls could not be more aggressive because the cost to industry already far exceeded the public health payoff. What they did not reveal is that a Harvard University study paid for by the EPA, co-authored by an EPA scientist and peer-reviewed by two other EPA scientists had reached the opposite conclusion. That analysis estimated health benefits 100 times as great as the EPA did, but top agency officials ordered the finding stripped from public documents, said a staff member who helped develop the rule. Acknowledging the Harvard study would have forced the agency to consider more stringent controls, said environmentalists and the study's author. The mercury issue has long been the focus of heated argument between utilities and environmental advocates. Health advocates say mercury is so harmful to fetuses and pregnant women that steps are needed to sharply control emissions; industry groups and the Bush administration have warned that overly aggressive measures would impose heavy costs. Announcing the new rule last Tuesday, officials used charts to emphasize that most mercury toxicity in the United States comes from foreign sources, and they used their cost-benefit analysis to show that domestic controls had minimal impact. Asked about the Harvard analysis, Al McGartland, director of the EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics, said it was submitted too late to be factored into the agency's calculations. He added that crucial elements of the analysis were flawed. Interviews and documents, however, show that the EPA received the study results by the Jan. 3 deadline, and that officials had been briefed about its methodology as early as last August. EPA officials referred to some aspects of the Harvard study in a briefing for The Washington Post on Feb. 2. The Harvard study concluded that mercury controls similar to those the EPA proposed could save nearly $5 billion a year through reduced neurological and cardiac harm. Last Tuesday, however, officials said the health benefits were worth no more than $50 million a year while the cost to industry would be $750 million a year. "They are saying if they fail to regulate mercury from power plants at all, it really wouldn't make a difference," said John Walke, clean air director with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group. "To acknowledge the real benefits would be to raise the next question: Why didn't you go further?"James Hammitt, director of the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis and co-author of the study, agreed: "If you have a larger effect of the benefits, that would suggest more aggressive controls were justified."Mercury is a toxic metal emitted by industrial sources. U.S. power plants emit 48 tons a year, and the new rule establishes an emissions-trading program that is expected to lower emissions to about 31 tons by 2010 and to about 15 tons by 2026. The Harvard analysis was based on similar targets in President Bush's "Clear Skies" legislative proposal.In most cases, mercury toxicity results from eating fish: Industrial emissions fall from the air into water and are taken up by fish. Because the metal does not break down, it moves steadily up the food chain to species that people consume. A major reason for the dramatic difference in the health benefit estimates was that the EPA looked only at the effects of reducing mercury levels in freshwater fish, but most of the fish Americans eat comes from oceans."Some very large share of mercury exposure comes from tuna," Hammitt said. "And while it's true that our power plants have less effect on tuna than on [freshwater] northern pike, if you ignore the saltwater pathway you'll miss a lot of the benefit."Even though U.S. power plants contribute only about 1 percent of the mercury in the oceans, reducing even that small amount makes a difference, he said. The EPA has said that ocean species such as tuna, pollock, shrimp and halibut account for two-thirds of the mercury Americans consume, while catfish, the largest source of mercury among freshwater fish, accounts for only 3 percent.Hammitt's analysis also factored in recent evidence that mercury causes heart attacks among adults. The EPA said other studies contradicted that finding and therefore it quantified only the impact of mercury's better-known neurological hazards. Spokeswoman Cynthia Bergman called Hammitt's cardiac analysis "flawed."The EPA's McGartland, an economist, said that the preliminary Harvard results sent to the agency on Jan. 3 were inadequate, and that the full study did not become available until February. He questioned the Harvard findings about marine mercury, arguing that ocean levels of mercury do not easily change. No EPA draft of the rule ever discussed the Harvard results, he said.But the EPA staff member involved with developing the rule said the reference deleted from rulemaking documents would have told the public about the Harvard results. "The idea was to say Harvard School of Public Health had quantified these [cardiac] benefits and the amount of these benefits was -- "a blank that was to be filled in with a figure in the billions once the final report became available, said the staff member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.EPA scientist William Farland, who is the agency's deputy assistant administrator for science in research and development, said he had not seen the Harvard analysis and could not comment on its quality. He said the EPA had not quantified the cardiac costs of mercury because "the science is just not strong enough at this point." While mercury could well damage the heart, he said, that harm might be offset by the known cardiac benefits of eating fish.Although EPA spokeswoman Bergman said last Tuesday that the "costs of this rule outweigh the benefits," officials said later in the week that the cardiac benefits could change the equation. "We say the costs are bigger than the quantified benefits," McGartland said. "No one can definitively say the costs are bigger than the benefits."Harvard's Hammitt, who was cautious in describing his findings, readily acknowledged the uncertainties in such analyses. But he questioned the EPA's decision to ignore a study that the agency had paid for and that agency scientists Jacqueline Moya and Rita Schoeny had reviewed."If they think there is no significant effect of U.S. power plants on the marine fish we eat, they ought to make that case as opposed to just ignoring it," he said. The fact that U.S. contribution to mercury in oceans "is a small part of the problem doesn't mean it is a part of the problem that should be ignored."Hammitt's Harvard Center for Risk Analysis has been widely cited by the Bush administration on various science issues. Hammitt assumed leadership of the center from John D. Graham, who is now the administrator of the Federal Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the White House Office of Management and Budget. Hammitt noted that Graham was criticized during his confirmation hearings for being "pro-industry.""I didn't think that was terribly fair," Hammitt said. "Now here we are, doing the same kind of analysis and it comes out in a more environmentally protective direction than EPA is, and they ignore it. There is an irony in that."The Harvard study was commissioned through EPA grants to an independent nonprofit organization of northeastern-state governments that works on regional environmental issues. Praveen Amar, director of science and policy at the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, said the EPA provided about $270,000 in funding for the project. Amar said that scientist Glenn Rice, Hammitt's co-author, is an EPA employee who had been given time to work on a doctoral thesis at the Harvard center."Are you saving the industry a billion dollars but taking away $10 billion worth of benefits for the general public?" Amar asked.`, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post created successfully

`Mainers to EPA: Stop Mercury Pollution Now` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Director of State’s leading conservation organization takes thousands of comments from Maine citizens to EPA</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> PORTLAND – Tuesday morning at the Portland International Jetport, Brownie Carson, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the state’s leading conservation organization, threw a mailbag over his shoulder and boarded a plane to Washington D.C. to hand-deliver the concerns of thousands of Maine citizens to the acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency. “Today, we are here because the people of Maine want their children protected from the mercury pollution that rains into our lakes and rivers from out-of-state coal plants,” said Carson. “The EPA has come down in favor of coal-burning power plants that are poisoning Maine children and wildlife, but I’m headed to Washington today to tell them Mainers will fight until this pollution is stopped.”In today’s news conference at the airport, Carson was joined by the former head of Maine’s Bureau of Health, concerned parents and health experts, there to urge Carson to tell EPA that Mainers want strict limits on mercury pollution from power plants, not the watered down proposal that EPA is pushing. EPA is required to announce its final plan by March 15.“As a parent and child advocate, I see this insidious mercury pollution as a silent form of child abuse,” said Jenny Mayher, a mother of two children from Damariscotta. “Coal-fired power plants should not be allowed to poison our kids when the technology is available to prevent it. The EPA should live up to its name and protect Maine’s children from this toxic threat.”"More than 11 years ago I was the first health official in the nation to issue a statewide fish consumption warning due to mercury pollution,” said Dr. Lani Graham, a physician and former director of the Maine Bureau of Health. “We knew then that the mercury pollution of Maine lakes and rivers had become so widespread that is was impossible to restrict our warning to just a few select rivers or lakes. It saddens me that so many years later the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency that Maine people must depend on to help clean up our rivers and lakes, would still not have the courage to take the necessary steps that will protect the health of Maine children. Given the threat, it's remarkable that the Bush Administration appears to have sided with those who value profits over the health of the next generation of Mainers." The majority of Maine’s mercury pollution comes from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants in the Midwest. The mercury pollution follows prevailing winds to Maine and rains down on Maine’s lakes and rivers where it accumulates in fish, making them unsafe to eat. Eating mercury-contaminated fish can cause serious health problems, especially for children and wildlife. Maine people are warned to limit their consumption of fish from all of Maine’s inland waters due to widespread mercury contamination. Mercury is highly toxic and is linked to serious health problems, including brain damage and developmental impairment in children and reproductive failure for wildlife, especially fish-eating species like Osprey, loons and otters. EPA estimates that mercury in the blood of one in six pregnant American women poses a risk of brain damage to her developing infant. This estimate means that annually, 630,000 infants are at risk for lowered intelligence and learning problems due to mercury exposure in utero. The Inspector General for the EPA recently released her investigation into the EPA's mercury proposal. The report found that the Bush administration appointees ordered EPA staff to violate agency protocol and existing law by asking EPA staff to devise a rule that violates the Clean Air Act and mimics the Bush administration’s goals. “It’s irresponsible for the Bush administration to ignore science and flout the law at the expense of our kids,” said NRCM’s Carson. “We know where mercury comes from, we know that the technology is here and ready to effectively cut mercury pollution. There is no excuse for EPA’s “Dirty Skies” policy when we can responsibly and at a reasonable cost protect our children now.”A recent study from the National Wildlife Federation shows that it would cost the average ratepayer in Maine an extra four cents on their monthly electricity bill if dirty old coal plants installed pollution controls that would reduce mercury emissions by 90%.Over 650,000 citizens have submitted comments calling on the EPA to change their current proposal and to strictly control mercury emissions from power plants. Brownie Carson will add more than 5,000 comments from Maine citizens today.The EPA was on a course to regulate mercury using a MACT standard which stands for “Maximum Achievable Control Technology.” This standard is called for in the Clean Air Act when dealing with hazardous air pollutants like mercury and requires that power plants install the best-available control technologies to reduce mercury pollution. The technology is commercially available and in use today to reduce mercury emissions 90% by 2008. But in December of 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to reclassify mercury under the Clean Air Act to fit a regulatory scheme that was revealed to have been partly written by lobbyists for the coal and utility industries. This proposal would rollback the Clean Air Act, allowing seven times more mercury pollution than would enforcement of existing law. Last September, Brownie Carson and Dr. Lani Graham met with then head of EPA, Michael Leavitt, to express their strenuous objections with the proposed EPA plan.The Natural Resources Council of Maine has joined with the National Wildlife Federation and the Izaak Walton League to sue the EPA for proposing a mercury standard that does not meet the Clean Air Act’s requirements. <a href="/uploads/BC_postcards.pdf">Read statement by Brownie Carson</a> <a href="/uploads/postcard_press1.jpg"></a> `, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post updated successfully

`Proximity Test` post created successfully

`Plum Creek at Roach Pond: No success story` post created successfully

`Congratulations to Maine DEP for its Clean School Bus USA Grant` post created successfully

`NRCM Offers Tips to Save Money on Gasoline` post created successfully

`NRCM and Local Citizens Oppose Seattle Corporation’s Plans For Massive Moosehead Lake Subdivision` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Massive Development Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region` post created successfully

`Response to Plum Creek Development Proposal Announced` post created successfully

`Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s Draft Rules Chapter 127, “New Motor Vehicle Emission Standards Regulation 2005-202` post created successfully

`Council Takes Lead on State Action to Reduce Global Warming` post created successfully

`A River Reborn` post created successfully

`Penobscot restoration deal OK'd` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by John Holyoke, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> For years, power companies and environmentalists and anglers have found themselves glaring across boardroom tables as bitter enemies. Power companies, the others said, wanted nothing but cash, and didn't care what they had to destroy in order to get it. Environmentalists, some would have told you, wanted to ignore the fact that electricity, not divine intervention, makes the light bulbs glow when the magic switch is flipped. And anglers simply wanted to catch as many fish as their grandfathers caught, despite the effects of 50 years of industry, sprawl and energy demand. Each group had a solution. None agreed entirely with the other. And the battles raged on. A funny thing happened Monday morning on the banks of the Penobscot River in Old Town. Members of all those groups gathered. Amid the handshakes and back-slaps and grins, they unveiled a project - four years in the making - that could revolutionize the way we look at rivers, and those who rely on them. The plan - the Penobscot River Restoration Project - calls for the demolition of the Great Works and Veazie dams. It calls for the renovation, with a state-of-the-art fish lift, for the Howland Dam. Pennsylvania Power and Light will retain 90 percent of its power generation. The Penobscot Nation may end up getting a subsistence Atlantic salmon fishery. Other anglers may try their hand at fishing for shad or salmon. Two fewer dams on the Penobscot means about 500 miles of river habitat will be opened up, sans roadblocks, for all kinds of fish. And as the plan was unveiled, everyone smiled ... together, for once. PPL representatives were there. So were Chief Barry Dana of the Penobscot Nation, Gov. John Baldacci and Rep. Mike Michaud. The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed up. Trout Unlimited sent a top regional official. This was, they all agreed, a capital-lettered Big Deal. Five or 10 years ago, the groups assembled at Monday's press event weren't friendly. The proposed Basin Mills project, which called for the construction of another dam between Orono and Bradley, was a hot topic. Battle lines were drawn. The dam project failed. But along with the battle came a chance to do things differently. "There was a lot of controversy about power generation on this river five or 10 years ago, with the Basin Mills proceeding," said Leon Szeptcki, the Eastern conservation director and environmental counsel for Trout Unlimited. "In the wake of that, everybody was able to sit down and figure out, 'Here's what we can do with the river to keep the power generation and really go a long way toward restoring fish.'" Szeptcki said that dilemma exists across the nation. "The problem exists in a lot of places, but this is the only place where we've really been able to find a solution that isn't just removing one dam, but is opening up a whole ecosystem," he said. There are more problems ahead, of course. To get to this point, the disparate groups agreed to confidentiality agreements, and ended up keeping their developing secret for nearly four years. Now, the project is in the open. Critics may leap into the fray. And - not least - money will be an issue. "The money issue is sort of two-pronged, said Rep. Matt Dunlap, the chair of the fish and wildlife committee. "When you're taking down dams, you're losing a lot of tax revenues to the towns. That's a pretty fixable problem. The greater problem is finding the revenue - the $25 million to buy the dams. But we've got three or four years to do it. I don't think it's as big of a deal as it sounds right now." The money will come from a variety of sources, and plenty of constituent groups will likely approach sportsmen with their hands out. Those who have been waiting for something like this to happen will give willingly. Others may have to be convinced. Lou Horvath, the president of the Penobscot Salmon Club, was the first to applaud the dam removal announcement. "It's something overdue," Horvath said. "It's not taking out all of the dams, but it's the best thing we can get through cooperation, and it will help the fish. And we're working very hard to open up this river to catch-and-release for next year." Andrew Goode, the vice president of U.S. programs for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, heralded the deal as a landmark agreement that, when completed, will result in the largest river restoration project east of the Mississippi. Though his expertise is salmon, he pointed out the benefits of the project are far-reaching. "From the angling standpoint, for Atlantic salmon, for the salmon clubs, this is a long-term fix," he said. "But this is the way to bring salmon back on a sustainable basis. In the short term, I think it's going to be striped bass and hopefully American shad [coming up the river]. American shad fisheries, as you've probably seen on the Hudson, the Connecticut and the Susquehanna, is a great recreational fishery. I think those are some of the ones that will come first, and the Atlantic salmon is a little bit more of an unknown." What's not unknown is this: The mood of Monday's event was contagious. Groups with different priorities got together. They settled differences. They came up with a solution. And they smiled. "This is huge," Dunlap said. Believe it or not, Dunlap may have been understating the matter.`, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post created successfully

`Penobscot Promise` post created successfully

`Historic Maine bargain opens way for` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Wide-ranging agreement signed on Monday may set precedent for restoring rivers in other states.</h2> <h3 class="author">by Mary Wiltenburg</h3> <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com" target="_blank">Christian Science Monitor news story</a> VEAZIE, MAINE – It was a historic day for the Atlantic salmon. In an unprecedented move, a coalition that includes an Indian tribe, environmentalists, government, and a power company agreed Monday to open 500 miles of the Penobscot River watershed to the endangered salmon and 10 other species of migrating fish.Two old dams on the lower Penobscot River will be demolished. Another dam will be overhauled to include a fish bypass.The agreement to open and restore the Penobscot, Maine's most important river, came after four years of talks. One participant called it a win-win agreement for everyone. At the same time, all sides had to give up something valuable."We've been fighting these dams for 20 years, and we've almost never been happy with the results," says coalition member Jeff Reardon of the Virginia-based nonprofit Trout Unlimited. "Here we had a choice - keep fighting and losing, or sit down and talk. We sat down, and we did make concessions, but the overall result has been better than what we've achieved through the courts in 20 years."The plan would undo the consequences of two centuries of Maine dam building. It would demolish two old dams, the Great Works at Old Town and the Veazie Dam above Bangor. The Howland at West Enfield would get a fish bypass.Comprehensive planThough nearly 590 US dams have been demolished in the US in recent years, they've gone down piecemeal - the casualties of individual court battles. Mainers say that never to their knowledge has any community worked together to enact such a comprehensive plan to save a valuable ecosystem - while retaining 90 percent of its power generating capacity.The partnership, known as the Penobscot River Restoration Project, includes the PPL Corporation (owner of the three dams), the Penobscot Nation, several state and federal agencies and a number of natural resources organizations.The dams had become accepted fixtures in communities here.For half a century, Connie and George Cormier have fallen asleep to the hiss of water rolling over the Veazie Dam. When they bought their house on the bluffs of Maine's Penobscot River, nearly every man in town worked at operating the dam. The river was so full of salmon then that in spawing season, the Cormiers say, they'd literally jump into your canoe.Nobody fishes salmon in these waters anymore, Mrs. Cormier says, and the generations of Veazie men who spent their lives holding back the river are all but gone, victims of a mechanized age.The consortium that made the river agreement hopes it will aid the comeback of wild salmon on the eastern seaboard, and perhaps provide a model for restoring diminished salmon populations out West. The collaboration might also suggest a way, participants say, for environmental and commercial interests nationwide to strike livable compromises.Sacrifice was part of this deal.Everyone gave up somethingNot only did PPL, the power company, lose Veazie, Great Works, and Howland, but the Penobscot Nation, one of the few tribes in the United States still living on its ancestral land, agreed to see 10 of its 5,000 reservation acres flooded when a dam upstream is modernized to compensate for lost power."For us, 10 acres is a loss. If we were the Navajo Nation, that occupies ... 1.5 million acres, 10 acres wouldn't be as much of an impact," says John Banks, natural resources director for the Penobscot Nation. "But my ancestors have been fishing salmon here for 10,000 years. Today tribal members are unable to practice a significant aspect of our culture in any meaningful way because of the absence of fish in the region, and because the remaining fish are contaminated." For the chance to restore that tradition, he says, even something as precious as tribal land may be worth the sacrifice.Before Maine's first dams went up two centuries ago, wild Atlantic salmon by the tens of thousands reportedly rushed up the Penobscot each year. Today, fewer than a thousand make the annual trip. Area paper mills and other industries contributed to the salmon's decline. But in recent years, dumping restrictions and fishing regulations have partially restored the state's waterways.The major remaining culprits in the Maine salmon population's decline, authorities say, are the state's more than 1,000 dams.Efforts to remove old dams have sprung up across the country in recent years. In 2002, the Washington-based nonprofit American Rivers counted 586 dams recently demolished across the US. Most of those have been small; only the 1999 removal of the Edwards Dam on Maine's Kennebec River compares in scale with Veazie. That project is now thought by area environmentalists to have been an unqualified success, says state Natural Resource Council's Pete Didisheim. Ms. Day says the river now teems with life.Still, salmon are in danger of extinction in almost all of Maine's waterways. Since 1994, fishing bans on the Penobscot have put on hold a nearly century-old tradition there. A 20-year member of his local "salmon club," Mr. Cormier remembers it: Every year, the first Maine salmon caught would be sent by fast train to the president.The White House delivery was a point of pride, and PRRP hopes one day to see salmon runs sufficiently recovered that it can be restored.Pricetag: $25 millionThe coalition that won the agreement will pay the power company $25 million for the dams. PPL also gets the right to boost energy output from its other six dams in Maine.Some of the others signing the agreement were American Rivers, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Trout Unlimited, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The dams would be purchased between 2007 and 2010.Mr. Reardon of Trout Unlimited says: "It's not in [the power company's] job description to talk about removing dams, but they did it. And I've never in my life tried to think how best to generate more power, but here I did. And it worked out."`, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post created successfully

`Saving Salmon` post created successfully

`A Tribute to the Penobscot River` post created successfully

`Unprecedented Project to Restore Balance between Power Generation and Environment on Penobscot River` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Project` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Final Agreement – Roadmap to Restored Penobscot River – Filed with FERC</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.penobscotriver.org" target="_blank">by Penobscot Partners</a> Veazie, Maine – Today, on the banks of the Penobscot River, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Governor John Baldacci, were joined by leaders from PPL Corporation, the Penobscot Indian Nation and Penobscot Partners to announce a major milestone for the Penobscot River Restoration Project. Overlooking the Veazie Dam and the Veazie Salmon Club, the parties signed the final agreement – laying out a roadmap for restoring the Penobscot’s once magnificent migratory fisheries while also maintaining hydropower production. The agreement was officially filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) following the noon signing at Veazie. FERC has the principal regulatory oversight responsibilities for hydropower dams. “This is a terrific accomplishment," said Governor John Baldacci, whose administration has been extensively involved in the Penobscot River Restoration Project. "I'm very encouraged by the strong support for the project that has been building within the watershed and from people throughout Maine and the country as a whole who are excited about improving the health of the Penobscot River while also enhancing its economic benefits to the state. Maine's Congressional delegation has also recognized the tremendous potential this project offers not only to the communities along the river but to the state as a whole.” “Today, we celebrate the leadership, innovation and commitment that have brought us to the brink of the nation’s most significant river restoration project. We reaffirm our commitment to work with people of the region as we go forward,” said Laura Rose Day, director for Penobscot Partners, a coalition of conservation groups and the Penobscot Indian Nation. “Our collective challenge now is to raise the funds necessary to implement the project – an investment sure to produce unprecedented benefits.” “This is by far the most important natural resource project the Penobscot Nation has been involved with. Reconnecting the Penobscot River and our reservation to the Atlantic Ocean repairs an important cycle of nature that historically allowed our tribe to survive and prosper,” said Chief Barry Dana of the Penobscot Indian Nation. Reestablishing this link will provide economic and ecological benefits to all people in this region of Maine.”The Penobscot River Restoration Project aims to improve access to 500 miles of habitat within the Penobscot River watershed for the endangered Atlantic salmon and 10 other migratory fish species and a wide range of native plants and animals, while maintaining power generation through a creative combination of dam removals, enhancement of fish passage, and increased hydropower generation at facilities currently owned by PPL Corporation. The project was announced on October 6th, 2003 at a press conference on the banks of the Penobscot in Old Town, Maine. The initial agreement for the project was made public at that time, although the legal documents that would guide the project were yet to be finalized. Under this unprecedented and innovative river restoration project: PPL Corporation has the opportunity to increase generation at six existing dams, which would result in more than 90% of the current energy generation being maintained; The Penobscot River Restoration Trust has the option to purchase three dams, and subsequently remove the two lowermost dams on the Penobscot: Veazie and Great Works; The Penobscot River Restoration Trust, after obtaining the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will decommission and pursue a state-of-the-art fish bypass around the third dam, Howland dam, that will, if found feasible, maintain the impoundment; and PPL Corporation will improve fish passage at four additional dams.The final agreement filed today with FERC will guide the sale of the three dams and the regulatory filings required for completion of this project. The agreement was signed by PPL Corporation; the U.S. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Park Service; four State of Maine natural resource agencies; the Penobscot Indian Nation; American Rivers; the Atlantic Salmon Federation; Maine Audubon; the Natural Resources Council of Maine; Trout Unlimited; and the Penobscot River Restoration Trust – a non-profit corporation established in May 2004 to purchase the dams.The Penobscot River Restoration Trust has a five-year option period, during which it will need to meet the challenge of raising the approximately $25 million needed to purchase the dams from PPL Corporation. Funds will be sought from a combination of public and private sources. None of the three dams that will be purchased as part of the option agreement will be altered or removed until sometime between 2006-2010, although portions of the agreed upon generation increases will be implemented on a shorter timeline. The filing of this agreement with FERC also signifies the beginning of the federal and state regulatory process for the project, during which the public will have multiple opportunities to comment. This year the National Academy of Sciences issued a report that said the highest priority for restoring endangered Atlantic salmon is dam removal. The report went onto say “the recent agreement to remove two Penobscot River dams is encouraging.” Since the Penobscot River Restoration Project was announced in October of 2003 representatives from the project have met with city and town officials, citizens, and groups throughout the watershed to share information and discuss issues of concern. These have included meetings with town officials and citizens in Orono, Howland, Veazie, Brewer, Bangor, Eddington, and Bradley. Penobscot Partners has also begun to work with riverfront towns, businesspeople and economic and community development organizations, including Eastern Maine Development Corporation, about the opportunities that this project will present. These discussions have laid a foundation for a collaborative effort as the economic and community development portion of this project moves forward. In addition, Penobscot Partners have hired Steve Levesque, President of SHL Enterprise Solutions and the former Commissioner of the Department of Community and Economic Development for the State of Maine, as a consultant on community and economic development matters. `, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post created successfully

`Penobscot restoration passes major milestone` post created successfully

`Maine's Big Old Trees Need to Be Saved` post created successfully

`Statement of Catherine B. Johnson` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> First, I want to thank you, Governor Baldacci, for your leadership on the Allagash issue. I also want to thank Commissioner McGowan and Deputy Commissioner Tilberg for your positive and “can-do” attitude towards resolving the issues around the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. This agreement would have never happened without you.This Agreement is a victory for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. It is an opportunity for a fresh start to take meaningful action to enhance the wilderness character of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.Over the last couple of days, people have asked me: “What is most significant aspect of this Agreement?”I believe the most significant aspect of this Agreement is that it has broken the logjam of controversy that has paralyzed management of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway for at least seven years. It is setting a new course where long distance canoe trippers and fishermen and women from all parts of the state and, indeed, the country, can work together to improve the wilderness character of the Allagash.The unanimously approved Agreement includes:<ul><li>Important management steps like conducting a carrying capacity study and exploring a reservation system;</li><li>Acquisition of a new take-out location with a cultural heritage center in Allagash Village;</li><li>On the ground changes like closing the road south of Ramsey Ledge; and</li><li>A significant commitment to land acquisition to widen the state owned land beyond the 500 foot strip currently owned and to acquire areas such as Indian Pond, Mud Pond Carry, Priestly Mountain and deer yards adjacent to the Waterway as they become available.</li></ul>We look forward to working with the Administration to implement these and the other improvements in the agreement.<a href="http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/aww/">Read the River Driver's Agreement</a> `, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`Down East Region Spared 84-Mile Transmission Line` post created successfully

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway is` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">American Rivers · Allagash Alliance · Hurricane Island Outward Bound · Maine P.E.E.R · Maine Sierra Club Natural Resources Council of Maine · RESTORE: The North Woods</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Washington, DC and Augusta, Maine – On April 2, American Rivers named the Allagash Wilderness Waterway as one of the nation's Most Endangered Rivers for 2002, citing willful neglect from the Maine Department of Conservation and an effort in the legislature to strip away the river’s federal Wild and Scenic River designation. At a series of press conferences and other events today, American Rivers and dozens of environmental, outdoor recreation, and taxpayer groups announced its annual list of the nation's most endangered rivers, placing the Allagash at the #8 spot on the list of 11.“State and federal laws require that the Allagash be preserved in the wildest state possible,” said American Rivers President Rebecca R. Wodder. “If the Maine legislature votes to remove the Allagash from the Wild and Scenic Rivers system, the legal framework for protecting the nation’s most special rivers will be compromised.”“Once considered the crown jewel of the nation’s Wild and Scenic River System, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway has been degraded by 30 years of poor management by the State,” said Cathy Johnson with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “Multiple parking lots and motor vehicle access points threaten to diminish the priceless wilderness experience offered by the Allagash.” “The state’s mismanagement of the Allagash reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of our wilderness heritage. The backcountry motor lobby should not be allowed to take the Allagash Wilderness Waterway hostage,” said Jym St. Pierre, Maine Director for RESTORE: The North Woods.The Allagash is one of 17 rivers in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System administered by a state with oversight from a federal agency, and its designation as “wild” is reserved for rivers that are generally accessible only by trail, and “represent vestiges of primitive America.” The Maine Department of Conservation (DOC) has chafed at this mandate, and parking lots, boat ramps, and other structures have proliferated in this once pristine wilderness. After illegally replacing a dam on the river without proper consultation with its federal partners, the DOC must now repair the damage it has caused or allowed. "Finally, the Maine Department of Conservation must heed the preponderance of public opinion and revise the deficiencies in its 1999 management plan,” said Dr. Dean Bennett, conservationist and author of books about the Allagash."The State needs to phase out some of the illegal motor vehicle access points and parking lots," added Johnson. “The recently signed agreement between the state and the National Park Service falls short of protecting the Allagash,” said Tim Caverly with Maine Public Employees for Environmental Protection. “It only covers a tenth of the river, allows an additional access point, and has the Department of Conservation regulating itself.”In addition, a state legislator has responded to the controversy by introducing legislation in December 2001 to de-designate the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Should the bill become law, it would be the first time a river has ever been removed from the Wild and Scenic River System. Without federal oversight, the DOC would feel even less compelled to manage the Allagash as a wild river, and the river would soon lose its remaining wilderness character."Maine citizens have repeatedly shown overwhelming support for keeping the Allagash a nationally protected wild and scenic river," said Karen Woodsum with the Maine Sierra Club, which commissioned a poll this year showing that 80 percent of the state’s residents support wilderness protection for the Allagash. On the National Front: Reforms wanted at the Corps of EngineersIn a special chapter of this year’s Most Endangered Rivers report, American Rivers revealed a startling statistic: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has played a role in 60% of the river listings during the last 15 years. The group documented how the Corps has reconstructed America’s rivers in the name of flood control and transport of freight, and how the agency’s projects frequently do great damage to the environment, waste tax dollars, and fail to deliver promised economic benefits. American Rivers called for sweeping legislative reforms to the agency, particularly independent review of the economic and environmental analyses the Corps submits to Congress to justify its projects. The group expressed optimism that a growing bipartisan consensus among lawmakers could give impetus to efforts to address this longstanding problem.“With our rivers and their wildlife in continued decline and many worthwhile federal programs tightening their belts, it would be wrong to allow the Corps to continue business as usual,” Wodder said.About America’s Most Endangered RiversEach year, American Rivers solicits nominations from thousands of river groups, environmental organizations, outdoor clubs, and taxpayer watchdogs for the America’s Most Endangered Rivers report. Inspired by the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list, the report highlights the rivers facing the most urgent and imminent threats. It is not a list of the nation’s most chronically polluted rivers. The report highlights alternatives and solutions, identifies those who will make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.<a href="/uploads/Allagash_MER2002.pdf">Read about Allagash in "America's Most Endangered Rivers"</a> `, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Statement by Catherine Johnson, North Woods Project Director</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Once considered the crown jewel of the nation’s Wild and Scenic River System, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway has been degraded by 30 years of poor management by the State. Multiple parking lots and motor vehicle access points threaten to diminish the priceless wilderness experience offered by the Allagash. Today’s announcement by American Rivers that the Allagash is one of the 11 most endangered rivers in the country shows that concern about the management of the Allagash is shared not just by the vast majority of people in Maine, but also by the people of the entire country.The recent Memorandum of Agreement signed by the National Park Service and the State offers the opportunity for improved management of the Waterway in the future. But the proof will be in the pudding. The Natural Resources Council of Maine stands ready to work with the State to bring the river into compliance with the national Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by phasing out some of the illegal motor vehicle access points and parking lots. We are determined to see the promise made to the people of Maine and the nation 30 years ago – to develop the maximum wilderness character of the Allagash – fulfilled. We also stand ready to defend the Allagash against further degradation of its wilderness character – whether from threats to remove the river from the Wild and Scenic Rivers System or from threats to create even more intrusions into the wilderness. The Allagash is only 92 miles out of 32,000 miles of rivers and streams in Maine. If we can’t protect this small area as wilderness, what can we protect? <a href="/uploads/Allagash_MER2002.pdf">Read about the Allagash in "America's Most Endangered Rivers"</a> `, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`Victory for Maine People, Undeveloped Lakes and Forests and Prime Salmon Rivers Downeast` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Real Estate Company Puts` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> In a letter mailed to legislators and abutters, Plum Creek Timber Company - a real estate investment trust and timber company -- has announced a plan to convert forestland in the Moosehead Lake region into 89 camp lots. The development plan would affect 272 acres, which would be sold for 62 shorefront camp lots on First Roach Pond and 27 back camp lots. First Roach Pond is 18 miles north of Greenville.“This proposal reveals Plum Creek’s true colors as a real estate development company that will sell lakefront property to the highest bidders,” said Pete Didisheim, advocacy director for the Council. “Maine people who have enjoyed access to ponds in the north woods need to realize that times are changing. Access which they have enjoyed to remote ponds may be lost as shorefront land is chopped up, sold to individuals as camp lots, then posted to prohibit trespassing.”Plum Creek Timber Company, which purchased 905,000 acres in 1998 from Sappi, is the second largest landowner in Maine and the fourth largest timberland owner in the nation. Plum Creek owns some, or all, of the frontage on 143 Maine lakes. The company reorganized as a real estate investment trust last year and markets real estate as an important element of its corporate mission.In a press release announcing their second quarter earnings, Plum Creek President and CEO Rick Holley revealed that the “strong interest in their higher and better use (HBU) lands” contributed significantly to their corporate earnings. The proposed development on First Roach Pond appears to be the result of the company’s analysis of “higher and better use” lands, a process through which the company identifies properties that deliver higher profits if sold as real estate, than if kept in timber production.“If anyone doubted that Plum Creek is in the real estate development business,” said Didisheim, “then such doubts should be thrown out the window. This announcement could be part of a systematic sell-off of beautiful shorefront land to private owners, representing a significant threat to traditional uses of Maine’s north woods. This plan highlights the importance of efforts by the State and conservation groups to purchase strategically important parcels and landscape-scale conservation easements for the purpose of preserving the heritage of Maine’s north woods.”130 businesses in the Greenville area had developed a comprehensive proposal to protect area lands, including undeveloped lands around First Roach Pond.The Plum Creek proposal for First Roach Pond is expected to be presented by the company to the Land Use Regulation Commission on August 16th, at a meeting in Greenville. A public hearing is anticipated in mid-October.Update (August, 2002): Plum Creek received its permit for 89 lots and is in the process of selling them.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Maine Guides and Others Show Support for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`Maine Pregnant Women Warned: Children May Face Higher Risk of Developmental Disabilities from Mercury` post created successfully

`NRCM Urges Kellogg’s and Supermarkets to Remove Mercury-Containing Toys from Cereal Boxes` post created successfully

`Coalition of Concerned Mainers Launch Campaign to Reduce Mercury Emissions from Power Plants` post created successfully

`Mainers Against Mercury` post created successfully

`NRCM Sues EPA Over Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`E-Waste Solutions` post created successfully

`Maine Law Upheld in US District Court` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">State to Keep First-in-Nation Law to Require Carmakers to Pay to Remove Toxic Mercury in Cars</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Bangor, Maine - Today, in U.S. District Court in Bangor, federal judge John Woodcock upheld Maine’s landmark automobile switch law. The law, “An Act to Prevent Mercury Emissions when Recycling and Disposing of Motor Vehicles,” which was enacted July 25, 2002, was a legislative priority for the Natural Resources Council of Maine in 2002. The law requires automakers to pay a $1 bounty to junkyards and scrap dealers for each mercury switch brought to a consolidation center. The law also requires automakers to set up the centers and provide for collection and shipping of the mercury switches to recycling centers, and to phase out some uses of mercury, and label mercury components in new cars. Today’s decision affirmed every aspect of the report of Magistrate Judge Kravchuk and rejected every argument made by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, who sued the State to stop Maine’s law designed to prevent pollution from auto switches that contain mercury.Maine is the first state in the nation to pass a law to require automakers to pay to prevent mercury pollution from old cars. On July 17, 2003, Magistrate Judge Kravchuk of the United States District Court in Bangor issued a strong opinion recommending that Maine’s mercury auto switch law be upheld. In a thorough analysis, Judge Kravchuk rejected each of the carmakers’ arguments and recommended upholding the statute in its entirety.“Today’s decision is a total win for the health of Maine people and our environment,” said Jon Hinck, staff attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “The judge completely rejected the auto industry’s claims that the law was not constitutional. Most importantly, the judge has confirmed that carmakers need to pay to deal with the toxic parts they put into their vehicles.”“For years, automakers knew that mercury was dangerous but some of them went right on adding it to car parts,” said Hinck. “It’s time for carmakers to start making sure that scrapped cars are mercury free.”“Maine is downwind of all the scrap yards with furnaces that melt down scrapped cars,” said Hinck. “We joined in the defense of Maine’s law with the hope that the ‘polluter pays’ model will be adopted by other states that are the source of mercury in our air.”Automobile scrapping is the fourth largest source of mercury pollution nationwide, behind waste incineration, coal-fired power plants and commercial/industrial boilers. It is estimated that about 20,000 pounds of automotive mercury are released each year in the U.S. The Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine People's Alliance, Learning Disabilities Association of Maine, and the Natural Resources Defense Council joined as a friend of the court in the defense of Maine’s law with the hope that the ‘polluter pays’ model will be adopted by other states as well. “This decision upholds the right of the people of Maine to protect our health and environment from deadly poisons such as mercury,” said John Dieffenbacher-Krall, Co-Director, Maine People's Alliance. “We look forward to a time when corporations will take responsibility for their toxic products without forcing citizens to defend against litigation that attempts to overturn constitutional acts of the people's representatives.”“The scientific evidence is now overwhelming that mercury pollution is a grave threat to public health, but polluting industries continue to avoid taking responsibility for the problem, and the Bush administration is not aggressively controlling these industries,” said Jon Devine, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Maine's law requires the carmakers to help reduce mercury pollution caused by their actions, and we are pleased that NRDC could help the State defend this groundbreaking approach.”Carmakers used mercury-containing switches for many years in lights located under hoods and trunks and more recently in Antilock Brake Systems (ABS), which together account for about 99% of all the mercury in cars. When vehicles are crushed at the end of their useful life, mercury is released into the environment from disposal of residues and from melting of scrap metal for recycling in electric arc furnaces.Many U.S. manufactured cars and some older European models contain mercury. The European manufacturers phased-out mercury in light switches by 1995. U.S. automakers failed to follow suit until this year, and only after being spurred into action by efforts like Maine’s. A summary of 2000 model year vehicles registered in Maine showed that several makes still contain mercury switches in lights and ABS brakes.Mercury from car switches can escape into the environment in a collision, due to corrosion, or when cars are scrapped, shredded or smelted at end of life. In Maine, an estimated 2,300 pounds of mercury is in light switches alone in the 1.3 million registered cars in the state. Just one tablespoon of mercury is enough to render all the fish unsafe to eat in a 1,400-acre lake (which in Maine is bigger than Duck Lake located downeast, or Lake St. George off Route 3, for example) assuming worst case environmental fate. Nationwide, about 400,000 pounds of mercury is currently on the road in North America, according to a report by the Clean Car Campaign, a coalition of national and regional environmental groups.Mercury builds up to dangerous levels in the environment and in fish, posing serious health threats to humans and wildlife. At significant risk are women of childbearing age since mercury exposure while pregnant has been linked to impaired learning, memory and attention in developing children. Fish-eating wildlife such as loons are also at high risk of ill health and impaired reproduction from mercury. In addition to car switches, major sources of mercury pollution include the use and disposal of other consumer products such as thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent lights, and the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal.Excerpts from the federal magistrate judge’s recommended rejection in their recommendation for summary judgment:“In my assessment, the Alliance fails utterly, though understandably, to demonstrate that the Act undermines the ability of automakers to compete against any Maine enterprise in the market context.” (p. 17)“If other states were to follow Maine's lead on mercury switch recovery, the consequence would be akin to multi-state bottle bills, not the kind of interruption of interstate commerce that might arise if securities transactions could not be engaged in or if every state imposed its own unique regulatory scheme on interstate railroads.” (p. 21)“Contrary to the Alliance’s rhetoric, the Act’s consolidation provision does not force manufacturers to ‘open a recycling businesses’ in Maine.” (p. 24) [T]he mercury switches that are recovered from ELVs [end-of-life vehicles] are not destined for any market. They are simply stowaways on dismantled automobile hulks that would otherwise come to contaminate recycled metals, the atmosphere and land and water surfaces here and elsewhere. (p. 25)“[T]he Alliance has fallen well short of demonstrating an excessive burden on interstate commerce.” (p. 25)“The Alliance has not challenged Maine’s assertion that upwind release of mercury results in appreciable mercury deposition in Maine or that the burden placed on manufacturers is wholly out of proportion to the degree of harm presented. Each of the challenged provisions appears to have a rational relationship to advancing the mercury remediation effort.” (p. 30)“According to the Alliance, because certain provisions in the Act serve the purpose of protecting domestic industries from certain financial and administrative burdens under the regulatory scheme, the Court should infer that these same burdens were relegated to manufacturers 'solely because of their residence.' This simply does not follow. It is far more plausible that the primary burden was imposed on manufacturers in recognition of the fact that the need for a mercury switch recovery program existed solely by virtue of the manufacturers' incorporation of these mercury-laden components in their automobiles for roughly ten years after the industry's cognizance of the mercury disposal problem.” (pp. 31-32) (citations omitted) `, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post updated successfully

`Garbage In, Garbage Out` post created successfully

`Governor Signs Bills to Protect Health, Reduce Pollution from Mercury in Products and Fillings and from Lead in Computers and TVs` post created successfully

`Legislature Adopts “Electronic-Waste” Bill` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Bans Disposal of Computer and Television Monitors and Calls for Agency to Plan for Statewide Collection of Hazardous Electronics</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Augusta, Maine – The Legislature has adopted a bill that bans landfilling and incineration of computer and television monitors effective January 1, 2006 and sets in motion a process to provide for collection and recycling of hazardous electronic waste. “An Act to Protect Public Health and the Environment,” (LD 743), introduced by Rep. Judd Thompson (D. China), passed the Senate yesterday after clearing the House on Tuesday. The bill led a nationwide trend of measures to make manufacturers of electronic products take financial responsibility for safely managing these products at the end of their useful lives. Computers, televisions and other electronics contain an array of toxic materials, including lead, mercury, beryllium and cadmium. The cathode ray tubes in each computer or TV monitor contain 3-8 pounds of lead. It is estimated that Maine residents and small businesses generated some 300 tons of lead waste from these products in 2002. “The Legislature was right to ban disposal of toxic computer monitors and television sets,” said Jon Hinck, toxics project leader with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “Now we urgently need to take the next step and provide for free and convenient collection of hazardous electronic waste throughout the State of Maine.” The Maine bill creates a “stakeholders group” with a mandate to assist the State Department of Environmental Protection in developing an e-waste collection and recycling plan. [The group, composed of representatives of state municipal governments, potentially affected businesses and public interest groups, including NRCM, is set to meet for the first time on June 5, 2003.] This week, California joined Maine and more than a dozen other states to take up bills to address producer responsibility for toxic computer waste. “We cannot count on federal action to address this problem, and we cannot ignore the threat to our communities from lead and other toxins in discarded computers and consumer electronics,” said Hinck. The current status of state e-waste legislation in the U.S. is cataloged in an interactive map recently released on the Campaign’s web site at <a href="http://www.computertakeback.com/legislation_and_policy/e_waste_legislation_in_the_us/index.cfm">http://www.computertakeback.com/legislation_and_policy/e_waste_legislation_in_the_us/index.cfm</a>There are an estimated 300 million obsolete computers in the U.S., with fewer than 10 percent destined for recycling each year.`, assigning current date

`Product Stewardship` post created successfully

`Public Interest Groups Join State of Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> The U.S. District Court has granted the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Natural Resources Defense Council, Maine People’s Alliance and Learning Disabilities Association of Maine official standing as “friend of the court” in the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers’ lawsuit against the State of Maine for enacting “An Act to Prevent Mercury Emissions when Recycling and Disposing of Motor Vehicles.” This first-in-the-nation law requires carmakers to create a system to recover mercury switches from Maine cars before they are scrapped and pay $1 for each mercury switch collected. The auto industry claims Maine’s law is unconstitutional. “We will be working with the State to vigorously defend Maine’s right to protect its people and environment from mercury,” said Brownie Carson, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “The automobile industry must pay for this important pollution prevention program, not the taxpayers of Maine.” The court granted the four public interest groups “amicus plus” status, which will allow the groups to receive copies of pleadings and orders, to question witnesses, to file briefs, and to otherwise assist the State in its defense of the mercury switches statute. “We are looking forward to defending the State’s right to require carmakers to take responsibility for the mercury they put into our cars,” said John Dieffenbacher Krall, Co- Director of the Maine People’s Alliance. “Removing this deadly poison from Maine cars is long overdue, especially when one considers these same manufacturers eliminated mercury switches from cars they sell in Europe many years ago.” “The Learning Disabilities Association of Maine strongly supports Maine’s car mercury law, which would reduce the potent developmental neurotoxin, mercury, in the environment,” said Sandra Cort, Vice President of Learning Disabilities Association of Maine. “The law is a step in protecting the neurological development of generations of Maine's children.” “When mercury builds up to dangerous levels in the environment and in fish it poses serious health threats to humans and wildlife,” said Nancy Marks, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We look forward to helping to defend Maine's law that aims to cut further mercury pollution from cars.” Mercury from car switches can escape into the environment in a collision, due to corrosion, or when cars are scrapped, shredded or smelted at end of life. In Maine, an estimated 2,300 pounds of mercury is in light switches alone in the 1.3 million registered cars in the state. Just one tablespoon of mercury is enough to render all the fish unsafe to eat in a 1,400-acre lake (which in Maine is bigger than Duck Lake located downeast or Lake St. George off Route 3 in Liberty, for example) assuming “worst case” environmental fate. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers’ challenge to Maine’s law charges that Maine’s law is “unconstitutional” because it “compels speech” by requiring carmakers to “provide information, training and other technical assistance” to those collecting mercury-laden car switches. The AAM also charges that Maine’s law forces out-of-state carmakers to create a system for collecting hazardous waste in Maine. While European manufacturers phased-out mercury in light switches by 1995, U.S. automakers failed to honor similar voluntary pledges to eliminate mercury. A summary of 2000 model year vehicles registered in Maine showed that several models still contain mercury switches in lights and ABS brakes. More than 99 percent of mercury used in motor vehicles is contained in switches -- primarily for hood and trunk lighting, but also in antilock braking systems (ABS). These “convenience” light switches account for about 87 percent of the total mercury in 1999 and older vehicles. In this application, mercury “tilt” switches are used to turn the light on by making an electrical connection when the hood or trunk lid is lifted. Each switch contains about 0.8 grams of mercury. See <a href="http://www.state.me.us/dep/mercury/hgvehiclereport.htm">http://www.state.me.us/dep/mercury/hgvehiclereport.htm</a> for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s report on mercury in vehicles. Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal that builds up to dangerous levels in the environment and in fish, posing serious health threats to humans and wildlife. At significant risk are women of childbearing age since mercury exposure while pregnant has been linked to impaired learning, memory and attention in developing children. Fish-eating wildlife such as loons are also at high risk of ill health and impaired reproduction from mercury. In addition to car switches, major sources of mercury pollution include the use and disposal of other consumer products such as thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent lights, and the burning of fossil fuels, especially coal. Peter J. Brann and Ben Lund of Brann & Isaacson of Lewiston will be representing the Natural Resources Council, Maine People’s Alliance and Learning Disabilities Association. The State will be represented by the Attorney General’s office. Attorneys for the Natural Resources Defense Council on this case include Nancy Marks, Larry Levine and Jon Devine..Trial date is set for September 8, 2003.`, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`Hospitals Pledge To Eliminate Mercury and Reduce PVC Plastic` post created successfully

`16,896 Mercury-laden Car Switches Collected Under Maine's Landmark Program!` post created successfully

`Hybrids` post created successfully

`Global Warming and the Maine Coast` post created successfully

`Global Warming: Warning Signs, Winning Solutions` post created successfully

`Climate change an urgent issue, says Maine NRC` post created successfully

`Kennebec River Flows Free as Edwards Dam is Removed` post created successfully

`Mainers Rally for America’s Arctic Refuge` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Last Chance for Senators Snowe and Collins to Keep Pledge</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> On September 15th hundreds of Mainers from all walks of life gathered in Portland’s Monument Square to urge Senators Snowe and Collins to save America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from destruction by the oil industry. The Arctic Refuge is under threat from a backdoor provision inserted in the federal budget reconciliation bill that would turn America’s largest unspoiled wildlife habitat into an oil drilling field. Holding home-made signs and eating free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, the activists listened to music by one of Portland’s finest singer-songwriters, Emilia Dahlin, while they wrote postcards and called the Senators. NRCM’s Matt Prindiville emceed the event, firing up the crowd. “This vote is the last chance to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” said Prindiville, Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “We need Senators Snowe and Collins to vote for the Refuge one more time.” Government studies show that drilling in the Arctic Refuge will have little or no impact on gas prices, and will do little to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. The United States consumes about 25% of the world’s oil, but has less than 3% of the world’s proven oil reserves (<a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov">www.eia.doe.gov</a>). Energy experts agree that the best way to solve our energy problems is to use existing technology to make our cars and trucks more efficient and to invest in renewable energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, increasing the fuel efficiency of our vehicles by just 3 miles per gallon would save more than 1 million barrels of oil per day. That’s more oil than the Refuge would yield in its year of peak production. “Our leaders would serve the country better by addressing America’s real needs for new sources of clean energy and energy efficiency,” said Maureen Drouin from the Sierra Club. “It’s time to get serious about better fuel efficiency for cars.” If oil were discovered in commercial quantities, it would take 10 years before Refuge oil could first be produced. In 2015, it would only make up 0.3% of world oil production. Even when production peaked (in 2025), Arctic Refuge oil would make up only 7/10 of 1 percent (0.7%) of world oil production and only 3% of U.S. oil consumption. Production would diminish steadily after 2025. Oil prices are set on a global oil market, and Arctic Refuge oil production, even at peak, would amount to a drop in the bucket. Historically, such small increases in U.S. production have had no impact on world oil prices. A recent analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that even twenty years down the road, when Arctic Refuge oil is at or near peak production, gas prices would only be affected by about a penny per gallon.[1] “The oil industry already has 95 percent of the Arctic coastal plain at its disposal,” said Prindiville. “They want to open the Arctic Refuge because they know drilling there will give them access to other special areas such as the coasts of California, Florida, even Maine’s George’s Bank fisheries.” Senators Snowe and Collins are expected to cast decisive votes early this fall. While both oppose drilling in the Arctic Refuge, they have not committed to opposing the pro-drilling budget reconciliation bill. “Maine’s senators have a long, proud tradition of standing up for the environment,” said Prindiville. “We’re asking Senators Snowe and Collins to fulfill their pledge to protect America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge when it counts most.” To learn more about the campaign to protect the Arctic Refuge, visit <a href="http://www.ArcticRefugeAction.org">www.ArcticRefugeAction.org</a> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------[1] U.S. Dept. of Energy, Energy Information Administration, July 2005, “Impacts of Modeled Provisions of HR 6 EH: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/hr/pdf/sroiaf(2005)04.pdf">http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/hr/pdf/sroiaf(2005)04.pdf</a>`, assigning current date

`Arctic National Wildlife Refuge` post created successfully

`Mainers Rally for Arctic Protection` post created successfully

`Statement on Vandalism Against Plum Creek Timber Company` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci’s Liquidation Harvesting Bill Signing Ceremony` post created successfully

`Testimony on Draft MFS Rule – Chapter 23 Timber Harvesting Standards to Substantially` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> My name is Cathy Johnson. I am the North Woods Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, a citizen supported environmental organization with 8000 members and supporters. The Natural Resources Council of Maine strongly supports the Governor’s initiative to eliminate liquidation harvesting. Liquidation harvesting is a blight on the landscape and on the forest industry. It harms wildlife habitat and water quality. It leaves the forest in such a poor condition that it won’t support any future harvesting or the jobs that rely on that harvesting for decades. We believe that the proposed rules are an important step in the right direction towards eliminating liquidation harvesting and we support them. They are narrowly focused on the problem and, as such, will not fix all of the problems in the Maine woods. But we are hopeful that they will be effective in eliminating liquidation harvesting. We do, however, have several suggested changes to the rules – changes that we believe will ensure that the rules are effective in accomplishing their goal.<ol><li>Set standards for regenerating a stand under option 2: Under option 2, a harvest plan must include a silvicultural rationale for a harvest that will remove more than 40% of the basal area. If the rationale for the harvest is to regenerate a stand, it is critical that there be some limits on when a stand can be regenerated. We suggest that the rule require that regeneration cuts be allowed as the silvicultural rationale for a heavy harvest only as a last resort, when all the growing stock is fully mature, and only when a two stage shelterwood cannot be employed. </li><li>The third party certification exemption must require a field audit after harvesting and before sale: As written, the rule would allow a landowner to get his or her land third party certified, liquidate the timber and sell prior to the next field audit required by the certification. This loophole should be closed by requiring that a field audit by the certification entity take place following all harvesting, prior to sale of the land, in order to take advantage of this exemption. The rule should also specify that the auditor may have no conflict of interest with the landowner; as written the rule prohibits only financial interest, potentially allowing auditors with non-financial conflicts to certify the land.</li><li>The level of fines must be high enough to take away any potential financial benefit from liquidation harvesting: The current fine structure of the Maine Forest Service is inadequate to ensure that timber liquidators do not profit from the practice. The fines must be high enough to ensure that they are not simply factored in as a cost of doing business. </li><li>Clarify the threatened or endangered species definition to ensure that plants are protected: To ensure that the rules achieve the goal of protecting threatened and endangered plants, we suggest that the definition of threatened or endangered species be amended to read: <ul><li>Threatened or Endangered Species means species listed as threatened or endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service or the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and species listed as S1 or S2 by the Maine Natural Areas Program. </li></ul></li><li>Close the cut/buy/sell and buy/sell/cut loopholes: We are concerned that there are other likely loopholes in these rules. In particular, we are concerned that timber liquidators will alter their practices so that they cut the land after entering into an agreement with the landowner to buy the land, then buy and sell the land within a five year period. Alternatively, they may buy and sell the land, and cut it after sale. While closing these loopholes may require a legislative change to the definition of liquidation harvesting, we urge the Maine Forest Service to seek that change to ensure that these loopholes do not simply become the new standard business practice for liquidators. </li></ol>The Natural Resources Council of Maine greatly appreciates the very hard work by the Maine Forest Service that has gone into the creation of these rules. We strongly encourage the Maine Forest Service to make the adjustments suggested above and adopt the rules.Thank you for the opportunity to comment.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife` post created successfully

`State Reaffirms Commitment to "Wild" Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`Peter Brann and Ben Lund receive 2004 Environmental Award` post created successfully

`Irvin “Buzz” Caverly receives` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">For protecting the wilderness character of Baxter State Park</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> On a wall at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, we have displayed a quotation by Edward Abbey: “The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders.” Wilderness found a defender in Buzz Caverly. Buzz was the guardian of Baxter State Park for as long as many of us can remember. Before he retired this summer, Buzz had been the state’s foremost advocate for and defender of Governor Percival Baxter’s vision for the park—a vision for an enduring wilderness of great beauty, tantalizing remoteness, and extraordinary ecological diversity. In defense of that vision, Buzz stood as tall and was as rock-solid as Mt. Katahdin itself. Wilderness first, access second. These values guided Buzz as he mapped out the strategic direction for the park and managed its daily operations. He maintained more than eighty percent of the park as wilderness. He closed unneeded roads and structures. He limited the use of snowmobiles in most parts of the park and denied access to ATVs. He did not bow to political pressure to change the balance of wilderness and access. But as much as he respects the park, Buzz also respects the nearly 100,000 individuals who visit it each year. He guided visitors, opening their eyes to park’s lakes, streams, forests, and, of course, Mt. Katahdin. He also rescued many hikers who misjudged the mountain or underestimated the challenge of exploring true wilderness. Year after year, he welcomed the people of Maine to this natural treasure, protected and left to them by Governor Baxter. For forty-six years, Buzz wrapped his head and heart around Baxter State Park. If it were physically possible, he would have wrapped his arms around it, too. By any measure of commitment, Buzz’s dedication to this beautiful, iconic wilderness has earned him the deep respect of his colleagues and the heartfelt gratitude of the people of Maine. `, assigning current date

`About NRCM` post created successfully

`Adam Lee Receives 2005 Environmental Award` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">For reducing air and greenhouse gas pollution by ensuring that cleaner, more efficient cars reach Maine consumers</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Adam Lee grew up in the car business. His grandfather started a small dealership in 1936, and his father began selling cars the day after he graduated from college in 1947. Today, Lee Auto Malls is one of Maine’s largest dealerships, and Adam is at the wheel as president. Lately, however, he has been doing a different kind of selling—selling the virtues of cleaner, more efficient cars and calling on the state to require manufacturers to deliver more makes and models of them to the marketplace. Car emissions are the single largest source of air and global warming pollution in Maine. In 2004, the Natural Resources Council of Maine and our coalition partners were on the brink of convincing the state to set sales goals for cleaner, more efficient cars. In passing this program, we were up against formidable opponents: the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Maine Auto Dealers Association. These powerful industry groups decided to fight Maine’s decision to set sales goals for cleaner, more efficient cars. We needed an industry insider to support the bill—to assure lawmakers that it was feasible for manufacturers to achieve the sales goals set out in the proposed program. We turned to Adam. Adam had long advocated for cleaner cars, testifying previously for NRCM at legislative hearings and sponsoring clean car events to educate decision-makers and opinion leaders. This bill, however, would put his commitment to the test. Adam participated in nearly ten months of back-to-back rulemaking and legislative processes. Along the way, he was criticized by the industry, competitors, and even the press for his endorsement. But he did not waiver.Earlier this summer, Governor Baldacci signed the bill into law. By 2009, nearly eleven percent of all vehicles sold in Maine must be hybrids or super-clean vehicles. For years, Adam has been the voice of reason on cleaner, more efficient cars for Maine. This year, his voice was heard. He proves that nice guys do finish first—when they drive hybrids. `, assigning current date

`About NRCM` post updated successfully

`W. Kent Olson receives Lifetime Achievement Award` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">For his pivotal role in securing lasting protection for Maine’s special places</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Acadia National Park. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Hog Island. Grand Lake Stream. Most Mainers associate Ken Olson with only one of these special places, Acadia. Yet, each of them—and many, many more—has been restored or enjoyed new protections as a result of Ken’s professional work and citizen activism. Ken has had a distinguished career in conservation: as a chapter director for The Nature Conservancy, the president of American Rivers, a senior staff advisor to The Conservation Fund, and finally the president and CEO of Friends of Acadia, from which he will retire in early 2006. His resume glitters with awards and recognition. But, although he is an inspirational leader and skilled manager, Ken is—above all—a man who loves and respects nature. He is a hiker, paddler, and keen observer of the natural world. His interests have taken him across this country, and luckily for us, brought him to Maine. At Friends of Acadia, Ken has led efforts to restore the park’s 130-mile footpath complex, to improve access for people with disabilities, to prohibit jet skis, and to reduce the amount of pollution generated by vehicles through the creation of the Island Explorer propane bus system. Acadia is one of the most popular national parks in the country, and under Ken’s leadership, its wildlife and resources are less stressed by human engagement than many parks with far, far fewer visitors. Less visibly, but no less passionately, Ken has advocated for greater protections for the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. He has worked closely with the Natural Resources Council of Maine and concerned citizens to ensure that the waterway remains forever wild. He produced River of Broken Promises, a legal history of the waterway that has come to serve as the Bible for activists trying to ensure that this beautiful wilderness is managed the way it was intended to be.Ken is the author of numerous books, essays, and, of course, our favorite, letters-to-the-editor. Through them, he takes us down wild rivers, across remote mountain trails, and through the dark passages of government offices where environmental policies are crafted. On paper or in person, he connects people to the natural world and in turn calls on them to be responsible stewards of our wild and special places. For our part, we are grateful that Ken chose to be a steward of so many wild and special places here in Maine. `, assigning current date

`About NRCM` post updated successfully

`Jenna Shue receives 2005 Environmental Award` post created successfully

`Harry Dwyer and Andy Irish receive 2004 Environmental Award` post created successfully

`Plum Creek needs to start over again` post created successfully

`Global warming demands action now` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal</a> Now that evidence of human-induced climate change is so profound that even former skeptics have accepted the need for action, it is time to seize the most significant, cost-effective opportunities for reducing greenhouse gases.According to "A Climate Action Plan for Maine", the analysis of policies to reduce global warming pollution drafted by the Department of Environmental Protection and stakeholders not long ago, enacting vehicle global warming emission standards is the second biggest potential source of reductions in the state's contribution to global warming. Furthermore, the plan also calculated that global warming emission standards for cars would be quite cost effective, in part, because the vehicles meeting the new standard would be so much more fuel efficient; purchasers would get many more miles to the gallon.On Dec. 1, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection will be meeting to decide whether to follow the department recommendation to approve the automotive global warming standards that have already been approved in California, Vermont and New York. The timing is particularly important.Since the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-11) meeting will be taking place at that time in Montreal, this decision represents a very significant opportunity for Maine to demonstrate its foresight and its leadership. Taking incremental actions such as this now would actually be cheaper in the long run because it reduces the need for much larger and, therefore, much more expensive actions later.Delay is an expensive proposition. Tom Tietenberg Sidney <a href="mailto:thtieten@colby.edu">thtieten@colby.edu</a>`, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post created successfully

`Group fights Moosehead plan with cartoon` post created successfully

`Advocates oppose relaxing Wyman standards` post created successfully

`BEP: Heed global warming alert` post created successfully

`DEP: Private talks 'wrong'` post created successfully

`BEP to decide on cleaner cars` post created successfully

`NRCM Releases Web-Based Flash Movie` post created successfully

`DEP acknowledges error in secret cleanup talks` post created successfully

`Cutting emissions` post created successfully

`Comments in response to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection’s Draft Rules Chapter 127, “New Motor Vehicle Emission Standards Regulation (Green House Gas Vehicle Emission Standards).”` post created successfully

`California Drivin'` post created successfully

`State urged to be efficient with emission credits` post created successfully

`Thank a hybrid owner` post created successfully

`Adopt tailpipe emission controls` post created successfully

`Climate change local and global` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Editorial</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Brunswick Times Record</a> A new study published Friday in the journal Science reports that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any time in the last 650,000 years, The Associated Press reports. By analyzing air bubbles trapped and preserved in Antarctic ice, researchers found that today's level of carbon dioxide is 27 percent higher than ever before.So much for claims that global warming is a natural cycle and not the result of human activity, speaking of which: The United States is the world's largest consumer of oil and gas — and producer of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.According to new data published by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States accounts for about 24 percent of global fossil-fuel-related carbon dioxide emissions. Yet the Bush administration withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement that commits industrialized nations to cutting emissions, saying it would be bad for the economy. But think globally: Most of the rest of the world presses on.The protocol came into force in February when enough countries had signed it. And this week until Dec. 9, as many as 10,000 people from 190 countries are converging in Montreal for the first major global environmental conference since Kyoto in 1997.Government officials, scientists, environmental activists and business and civic leaders will address sustainable development, what's needed to adapt to the impacts of unavoidable climate change and how to get new and emerging technologies to market and to developing countries.Many hope to lay the groundwork for a new agreement on climate change, or global warming, that will continue the effort when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The Bush administration isn't likely to accept any binding emission-cutting goals, but it could at least pledge to support the development and marketing of new, cleaner technologies. That would help the U.S. economy!Meanwhile, here in Maine the Board of Environmental Protection will decide Thursday whether to adopt tailpipe emisson standards for new cars and trucks sold in the state.Forty percent of Maine's global warming pollution comes from cars and trucks. Adopting the standards would reduce 2002 levels by 30 percent by 2016.Of 222 public comments received by the BEP, only seven were opposed to the standards and those were from fuel or automobile interests.The Maine Council of Churches supports the standards and care of the Earth as a moral issue. Maine environmental organizations as well as the American Lung Association, Maine Medical Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility think reducing air pollution is a great idea.So do nine other states, so far. California, Oregon, Washington, New York and Vermont have adopted tailpipe emission standards. Four states besides Maine are in the process of enacting them. We urge the Board of Environmental Protection to live up to its name.Act locally. `, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`BEP should vote to adopt tailpipe emission standards` post created successfully

`Maine’s BEP Votes for Global Warming Tailpipe Emission Standards` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Augusta, Maine—Today the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) voted unanimously to adopt the global warming tailpipe emission standards for new cars and trucks sold in Maine beginning in 2009. Maine became the sixth state to enact the so called CAL LEV standards, joining California, Oregon, Washington, New York and Vermont. The other New England states with the exception of New Hampshire are all in the process of enacting the rules. Speculation that Mainers might buy cars in New Hampshire was dispelled during the voting process, given the fact that car manufacturers would not ship low volumes of “dirty” cars to New Hampshire and “clean” cars to the rest of the region. Board Chair Matt Scott referenced previous testimony from Adam Lee in favor of the standards and noted that Lee is a third-generation Maine car dealer.“This is a giant step in Maine’s commitment to address global warming,” said Jon Hinck of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “The techniques and technology have been proven, and the new generation of vehicles will also save Mainers money on gas. Car makers should just do the right thing.”If all ten states adopt the standards, one-third of U.S. auto sales will meet California’s cleaner car rules. The auto industry has already attempted to block the rules in California and New York State by filing preliminary lawsuits. Forty percent (40%) of Maine’s global warming pollution comes from cars and trucks. Maine's Climate Action Plan identifies the global warming tailpipe emission standards as the second highest priority out of 54 actions to reduce global warming pollution. The new standards will reduce global warming pollution from vehicles 30% by 2016, as compared to the 2002 fleet.`, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`Maine becomes 6th state to impose Calif. emissions standards` post created successfully

`Delay threatens CO2 deal` post created successfully

`State to cut emissions by new vehicles` post created successfully

`Even the skeptics now agree: Global warming is real` post created successfully

`Inuits say warming is eroding ice and their way of life` post created successfully

`In Montreal, Mainers march for climate's sake` post created successfully

`Auto emissions rules from California good for Maine, too` post created successfully

`Governor's energy-saving effort is no gamble` post created successfully

`Group asks for limits to land use` post created successfully

`Allagash waterway management debated` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Advisory panel struggles to balance uses</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> BANGOR - With less than three months left for comment on proposed revisions to the state's Allagash Wilderness Waterway Management Plan, disagreement remained Tuesday as to whether minor tweaking or substantial changes are needed.How to balance recreational and commercial uses while maintaining the wilderness nature in and around the Allagash River remains a contentious issue for the 23-member advisory council looking at revisions to the 1999 plan."The whole idea is to bury the hatchet on a very old, long-standing issue," David Soucy, director of the state's Bureau of Parks and Lands, said after the committee's daylong meeting at Bangor's Ramada Inn on Tuesday.The proposed revisions call for eliminating some access points to the river and establishing a review process for man-made structures that don't fit in with the wild designation of the area. Resisting the temptation to make changes throughout the 1999 plan, Soucy said the review process that began two years ago is focused more narrowly on how the federal Wild and Scenic River Act applies to man-made structures in the Allagash - such as dams and bridges - and acceptable uses of the river.The panel had hoped to complete its review by now, but the state had agreed to a three-month extension on gathering public comment at the request of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. The new deadline to provide additional comment is March 2, 2006.Soucy said he still expects any changes likely will be more in line with tweaking what is already done rather than performing a major overhaul."I don't think we're open for a major rewrite," he said Tuesday.But not everyone on the advisory council agreed with that assessment."I would say [the state] would have to do more than just tweak [the plan] to make us comfortable," Patrick Strauch, executive director of the Maine Forest Products Council, said after the meeting. The forest products council represents logging, sawmill and paper manufacturing interests that own or operate on more than 3 million acres in the Allagash River region.The river bisects a significant part of the working forest in northern Maine, and Strauch said any changes could have an impact on the industry. Particularly disconcerting, he said, is wording in the plan that could give outside interests the ability to dictate whether an infrastructure, such as a bridge, should be fixed or removed. Losing a bridge could seriously affect a logging operation or hamper delivery of pulpwood to mills.Strauch said it is also unclear whether replacing planks on a bridge, for example, would kick in a review process that could delay repairs for years or deny them altogether. Such delays aren't unthinkable considering the council took 45 minutes Tuesday to discuss whether a 3-foot-high weather station should be replaced or belonged there in the first place, Strauch said.Karen Woodsum, director of the Sierra Club Maine Woods Program, didn't attend Tuesday's meeting, but when contacted later said that no single group would have as much sway as Strauch was suggesting. Ultimately, it's the state that must act as steward for the river, she said."We believe this is the best management plan, that this is in the best interest of the river," Woodsum said of the proposed revisions.Gary Pelletier of Cross Lake, whose family has lived in the Allagash region for generations, said the plan revisions are good overall, but he faults it for going too far in some cases. He said it appeases environmental groups at the expense of local people who use the river for recreation or who make a living from it.One revision, for example, calls for closing an access point at Cunliffe Campsite for environmental reasons with no regard to the local people who use it, Pelletier contended."This river was made public for the public and not just a certain group of people," he said.Soucy said the revisions are about compromise and that a 2003 agreement with groups from the region already had hashed out and identified what access points could be closed. He said though the access point at Cunliffe is to be closed, two other nearby access points will remain open. By closing the Cunliffe access point, the state is reducing dust, noise and other activities that detract from the wilderness characteristic of the river, Soucy said.Woodsum agreed with Soucy that interested parties already had consented to the changes in 2003. She said it seemed now that some were trying to backtrack.She said that the plan's revisions reflect hard work and compromise that is in the best interest of the river and those who use it."It's balancing all these interests, and that's a tricky job," she said.The revised plan can be viewed at the Bureau of Parks and Lands' Web site at: <a href="http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/">www.maine.gov/doc/parks/</a>`, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`DEP sings new tune on river` post created successfully

`Jay mill, DEP in tussle on permit` post created successfully

`Things are finally looking up for the Androscoggin River` post created successfully

`NRCM Response to the “Citizen Solutions” released by the Moosehead Region Future Committee` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> NRCM supports the Moosehead Region Futures Committee statement that “Permanent conservation and sustainable community development are the bedrock foundations of the Moosehead Region’s future health and vitality.” NRCM supports this effort by residents of the Moosehead region to secure permanent conservation and sustainable development that is appropriately located and meshes with the character of the region.NRCM shares the perspective of those in the Moosehead Lake region who believe that permanently protecting public access, large tracts of undeveloped forest and the remote character of the Moosehead region is essential to its future.NRCM also shares their opinion that future development in the region should be located in or near existing communities in the region, not scattered across the landscape. The people of the Moosehead Lake region are showing great leadership. They know that protecting the area’s unique remote undeveloped character is the key to its future.This effort shows that the people of the Moosehead Lake region support economic development in appropriate locations but not poorly planned development that endangers the remote unspoiled beauty on which their economy depends.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Nearly 7,700 acres Down East targeted for protection` post created successfully

`State energy head touts wind power to LURC` post created successfully

`Incentives offered for conservation` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By A.J. Higgins, Of the NEWS Staff</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> AUGUSTA — Gov. John E. Baldacci unveiled yet another strategy Monday to offset federal flat funding of the state’s low-income heating assistance program in the form of an incentive-driven conservation campaign.Flanked by representatives of the Maine Public Utilities Commission and Constellation Energy, an electricity supplier, the governor endorsed the "Save A Watt 10 Percent Challenge" initiative designed to lower the utility bills of small business and residential consumers.Beginning in January, customers of Central Maine Power or Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. who have reduced their monthly electric usage by 10 percent or more compared to last year will be automatically entered in the contest. Continuing through March, a total of 50 customers will be randomly selected to receive a $1,000 rebate against an "Energy Star" appliance of their choice. The money for the rebates will be underwritten by Constellation Energy, which is encouraging increases in the number of energy-efficient appliances throughout the state. Baldacci said if all households and businesses could reduce use by 10 percent, $18 million could be saved on electric bills in Maine, the demand for power would be lowered, and power generators would produce 83,000 tons less greenhouse gas emissions."This is a partnership of Maine’s regulators and electricity suppliers that give Maine people the power to help ourselves, help others, and do a small part for the environment by simply turning out the lights," he said.The governor said the incentive conservation campaign was a direct response to the flat funding of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and concerns over possible shortages of electricity supplies this winter throughout the New England Power Pool."The New England electric grid operator continues to say that Maine and the other New England states face a real chance of tight energy supplies this winter," Baldacci said. "The Maine Public Utilities Commission believes that we can avoid supply disruptions through more aggressive energy conservation efforts. These efforts include general conservation and extra measures for times when energy supplies are constricted."Also related to his efforts to lessen the impact of reduced federal funding for fuel in Maine, Baldacci said members of his administration are planning to purchase discounted oil from Venezuela for low-income Maine families. The proposal is similar to an agreement crafted in Massachusetts. That deal has been perceived as inflammatory by the White House because Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez frequently has clashed with President Bush over economic and foreign policies.But Baldacci said he was more concerned with trying to help Mainers heat their homes this winter."These discussions have been ongoing and will be continuing on into the week and probably by the end of the week we’ll have more information on that," Baldacci said. "We’re not leaving any stone unturned."More information on energy conservation can be found on the Internet at <a href="http://www.efficiencymaine.com">www.efficiencymaine.com</a>. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Scientists: Greenland glaciers receding at alarming pace` post created successfully

`Clear the Analysis Smog` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Editorial</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> The Environmental Protection Agency had to be badgered into analyzing the benefit and cost differences between the administration's Clear Skies proposal and two competing air pollution measures. When it finally did the analysis, it was skewed in favor of Clear Skies, according to the Congressional Research Service. In addition to boosting faulty legislation, such a review is a disservice to the public, which expects the EPA to base its rules on sound science.The Bush administration has a history of selectively using information, often ignoring contradictory data, as the basis of its policies. For example, there is currently much debate over whether the administration misled Congress and the public by citing only intelligence, some of it discredited, that showed Saddam Hussein had or was about to have weapons of mass destruction as a rationale for invading Iraq.The consequences may not be as dire in the case of air quality regulations, but the public still deserves rules based on the best science. That isn't happening with Clear Skies and related air pollution rules.For years, senators, including Susan Collins, have pushed EPA to compare Clear Skies with bills from Sens. Thomas Carper, D-Del., and James Jeffords, I-Vt. Clear Skies is the least stringent and Sen. Jeffords' the most, with Sen. Carper's legislation in between. Sen. Carper threatened to hold up the nomination of Stephen Johnson to head the agency if the EPA did not do the analysis. The agency finally complied, releasing its findings in late October.According to the Congressional Research Service, an independent, non-partisan group, the EPA overstated the costs of competing legislation while downplaying the economic benefits of reducing premature deaths and illness linked to air pollution. For example, the EPA analysis assumes a shortage of boilermaker labor until 2010 to install pollution-control equipment. This would affect only the senators' bills because they seek emissions reductions before Clear Skies. The pollution-control industry association questions that such a labor shortage will exist.The EPA report also relied on outdated cost-effectiveness data for mercury emissions because emissions controls have advanced significantly since the information was collected in 2003, according to CRS.Because parts of Clear Skies have been approved by Congress, regulations aren't as beneficial, in terms of economics and human health, as they should be. Congress, by demanding better analysis by the EPA, should ensure this doesn't continue to happen.`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post created successfully

`Tailpipe emissions and the business climate` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Viewpoints</h2> <h3 class="author">by John Buell</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> Business lobbyists often talk about building a better business "climate." They use the noun "climate" in a metaphorical sense to imply that without the right tax policies business cannot thrive and expand. References to climate, however, should be taken in a more literal sense. Without air that is fit to breathe, relatively stable weather patterns and sustainable, affordable sources of energy, businesses cannot survive. Early next month, Maine's Bureau of Environmental Protection has an opportunity to enhance Maine's business climate. On Dec. 1, BEP will continue hearings in Augusta on whether to adopt the strict vehicle tailpipe emission rules currently in place in California or revert to weaker federal standards. Maine's best course, both economically and environmentally, is to enact and enforce strict standards. These would reduce greenhouse pollutants and smog, improve fuel economy, and help establish Maine's place as a leader in the battle for environmental quality.Maine's population is small, but it retains considerable national visibility. Though it cannot single handedly reverse global climate change, it can play an influential role in policy reform. When Maine adopts and abides by strict standards, it is in a better position to pressure other states and to push for stronger national standards.Since Maine is a relatively small state, it would be easy to argue that it should let other states slay the greenhouse dragon while preserving its best competitive advantage here and now. That would be faulty and short sighted logic. Maine may be at the end of the pipeline, forcing it to cope with polluted air from the Midwest and the Northeast corridor. Nonetheless, its own vehicles contribute both to greenhouse warming and to the smog that has on occasion made even the air in Acadia National Park a source of major health issues.In addition, the relatively long commuting distances and the high costs of fuel in Maine make this state especially vulnerable to high energy costs. No state other than Hawaii is more vulnerable to supply disruptions than Maine.Business interests like to argue that we should allow the market to do its thing. If oil costs are high, these costs will force motorists to buy more fuel efficient vehicles. Yet historically the price of gasoline - even with state and federal gas taxes included-has never reflected the true cost of auto use. Cost of road maintenance, fire and police services, and the damage to human lungs inflicted by automotive pollution are barely reflected in the price of gas at the pump.Gas prices also fluctuate so widely that they provide a poor signal for both consumers and the auto industry. Decisions as to fundamental auto technologies take years to plan and implement. Today the U.S. auto industry suffers because it has a whole line of vehicles designed for an age of cheap fuel. A broad shift in transportation modes also requires changes in the services available to those vehicles. Consumers won't buy battery or hydrogen powered vehicles unless there are stations to fuel and service them. Appropriate facilities will not emerge until a critical mass of alternative vehicles is on the road. This phenomenon, called path dependence, constitutes a case for market intervention recognized even by many mainstream economists.In an ideal scenario, federal tax policy would effect a gradually escalating price of gas. When temporary gluts drove prices down, higher taxes would kick in and when supply disruptions occur, taxes would be reduced. The thrust of tax policy would be to wean the society from dependence on ever more fragile oil supplies and environmentally damaging modes of transit. Had such a policy, which Jeff Faux, former president of the Economic Policy Institute, advocated 15 years ago been in place, both General Motors and American consumers would be far better off today.In the absence of enlightened federal policy, adoption of strong emission regulations by Maine is still an important positive step. These regulatory changes are likely to be adopted not only by California but also by other New England states. They will drive continuing technology change by the auto industry. They will also force aggressive marketing of more fuel efficient, less polluting vehicles in Maine. The California Air Resources Board has estimated that auto engineered to meet its new tougher standards save the consumer between $400 and $1,100 in fuel charges (assuming gas at $2 a gallon) over the life of the car. Even these numbers don't reflect the reductions in state government supported health costs.Such efforts could be complemented by further public and private efforts to expand and promote van pooling, public transit options, Amtrak expansion and other alternative transit options. Amtrak has become increasingly successful in southern Maine and I hope Maine's congressional delegation will fight Bush administration efforts to crush the service. In the long run, both business climate and human health are best served when tax, regulatory, and fiscal policy all work together to leverage more balanced and sustainable transit systems. John Buell is a political economist who lives in Southwest Harbor. Readers wishing to contact him may e-mail messages to <a href="mailto:jbuell@acadia.net">jbuell@acadia.net</a>. `, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`Beyond Climate Talk` post created successfully

`Norton pushes drilling for oil in Arctic` post created successfully

`Mercury Rule Redux` post created successfully

`Connecticut to sign pact to cut greenhouse gases` post created successfully

`Climate change's lost sheep` post created successfully

`All's Well on the Allagash` post created successfully

`Oil of Last Resort` post created successfully

`Keep Moosehead region whole` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Walter Graff</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> Maine's iconic natural features - Katahdin, the Allagash, and Moosehead Lake among them - help define the state's wild character to such an extent that even those who may never have visited the state have a feel for it. The greater Moosehead region is a shining example. Here are pristine trout ponds, deep, productive forests, and miles and miles of woods and water to explore on foot, on skis, or afloat. It's a region whose economy and culture are dependent upon the integrity of its landscape.The Moosehead region is recognized for its remote and unspoiled wildness - an attribute that draws new residents and tourists alike. But this may not always be so.What happens in the very near future will determine if the region's cherished natural values will be here for generations to come, or lost forever. One view of the future sees landowners selling off lakefronts, trout streams and mountain vistas for high-priced second homes. Another view is more hopeful: a future where landowners balance local economic needs with permanent protection of those lands.Last spring, Plum Creek, a Seattle-based company, proposed a development plan for more than 400,000 acres near Moosehead Lake. Before formally accepting the plan for review, the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) scheduled a series of public scoping sessions in the region.I attended one of the sessions held in Greenville this past summer. Many people acknowledged that new development - in the right places and at an appropriate scale - could benefit the region's economy. Yet, person after person stood up and talked about fear and loss. Loss of wildlife habitat. Loss of undeveloped lakefronts and mountainsides. Loss of the region's heritage. Since those sessions, concerned voices continue to be heard in the region and around the state, and such community-based groups as the Moosehead Futures Committee are helping to keep this important dialogue going. Only with the full engagement of everyone who has a stake in the future of the Maine Woods - and I don't know who doesn't - will this critical opportunity to help shape that future be realized.Plum Creek should be commended for putting forward a long-range plan for public review. I'm hopeful it will consider the public's concerns when they submit their revised plan in the next few weeks. A sound plan that balances the needs of the region should recognize a few key concepts:. The remote and undeveloped character of the region is its key asset and must be maintained. The Maine Woods is the last large, unbroken forest in the eastern United States, with Moosehead Lake as one of its crown jewels. To help conserve its special qualities, new development should be contiguous to existing development.. Public access to wild places must be maintained. Maine has a long history of public access to private timberlands for recreation, and I thank Plum Creek for continuing this access to date. Under Plum Creek's initial plan, though, the impacts of such a large increase in private and commercial shorefront and riverfront development could hinder that access and damage the region's remote character, which serves as an important economic resource for local businesses and an enticement to the new land owners Plum Creek would like to attract.. Conservation needs to be permanent. There must be recognition that since development will be permanent, whether on shorelines or elsewhere, corresponding land protection measures should also be permanent. Permanency also is critical to maintaining the natural resource-based economy by ensuring that timberlands will be protected in perpetuity.The Appalachian Mountain Club's work in Maine dates back to 1876. AMC members were the first to map Katahdin, and AMC trail crews built and maintained many early trails in Baxter State Park. Most recently, we launched the Maine Woods Initiative, which includes ownership and management of 37,000 acres of forestland in the region.Based on our experience in Maine and elsewhere, we believe the greater Moosehead region is best served by maintaining its unfragmented landscape, which supports natural resource-based industry and nature-based tourism. This unbroken landscape is increasingly a rarity, and while we recognize that the region is in transition, it is critical that the long-term benefits of maintaining its essential, remote character not be forgotten. This goal should be at the forefront of Plum Creek's revised plan. Walter Graff is the Deputy Director of the Appalachian Mountain Club. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Weigh wind power proposal against generating alternatives` post created successfully

`NRCM Cites Political Interference with Hazardous Waste Program` post created successfully

`Wind power firm files with LURC` post created successfully

`Multistate plan targets CO2 emissions` post created successfully

`LURC gets 1,600-page wind farm application` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Challenge Proposal to Reorganize DEP` post created successfully

`States to reduce greenhouse gas pollution` post created successfully

`Multistate plan targets CO2 emissions` post created successfully

`Wind farm plan moves to regulators` post created successfully

`NRC Charges Abuse of Power` post created successfully

`Maine joins greenhouse compact` post created successfully

`Saving Watts` post created successfully

`Pair Deny Helping Employers Skirt Law` post created successfully

`Grudgingly, Snowe and Collins vote for drilling` post created successfully

`Filibuster threat kills ANWR gambit` post created successfully

`DEP chief disputes river deal` post created successfully

`Senate vote blocks Alaska oil drilling` post created successfully

`Plan aims to stave off wild salmon extinction` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By David Sharp, Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald</a> Five years after Atlantic salmon were declared endangered on eight Maine rivers, federal regulators have released a recovery plan aimed at restoring salmon runs from the Kennebec River to the Canadian border.The 325-page document lays out a strategy with nine key recovery actions, beginning with better protection of salmon habitat. It also lays out 13 threats ranging from acid rain to aquaculture operations off the coast of Maine and New Brunswick."To be successful, we'll need everyone's help and cooperation," Mary Colligan, endangered species chief for the National Marine Fisheries Service, said Wednesday.The federal government listed Atlantic salmon as endangered on eight Maine rivers in November 2000, saying the species is in danger of extinction.Back then, marine biologists said wild salmon numbers were at an all-time low with only about 300 mature salmon returning to the eight targeted rivers. By 2002, the estimated number dropped to between 23 to 46. In 2004, it was between 60 and 113 fish.While the long-term goal is for the number of wild salmon to begin growing, the immediate goal is simply to stop the decline, said Patrick Keliher, executive director of the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission in Augusta."These populations are truly in danger of going extinct," he said.The recovery plan, published in Tuesday's Federal Register, targets wild Atlantic populations in the Gulf of Maine. That includes all rivers from the downstream portion of the Kennebec to the mouth of the St. Croix on the Canadian border.The original endangered species listing affected only the Dennys, East Machias, Machias, Narraguagus, Pleasant, Ducktrap and Sheepscot rivers, along with Cove Brook, a tributary of the Penobscot River.The final plan by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service lays out a recovery strategy, along with goals and criteria. If fully funded, the price tag over three years would be $35 million.Already, about $6 million to $8 million is being spent each year on salmon recovery efforts and it's unlikely that the federal government will increase funding substantially because of the current budget situation, he said.Included in the plan are efforts already under way to conserve land to protect river watersheds and to improve practices of salmon-farming operations off the coast Down East. Aquaculture carries dual threats of introducing fish diseases as well as weakening wild fish that interbreed with fish that escape their pens.The plan, prepared with help from the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, was revised after public sessions last summer. A team already has been established to implement the plan.Jeff Reardon, director of Trout Unlimited in Maine, said the rule is disappointing because it doesn't include adequate recovery actions for large rivers such as the Penobscot or Kennebec. "Habitat wise, there are tributaries to the Penobscot that have more habitat than all the rivers that are (covered)."The final plan avoided lots of target numbers because the current numbers are too low to make any sort of projections. But the goal would be to see the replacement rate of adult Atlantic salmon populations on the eight rivers grow, if only modestly."It really is a stop-the-bleeding approach. Let's make sure there are fish in all of those rivers, and make sure the number is going up over a five-year period," said Pat Scida, endangered species coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.`, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post created successfully

`Plum Creek may alter Moosehead area plans` post created successfully

`Panel urges more funds for land program` post created successfully

`Maine DEP Chief Departing Under Cloud` post created successfully

`DEP Chief Resigns Amid Investigation` post created successfully

`Regional emissions cap will benefit Maine` post created successfully

`Conserving all kinds of energy will help lower power bills` post created successfully

`Plum Creek vows to rework its plan` post created successfully

`Clean power plan positions Maine for better future` post created successfully

`DEP Chief Resigns` post created successfully

`Plum Creek revises plans for resort` post created successfully

`Seboomook Management Plan Criticized for Favoring Motorized Recreation` post created successfully

`Head of DEP Quits After Deal Alleged` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Gallagher accused of offering to swap favors with lawmaker</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> The commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection resigned Thursday amid allegations that she tried to arrange a deal with a lawmaker in exchange for support on key legislation.Dawn Gallagher has been accused of offering to drop DEP action against International Paper for several code violations if Rep. Thomas Saviello, a Wilton independent and environmental manager at IP, agreed to support legislation on cleanup of the Androscoggin River.The allegations come just weeks after Gallagher acknowledged that the DEP was wrong to conduct closed-door negotiations with IP and Rumford Paper Co. about the companies' obligation to address pollution in the Androscoggin.Last month, the state Attorney General's Office said the water pollution agreements between the DEP and the paper mills were being investigated. The probe was looking into possible violations of the state's Freedom of Access Act, said Charles Dow, a spokesman for Attorney General Steven Rowe.Gov. John Baldacci said in a statement announcing Gallagher's resignation that he and the commissioner agreed that the recent situations "could have been handled differently" and that the decisions created "adverse public reaction.""While Commissioner Gallagher has played a prominent role in my administration the last three years, making significant improvements in how DEP assists Maine communities, I believe these recent issues make a change timely," Baldacci said. "For that reason, I am accepting Dawn's resignation as commissioner, and I look forward to further using her expertise in another suitable position within my administration."Gallagher, who previously worked in the Department of Conservation, did not return phone calls seeking comment Thursday.Details of Gallagher's alleged offer to Saviello emerged after a report released earlier this week that accuses Saviello and Rep. Robert Daigle, R-Arundel, of using their political clout to influence decisions within the DEP. Both men serve on the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the DEP.The report from the Natural Resources Council of Maine accused the lawmakers of pressuring DEP officials to move staff around and to consolidate two pollution control programs, which the group viewed as weakening pollution enforcement.The report also suggested Saviello was behind the DEP's decision to drop enforcement action against IP for several violations found in the Jay plant, where he works.But Saviello turned the focus on Gallagher, claiming she offered to drop the issue with IP if his employer would support a bill on the Androscoggin."It was very specific," Saviello said Thursday of Gallagher's offer. "It was in a meeting on the river. She came out of the clear blue at the beginning of the meeting and said if IP agrees ... to the river legislation, she would not issue a notice of violation."Saviello said he turned Gallagher down."I was sitting in my chair thinking, 'My God, that is not what we're here about.' I said, 'If you have to send a notice of violation, send it.'" Saviello recounted. The DEP never sent the notice or a letter of warning to IP.Gallagher was quoted in the Thursday edition of the Lewiston Sun Journal as saying, "There was no deal." During an interview with the Bangor Daily News earlier this week, Gallagher also rebutted the environmental group's suggestion that lawmakers could pressure the DEP to weaken regulations or enforcement.Carefully weighing her words, Gallagher said legislators employed by regulated industries must strike a difficult balance. She would not comment specifically on Saviello's interaction with her department but said she had heard others express concern about his involvement."I fully respect NRCM bringing to light an important issue of the role of legislators in department operations and how legislators are sometimes required to have two hats," Gallagher said.Representatives of several environmental groups critical of recent DEP decisions said they hoped the agency would emerge stronger.Naomi Schalit, executive director of Maine Rivers, said several past and present DEP employees told her morale was extremely low. Some believe the department has become too politicized during Gallagher's tenure, resulting in an exodus of strong employees, she said.Schalit called on Baldacci to strengthen DEP leadership."In her role in the Department of Conservation, I was very impressed by her," Schalit said. "I think [going to DEP] was the wrong move for her."Pete Didisheim, advocacy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said his organization's report only helped bring to light problems that had been simmering at the DEP for some time. Didisheim echoed Schalit's comments on morale and a wave of resignations."It's been our view for a while now that the DEP has not been well managed and has been in a state of disarray," Didisheim said. "As a result, we believe this change of leadership has been necessary."Several DEP employees did not return phone calls seeking comment about Gallagher's resignation and morale in the department.DEP Deputy Commissioner David Littell will serve as interim commissioner, Baldacci's office said.The Associated Press contributed to this report.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Cleaning Up the Androscoggin River` post created successfully

`DEP Challenges` post created successfully

`DEP's Acting Chief Vows to Rebuild Faith in Agency` post created successfully

`DEP Chief Resigns Amid Mounting Troubles` post created successfully

`Atlantic salmon nearing the brink` post created successfully

`Volatile Chemical from School Incinerated` post created successfully

`Deal to protect tract in Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, Portland Press Herald Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald</a> The Nature Conservancy said Tuesday it has paid $2.2 million to preserve nearly 10,000 acres of forestland in Hancock County, capping a busy year for groups working to conserve open spaces around the state.The land, called the Spring River block, sits next to state-owned conservation property northeast of Ellsworth and includes land along two rivers that are considered critical habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon."We plan to manage a great deal of it as though it is an ecological reserve," said Bruce Kidman, a spokesman for The Nature Conservancy. The project is one of many that made 2005 a successful year for conservation, according to Kidman and others, despite continuing development pressure, rising land values and increasing competition for funding."Sprawl never takes a day off," Kidman said. But Mainers continue to support preservation, too. "There are people who really want to see a conservation balance continue in the state," he said.The Nature Conservancy finalized numerous smaller deals throughout the state this year, he said, including a 1,400-acre conservation easement on Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton and four smaller pieces of conservation land in the Mount Agamenticus region of York.One of the largest conservation projects ever in Maine - and the nation - took a major step forward earlier this year when the Downeast Lakes Forestry Partnership closed on deals to conserve about 330,000 acres in Washington County. Conservation groups are still raising money to finance that deal. Another high-profile deal was announced in October when a logging company agreed to a land swap that would preserve more than 10,000 acres of remote forestland east of Baxter State Park.This week, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust announced that it expects to complete nearly 30 land conservation projects in 2005, including the protection of 10 coastal islands."It has been an extraordinary year," Jay Espy, the group's president, said in the written announcement.George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, said the deals are good for the state and for Mainers who want to preserve traditional access to undeveloped land. "We've really secured our future as sportsmen through these projects, so we want to keep going," he said.But Smith also believes tighter competition for funding, both from public donations and government sources, is starting to slow the conservation gains. The state's Land for Maine's Future Program, for example, got no funding last year and has only $10 million to divide among conservation projects that are expected to flood the state with grant applications in February."It very definitely is going to be more difficult in the future to raise money," Smith said.The Nature Conservancy deal announced Tuesday was mostly financed by private contributors, and culminated more than two years of negotiating and fundraising.The former owner, H.C. Haynes Inc., gave the conservancy a two-year purchase option and agreed to scale back its tree-cutting plans, and avoid cutting some areas altogether, in order to protect wildlife habitat.The Nature Conservancy now plans to keep the land open to recreational uses and local camp owners, while shifting ATV trails and other activities away from sensitive wetland habitats and riverbanks, Kidman said.The Spring River and West Branch of the Narraguagus River run through the conservation area and are considered key Atlantic salmon spawning and rearing habitat. The project received $600,000 in federal funding because of the benefits for salmon conservation."Protecting these natural resources is a successful step in our collective efforts to recover the species," said Marvin Moriarty, regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.A 325-page federal recovery plan for the species was released this month, laying out a strategy to restore salmon runs from the Kennebec River to the Canadian border. The report came out five years after salmon were declared endangered on eight Maine rivers, including the Narraguagus.Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at:<a href="mailto:jrichardson@pressherald.com">jrichardson@pressherald.com</a>`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post created successfully

`DEP Should Focus on Clean Air and Water` post created successfully

`DEP Commissioner Resigns` post created successfully

`2005 another keeper for land protection` post created successfully

`Why not turn off that porch bulb?` post created successfully

`Baldacci Right to Force Resignation of DEP Commissioner` post created successfully

`State wastewater rules target cruise ships` post created successfully

`State Environmental Official’s Mercury Report: Pollution Down, But Big Sources Remain` post created successfully

`Wilton's Saviello Staying on Panel` post created successfully

`AG Says Agency Violated the Law` post created successfully

`AG: DEP Violated Maine Freedom of Access Law` post created successfully

`Rollback Threatens Right to Know` post created successfully

`DEP Found in Violation of State Law` post created successfully

`Attorney General: No Willful Violation of Disclosure Law` post created successfully

`What is right for the river is right for Maine` post created successfully

`DEP Violated Records Law in Paper Mill Permit Case` post created successfully

`Removing risky relics good option, some say` post created successfully

`Plum Creek offers encouraging news on North Woods plan` post created successfully

`Ends Do Not Justify the Means` post created successfully

`Mercury Thermostat Sales Ban Started on January 1st` post created successfully

`Recycling mercury thermostats urged` post created successfully

`Collins goes long way to learn about climate` post created successfully

`Cruise ship discharge rules benefit public and industry` post created successfully

`Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers files suit against cleaner car standards` post created successfully

`Lawsuit challenges new auto emission standards` post created successfully

`Littell's Goal is to Move State Agency Forward` post created successfully

`Automakers sue over emissions rules` post created successfully

`Ex-DEP Chief, Legislator Discussed "Trade"` post created successfully

`Governor Taps Interim DEP Chief` post created successfully

`Organizations Call for Increased Energy Efficiency Programs` post created successfully

`New Law Makes Old Thermostats Thing Of Past` post created successfully

`Support builds for promoting less energy use` post created successfully

`Challenge to emission rules weak` post created successfully

`Bipartisan Group Pushing Energy Efficiency Bill` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci Calls for Wider Training on Freedom of Access Act Requests` post created successfully

`Dawn Gallagher Resigns as DEP Commissioner` post created successfully

`Public hearing on Plum Creek plan next week` post created successfully

`Energy Conservation, Efficiency Focus of New Bill` post created successfully

`Legislator's Actions Ripe for Review` post created successfully

`Legislature can make quick work of automaker suit` post created successfully

`Document Confusion` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Because they thought it was OK to work with a paper company in secret to develop new water quality standards, some staff members at the Department of Environmental Protection will soon undergo training in adhering to the state's public records law. Their session can be short and simple. Documents created by, reviewed by or commented upon by DEP employees are, with rare exceptions, public documents. The fact that private companies don't want them to be public is irrelevant.Last spring, DEP employees began working with two paper companies to draw up voluntary agreements to improve the water quality in the Androscoggin River in the next decade. When environmental groups learned that the process was being done in private, they sought copies of drafts of the agreements through the FOA law. They also complained to the Office of the Attorney General, which then launched an investigation. The commissioner of the DEP, Dawn Gallagher, resigned last month amid the furor.The agreement with one company, International Paper Co., was drafted by the DEP, slightly modified by IP and reviewed and agreed to by DEP staff. Drafts of the agreement were retained and produced in response to the FOA requests.The other company, Rumford Paper, suggested from the start that it would draft an agreement and keep all notes and documents throughout the process. This odd arrangement should have set off alarms with the longtime state employees who were working on the agreement. Instead, DEP personnel agreed to this arrangement because the agreement was voluntary and they were busy with other things. In doing so, they violated the Freedom of Access Act, the AG's office concluded last week. The office did not, however, consider the violation willful, so no DEP officials will be fined.In one convoluted sentence, the AG's office tries to explain why. "By returning the documents to Rumford officials at the conclusion of their meetings, the DEP staff intentionally placed the documents beyond public view; but because they did not appreciate that what they were handling was already a public record, it does not appear that they intentionally violated the FOAA." It is hard to understand how intentionally placing documents beyond public view is not willful.With regard to these specific agreements, the point is somewhat moot since the DEP has voided both agreements and vowed to start the process over with much more public scrutiny.More important, Attorney General Steven Rowe recommended, and Gov. John Baldacci called for, further training of state employees, not just those at the DEP, about the Freedom of Access Act. The message from trainer should be straightforward: You are doing the public's work so your work should be public. `, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post created successfully

`Clean air should be a coast-to-coast priority` post created successfully

`Small wind farm welcomed` post created successfully

`A Rising Tide` post created successfully

`Lawmaker Leaves Panel, Requests Ethics Review` post created successfully

`Saviello Wants 'to Clear Air'` post created successfully

`Wilton Lawmaker Wants Charges Against Himself Investigated` post created successfully

`Maine Attorney General Says DEP Erred In Freedom Of Access Case` post created successfully

`Maine River Cleanup Spawns Controversy` post created successfully

`DEP Urged to Relax Oil-spill Reporting` post created successfully

`Saviello Takes Only Move Left` post created successfully

`Don't Mess With Success` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record editorial</a> The comment period for an EPA proposal to weaken rules for reporting toxic emissions ends Friday. More than 80 local and national environmental groups have written to Congress, urging it to pressure the EPA to leave the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) rules unchanged.Currently, facilities that release 500 or more pounds of toxic substances into the air or water or land must report annually the amount of each chemical. The EPA wants to raise the reporting minimum tenfold to 5,000 pounds. But when 3,829 industrial plants are no longer required to file detailed reports, about 922 communities nationwide would lose emissions information now available to them."Local groups around the state use the TRI data to find out what local facilities are dumping into their air and water," the Environment Maine Research and Policy Center wrote in a Jan. 4 letter to the EPA. In Maine, 25 facilities would no longer have to submit data on toxic releases. Currently, there are 45 communities in Maine with at least one facility reporting to TRI. Under the EPA proposal, 21 of them would lose data they now receive.Since the TRI was established by Congress in 1986, chemical disposals or releases have dropped by close to 60 percent, thanks to public scrutiny and accountability. The EPA shouldn't mess with success. `, assigning current date

`Safer Products` post created successfully

`LURC chooses Bangor for hearing on proposed 70-lot subdivision in Burnt Jacket` post created successfully

`Greenville residents discuss Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Friends of Acadia faults NPS policy proposal` post created successfully

`Efficiency` post created successfully

`Twenty Environmental Groups Issue Top Priorities for 2006 Legislature` post created successfully

`Mercury disposal tops environment bills` post created successfully

`Ethics Laws for Maine Lawmakers Must Be Clearer, Tougher` post created successfully

`IP to terminate deal with Wausau Paper Company` post created successfully

`EPA Seeks to Ease Reporting on Toxins` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Support Mercury Thermostat Recycling Program` post created successfully

`Public hearing set on Beaver Cove development` post created successfully

`Driving Misinformation` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Editorial</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> It is not surprising that automakers have sued to negate Maine's new rules for automobile emissions since they've pursued litigation against other states that have adopted similar standards. Because federal regulators have also weighed in against state rules, it is likely the emissions standards will be tied up in court and regulatory limbo for a long time. In the meantime, economics and public attitudes are likely to do more to move drivers into less polluting vehicles than rules and lawsuits.Last month, the Board of Environmental Protection adopted California's auto emissions standards for vehicles sold beginning in 2009. The new rules require a 30 percent reduction by 2016 in emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, that are linked to global warming.Automakers have challenged the rules in court arguing that their arguments weren't given enough weight by the BEP and that the rule change required legislative review. The Legislature last year passed a bill that gave the BEP authority to develop vehicle emissions standards to comply with federal clear air requirements. The automakers testified before and submitted documents to the BEP, as did many other groups.A bigger threat than their lawsuit is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent statement that it prefers methods other than regulating tailpipe emissions to reduce carbon dioxide pollution. The agency must approve California's program before its standards can take effect there and in the 10 other states, including Maine, that have adopted them. Because the best way to lower emissions is to increase fuel economy, the agency parrots the industry claim that this will force people into smaller, unsafe cars.A study published last week in the journal Pediatrics pokes a large hole in the logic that smaller cars are less safe than larger vehicles. The study found that because they are more than twice as likely to roll over in a crash, sport utility vehicles are not safer for children than smaller vehicles. Children in rollovers were three times more likely to be seriously injured than those in non-rollover accidents, according to the study, funded in part by the world's largest insurer, State Farm Insurance.Congress last year approved legislation requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop standards for automakers to address SUV rollovers, a process that will take years.Economics may also trump the automakers' legal arguments. Last week, Bloomberg, a financial news service, predicted 2006 might be "the year of the compact car in North America." Because of record gasoline prices, Asian carmakers are counting on American buyers turning to smaller fuel-efficient cars and away from gas-guzzling trucks and sport utility vehicles, according to the news service. As a result of the high prices, cars gained market share against trucks and SUVs for the first time in 25 years.If the trend holds, foot-dragging federal regulators will be overtaken by consumer demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient, less-polluting cars.`, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`On Target` post created successfully

`Energy now hot at Statehouse` post created successfully

`Group wants boat launch closed because of milfoil` post created successfully

`Efficiency is about wind -- and hot air` post created successfully

`12 States Oppose "Toxic" Plan` post created successfully

`Critics Wonder Whether He Unfairly Favors His Employer` post created successfully

`Strategy for Winter Walk: 'One step at a time'` post created successfully

`Groups list top priorities` post created successfully

`Towns to band together in e-waste recycling effort` post created successfully

`New England faces shifting energy game` post created successfully

`Panel Endorses Littell as DEP Leader` post created successfully

`Recycling electronics gets easier under new state law` post created successfully

`TV, computer recycling law takes effect` post created successfully

`Panel Backs Portland Man to Head DEP` post created successfully

`Panel Backs Nominee to Head DEP` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Littell vows to restore public trust in agency</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> AUGUSTA - Gov. John Baldacci's choice for commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday that restoring public trust in the agency would be his top priority if appointed to the cabinet post.Acting DEP Commissioner David Littell inched closer to taking over leadership of the department Tuesday when he received the unanimous endorsement of the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee.One lawmaker jokingly called the nomination hearing a "lovefest" as representatives of environmental groups, regulated industries and law firms praised Littell's professionalism, fairness and scientific knowledge.The full Senate could take up Littell's nomination today. Committee co-chairman Sen. Scott Cowger, D-Kennebec, said he does not expect any surprises given Littell's reception so far.Littell, who previously worked as deputy commissioner, acknowledged that he would take the helm at a dicey time for the agency.The 38-year-old former attorney said his first priority would be to restore the credibility of the DEP in the public's eyes after weeks of controversy.Littell's predecessor, Dawn Gallagher, resigned last month after questions were raised about agreements the DEP negotiated with paper mills. Gallagher was also accused of offering a deal to a legislator in return for his support on legislation."It is crucially important that the public know that the DEP is doing its job," Littell said. Asked later by a committee member how the DEP can avoid becoming bogged down by "political distractions," Littell said the department can still be effective even when dealing with sensitive issues."We do deal with important issues," he said. "People do feel very strongly about them on both sides, and I understand that. But I feel we need to turn the decibel level down."Representatives from a diverse collection of groups - from Maine Audubon to the Maine Wastewater Control Association - testified in support of Littell's nomination.David Van Slyke, an environmental attorney from Yarmouth, told the committee that he has served alongside and opposite the nominee when Littell worked at the law firm Pierce Atwood and later at DEP."Whether as an attorney or as an adversary, he has earned my respect ... and he has never given me any reason to doubt his intellect or his forthrightness," Van Slyke said.The committee only received one letter urging them to reject Littell. Stockton Springs residents Michele and Joseph Greenier wrote that Littell's employment with Pierce Atwood, which often represents industries regulated by the DEP, constituted a conflict of interest and therefore would undermine his effectiveness.During questioning from the committee, Littell indicated that he would recuse himself in the rare instances where issues he handled in private practice came across his desk at the DEP.Littell said he believes that strong environmental protection and economic development go hand in hand and are key to Maine's future.He also pledged to ensure the DEP's activities and dealings with private industry remained open to the public. The department was heavily criticized and eventually scolded by the Attorney General's office for allowing documents from negotiations with IP and Rumford Paper to be kept from public view.Baldacci said last month that he hoped to appoint Gallagher to another position within his administration.The governor was working on his State of the State address and could not be reached Tuesday evening, but a spokesman for his office said Gallagher is currently not a state employee.Reached Tuesday night, Gallagher said she accepted ultimate responsibility as head of the DEP for any wrongdoing within the department. But Gallagher said she believes she had become a "lightning rod" for the DEP."The only way for the department to heal and move forward was for me to leave," she said.Gallagher would not comment about any future position with the administration, but said she was pleased that the state Ethics Commission has been asked to look into the charges of political influence and deal-making within the DEP.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Maine’s First-In-The-Nation Law Requiring Manufacturers to Pay to Recycle Electronic Waste Goes Into Effect` post created successfully

`Maine's electronic waste program uses market forces wisely` post created successfully

`New law forces manufacturers to pick up recycling costs` post created successfully

`Recycling Electronics` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.wgme13.com" target="_blank">WGME Channel 13</a> A first-in-the-nation law now in effect in Maine requires makers of televisions and computer monitors to pick up the tab to recycle and safely dispose of their products once they are discarded. Under the law, which mirrors the approach taken in Europe and Japan, manufacturers must pay for consolidators to gather and sort the electronic waste, then ship it to recycling centers where toxic materials such as lead and mercury are removed. TVs and older computer monitors each contain between four and eight pounds of lead, along with an array of other toxic materials, and newer flat-screen monitors contain mercury, according to the Natural Resources Council, the state's largest environmental group. The primary purpose of the law is to keep those materials from being released into the environment from incinerators or landfills, but it's also intended to encourage manufacturers to use less lead and to design products that lend themselves to recycling, advocates said. `, assigning current date

`Product Stewardship` post updated successfully

`Makers Start Bearing the Cost of Recycling TV's in Maine` post created successfully

`Maine makes TV, PC monitor makers recycle` post created successfully

`Power Efficiency` post created successfully

`Ex-EPA Chiefs Blame Bush in Global Warming` post created successfully

`Littell Wins Senate Confirmation as DEP Commissioner` post created successfully

`Job one for new DEP chief: protect the environment` post created successfully

`Watts of savings` post created successfully

`Get the lead out; Bath project highlights drive to educate public about lead poisoning` post created successfully

`Part-time Lawmaker Role Eyed` post created successfully

`Ethics Muddle Reflects Poorly on Maine's Legislature` post created successfully

`LURC forced to mediate Burnt Jacket access argument` post created successfully

`Try TRI Again` post created successfully

`Greenville to critique Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`In Maine woods development plan, backers see jobs, critics see sprawl` post created successfully

`Size of Pesticide Board Debated` post created successfully

`Steps Maine can take to energy independence` post created successfully

`Health of Maine woods debated` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Conflicting views offered to LURC</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> BANGOR - Members of the Land Use Regulation Commission heard conflicting views Monday on the economic and biological health of Maine's North Woods as private investment companies buy up large chunks of timberland.LURC staff arranged Monday's information session in Bangor to help commissioners prepare to update the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the state's Unorganized Territory.Commissioners heard starkly different assessments on the future of the forest industry in Maine.Undoubtedly the most pessimistic forecast was by Lloyd Irland, whose company, The Irland Group, provides forestry economics and consulting in Maine.Irland said the forest industry in North America is entering "dark times" because of global competition. Enormous tree "plantations" in developing nations, massive new manufacturing plants and low production costs, among other factors, are cutting further into the U.S. industry's market share.Maine is no exception and faces major challenges with no easy answers in remaining competitive, Irland cautioned.Alec Giffen, director of the Maine Forest Service, acknowledged the challenge of maintaining sustainable forests amid the changing markets and development pressure. But Giffen said the "cluster" of forest-related industries in Maine - from timber operations and manufacturing plants to recreational opportunities - makes the state unique.Giffen suggested further development of niche markets, such as production of biomass fuels as an affordable alternative to oil."We should not see this as the death knell of the industry," Giffen said. "Employment is trending down, and that is necessary. There are opportunities available."Presenters also debated the emergence of investment companies as major landowners in the mid-1990s after paper and wood product companies divested much of their holdings in the state.These new landowners have shorter-term interests in the land so they often tend to invest less money and manpower in forest management than the timber industry, said John Hagan with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. Manomet recently completed a yearlong study of forest ownership issues in the North Woods.Hagan said a survey of landowners found that investment companies harvested their land more aggressively and were less likely to employ the best biodiversity methods on their land. He concluded by saying that the state must find ways to engage these new owners in a social dialogue on sustainability."The future of the forest ... is more uncertain with this forest ownership change," Hagan said.Not surprisingly, representatives of the investment companies disagreed.Since investment firms began gobbling up Maine forests, the amount of private land put into conservation easements has increased, said Richard Carbonetti of LandVest, a Vermont company that manages 250,000 acres in Maine and consults on another 250,000 acres.Carbonetti said investment firms are committed to biodiversity and accused environmental groups of trying to stop all tree harvesting in Maine - a statement strongly rebutted by later speakers. He said investment companies would be more likely to stay in Maine long term if the state's regulatory environment were more stable."They are not looking for junk-bond returns," Carbonetti said. "Their expected returns on timber are quite reasonable."`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1792` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Given Before the Joint Committee on Natural Resources</h2> <h3 class="author">by Jon Hinck, NRCM staff attorney and toxics project director</h3> Senator Cowger, Representative Koffman, Honorable members of the Natural Resources Committee. My name is Jon Hinck. I am Staff Attorney and Toxics Project Director with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. We support LD 1792 and urge the Members of this Committee to vote in favor of the measure. Old thermostats in buildings throughout Maine hold one of the largest reservoirs of mercury in the State of Maine. In January 2004, the standing stock of mercury in thermostats was estimated to be 6,027 pounds. (Maine DEP, “A Plan to Improve the Collection of Mercury Thermostats” 2004.) During building demolition or routine remodeling, thermostats are removed and replaced, creating a mercury waste stream that in Maine is estimated to be at least 200 pounds per year. Id. After five years of experience with a voluntary collection program geared toward contractors, less than 10% of this mercury is being collected today.LD 1792 would require that the thermostat manufacturers pay a minimum of $5 for each mercury thermostat brought to a designated collection center. This bounty would provide an incentive to motivate contractors and their technicians to use the thermostat collection system. We are convinced that such an incentive is needed. Somehow the collection system and incentives should also be extended to homeowner do-it-yourselfers either through existing collection centers (HVAC wholesalers or municipal universal waste sheds) or some new approach, for example, involving retailers. According to estimates, individual homeowners remove a quarter to a third of all thermostats.Maine has a long history of efforts to capture the mercury in old thermostats. The issue was summarized and presented to this Committee in a 1999 report by the Land & Water Resources Council entitled “Labeling and Collection of Mercury-Added Products.” That report called for “manufacturer take-back.”This report and committee work was part of the effort that led passage of a law banning the sale and distribution of mercury-added thermostats in 2001 (38 MRSA § 1661-C, sub-§ 5) which just went into effect on January 1, 2006. The efforts also led to the establishment in 2000 of the system run by the Thermostat Recycling Corporation (TRC), a private, industry-funded corporation set up by the thermostat manufacturers General Electric, Honeywell and White Rodgers. In a recent release, TRC summarized the issue as follows: “Recycling mercury-containing thermostats is an effective way to address this problem, which is why thermostat manufacturers established the Thermostat Recycling Corporation in 1998. The program initially ran in only 8 states, but expanded to include the 48 contiguous states in 2001. TRC has collected more than 430,000 mercury-containing thermostats since its inception. Most continue to be disposed in the trash, however, so there is a clear need for ways to grow the program further.” So we have a program designed to capture thermostats from contractors that reclaims mercury that is then sent to a company called Bethlehem Apparatus for recovery. That is good. The problem is, as TRC concedes, the program collects too few thermostats. This Committee has already recognized the failure of this system. In 2003 the Legislature passed LD 1159 directing the DEP to submit “a plan to significantly improve the collection of mercury-added thermostats at the end of their life.” DEP presented its “Plan to Improve the Collection of Mercury Thermostats” in January 2004. LD 1901, passed that year, was designed to get the 38 heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) wholesalers in Maine into the program. This expanded network has been in place for months now and it is clear that this alone will not suffice to achieve recovery rates of above 90%, which we argue should be the goal. Fortunately, in the meantime, we have gained the benefit of a pilot incentive program run in King County, Washington. That program also included a $5 incentive, although to run the pilot program the money came from taxpayers. Here is how it worked: when a technician brought a thermostat for recycling, the wholesaler fronted the $4 per thermostat bounty, paying this directly to the technician. When a significant number of thermostats had been collected, King County reimbursed the wholesaler and paid an additional $1 per thermostat to the wholesaler. Each technician who returned thermostats for payment completed a brief form providing information on his or her company and the number of thermostats recycled. Thermostats were sent to TRC for recycling. An immediate and significant increase in thermostats recycled demonstrated that the $4.00 cash incentive was effective in motivating technicians. The number of thermostats recycled in October 2004 alone—the first month of the project—surpassed the total number recycled in all of 2003. These high numbers persisted for the duration of the project.In addition to this example from Washington State, Maine has its own useful experience. The Maine Auto Switch Law, Title 38 - §1665-A, has been successfully implemented and also survived an aggressive legal challenge brought by automakers. Here are excerpts from the opinion of Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk that are relevant to the bill at hand: “The Alliance has not challenged Maine’s assertion that upwind release of mercury results in appreciable mercury deposition in Maine or that the burden placed on manufacturers is wholly out of proportion to the degree of harm presented. Each of the challenged provisions appears to have a rational relationship to advancing the mercury remediation effort.” (slip op. p. 30) “According to the Alliance, because certain provisions in the Act serve the purpose of protecting domestic industries from certain financial and administrative burdens under the regulatory scheme, the Court should infer that these same burdens were relegated to manufacturers 'solely because of their residence.' This simply does not follow. It is far more plausible that the primary burden was imposed on manufacturers in recognition of the fact that the need for a mercury switch recovery program existed solely by virtue of the manufacturers' incorporation of these mercury-laden components in their automobiles for roughly ten years after the industry's cognizance of the mercury disposal problem.” (slip op. pp. 31-32). Thus, the federal court has made plain that the State has broad authority to protect the environment and public health. Moreover, pursuing those objectives, the State can shift costs to parties responsible for creating a recognized hazard such as mercury pollution.The problem still presented by mercury thermostats is more severe than was the problem of auto switches in 2002 when this Committee and the Legislature passed the auto switch law. All of the factors that applied to the U.S. District Court’s decision to uphold the law apply here as well. Great strides have been taken to respond to the challenge of mercury pollution. Passing LD 1792 is the next best step. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. `, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution,Federal Toxic Chemicals Policy` post created successfully

`Deal would preserve picturesque lake` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake tract protected` post created successfully

`Baxter Park about to add lake, acreage` post created successfully

`$14 M deal may expand Baxter park` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Land trust to buy 6,000 acres, Katahdin Lake; funds sought</h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller, Of the NEWS Staff</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> In a complicated $14 million land deal that took several years to negotiate, state officials are poised to complete Gov. Percival Baxter’s vision of a state park that encompasses both Mount Katahdin and the adjacent lake named for Maine’s highest peak.The nonprofit organization The Trust for Public Land has secured an option to acquire the pristine, 700-acre Katahdin Lake and roughly 6,000 surrounding acres on Baxter State Park’s eastern boundary from a private timber firm, Gardner Land Co.The national land conservation group then plans to donate the land to the Baxter State Park Authority.But first, the land trust needs to raise an estimated $14 million by July to acquire the property, which includes hiking trails and paddling and fishing opportunities in one of Maine’s most scenic and unspoiled inland regions.Gov. John Baldacci will join with representatives of the organization and other state leaders in Augusta today to launch the first-ever private fundraiser to benefit Baxter State Park."For the state of Maine, this is probably a once-in-a-century opportunity," Patrick McGowan, commissioner of the state Department of Conservation, said Tuesday.Indeed, it has been more than a century since Gov. Baxter first gazed at Mount Katahdin, an experience that launched a lifelong quest to preserve the land. Beginning in 1930, Baxter began buying up parcels surrounding Katahdin and transferring them to the state.A 1921 map depicting Baxter’s vision for the park includes Katahdin Lake, which he called "one of the most beautiful of all of Maine’s lakes." But Baxter never succeeded in acquiring the lake before his death in 1969. Subsequent efforts by the state to purchase the land also failed."Having the opportunity to complete that puzzle … is just a tremendous opportunity that we are all excited about," said Sam Hodder, senior project manager for The Trust for Public Land.Hodder’s group began talking with the property’s latest owner, Gardner Land Co., about three years ago. Gardner was planning to begin harvesting on the land, which includes the largest stands of unprotected old-growth trees in the state.The resulting agreement is a complicated combination of land purchases and swaps that will give the state roughly 6,000 acres of relatively pristine wilderness and give Gardner access to healthy timberland elsewhere in the state.As a precursor to the Katahdin Lake deal, The Trust for Public Land acquired valuable working forest in other parts of Maine for Gardner. The conservation organization will use roughly half of the $14 million to offset the cost of that land.About $5.5 million will go to the state, which has agreed to transfer to Gardner several state-owned lots in Penobscot, Piscataquis and Franklin counties. The state acquired those lots over the years and has been managing them for wood production, McGowan said.The trust’s New England director, Whitney Hatch, called the deal "a significant endeavor" for the San Francisco-based organization, which has helped to complete more than 3,000 land conservation projects in 46 states.The Katahdin Lake acquisition has drawn initial commitments of $3.3 million so far from private donors, according to the trust.McGowan said he’s confident sufficient private funds can be raised for the purchase in the limited time allotted. Because the project completes Baxter’s vision of the park, it will have special appeal to corporate and other private donors, he said.Legislative approval also will be needed to complete the transaction, but the deal has strong support of House and Senate leaders from both parties.Tom Gardner, vice president of Gardner Cos., the parent company of Gardner Land Co., credited the land trust with helping negotiate with the state. He said the deal will help ensure work for the Lincoln-based logging company’s 200 employees."This is going to be great for my employees," said Gardner, whose company owns between 150,000 and 175,000 acres in Maine. "This will allow them to keep operations going, to keep their families going and to keep fiber coming into the mill."Gardner and his father, William T. Gardner, also made news last fall when they announced another land swap near Baxter State Park with Burt’s Bees millionaire Roxanne Quimby. In that deal, the Gardners traded about 10,400 acres of environmentally sensitive land in Township 4 Range 8 northeast of Wassataquoik Stream for 14,000 acres of woodlands already bisected by logging roads in Township 5 Range 8 northeast of the Penobscot River’s East Branch.In the agreement announced Tuesday, the Katahdin Lake property includes several leased camps, one of which dates back to the late 1800s and was visited by a young Theodore Roosevelt and other dignitaries. The state is expected to honor those leases, Tom Gardner said.Incorporating the property into Baxter State Park will render it off-limits to hunters. Both McGowan and Tom Gardner said the land’s rugged terrain and climate make it less than ideal hunting ground. But the Department of Conservation plans to use the $5.5 million it will receive from the deal to purchase better hunting land in the state, McGowan said.Jensen Bissell, director of Baxter State Park, called the property "remarkable" for its old-growth stands and pristine features. But because of limited access to the lake, he questioned whether the lake will experience a surge in use if the park acquires the land.The park last expanded in 1997, when the authority bought a 2,669-acre parcel from Great Northern Paper Co. for $480,000. That purchase, according to Bissell, exhausted much of the park’s land acquisition account.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Antarctica visit reveals much about global warming` post created successfully

`Record Numbers Tell LURC They Oppose Plum Creek's Proposed Developments` post created successfully

`NRCM delivers record number of comments opposing Plum Creek's massive Moosehead developments` post created successfully

`Traditional uses at issue in Baxter plan` post created successfully

`Greenville plans list of concerns for Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Plans from Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Ewaste@Large` post created successfully

`Law allows environmentally friendly disposal` post created successfully

`Baxter's vision reflected in Katahdin Lake plan` post created successfully

`Meeting Baxter's Vision` post created successfully

`Legislature should back energy-efficiency bill` post created successfully

`E-Waste Epidemic` post created successfully

`Is the Sky Really the Limit?` post created successfully

`Allagash group seeks to retain access` post created successfully

`Protecting the DEP` post created successfully

`Maine lawmakers should remain true to Gov. Baxter's vision` post created successfully

`Developer defends plans for Beaver Cove` post created successfully

`Water management regulations debated by farmers` post created successfully

`Eat, enjoy your fish, but remember that moderation is the key` post created successfully

`Wind power offers mostly benefits` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">MAINE VOICES</h2> <h3 class="author">by Jeff Thaler</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald</a> In his inflammatory attack on wind power (Portland Press Herald, Jan. 30), self-described conservationist Steve Clark fails to devote even a single sentence to the two most critical environmental issues facing us today: Our increasing dependence on imported fossil fuels and global warming.Both of these issues are at the heart of why the development of wind power - a clean, local, sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel generation - is absolutely essential to the future of Maine and the nation.Instead, Clark bemoans what he calls the "looming industrialization" of Maine's mountains and forests due to the installation of wind turbines. This needs to be put in perspective.First, opponents use the word "industrial" to suggest smokestacks, factories and pollution. Calling wind turbines industrial is like calling a sailboat industrial. As in sailing, wind power uses fiberglass and metal towers. However, most people consider them objects of beauty, laboring quietly and powerfully in the wind. And unlike most "industry," they produce no pollution. None.Second, Maine Mountain Power's proposal for 30 wind turbines along the Redington Pond Range and Black Nubble Mountain was sited specifically to benefit from the strong, high-elevation winds, and to minimize environmental impacts.The area is hardly free of development. The surrounding area includes two ski areas (Saddleback and Sugarloaf), a biomass energy facility, a Navy training base, miles of logging roads and importantly, a large power line capable of carrying a lot of electricity.True, the project would extend existing logging roads and clear sites for the turbines. On the mountains, above 2,700 feet, we would utilize about 135 acres. For the whole project, we expect to use a total of about 300 acres (most of this is for the power line, out of sight in the valley). This is about 3/1,000ths of 1 percent of the northern Maine woods.On the mountains, power lines will be buried to minimize the visual impact. Two-thirds of the cleared area will be allowed to regrow after construction. The other 700-plus acres of land that Maine Mountain Power owns will be preserved in its natural state.Clark says the project involves "blasting that will flatten mountaintops." This is absurd. The minimal blasting required for roads and turbine foundations will not alter the ridgelines (we're not building Mount Rushmore).Actually not installing wind farms like Redington will do more harm to mountainous regions. In West Virginia, nearly a quarter of the mountaintops have been "removed" (with tops put in the valleys) in order to get at coal, which is then burned in power plants that foul our air.Which brings us to the single largest environmental benefit of the Redington wind farm: the tremendous amount of pollution that would be prevented from the use of wind power.The Redington project could prevent more than 800,000 pounds of pollution per day from existing power plants in New England, not to mention avoiding "collateral" impacts from fossil-fuel use, including mining, drilling, pipeline construction, oil spills, wars and fuel trans- portation.You'd have to burn 50,000 gallons of oil a day to produce as much power.We feel many people - including many hikers and environmentalists who have told us they support our project - will agree that producing enough electrical power for 44,000 homes and reducing pollution by 800,000 pounds each day, using the equivalent of just 60 house lots, is a good use of a relatively small amount of land.Clark scoffs that the project won't generate enough electricity to make this trade-off worth it. So if we added more turbines to produce more energy, would he then support it? Doubtful.His solution is apparently the status quo: continued reliance on fossil fuels, continued production of dangerous greenhouse gases, continued dependence on unstable foreign countries for our energy supplies. Or put the turbines in areas of the state where he doesn't have to look at them. Out of sight, out of mind. Someone else's problem.Isn't that the kind of thinking that has defined our energy policy for the last several decades?Development of nonpolluting, sustainable and renewable energy by harnessing the power of the wind represents a true turning point for this state. It is the right choice for our environment and our energy future in the 21st century.- Special to the Press Herald`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Rebate cash aids solar projects` post created successfully

`Greenville officials detail concerns in letters to development companies` post created successfully

`Baxter's vision completed` post created successfully

`Critics assail development` post created successfully

`Views on Bush energy vision mixed at State House` post created successfully

`Bill seeks to toughen penalties for vandals` post created successfully

`Research Group Studies State's Bald Eagles` post created successfully

`Maine land first in line for funding` post created successfully

`3,700 acres of Maine a top priority` post created successfully

`Bush's budget would conserve land in Maine` post created successfully

`Court Rejects (on Procedural Grounds) Carmakers’ Challenge to Maine's Car Pollution Rule Process` post created successfully

`Baldacci unveils energy plan` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of “An Act to Encourage Energy Independence”` post created successfully

`Automakers lose legal bid to postpone emissions rule` post created successfully

`Assault, vandalism already illegal without another law` post created successfully

`Baldacci proposes energy reforms` post created successfully

`State energy policy can help on the margin` post created successfully

`Local firms show way to trim energy use` post created successfully

`Plum Creek isn't all that deserving` post created successfully

`Energy bill saps lawmakers` post created successfully

`LURC hearing held for zone change` post created successfully

`Energy fee boost makes sparks fly` post created successfully

`Ethics Reviews` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Editorial</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News</a> While there have been relatively few complaints of ethics violations among Maine lawmakers and lobbyists, it makes sense to periodically review the state's rules to ensure they are adequate and in line with public expectations. The leaders of the Maine Legislature recently announced the creation of an advisory panel that will do such a review, a good move.In a state with a citizen Legislature, conflicts are sure to arise. Ensuring that they are easily identified and avoided as often as possible, as Speaker John Richardson has pointed out, will go a long way to restoring public confidence that has been shaken by the lobbying scandal in Washington and charges that a paper mill employee abused his position on the Natural Resources Committee.A key question the group will be asked to answer is whether current rules are adequate and clear. Another is whether these rules match public expectations. In some situations, the appearance of a conflict can be as problematic as an actual conflict. The group must decide how best to avoid both.One way would be to improve public disclosure requirements. Maine was ranked 41st in the country by the Center for Public Integrity and earned a grade of F for its weak requirements. Maine got low marks because lawmakers don't have to list their job title, their spouse's name or whether they are an officer of a company. Requiring lawmakers to provide this information will prompt them to think harder about any potential conflicts or if they fail to, the information will help the public do so.Another area where guidance is needed is legislative committee assignments, which are not now covered by state conflict of interest laws. The Ethics Commission will decide next week whether to launch an investigation of Rep. Tom Saviello, an independent from Wilton who is the environmental manager for the International Paper Co. mill in Jay. Environmental groups contend that he violated state ethics laws by trying to engineer legislation that specifically benefited his employer and interfered with Department of Environmental Protection rules and their enforcement. There are also charges that Rep. Saviello negotiated with the former DEP Commissioner Dawn Gallagher to drop an enforcement action against IP for violating environmental laws that he would have been in charge of ensuring the company followed. In the face of these charges, Rep. Saviello temporarily left the Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the DEP, and asked the Ethics Commission to review the case.The situation could have been avoided if Rep. Saviello had not been put on the Natural Resources Committee. State statutes prohibit lawmakers from voting on bills that would financially benefit them, but it has not prohibition against lawmakers serving on committees that regulate their employers, or in Rep. Saviello's case, formulate, change and oversee the enforcement of laws that the lawmaker is charged with upholding for his employer. Although this may be an extreme case, better guidance would help identify inappropriate committee appointments.One of the best outcomes of this review is simply heightened awareness of conflict issues. Prompting lawmakers to consider their financial interest, employment and other areas that could affect how they vote could help avoid conflicts before they arise.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`State chips away at toxic materials in waste stream` post created successfully

`Many bids to save land go to board for funding` post created successfully

`Conservation a continuing investment in Maine's future` post created successfully

`Tackling tough specifics` post created successfully

`Mercury in fish: Be smart, eat safely` post created successfully

`Maine leads with bill to control mercury release` post created successfully

`2 area families win save-a-watt contest, rebate` post created successfully

`New poll: 92% of Dental Patients Want “Informed Consent” for Mercury Fillings` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Maine Law, a Model for Patient Info About Mercury in Dental Fillings</h2> <h3 class="author">Natural Resources Council of Maine * New England Zero Mercury Campaign</h3> Augusta –A new poll released today by the Natural Resources Council of Maine and New England Zero Mercury Campaign finds that most New Englanders, 87 percent, want “informed consent” about potential risks from mercury in dental fillings or alternatives before any treatment begins. The poll also showed that most believe mercury pollution is a serious problem in the environment. “It’s very rare that you find 87% of New Englanders in favor of anything,” said the pollster, John Zogby. “This shows the issue is real, and it really ought to be a wakeup call to dentists and politicians.” The poll also finds that 65 percent of New England consumers still don’t know that mercury is the main ingredient in “silver” fillings. And 76 percent of those polled would choose alternatives to mercury fillings, even if they cost more. The poll was conducted by Zogby International, which polled 1,216 adults by telephone, Jan. 13-16, 2006. Additional results include: <ul><li>Over half (54%) of New Englanders polled think mercury pollution poses a serious problem for the environment; and</li><li>More than two-thirds (69%) of New Englanders would support banning mercury-containing fillings for pregnant women and children. </li></ul>A new report, “What Patients Don’t Know: Dentists’ Sweet Tooth for Mercury,” accompanies the poll. It cites U.S. EPA statistics that dental clinics use 34 tons of mercury in fillings annually – the third-largest use of mercury. The dental industry is the largest source of mercury pollution in wastewater. Maine has taken a number of steps to alleviate this problem. Maine lawmakers have passed laws to:<ul><li>Stop 98% of the dental mercury from being flushed down dentist office drains;</li><li>Require educational brochures to be passed out to dental patients; and, </li></ul>This session a bill is pending (LD 1338) that would require amalgam manufacturers to report how much mercury they send to Maine each year.“We commend Senators Martin and Damon for continuing to seek ways to reduce the use of mercury in dentistry,” said Jon Hinck of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “We look forward to a time when there are substitutes for mercury and all such persistent toxic materials.” In response to the poll findings, the report also recommends that:<ul><li>Consumers be provided with information about mercury fillings and alternatives, so dental patients have the same informed choice as patients in doctors’ offices for other procedures;</li><li>Since amalgam manufacturers and the American Dental Association warn dentists to avoid mercury exposure, dental clinics should extend the same warnings to patients, particularly to pregnant women and young children – as mandated by Canada and several European countries;</li><li>That further steps be taken to prevent mercury pollution from dentistry; and, </li><li>Dental insurance plans should provide equal coverage for mercury and non-mercury fillings, thereby assuring the patient and dentist the freedom to choose.</li></ul>A typical amalgam filling is approximately half mercury, and may contain as much of the metal as an old-fashioned thermometer. Usually called “silver fillings” because of their color, they have been in use since before the Civil War, ranking it among the longest-surviving medical devices. In the past 30 years, however, U.S. government reports have documented the toxic effects of mercury, resulting in this known neurotoxin being phased out of nearly every facet of manufacturing, consumer products and medical care. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that total mercury use today is less than half of the amount used a decade ago. Meanwhile, dentists continue to place upwards of 70 million mercury fillings a year, accounting for some 34 tons of mercury annually used, according to EPA. Over half of all mercury (over 1,000 tons) currently in use in the U.S. today resides in Americans’ dental fillings, waiting to pollute the environment. Nationally, despite the fact that the American Dental Association and the dental industry are well aware of the risks of mercury in the dental office to pregnant women and children, and to the environment, warnings to dentists on the “material safety data sheets” for dental amalgam are not routinely passed on to patients. Many dentists may also not tell patients of other affordable alternatives, even though, if given the choice, 76% of New Englanders say they would choose higher-cost fillings that do not contain mercury. In 2001, the Maine State Legislature passed a law telling the Maine Bureau of Health to make a brochure about the advantages and disadvantages to human health and the environment of using mercury amalgam fillings in dental work; <a href="http://janus.state.me.us/legis/ros/lom/LOM120th/8Pub351-400/Pub351-400-72.htm#P11191_797452">http://janus.state.me.us/legis/ros/lom/LOM120th/8Pub351-400/Pub351-400-72.htm#P11191_797452</a>. Also now available is the following: “Fillings: The Choices You Have/Mercury Amalgam and Other Filling Materials,” A Patient Education/Information Brochure Prepared by the Maine Department of Human Services, Bureau of Health, 2002; The State of Maine has developed a brochure about the pros and cons of various dental filling materials. The Maine brochure is available online at: <a href="http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/files/odh/AmalBrochFinal2.html">http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/files/odh/AmalBrochFinal2.html</a><a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/dental_mercury_report.pdf">Read the full report</a> <a href="/uploads/NE_poll_results.pdf">Read a summary of the poll results (PDF file)</a> `, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post updated successfully

`Saving Energy` post created successfully

`Wind power right choice for Maine` post created successfully

`On the Androscoggin, DEP should start over` post created successfully

`We need to encourage energy independence` post created successfully

`Mercury falling` post created successfully

`Sprawling Development, Longer Commutes and Lack of Transportation Options are ‘Driving Global Warming’` post created successfully

`You CAN "get there from here," but how you do it affects global warming` post created successfully

`EPA Board Says Teflon Chemical a Likely Carcinogen` post created successfully

`Report cites Maine commuters' role in global warming` post created successfully

`State debates new IP rules` post created successfully

`On the Web: Suburban drivers fouling air` post created successfully

`Commutes to city are big source of pollution` post created successfully

`Sprawl, long commutes, seen as driving global warming` post created successfully

`Report: 'Burbs, Longer Commutes Drive Global Warming` post created successfully

`Study Says Sprawl, Longer Commutes Driving Global Warming` post created successfully

`Maine dam case reaches top court` post created successfully

`S.D. Warren case a radical challenge to state's rights` post created successfully

`Clean-water activists take aim at Androscoggin` post created successfully

`Maine dam case argued at high court` post created successfully

`Efficiency Maine deserves a boost` post created successfully

`Kennebec Land Trust` post created successfully

`Small Steps to Efficiency` post created successfully

`Governor Issues Executive Order To` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Order Will Promote Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> The evidence is mounting, chemicals commonly used in consumer products are building up in people’s bodies and posing a threat to good health. On Wednesday, Governor John Baldacci released a bold new plan to end the unnecessary use of dangerous chemicals in products used by Maine families and to build a stronger economy through the development of safer alternatives such as bio-based plastics made from Maine potatoes and wood waste. “We applaud the Governor’s vision for a healthier Maine future,” said Michael Belliveau, Executive Director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center. “Maine has the opportunity to lead the nation in developing bio-based plastics and other non-toxic products that are good for our health and our economy. The Governor’s strategy makes sure that Maine is poised to realize those opportunities.” The Executive Order signed Wednesday, titled “An Order Promoting Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products and Services,” calls for state action to promote safer alternatives to toxic chemicals in household products as a way to protect the health of Maine people and the environment, and to create new economic opportunities. The Executive Order will reduce state purchasing of toxic products and reduce pesticide use around state office buildings as well as increase public education on the availability of safer alternatives to products in the home that contain hazardous chemicals. A Governor’s Task Force will be named to develop recommendations for new state policies to require safer chemicals in products sold in the state. The Task Force will also identify ways to expand research and development into green chemistry at the University of Maine. Such research could move the State toward local production of non-toxic bio-based plastics from Maine potatoes and wood waste, a product now made from Midwestern corn.“As a mother of two small children I am happy the Governor has taken this action to protect Maine families,” said Heather Spalding Sugg, Associate Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. “It’s just common sense to avoid hazardous chemicals in the products that we all use everyday in our homes.”“Governor Baldacci is demonstrating strong leadership with this initiative to help protect Maine families from toxic chemicals in their homes, businesses and environment," said Jon Hinck, staff attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The Governor’s Executive Order outlines four areas of action - consumer education, safer alternatives for priority toxic chemicals, state purchasing policies, and creation of the Governor’s Task Force to Promote Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products.Consumer education materials from the Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention will inform Maine residents about solutions to environmental health hazards commonly encountered in the home. Existing resources to educate homeowners about less toxic alternatives to pesticides will continue to be distributed throughout the state.The Executive Order includes action plans for several toxic chemicals, including mercury, lead, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides that have been identified as priorities for substitution in products and services. The Order also directs state government to, whenever possible, avoid purchasing products that contain chemicals that cause cancer, or are toxic, persist in the environment and build up in the food chain and our bodies. The Governor’s Task Force to Promote Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products will be comprised of twelve members representing state government, environmental and public health organizations, the business community, organized labor, and the University of Maine faculty. The purpose of the Task Force is to identify and promote the use and development of safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in consumer goods and services made, provided or sold in Maine so as to benefit public health, the environment and the economy for all Maine people. The specific duties of the Task Force include: Develop recommendations for a more comprehensive chemicals policy that requires safer substitutes to priority chemicals in consumer products and creates incentives to develop safer alternatives, on a state and regional basis;Develop recommendations for expanded research and development of safer alternatives to priority chemicals in consumer products, including investment in green chemistry research and development and the possibility of developing bio-based plastics from Maine-based agricultural and forest products; andDevelop recommendations on expanded consumer education, retailer education and training, supply chain information and public right-to-know in order to promote markets for safer alternatives.<a href="/uploads/chemicals_exec_order.pdf">Read the full Executive Order (PDF)</a> <a href="/uploads/discussion.JPG"></a> `, assigning current date

`Safer Products` post created successfully

`Executive Order Calls for Reduced Use of Hazardous Products` post created successfully

`Governor Signs Executive Order to Make Maine a Cleaner, Safer, Healthier Place` post created successfully

`Clean Up. That's An Order.` post created successfully

`Growth shines on fluorescent bulb market` post created successfully

`Comments by NRCM on the 2005 League of Conservation Voters’ National Environmental Scorecard` post created successfully

`Ethics Panel Won't Probe Legislator's Conduct` post created successfully

`Saviello Cleared to Serve Again on Committee` post created successfully

`Ethics Panel Backs Wilton Lawmaker` post created successfully

`Wind farm options bought in County` post created successfully

`Council seeks voice in land deals` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> MILLINOCKET - The Town Council condemned the loss of traditional land uses within a proposed $14 million land swap that aims to expand Baxter State Park by 6,000 acres surrounding Katahdin Lake.Yet councilors voted 7-0 Thursday night to support a resolution approving the state-engineered deal, which the state Legislature will begin to consider at a hearing in Augusta on Monday, if certain conditions are met. Councilors expressed dismay that they first heard of the pending state Bureau of Public Lands deal, which was engineered between state officials, a private land trust and a local wood harvester after three years of negotiations, by reading about it in newspapers.They hoped the resolution would show Augusta that they must be heard in all future regional planning or land deals, especially deals such as this, which limit traditional uses of the land that residents enjoy or depend upon economically, including fishing, hunting, trapping, snowmobile and ATV riding, and floatplane landing."Our lives are being affected by this [deal], and yet it seems like there is a growing wave that wants to exclude us from it," Councilor Wallace Paul said Thursday. "I cannot support a system that is going to limit who we are and what we can be.""We're feeling that we aren't getting anything that we don't already have and that we're losing something," Councilor Bruce McLean said.State Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan disagreed. He and Ralph Knoll, deputy director of the state Bureau of Parks and Lands, spoke to the council about the transaction for about two hours. McGowan invited councilors and residents to the hearing 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Civic Center. The Legislature will hold many hearings before the matter is decided, he said.The swap, which Gov. John Baldacci supports, entails the state Bureau of Public Lands selling roughly 7,400 acres of state-managed lots to nonprofit Trust for Public Lands if the conservation group raises the $14 million by July.The land trust will then give the acreage to Gardner Land Co., which would harvest some of the wood, in exchange for roughly 6,000 acres the private timber company owns surrounding the state-owned Katahdin Lake on Baxter's eastern boundary.Baxter officials prohibit hunting, trapping and motorized recreational vehicles in most of the park. The lake area is well-used by sportsmen.According to the resolution, the council seeks:. All traditional uses, including fishing, hunting, trapping, snowmobile and ATV riding, and floatplane landing, be allowed in the lake area.. If traditional uses are lost within the 6,000 acres, "such loss shall not act as precedent for further loss of access and all current traditional uses in adjacent areas critical to the economic vitality of the Town of Millinocket, and that efforts will be made to mitigate any such losses in other land areas more important to the Town." . Town representatives shall be included in any future state discussions for proposed land sales, swaps and conservation easements around Baxter or the Katahdin region that will or might adversely affect the region.. Any other land acquisitions critical to the area's economy and involving taxpayer dollars be managed as sustainable forestry. McGowan admitted after the meeting that the resolution will not compel him to change the pending deal, but it might push legislators to act.Part of the deal will definitely help the region. As much as $2.5 million raised from the land swap will be used to buy land that will have traditional uses, McGowan said, as many as 2 acres for every acre denied traditional uses by conservation efforts. He described his agency as the most pro-sportsmen advocate in the state and said that it will work to improve traditional-use opportunities in the Katahdin region, especially among sportsmen's camps. The agency oversees and assists many such camps around the state, particularly along state rivers and lakes such as Katahdin Lake."Our commitment is to keep those camps operating in an historical, traditional manner. We believe that these are as much a part of the river as the water and the rapids," McGowan said.Councilors Jimmy Busque and David Cyr didn't seem impressed with the state officials' presentation. They expressed doubt that the resolution was worded strongly enough."What kind of meat does that have in Augusta? What kind of good does that do?" Cyr asked of the resolution's seeking "consideration" rather than making demands. "I am probably going to have to vote for this, but I am not happy with the language," Cyr added.Other councilors disagreed."By being reasonable, we have elevated our chances of being heard," Councilor Matthew Polstein said, adding that before this, no dialogue occurred between state and local officials. "This moves us a quantum leap forward."The council's resolution is drawing interest in three other northern municipalities that might seek to add their names to it and also confront state officials over such land transactions, Paul said."I think we are going to see this become a minor movement in the state," he said.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Environmentalists Outraged Over Ethics Finding` post created successfully

`Ethics Hearing a Sham` post created successfully

`Lawmakers to hear debate on land deal that would make Katahdin Lake off limits to hunters and snowmobiles` post created successfully

`Ethics Failure` post created successfully

`Cleaner and greener` post created successfully

`Ethics Commission Puts Its Head in the Sand` post created successfully

`Critics may derail Katahdin Lake deal` post created successfully

`Ethics Ruling Irks Environmentalists` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of Section 9 of L.D. 2015, Resolve, Authorizing Certain Land Transactions by the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands` post created successfully

`Park deal triggers battle` post created successfully

`Building rises to 'green' challenge` post created successfully

`Abuse of process imperils Cape Cod wind project` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake land sale splits pro-, anti-hunters` post created successfully

`Legislature Has Responsibility to Investigate Saviello` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> The Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices let the Maine people down badly last week when, following a closed-door meeting, members decided not to investigate Rep. Thomas Saviello.Saviello, an independent from Wilton, is environmental compliance manager for the International Paper mill in Jay. He has been accused of using his influence as a legislator and a member of the Natural Resources Committee to pressure the Department of Environmental Protection for special treatment for the Jay mill.To his credit, it was Saviello who asked the ethics commission to investigate whether he had crossed any ethical boundaries. He also temporarily stepped down from the committee after the controversy broke.Unfortunately, Saviello changed his mind last week, rescinding his request for the investigation, and the commission, despite requests from environmental groups for an investigation, let the matter drop.Members of the commission said they were reluctant to investigate Saviello without complaints from other lawmakers.For his part, Saviello has always maintained that he has done nothing wrong.A legislator from a district of small central Maine towns that have lost hundreds of manufacturing jobs in recent decades, Saviello has said that he doesn't fight for the interests of his employers, but does fight for the hundreds of paper industry workers in his district.Given that one of those jobs belongs to him, at the very least Saviello should have been more careful. Legislators should not act like lobbyists, nor should legitimate questions about their conduct go unanswered.The decision by the ethics commission not to investigate Saviello because he changed his mind is unacceptable.The Legislature is not a club. Legislators are not accountable to each other, they are accountable to us. If there is the possibility of a conflict of interest, they must investigate, partly to settle any questions related to that particular legislator and partly to better clarify how our public servants should navigate the large gray areas that are part of their job.Maine's part-time legislators have always faced a difficult balancing act, splitting their time between Capitol and career.When they bring expertise to Augusta, whether it be on environmental issues or marine resources, it makes sense for them to sit on committees where their knowledge can be most useful.That system works because Maine people trust their legislators to work not for industry, not even just for their constituents, but for all of us.Any allegation that trust has been violated must be investigated.Saviello is accused of pressuring the department to drop a violation notice in return for his support of environmental legislation to clean up the Androscoggin River. International Paper is a major source of industrial pollution in the river.That violation notice was written by an inspector from the department in October 2003. In December of that year, Saviello met with then-Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Dawn Gallagher to discuss both the environmental legislation and the violation notice.Stories differ about what was actually said at that meeting, but afterward the violation was downgraded to a letter of warning, which was never sent.Gallagher resigned in December after reports of the meeting caused controversy.Notes and memos released after Gallagher's departure show that both the violation notice and the environmental legislation were discussed at the meeting.Saviello is a hardworking lawmaker who is, by all accounts, popular with his constituents. He is not accused of any crime.But following Gallagher's resignation, the Wilton legislator has a clear responsibility to clarify his role.An investigation must take place and the results of that investigation must be made public.Maine people deserve the facts.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Activities at Baxter addition debated` post created successfully

`Ill Wind from Washington` post created successfully

`Activists Vow to Fight for Ethics Probe` post created successfully

`Building green is good for business` post created successfully

`Plum Creek, nature tourism examined` post created successfully

`Potato Plastic` post created successfully

`Maine Needs Better Ethics Enforcement` post created successfully

`Saviello vacates resource panel post` post created successfully

`Vernal pool rules nothing new for Maine` post created successfully

`Saviello won't return to panel` post created successfully

`Saviello says he will not rejoin resources panel` post created successfully

`Let's keep Katahdin Lake forever wild` post created successfully

`Allagash waterway meeting Sunday` post created successfully

`Maine wind project proposed` post created successfully

`Portsmouth cooking oil being put to good use` post created successfully

`Ethics Questions Remain` post created successfully

`Maine takes a step toward taking toxics out of our lives` post created successfully

`Episode shows ethics reform badly needed` post created successfully

`Don't Lose Katahdin Lake` post created successfully

`Hold on to a little bit of Maine wilderness` post created successfully

`3 turbines proposed in Freedom` post created successfully

`Ethics commission's lack of effectiveness now the big news story` post created successfully

`Katahdin compromise in the works` post created successfully

`Report: Early thawing a trend` post created successfully

`New evangelical group says global warming real` post created successfully

`Coalition decries cuts proposed by president` post created successfully

`Plum Creek to present project revisions` post created successfully

`Hearing recommended on wind-farm proposal` post created successfully

`Wind farm proposal talk of the town in Freedom` post created successfully

`Penobscot may open to salmon fishermen` post created successfully

`Fluke, or a trend?` post created successfully

`Loss of Baxter deal would be a travesty` post created successfully

`Maine's cold snaps are losing their snap` post created successfully

`Wind farm proposal likely set for hearing` post created successfully

`Honor Baxter's wishes` post created successfully

`Proposals abound for Katahdin Lake` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Traditional uses weighed for Baxter parcel</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA - Members of a legislative committee proposed more than a half-dozen options for protecting the land around Katahdin Lake on Monday, including splitting the property into two parts to accommodate both hunters and hikers.Lawmakers on the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry put forward the proposals at the end of a fourth day of testimony in the increasingly political battle over plans to annex 6,000 acres into Baxter State Park. The committee members are expected to begin debating the options Thursday.The biggest obstacle to the deal remains whether to allow hunting, trapping, snowmobiling and other "traditional uses" on the land, which features old-growth forests, hiking trails and remarkable views of Mount Katahdin from a pristine, 700-acre lake.State officials maintain that the late Gov. Percival Baxter, who bankrolled the purchase of the park's 204,000 acres and left strict instructions on how the park should be run, would want the land protected as a wildlife sanctuary.During a straw poll of the committee, seven of the 12 members present indicated they would vote against the original proposal because of the restrictions on traditional uses. Several committee members predicted that a similar vote in the full Legislature also would fail to win the two-thirds support required to authorize the sale of state lands key to the deal."I think we need to be mindful of the political realities in ... trying to get something through the Legislature with two-thirds support," said Sen. Kevin Raye, a Perry Republican.One option given by committee members involves splitting the 6,015-acre parcel surrounding Katahdin Lake into two unequal parts north and south of the border between townships T3 R8 and T4 R8.The area to the south, which encompasses all of Katahdin Lake and roughly 4,000 acres, would become a wildlife sanctuary consistent with the original plan for the park that Baxter unveiled in 1921. The northern 2,000 acres would remain open to hunting, trapping and motorized recreational use.But committee members also offered differing views on who should control the two tracts.One plan calls for all 6,015 acres to be included in Baxter State Park, but on the condition that the northern section remain open to traditional uses. Another proposal is to transfer the southern portion to Baxter and the northern tier to the Bureau of Parks and Lands, which would allow traditional access. That would avoid any conflict with the park's Deeds of Trust, lawmakers said.Another alternative floated by committee members was to give the entire parcel to the Bureau of Parks and Lands for the first 25 years and then transfer ownership to the Baxter State Park Authority.A final proposal calls for allowing hunting and trapping throughout, but restricting snowmobiles to new trails built on the perimeter of the property.Several committee members also expressed interest in directing the Department of Conservation to purchase acres to the south and east of the property using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of state-owned forests.A small group of lawmakers and interested parties will meet Wednesday to go over the proposals, with the full committee reconvening Thursday afternoon. Committee co-chairman Rep. John Piotti, a Democrat from Unity, said he expects deliberations on the proposals to extend into next week.While lawmakers pushed ahead with their efforts to reach a compromise, people involved in the three-year process to craft the complicated deal of land swaps and purchases continued to warn the committee about potential fallout.Sam Hodder, senior project manager for the Trust for Public Land, the nonprofit conservation group that helped negotiate between the state and Gardner Land Co., said people who have pledged money to the project will have a chance to reconsider their donations if the terms of the deal are altered significantly. The land trust must raise $14 million from private donors by July to complete the deal."The fundraising for the project has really come to a standstill because of this issue," Hodder said after the meeting. Attorney General Steven Rowe, who chairs the Baxter State Park Authority, said the three-member authority would have to review any changes made by the Legislature before deciding whether to accept new land into the park.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`NRCM Releases Vision for Moosehead Region` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Conserving Natural Resources, Building Community, Protecting Maine’s Heritage and Future</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) released A Vision for the Moosehead Lake Region, an analysis of opportunities for conservation and community development in the region. While development pressures could cause permanent and irreversible damage to the area – as many people fear would be the result of Plum Creek’s development proposal – NRCM’s alternative vision would carefully balance conservation and development in a fashion that could become a model for Maine and the nation.Just over a year ago, Seattle-based Plum Creek Real Estate Corporation announced a major development proposal for Maine’s Moosehead Lake Region. The company’s huge development plan included 975 houses in 30 subdivisions, 2 resorts, a marina, 3 RV parks, 4 sporting camps, and 116 rental cabins scattered across 29 townships on 424,000 acres surrounding Moosehead Lake. “We believe a better plan can be developed for the Moosehead Lake Region,” said Brownie Carson, executive director of NRCM. “Moosehead deserves a future that provides meaningful economic development while also protecting the natural resources that are the region’s greatest asset.”The NRCM’s alternative vision for the region is centered on community and conservation. This alternative approach would ensure permanent conservation across most of the Moosehead Lake Region, while directing development to areas near existing towns and the existing ski area at Big Moose Mountain. Properly located development can build upon, rather than compete with, the strong sense of community that currently exists in Greenville and Rockwood. The vision also features permanent, landscape-scale conservation, which can preserve the working forest and timber jobs that are so vital for the region, while also protecting wildlife habitat, scenic resources, and the potential for remote recreation – an increasingly important component of nature-based tourism for the region.“This Moosehead Vision would protect the working forest, conserve wildlife and natural areas, enhance recreational opportunities, and ensure public access,” said Carson. “It would bring new vitality and much-needed resources to the communities of Greenville and Rockwood, while sustaining the wild and remote character that could make Moosehead Lake the premier gateway to Maine’s North Woods Experience – with an unrivaled range of features and activities to explore year-round.” “We believe that the Alternative Vision presented in this report comes far closer to the needs and aspirations of Maine people than did Plum Creek’s original development plan,” said Carson. “We believe that this Alternative Vision would help guarantee protection of what is most special about the Moosehead Lake Region, while also supporting a substantial amount of well-planned community and economic development. This proposed alternative is offered as a concept – for interested parties to consider, evaluate, improve upon, and – we hope – adopt as a better way forward for the spectacularly beautiful Moosehead Lake Region.” “The Moosehead Lake Region is special for many reasons to many people,” said Liz Munster, Rockwood Maine Real Estate Broker and Rockwood native. “Some come to enjoy the beauty and serenity, some come for the activities - hiking, biking, boating, climbing. Some come here to get away from the city, to rejuvenate and charge their batteries. The problem with the Plum Creek proposal is it is too much too soon and in the wrong places. There is room for some growth in Rockwood, but not great big resorts that would change the atmosphere and character and hurt the fishing, hunting and the life of those who live here year-round. I think there is room for some growth and development if it is done wisely and the areas are chosen carefully and the Natural Resources Council has done just that.”“I support this alternative vision,” said Sally Farrand of Beaver Cove, “because it achieves three very important objectives. The alternative vision acknowledges the inevitability of change and development. The alternative vision locates the development where it is needed and wanted, such as, in the immediate Greenville area where there is more infrastructure to support such development. Perhaps, most importantly, the alternative vision removes the resort from Lily Bay which would significantly harm wildlife and the nature-based tourism assets of that region. In addition, the vision permits continued sustainable forestry activities. For all of these reasons I support this alternative vision.”“The Moosehead Lake region is a one-of-a-kind natural treasure with its wide open spaces, crystal blue waters and unspoiled mountains,” said Ruth McLaughlin, Owner of the Blair Hill Inn in Greenville. “It is one of the few places left in our country that has not been taken over by housing developments and is, therefore, one of the most spectacular places left east of the Mississippi. There is so much economic value in what it is today. But that is currently not understood nor fully tapped into. Everyone else wants what we have. We cannot afford to risk losing what makes the Moosehead Region such a special place. Regrettably, the Maine coastline did not receive such care and forethought and, therefore, today only 20 miles of Maine’s ocean shorefront is not in private hands. I applaud the efforts of NRCM to put forth a vision – one that takes into deep consideration what makes this area so special and builds upon what we have, while maintaining the area’s unique natural assets. Plum Creek has publicly stated that they will take feedback into serious consideration. I understand that the law requires them to balance conservation with development of their land. I hope that Plum Creek will consider adopting NRCM’s proposal. The future of the Moosehead Lake region hangs in the balance.”What emerged among the questions and comments was agreement on core principles that should guide the future of the region. These core principles are: <ul><li>Protect the North Woods character and provide permanent conservation for wildlife habitat and guaranteed public access for hunting, fishing, and nature-based tourism; </li><li>Concentrate development near the existing communities of Greenville and Rockwood to avoid sprawl, minimize the cost of providing public services, and protect scenic and natural resources; and</li><li>Ensure economic benefits for the local economy through development that provides new jobs in and near Greenville and Rockwood, adds value to existing businesses, allows for a new local tax base, and encourages year-round population growth that includes families, who will help bolster local schools and help achieve the “critical mass” needed for operating the hospital and municipal services.</li></ul>The foundation for NRCM’s Alternative Vision has been built upon:<ul><li>Comments submitted to Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission; </li><li>LURC’s planning principles and approach; </li><li>The work of the Moosehead Region Futures Committee and Friends of Moosehead; </li><li>Maine’s Nature-based Tourism Initiative;</li><li>Natural resource information developed by Maine Audubon and The Nature Conservancy; and</li><li>Greenville’s comprehensive plan.</li></ul>The Alternative Vision’s schematic was designed in response to site visits and site evaluations by Terrence J. DeWan & Associates, a Maine-based professional land use planning firm well-versed in community planning and the protection of scenic, ecological and recreational resources. The guidelines followed for siting of development included: <ul><li>Be in or within two miles of established communities or major development (such as ski areas) to take advantage of existing infrastructure;</li><li>Avoid sensitive wildlife habitats, major drainage patterns, significant wetlands, or other important ecological features;</li><li>Provide opportunities for safe, attractive living environments that would not require major site alterations;</li><li>Result in development patterns that would be compatible with the existing terrain and have minimal impact on the visual and physical environment.</li></ul>The Alternative Vision achieves these goals by locating proposed development within two miles of Greenville, Rockwood or the existing ski area – and by proposing permanent conservation – either easements or public acquisition – over the remainder of the land Plum Creek originally proposed for development, approximately 424,000 acres. The development proposed includes from north to south:<ul><li>Up to 75 new house lots next to Rockwood;</li><li>Up to 65 new house lots immediately north of the existing ski area;</li><li>A Maine Woods lodge and recreation hub immediately north west of the existing ski area;</li><li>Up to 100 new house lots southwest of the ski area, within 2 miles of Greenville; and, </li><li>100 – 200 houses in the eastern part of the Town of Greenville.</li></ul>In addition, it is clear that the existing ski resort at Big Moose Mountain is one of the most significant recreational resources and economic development opportunities in the Moosehead Lake Region. While it is not currently owned by Plum Creek, revitalization of this ski area into a world class four season resort could be a centerpiece of strategies to attract tourists to the Moosehead Lake Region. The analysis is conceptual and offered for discussion purposes. It proposes a broad conservation strategy for the region that would protect the area’s natural resource base. It also envisions the possibility of 300-450 carefully-located house lots, and a Maine Woods lodge and recreation area that could serve as a hub for nature-based tourism. The following features are all at the heart of the Alternative Vision for the Moosehead Lake Region:<ul><li>Permanent conservation and public access would be guaranteed across 424,000 acres of the forests around Moosehead, preserving commercial timber harvesting, supporting nature-based tourism and protecting the wild character that makes the region a natural, cultural and spiritual treasure;</li><li>Protection of unique and valuable wildlife habitat and scenic resources;</li><li>Proposed developments that fit harmoniously into the landscape, protecting wildlife habitat, water quality, and scenic views; </li><li>Proposed neighborhoods that follow “smart growth” principles, incorporating village housing patterns, walking paths, and protected natural areas. The goal would be to design well-planned, attractive communities providing the prospect for housing that is attractive to families with school-aged children and affordable to year-round residents;</li><li>A Maine Woods Lodge located near the existing ski resort at Big Moose Mountain, eliminating Plum Creek’s proposed resort at Lily Bay or any other location where it would cut into undeveloped natural areas, detract from existing public lands, or drain resources away from Greenville-area businesses;</li><li>World-class nature-based tourism facilities created to take advantage of a protected natural resource base with guaranteed public access. The area would be marketed as a key location for a “Maine Woods Experience,” featuring trips into Maine’s woods and waterways with Registered Maine Guides, traditional vacations at existing sporting camps, and a landscape filled with nature-based recreation opportunities; and</li><li>New development designed to enhance existing towns and complement existing businesses, not compete with them or put them at risk. </li></ul><a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/visionmap.pdf">Map of alternative vision for the Moosehead region (pdf)</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/publication_alternative_vision.asp">Download/order copy of "A Vision for the Moosehead Lake Region."</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/rockwood_map.pdf">Map of Rockwood (pdf)</a> <a href="http://www.wcsh6.com/home/article.asp?id=32724">Watch WCSH-6 news story</a> <a href="/uploads/bc_pc.JPG"></a> `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`A Vision for the Moosehead Lake Region, Comments by Brownie Carson, NRCM Executive Director` post created successfully

`Environmental group releases Moosehead development alternative` post created successfully

`House OKs mercury amalgam monitoring requirement` post created successfully

`Environmental group releases Moosehead development alternative` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By David Sharp, Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">MaineToday.com midday report</a> PORTLAND, Maine — Maine´s largest environmental organization on Tuesday proposed gathering in a far-flung development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region and cutting in half the number of housing lots proposed by Plum Creek Timber Co.The "alternative vision" presented by the Natural Resources Council of Maine would eliminate development on environmentally sensitive land by directing development to areas near existing towns and the ski mountain in Greenville."All of that development scattered across the landscape _ we focused on bringing it to Rockwood and Greenville and Big Moose Mountain," said spokeswoman Cathy Johnson.The council´s proposal calls for up to 450 housing lots, roughly half the total in Plum Creek´s original proposal. Its proposal also would ensure permanent conservation of woodlands beyond 30-year conservation easements proposed by Plum Creek.Another important feature would be a Maine Woods lodge and recreation area to be built near the ski resort in Greenville, Johnson said.Plum Creek´s original, oft-criticized plan called for rezoning land around the lake for 975 house lots and campgrounds, along with two resorts. The total project involved 426,000 acres, about 10,000 of which would actually be developed.But Regional General Manager Jim Lehner announced in December that Plum Creek was taking a "fresh look" at its proposal. Changes under consideration include relocating a proposed resort, scaling back another one and clustering homes closer to Greenville.Plum Creek also has been seeking to identify ways to ensure that woodlands will remain forested beyond the 30-year easement, he said.Lehner said Tuesday that he was gratified to find that Plum Creek shares common ground with the Natural Resources Council of Maine."I´m pretty darn pleased that many of the proposals that they´ve included in their plan are things that we´ve heard from all of the people we´ve talked over the past year," he said by phone from his Fairfield office.Plum Creek´s original proposal for reshaping the state´s famed North Woods has aroused passions both in support and against it.Critics have denounced the project as an opening for wilderness sprawl while supporters hailed the blend of conservation and development. Plum Creek´s offices and the home of one of its employees have been vandalized.The environmental group´s proposal, which was unveiled at Bangor City Hall, is being offered as a concept "for interested parties to consider, evaluate and improve upon," Brownie Carson, executive director, said in a statement.Liz Munster, a Rockwood native and a real estate broker, said the problem with the original proposal was that it´s too much, and in the wrong places."There is room for some growth in Rockwood, but not great big resorts that would change the atmosphere and character and hurt the fishing, hunting and the life of those who live here year-round," she said in a statement.Lehner said Tuesday that Plum Creek´s revised proposal will be offered in a couple of weeks. And it will incorporate many changes suggested by Mainers in a series of "scoping sessions" across the state, he said."It´s quite a juggling act to come up with a proposal that pleases everybody.... but we´ve come up with compromises that we think will be acceptable to the broad spectrum of Maine people," Lehner said.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Group unveils Moosehead option` post created successfully

`Environmental group issues its Plum Creek idea` post created successfully

`Reduced Moosehead proposal suggested` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council Releases Proposal For Moosehead Development` post created successfully

`Resources council adds its vision to Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`History favors Baxter park and deal` post created successfully

`Lawmakers taking steps against mercury` post created successfully

`Bills to regulate mercury, other toxins, advance` post created successfully

`States win air quality appeal` post created successfully

`Court gives Maine a win on clean air` post created successfully

`Council's Moosehead vision not the last word` post created successfully

`Katahdin plan falling to pieces?` post created successfully

`Action urged to combat global warming` post created successfully

`New Source Review rules survive court challenge` post created successfully

`Pollution ruling victory for Maine` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake Compromise` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Lawmakers have come up with a good way to complete a deal that will add prime land to Baxter State Park while also allowing hunting in the area. The best compromise being considered today by the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee is to divide the parcel in two with the area around Katahdin Lake to be managed as a wildlife sanctuary and the land farther north open to hunting. State officials announced in January that they had reached agreement with a logging company to buy and swap land to add Katahdin Lake and surrounding land to Baxter State Park. The original deal encompassed 6,000 acres, all of which the park authority intended to manage as sanctuary.The deal is complex because the Gardner Land Co., the Lincoln company that owns the Katahdin Lake parcel, wants other land, not money, in exchange so its woods and mill employees can keep working. This means the state must sell some of its holdings, something that requires two-thirds approval of the Legislature.Because lawmakers must approve the public land sale, sportsmen have unusual leverage over the deal and are holding out for more. The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine convinced several lawmakers to oppose the deal if hunting, snowmobiling and ATV use are not allowed everywhere on the parcel.Although the original deal, which includes $14 million in private fundraising, was a good one, it didn't have enough legislative support. The best way to ensure it now moves forward is to divide the parcel in two, as eight members of the ACF committee supported last week. Gov. Percival Baxter intended to add about 4,000 acres around the lake, which offers stunning views of Mount Katahdin, to the park he created. This land should be added to the park and be managed as a sanctuary, as Gov. Baxter envisioned.The remaining 2,000 acres, which stretches north to Wassataquoik Stream, could then be open to hunting. The debate then focuses on whether this parcel should be owned and managed by Baxter State Park or the Department of Conservation. The department has too few resources to manage the land it already owns, so adding to its burden is not a good choice. The park authority is also reluctant to take the land if it is open to hunting because the other areas of the park where hunting is allowed are far removed from Katahdin Lake. If the park owns the land, its prohibitions against moose hunting and bear baiting would also be in effect. The park authority and conservation department have talked about the possibility of the department owning the land and the authority managing it.These are details that can be worked out as long as the larger deal moves forward.Sportsmen, conservationists and state officials all say they agree that this parcel needs to be protected. Splitting the parcel in two, with stricter rules for the core Katahdin Lake parcel, while allowing hunting north of the lake is a reasonable compromise that achieves that larger goal. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Saviello will not be investigated on ethics charges` post created successfully

`Plum Creek a real challenge to Mainers` post created successfully

`Land deal threatened` post created successfully

`Bill would undo protections for Allagash` post created successfully

`Katahdin parcel should be used as Baxter wished` post created successfully

`Toxics on lawmakers' slate` post created successfully

`Senate gets tough on mercury` post created successfully

`Committee backs compromise on Katahdin Lake proposal` post created successfully

`No accord reached by park panel` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Divided report expected on Katahdin Lake acres</h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller, Of the NEWS staff</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA — Members of a legislative committee failed to reach a consensus on how to preserve land around Katahdin Lake on Thursday despite weeks of work to craft a compromise palatable to conservationists and sporting groups.The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee will submit a divided report to the full Legislature next week, although the majority of members supported splitting the 6,015-acre property to allow limited hunting opportunities.Disagreement over snowmobiling inside Baxter State Park prevented the committee from endorsing a single plan with a majority vote, however. The divided vote left several members concerned about the bill’s fate once it reaches the House and Senate."I don’t think we did our work here like we should have," said Rep. Arlan Jodrey, a Bethel Republican. "We got too tied up in the emotional side of it."Committee members have been struggling for three weeks to salvage the plan to add the 6,015-acre property to Baxter State Park.The deal as originally proposed would be financed entirely by $14 million in private donations, only part of which has been raised. But the deal requires a two-thirds vote from the Legislature because it involves the sale of 7,400 acres of state-owned forests.What at first was billed a no-brainer for lawmakers has since become mired in politics, with the state’s powerful hunting and sporting lobby on one side and on the other advocates for "backcountry wilderness" free of guns and motorized recreation.Three of the 13 committee members voted Thursday to support the deal as originally proposed, which would transfer all of the land to Baxter State Park. Members of the park’s governing body have indicated they would ban hunting and other "traditional uses" based on their interpretation of park creator and former Gov. Percival Baxter’s desires.Predicting that scenario was doomed in the full Legislature, the majority of the committee supported nearly identical plans to split the property into two zones.The southern portion, which encompasses 4,040 acres and includes Katahdin Lake, would be annexed into Baxter and managed as a wildlife sanctuary. The northern 1,975 acres would transfer to the Bureau of Parks and Lands and remain open to hunters, trappers and snowmobiles.The current owners of the Katahdin Lake land — Gardner Land Co. of Lincoln — sweetened the deal to address concerns about the loss of acreage for traditional uses.The Gardners agreed to give the state the option to acquire an additional 8,000 acres on the lake parcel’s eastern edge. If the state were unable or unwilling to acquire the land, the Gardners then would sell a permanent conservation easement on the property to ensure continued public access.But the majority vote fell apart when committee member Sen. Kevin Raye proposed making the deal contingent on Baxter officials’ agreeing to groom the Perimeter Road for snowmobiles in winter. Snowmobiles now are allowed on the road. It is not groomed, however.Raye, a Republican from Perry, described the grooming as a compromise to help make the deal more palatable for local businesses and residents affected by the closure of 4,040 acres to hunting and snowmobiling.But Attorney General Steven Rowe, who is chairman of the three-member Baxter State Park Authority, questioned whether lawmakers could legally tell the authority how to run the park. Rowe also objected to lawmakers’ using the Katahdin Lake deal to influence operations throughout the park."My support is waning for this plan," Rowe told the committee. "Maybe that was the idea here, that this was the poison pill."In the end, Raye and two other committee members voted for the dual-zoned scenario contingent on grooming the Perimeter Road. Five members voted for a dual-zoned scenario that merely requests that the park authority hold public hearings on the snowmobile issue.One member, Dixfield Democratic Sen. Bruce Bryant, voted ought not to pass because he opposes the sale of the state-owned forests. Rep. Rodney Jennings, a Leeds Democrat, was not present.Afterward, lawmakers as well as observers expressed optimism that a plan to protect Katahdin Lake will emerge from the Legislature."It remains my hope that some sort of reasonable compromise will be reached," said Roland "Danny" Martin, commissioner of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and a member of the Baxter park authority.Cathy Johnson with the Natural Resources Council of Maine said dividing the property into two sections, while not the best scenario, was likely a workable compromise. Johnson opposed the idea of grooming the Perimeter Road for snowmobiles, however.The committee’s reports likely will be brought up on the House and Senate floors sometime next week. Committee members said they expect their lawmaker colleagues to amend the bill."We all know that this is only the beginning," said Rep. John Piotti, the Unity Democrat who co-chairs the committee. "An awful lot is going to occur as it leaves here and goes up to the House and the Senate."`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Circling the Allagash` post created successfully

`Special interest politics threaten Katahdin Lake deal` post created successfully

`Ethics Commission puts on the blinders` post created successfully

`Residents weigh in on Allagash plan` post created successfully

`Katahdin Land Deal is a Reasonable Compromise` post created successfully

`What does it all mean?` post created successfully

`Bipartisan energy bill a step in the right direction` post created successfully

`Air Law Back Together` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Maine and 13 other states won a major victory recently when a federal court rejected "a Humpty Dumpty world" view of pollution control that resulted in the weakening of the Clean Air act. Despite this victory, the Bush administration is still trying to put the pieces of its environmental law changes back together again, so Maine’s congressional delegation is wise to continue to oppose legislative action to circumvent the court’s ruling while seeking support for better alternatives.Two years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency changed clean air rules to allow power plants and manufacturing facilities to make major upgrades without installing new emissions controls. Under a portion of the Clean Air Act known as "new source review" older plants were allowed to meet lower air quality standards under the assumption that they would be out of business in a few years. If they remained in business, they were required to install pollution control equipment when they upgraded their facilities. More than 30 years later, many of these plants are still in operation and have yet to install new emissions equipment allowing tons of additional pollution, some of which is blown into Maine.The Clean Air Act said that when a plant makes "any physical change" that increases emissions, they must undergo the new source review process. It was understood that routine maintenance and repairs did not count. Under the Bush administration, the EPA changed the new source review rule to allow plant upgrades up to 20 percent of its replacement cost without installing new emissions equipment, meaning a plant could be totally rebuilt in five years.In a 20-page opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the EPA’s argument that the word "any" was unclear. It called the agency’s position a "Humpty Dumpty" world view (a nod to Lewis Carroll’s "Through the Looking Glass" in which Humpty Dumpty tells Alice that a word means what he chooses it to mean)."EPA’s interpretation," the ruling said, "would produce a ‘strange,’ if not an ‘indeterminate,’ result: a law intended to limit increases in air pollution would allow sources operating below applicable emissions limits to increase significantly the pollution they emit without government review."As a result the court said the agency’s changes to the new source review standard violated the Clean Air Act. The court in 2003 had stayed the new rules so the old ones remain in effect.While the court ruling is good news, at the same time the EPA changed the NSR rules it announced that it was dropping scores of enforcement actions involving violations of the old rules. Several of the largest violators stopped settlement negotiations shortly after the Bush administration took office, focusing their attention on rule changes instead.Republicans in Congress are expected to try to change the NSR rules legislatively. Maine’s delegation has long opposed such changes, but must continue to do so. Rep. Tom Allen has sponsored a bill to close the loophole that allows old plants to remain in operation as would the Clean Power Act, sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins.The court made it clear that attempts to allow more air pollution violate federal law. This is a good reason to focus on enforcing existing rules while seeking ways to reduce emissions.`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to L.D. 2077, "An Act To Make Adjustments to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway"` post created successfully

`Turbine project delays requested` post created successfully

`Augusta: Measures aim to reduce mercury discarded in Maine` post created successfully

`NRCM Responds to Decision on Lawsuit` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Effort to Clean Up the Androscoggin River Will Continue</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> The Natural Resources Council of Maine today expressed disappointment in yesterday’s court decision to dismiss, on administrative technicalities, NRCM’s lawsuit against International Paper. NRCM said that it would not give up on its efforts to compel International Paper to reduce its pollution of the Androscoggin River – which remains Maine’s most polluted major waterway. NRCM further stated that technical experts have demonstrated that pollution from International Paper’s mill in Jay, Maine could be dramatically reduced through cost-effective investments that would reduce the mill’s operating costs and help ensure that the plant remains open and profitable. “Although IP prevailed in court on a technicality, the court did not say the company has done enough to clean up the Androscoggin River,” said NRCM Executive Director Brownie Carson. “In fact, the Court has confirmed that International Paper has been operating its Maine mill under a permit that is more than 20 years old, and which was supposed to last simply one year when it was issued in 1985.”As stated in the March 28, 2006 decision by U.S. District Judge John Woodcock, “NRCM was justified in filing a citizen suit under § 505 [of the Clean Water Act] on the ground that the federal and state agencies had failed and would continue to fail to ‘exercise their enforcement responsibilities.’” With this conclusion, Judge Woodcock dismissed IP’s claim that NRCM lacked standing for the purpose of filing the suit.In his 37-page ruling, Woodcock ultimately sided with a narrow interpretation advanced by International Paper that the Court should not consider certain NRCM arguments because they were not sufficiently delineated in NRCM’s 60-day notice of intent to sue. NRCM and its legal team do not agree with the Court’s decision on this matter, and will keep its options open for a possible appeal. "Judge Woodcock confirmed our position that International Paper has not had an effective pollution discharge permit since 1985, and that International Paper, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection did nothing to improve the permit requirements for 20 years,” said Carson.“International Paper won this court case based on administrative technicalities, regulatory loopholes, and bureaucratic inaction,” said Carson. “We still need to clean up the Androscoggin River.” In addition to confirming NRCM’s right to “standing,” the Court rejected IP’s argument that they could avoid paying significant penalties for violations of the Clean Water Act, funds that would be used to help pay for river clean-up. Since NRCM filed its suit, the DEP issued a new permit for International Paper. DEP said that it needed to revise the permit because it concluded the prior limits were too lax. “We filed our lawsuit to clean up the Androscoggin River. That remains our goal. Getting a new permit that guarantees improvements in water quality in the river is essential, and we will have a close eye on DEP’s efforts to issue a permit that achieves this purpose. But we will not give up on any avenues available to us, in the courtroom, Legislature, or before the Board of Environmental Protection, that we believe may be necessary to achieve what needs to be done – a cleaner Androscoggin River for the people of Maine,” said Carson. `, assigning current date

`Cleaning Up the Androscoggin River` post created successfully

`Judge dismisses clean water lawsuit` post created successfully

`Lawsuit against IP tossed` post created successfully

`Tilting at Wind Power` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> MARS HILL - With materials on the ground and contractors on site, a Bangor-based corporation is moving forward on its project to develop a wind farm in northern Maine.Evergreen Wind Power LLC has worked for four years and is spending about $54 million to create the Mars Hill Wind Farm, which involves locating 28 wind turbines on Mars Hill Mountain. The turbines, which will stand about 380 feet from the ground to the top of the windmill blade, will be erected on about 150 acres of local property. The wind turbines are expected to generate about 42 megawatts of electricity.Andy Perkins, project manager for Evergreen Wind Power, said Wednesday that the corporation is in the initial stages of construction right now and that officials expect to begin generating power in Aroostook County by this fall."I've been involved with the project from concept and it's wonderful," Perkins said of reaching this point in the project. "It's a dream come true. ... It's a wonderful opportunity for the state of Maine, Aroostook County and Mars Hill."Perkins said that with oversight from contractors - Sargent Corp. of Stillwater is handling the site work and Maine Public Service Co. in Presque Isle is doing the electrical infrastructure - about 15 workers are now moving in equipment and clearing areas that need to be prepared for roads and tower site pads. Perkins said that at peak construction, there could be up to 150 workers on site. He added that with a local surveyor, environmental reviewers and materials testing officials on board, there is a "big presence of County folks involved in this project."Some materials, including blades for the turbines which arrived at the Searsport dock Wednesday morning, will not be trucked up to Mars Hill until crews have finished preparing the 28 individual tower sites.Perkins said that contractors expect to have the turbines erected possibly as soon as mid-June, to have site work and the electrical infrastructure completed by early fall, and to "go commercial" by late fall. He said that the corporation is looking at several possible purchasers for the power the wind farm will generate and that officials expect to have a contract wrapped up in the next month.As construction moves forward, town officials and some Mars Hill residents remain at odds over the project.Several Mars Hill residents have stated they do not want the wind farm in their backyards, but have been told by town officials that they could not vote on whether the company should be allowed to come to town because it effectively would mean telling private landowners what they could do with their property. Evergreen has a lease agreement with several local landowners allowing the company to construct turbines on their property.Town officials have said the move will be a boon economically for Mars Hill."I'm extremely glad to see it happen," Town Council Chairman Todd Grass said Wednesday. "Number one, it's a benefit to the town, and number two, it's a benefit to the environment because it's green power. ... As far as we know, the landowners involved are all happy. It helps the tax base, and from what we've gathered, we may get people coming to the area to look at them - kind of a tourism thing on a minor scale."Town officials secured approval from the Department of Economic and Community Development to designate the property on which the wind farm will be located as a Tax Increment Financing district. The designation caps the taxes Evergreen pays to Mars Hill at no more than $250,000 per year for the next 20 years, starting in 2007.Perkins said that once the turbines are up, he hopes any worries people might have had about the project will dissipate."I've been to several projects that are completed - have the same turbine design we're doing - that have been integrated into the community very nicely," he said. "I think this is going to be a positive project, and I don't think it's going to impact the people very much at all."The company is providing a toll-free number, (800) 984-9463, for residents with questions about the project. Officials said that inquiries will be detailed and sent on to the project manager. `, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post created successfully

`Compromise adds access` post created successfully

`Plum Creek given new public proposal` post created successfully

`NRCM Responds to March 30th Plum Creek Announcement` post created successfully

`Plan to conserve forests offered` post created successfully

`Plum Creek proposal shields 400,000 acres` post created successfully

`'River Drivers Agreement' endangered` post created successfully

`Saco officials give consideration to wind power` post created successfully

`Allagash bill rekindles access feud` post created successfully

`New mileage standards attack states' right to control pollution` post created successfully

`Churches chilled by heating bills` post created successfully

`Deal gives Katahdin Lake plan new life` post created successfully

`Mainer seeks to protect wildlife` post created successfully

`Plum Creek To Unveil Reworked Development Plan` post created successfully

`Change of plans from Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake deal too good to pass up` post created successfully

`Plum Creek alters Moosehead plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek trims Moosehead plan` post created successfully

`Revised Plum Creek plan still massive` post created successfully

`Firm permits Freedom time to draft rule` post created successfully

`'Silliest proposal ever' is jewel for Mainers` post created successfully

`Proposed wind farm has deal to sell 'green' power` post created successfully

`Redington wind farm has deal to sell power` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake Compromise` post created successfully

`Fuel Economy Farce` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Officials Present Scaled-Back Plan` post created successfully

`NRCM Criticizes Plum Creek Public Relations Blitz` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Calls PR Campaign an “Insult to Maine People”</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> The Natural Resources Council of Maine today criticized Seattle-based Plum Creek Real Estate Investment Corporation for conducting a massive public relations campaign in support of its development plans for the Moosehead Lake Region before making the actual details of their plan public. “Plum Creek has staged two press conferences for their plan, is airing television ads statewide, has done a massive mailing to opinion leaders, and has unleashed an army of public relations professionals and hired lobbyists across Maine to meet with journalists and legislators – yet they have not even submitted their permit application to the Land Use Regulation Commission,” said NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim. “Although there appear to be improvements in the Plum Creek plan compared with last year’s proposal, it is impossible to fully assess the changes because the company has kept their plan secret and only released public relations materials. This is an insult to Maine people who are trying to understand how the company’s proposals for conservation and for development will affect the future of an entire region of the state of Maine,” said Didisheim. Illustrating the confusion already being created by Plum Creek’s “media blitz,” NRCM brought attention to significant discrepancies in two maps released at Plum Creek press conferences held less than one week apart. A “Conservation Framework” map released on March 30th shows five locations in a proposed conservation easement, but these same five locations were suddenly and inexplicably left outside of the easement and slated for house lot development in the map the company released April 4th. The specific areas are: Upper Moosehead Lake shoreline in Big W Township, Black Brook Hill Peninsula on Brassua Lake, South Shore of Indian Pond, Upper Wilson Pond, and Prong Pond. All of these are shorefront locations where Maine people have urged protection. “Are these areas going to be conserved, or will they be developed? The public has many questions about Plum Creek’s plans, but we have no way of really understanding the answers to those questions until a permit application is submitted – which should have happened at the same time that Plum Creek went into public relations mode,” said Didisheim. According to NRCM, Plum Creek has hired “the biggest army of lobbyists and public relations staff ever mobilized to push a development project in Maine’s unorganized territories.” Plum Creek has hired at least four Maine law firms (Eaton Peabody; PretiFlaherty; Verrill Dana, LLP; and Perkins, Thompson, Hinckley, & Keddy), and one of the state’s big public relations firms (Barton & Gingold) to promote the company’s development plan. Plum Creek is a $5 billion Seattle-based corporation, the largest publicly-held timber Real Estate Investment Trust in the nation. “This highly sophisticated company knows exactly what it is doing in an effort to push its plan. Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission has never before faced a company of this scale, proposing such a massive rezoning of its lands. A decision on Plum Creek’s proposal must be made based on the details, but those details simply have not been released,” said Didisheim. “And we know from the last time around that details matter a lot. When Plum Creek finally released its 570-page rezoning request last year, months after the public relations roll-out, we identified fine print details that contradicted public statements, revealed new and previously undisclosed development plans, and showed how the company would shift costs onto Maine taxpayers,” Didisheim added. NRCM has not taken a position on Plum Creek’s new proposal, and will not do so until it can fully examine the actual permit application presented to LURC. The company is proposing the largest development ever proposed in Maine to be built on lands currently zoned for timber and backwoods recreation uses. Plum Creek purchased these lands for less than $200 an acre in 1998. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Plum Creek TV ads draw fire` post created successfully

`Moosehead Lake, Round Two` post created successfully

`California Clean Air Standards Right for Maine` post created successfully

`Into the Maine woods` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.boston.com" target="_blank">Boston Globe editorial</a> ON NEW ENGLAND'S coast, boat owners take tourists out on whale-watching cruises. Here in Greenville, an outfitter offers moose-watching safaris. The chances are so good that customers will see one of the huge ruminants that there is a promise of a free safari for the rare cases when no moose is spotted.This closeness to wilderness is what Moosehead Lake residents fear they will lose if a proposed development for the region, the largest in the state's history, is handled poorly and sets a land-rush precedent that spawns similar projects by the state's other big landowners. But residents also worry that without growth of some kind, economic stagnation will cost them their high school, whose enrollment has dwindled to 91.A year ago, the Plum Creek Timber Company laid out its first plan for resorts, vacation homes, and conservation for the area. Civic leaders tended to embrace it, but many residents raised questions. Plum Creek went back and last week unveiled a new plan. It improves on the first but could be even more effective in fulfilling local hopes of a stronger community.In the first plan, conservation chiefly consisted of a 30-year ban on development in some areas, not the permanent restriction sought by North Woods residents. They want longer-term guarantees now that it is clear that forest owners are looking beyond pulp or wood value to the development potential of the woods. This time around, Plum Creek strengthened its proposal by coming to preliminary agreement with environmental organizations for outright sales of some acreage and permanent easements on other areas.The first plan called for two waterfront resort areas, both based mainly on summer trade. This disappointed many locals, who believe the area has enough business in the summer and want to see more year-round traffic. Plum Creek's answer in its revised plan has been a proposed resort on Big Moose Mountain, with Nordic skiing in the winter and mountain biking and golf in the warmer months. One of the waterfront resorts would be dropped, and the other would be reduced in size and its construction postponed.Plum Creek has kept the same number of house sites, 975, in its new plan, but places fewer on remote ponds in the area. The company is still not planning any in Greenville, even though it owns acreage here. An alternate development proposal by a nonprofit organization, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, called for houses here, partly in the hope that houses built closer to shops, schools, and the hospital would more likely attract year-round residents.Plum Creek's critics say the area has already seen much second-home development recently, but with little boost to the year-round economy and no new students for the schools. This yearning for development that would draw home-based professionals using the Internet or owners of other small businesses is matched by a desire not to give up the wildness of the place. Mainers talk about not wanting to lose their ''second paycheck" -- being able to go duck-hunting or paddling before breakfast.There is much to lose. A hike to a ledge on Indian Mountain, east of here, provides a 36-mile view over woods, hills, and ponds to Katahdin's still-white summit. On a recent morning, the trail climbed up over snow cover dented with moose tracks and then past a moose-resting place. It was marked in the snow by hair and traces of the animal's blood drawn from it by ticks, some lying dead in the snow, that were as big as fingernails.Plum Creek has made progress, but could do more, in devising a development plan that ensures habitat, preferably year-round, for humans, moose, and even their ticks.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Federal budget cheats environment` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">MAINE VOICES: Brownie Carson</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Maine Sunday Telegram op-ed</a> There is a very real threat looming for Maine's environment, but this time it's not coming from out-of-state smokestacks or sprawling subdivisions. It's contained in the Bush administration's proposed 2007 federal budget, and it comes down to whether our elected officials will choose to adequately fund the programs that safeguard the natural resources we depend on for our health and economic prosperity.As it is now written, the budget slashes $2 billion - a 13 percent cut from last year - in funding for our clean water, our public lands and national parks, and initiatives to promote clean air and clean up toxic pollution. Many of these cuts are to basic programs that ensure drinking water is safe for our kids, the air is clean, and our public lands are adequately managed for the long-term future. Even more damaging, the administration is proposing larger cuts through 2010, resulting in a reduction of 23 percent - or $27 billion - in our nation's funding for conservation and environmental protection.If the budget is enacted as written, federal policy-makers will shift the costs for these vital protections on to state and local governments, putting our environment and the character of Maine at risk. In Maine, federal funding for our clean water infrastructure will be reduced by $14.7 million over the next five years. This cut comes after several consecutive years of shrinking federal support for clean water programs.In 2004, Maine's Clean Water Revolving Fund received $10 million in federal funds; by 2006, this had been slashed to $6.9 million. In the proposed 2007 budget, Maine will receive $5.3 million - about half the 2004 funding level.These cuts go right to the heart of what our government is supposed to do, namely, to safeguard drinking water supplies and ensure that the recreational activities, wildlife habitat, jobs and economic opportunities afforded by clean lakes, rivers and estuaries are protected and enhanced.Also at issue is the president's proposed funding cut for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, our nation's premier tool for creating and maintaining parks, forests, wildlife refuges and open spaces for all Americans to enjoy.Despite President Bush's campaign promise to fully fund LWCF at $900 million, only $85 million is in his budget for the conservation fund, down from last year's already stingy $142 million. And from national treasures, such as Acadia National Park and the Everglades, to the baseball fields in our own neighborhoods, there will be less money to take care of our parks, refuges and forests.These LWCF cuts are on top of a $100 million dollar reduction in funding for our national parks and a proposal to sell off up to 800,000 acres of our nation's public lands to private interests.In addition, in order to avoid public debate, the administration has - once again - attached oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the budget.Drilling in the refuge would increase our dependence on oil, sacrifice one of the nation's greatest natural treasures, and do nothing to lower prices at the pump. The U.S. Department of Energy's own Energy Information Administration estimates that even 20 years down the road, when Arctic refuge oil is at or near peak production, gas prices would only drop by about a penny per gallon. Never mind that it would take at least 10 years for any oil to flow from the refuge, or that far more oil could be saved at a far lower cost by requiring the auto industry to use available technology to improve fuel efficiency.As Mainers, we take great pride in our natural heritage and self sufficiency, and our recreation and tourism industries are built on outdoor activities that rely upon a clean and healthy environment. Traditional activities such as hunting, fishing, canoeing, and hiking are enjoyed by generations of Mainers and visitors alike. Our natural resources are vital to our health, our communities, our jobs, and our unsurpassed way of life.America deserves a fair and balanced budget, one that protects our natural treasures and health, promotes our natural resource-based economy and makes the necessary investments to conserve our natural heritage for future generations. We cannot afford a budget that short-changes our children and our environment. - Special to the Press Herald`, assigning current date

`Other Federal Issues` post created successfully

`Fisheries in rivers get a lift` post created successfully

`Passages for fish opened in 1998` post created successfully

`Environmental group criticizes Plum Creek PR` post created successfully

`Plum Creek may be set with a scaled-back plan` post created successfully

`Fish lifts to begin working this year` post created successfully

`Climate Concerns` post created successfully

`Allagash bill would undo much good work` post created successfully

`Allagash battle unnecessary` post created successfully

`House votes for access to Allagash` post created successfully

`Compromised Katahdin plan approved by House` post created successfully

`House OKs plans for Baxter,Allagash` post created successfully

`Mainers Invited to take “Maine Global Warming Challenge”` post created successfully

`Maine Governor Signs Two First-In-Nation Laws To Reduce Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`NRCM Sponsors Maine Premiere of "The Great Warming"` post created successfully

`Maine sees increase in firms' toxic emissions` post created successfully

`Plum Creek plan in limbo` post created successfully

`Lawmakers OK bill on Allagash` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a bill that reopened the emotional and heated debates over access to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.A separate but equally controversial bill to add Katahdin Lake to Baxter State Park remained unresolved late Thursday, however, as lawmakers hustled to complete the remaining work of the legislative session.The Senate sent the Allagash bill to Gov. John Baldacci's desk on a 25-10 vote after limited debate. The House had approved the measure earlier this week on a 100-43 vote.The bill, LD 2077, represents a new era in the management of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, a 92-mile corridor of backcountry paddling through northern Maine's vast and largely undeveloped commercial forests.The Legislature first moved to protect the waterway 40 years ago and later added it to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. But while the waterway is considered an enormous success as a recreational river - receiving a 97 percent satisfactory rating by users several years ago - its history is mired in controversy.An agreement signed in 2003 by a stakeholder group meeting in Millinocket was supposed to have resolved many of the remaining issues. But many of the signatories from the St. John River Valley have since withdrawn their support, claiming they never agreed to some terms now included in the deal.Sen. John Martin's bill, as passed by the Legislature, sides squarely with the local residents who accused state officials and environmental groups of trying to limit day use of the river.The bill mandates the state maintain 11 access points to the river where people traditionally have driven their cars to the water's edge or near the riverbanks in order to launch canoes. Conservation groups argue that vehicular access to the river should be limited under the river's designation as a wild and scenic waterway.Addressing another point of contention, the bill directs the state to maintain a permanent bridge at Henderson Brook. The current bridge, which is in need of repair or replacement, is considered temporary under the current management plan.Sen. Michael Brennan, a Portland Democrat who serves as Senate majority leader, was the only senator to speak against the bill. Brennan predicted that by legislators overriding the 2003 stakeholder agreement, they are guaranteeing that the Allagash will become a perennial issue in Augusta.But Martin, a Democrat from Eagle Lake, said he is convinced that fewer people are using the Allagash because of the continuing controversy. Martin said the people in his district also needed guaranteed access to a river that runs deep in their culture and heritage."The only way, in my opinion, to put this to rest is to put this in statute so the people of the Allagash ... will know what they are," Martin said.Sen. John Nutting, who co-chaired the legislative committee that held a 10-hour public hearing and several work sessions on the issue, said it was obvious that the Department of Conservation's stakeholder process had broken down.The bill should help end the "bickering and disagreements" over the issues, Nutting said.Department of Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan disagreed, saying it undermines many hard-fought compromises contained in the 2003 agreement. He also questioned whether the bill would scuttle past and future stakeholder processes used by the state to settle many controversial issues."I'm afraid that process has been shot to hell," McGowan said.A bill that would enable the state to acquire 6,000 acres around Katahdin Lake was still pending Thursday night. Both chambers have passed versions of the bill but were working to resolve several minor differences. `, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post updated successfully

`Paying for the Penobscot` post created successfully

`New Maine law adds more force in mercury fight` post created successfully

`Museum tackles global warming` post created successfully

`Two green thumbs up` post created successfully

`Agency in the crosshairs` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake deal a victory for all of Maine` post created successfully

`Plum Creek has 'audacious' plan for Moosehead` post created successfully

`Plum Creek project will blight Moosehead` post created successfully

`Better mileage standards imperative for Earth Day` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">MAINE VOICES: Sen. Olympia Snowe</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald op-ed</a> The cost of gasoline these days is something I hear a lot about across the state of Maine. Prices close to $3 per gallon are hitting families and businesses dramatically, forcing many to cut back on vacations or raise the cost of basic goods sold at the local grocery store.Unfortunately, we have summer's traditionally higher gas prices to anticipate. It is indeed true that our nation is addicted to oil. Yet the average fuel economy of cars and trucks is lower than it was 20 years ago - helping to push U.S. oil dependence to an all-time high.We now rely on imports for 60 percent of our oil and, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the United States sends nearly $500,000 to other countries every minute of every day just to keep our oil flowing. On this Earth Day weekend, I believe it is essential that we remember that being strong environmental stewards of our natural resources makes good economic sense. Finding ways to be more efficient saves money for people in Maine and across the country.That is why I believe the federal government once and for all must dramatically increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy of our nation's automobiles to lessen the burden of our dangerous dependency on oil imports from volatile regions of the world and to ease consumers' pain at the pump. Unfortunately, recent proposals by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration provide only minuscule improvements in the fuel economy of SUVs and minivans and do little to help reduce gas prices.These NHTSA standards would require SUV, pickup and minivan fuel economy increases of a mere 1.8 mpg by 2011. These are paltry improvements that amount to little more than lip service to an issue that deserves serious consideration.I believe we must do more to increase these CAFE standards and that it can be done without stifling consumers' ability to choose what they drive.Amazingly, even a modest increase of only 5 miles per gallon in the fuel efficiency of our automotive fleet would save approximately 23 billion gallons of gasoline each year, reducing oil imports by an estimated 14 percent.A fleet-wide increase of 10 miles per gallon would save 38 billion gallons, cutting oil imports by almost one-fifth. For years, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and I have fought to close the "SUV loophole," a provision in law that requires SUVs, minivans, and pickups to achieve a mere 21.3 mpg fuel economy standard, while cars must achieve 27.5 mpg.We remain committed to moving beyond just closing this loophole to more broadly make our cars and trucks even more fuel-efficient. Ending our dangerous dependency on oil also demands a national commitment to fostering alternative fuels. Using some Maine's most abundant resources as alternatives to oil could very well be the economic future of our state.Our forest products industry is in the process of being transformed. With $1 million in funding I helped secure for the Maine Forest Bioproducts Research and Development Initiative, our state is on the front lines developing biofuels and fuel additives. Many of our farmers even rotate their potato crops with canola to produce biodiesel. Providing incentives to spur the development and use of renewable energy resources like biodiesel, biomass, wind, geothermal and solar power is essential to their long-term viability. That is why I fought to ensure that the first-ever tax incentives for biomass were included in last year's energy bill.The legislation, now law, also provides a refundable tax credit of 50 cents per gallon for biodiesel and $1 per gallon for agri-biodiesel made from vegetable oils.Rewarding our farmers, businesses and consumers for being more efficient with the limited resources we have and for developing the resources of the future should be a national priority. For Maine and America, environmentalism is not just a moral imperative of leaving a more prosperous and healthy planet for our children. It is also critical to the economic well-being of our nation.On Earth Day, we must remember that lessening our addiction to oil and pursuing alternative energy sources will only make our country stronger.- Special to the Press Herald`, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`An Earth Day Rx: Use less oil` post created successfully

`Take the 'Maine global warming challenge'` post created successfully

`The day after Earth Day: What next?` post created successfully

`Biodiesel catching on in Maine` post created successfully

`More Information, Not Less` post created successfully

`Baldacci signs bill to add lake and land to Baxter State Park` post created successfully

`Lessons from a land deal that almost got away` post created successfully

`Allagash use focus of new task force` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Attempting to avoid being dragged deeper into a decades-old feud, Gov. John Baldacci declined Wednesday to sign a controversial bill regarding the Allagash River and instead created a task force to recommend new ways to manage the waterway.Baldacci's decision to not endorse the bill was largely symbolic and will not affect the measure's fate. Under a clause in the Maine Constitution, a bill passed by a sitting Legislature automatically becomes law unless the governor vetoes it within 10 days.But Baldacci administration staffers said the governor did not want to appear as if he was taking sides on the bill, which pitted conservationists against northern Maine residents in a rehashing of debate over access to the river.Instead, the governor hopes to resolve some of the perennial issues surrounding the Allagash by exploring new management options for the waterway, which is part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system."The hope is we can come up with some ideas that would meet the acceptance of people on all sides of the issue," said Richard Davies, Baldacci's senior policy adviser.Baldacci has turned to longtime Allagash user Don Nicoll to lead the group. Nicoll was chief of staff to Sen. Edmund Muskie, who was instrumental in the creation of the wilderness waterway.One option the governor hopes the group will consider, Davies said, is creation of a public body charged exclusively with managing the waterway.That potentially would remove the Department of Conservation from the picture. The department, which oversees all state parks, has become a popular target for critics of the state's management of the river.Davies said the hypothetical group could be similar - at least in spirit - to the Baxter State Park Authority or the Maine State Housing Authority, which operate with limited involvement of the Legislature.The Allagash authority then could settle disputes without extensive involvement from Augusta or the Legislature."The thought is we can create some entity whose only focus is going to be managing the waterway," Davies said. "By having some sort of independent and single focus, it may be better able to operate" the waterway.Davies stressed that an Allagash authority is only one option and that the governor will consider any recommendations generated by the task force.An official in the Department of Conservation said the agency will be "very supportive" of the task force's efforts, even if it means that the Allagash will be managed by another state agency.Karin Tilberg, deputy commissioner in the DOC, said the Allagash consumes a disproportionate share of the department's resources compared with other state parks because of the continuing struggle. At the same time, the park receives high satisfaction ratings from users, she said."Sometimes you have to look under a lot of stones to find a solution, and we are hopeful that a creative, thoughtful look at a variety of plans might create some good options," Tilberg said.Baldacci has been under intense pressure lately to either sign or veto the legislation.Supporters view the bill, LD 2077, as an appropriate check on a state bureaucracy they are convinced is eliminating vehicle access points to limit usage of the river by locals. Opponents, meanwhile, said the bill undermines years of negotiations between parties and potentially violates the spirit of the Allagash's designation as a wilderness waterway.The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, said he told Baldacci that he did not care if the governor signed the measure as long as it became law. Martin also said he supported the task force and had discussed the idea with Brownie Carson, executive director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, as a way to "bring peace" to the river.Representatives of groups on both sides of the issue indicated support for re-examining management of the Allagash.Jym St. Pierre, who is Maine director of RESTORE: The North Woods, said members of the group Citizens to Protect the Allagash have advocated for an independent management authority for a number of years."In concept, I think it's a good idea to be looking at other ways to manage the Allagash and to set it up where it can have more independence," St. Pierre said.The task force does not, however, change the Allagash group's strong opposition to the bill, he said. St. Pierre said the group will meet soon to discuss possible responses to LD 2077, including new legislation, a lawsuit or a referendum campaign.Gary Pelletier, a retired game warden who became one of the unofficial spokesmen for the bill's backers from the Allagash region, said he was disappointed Baldacci did not sign the measure. But Pelletier also liked the idea of a task force to examine different management options.Pelletier said he too is optimistic that the different sides will be able to work together, despite the most recent heated skirmish over the river."If the governor wants us to go forward with this, we shouldn't go into the room bickering about the small stuff. We should go in broad-minded," he said.`, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post updated successfully

`Plum Creek submits application for Moosehead plan` post created successfully

`Allagash suffers under a new law` post created successfully

`Lung Association urges tougher air standards` post created successfully

`Plum Creek plan undergoing long review` post created successfully

`Plum Creek calls plan 'modest'` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake deal a timeless gift to Maine` post created successfully

`Politics threaten to sink Cape Wind` post created successfully

`Lots of ideas to cut oil addiction, but is there will?` post created successfully

`Rising concerns` post created successfully

`McKibben's message: Focus on the local` post created successfully

`Different fuel moves buses 'into the future'` post created successfully

`Compact Choice` post created successfully

`Gas price fix is a real laugher` post created successfully

`Maine among states suing over fuel rules` post created successfully

`Special Report: Hybrid Cars` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Tracy Sabol News 8 WMTW</h3> <a href="http://www.wmtw.com" target="_blank">WMTW Channel 8 news story</a> TOPSHAM, Maine -- Gas prices are continuing to rise with no relief in sight, prompting many people to get rid of their gas-guzzlers and go hybrid.Paul St. Pierre said his hybrid is quiet, comfortable, and he couldn't be happier with it.He told News 8, "It's one of the best-rated environment-friendly cars on the market. I love it. It's a fabulous machine."John Hinck is with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. He said our dependency on foreign oil is hurting our country and our environment. But he said technology such as hybrid cars can help."They happen to work quite well," Hinck said. "They incorporate some ingenious technology. They have good power, good acceleration. They're safe, and they save money."Adam Lee agrees. He's been selling hybrids at his dealerships for years, and each year, sales have increased."Sales have picked up dramatically year after year. With last year -- 2005 -- Prius was our No.1 model out of this dealership -- even more so than Camry," according to Lee.He said that gas mileage is one of the driving forces behind the strong sales."The Highlander goes from 18 to 24 miles per gallon for a gasoline version, and the hybrid is 31 and 27, so it's 50 percent better gas mileage."The Toyota Prius is even better. Experts said it can get 60 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway. Yet many people are still reluctant to buy a hybrid, believing they don't have as much power as gasoline vehicles and cost more.But with government incentives, such as the deferral income tax credit, consumers pay less.With or without the tax credit, many people said they are switching to hybrids simply to save money at the pump.But shoppers shouldn't expect to be able to drive a hybrid off the lot, because there is a waiting list for most models. Owners said the cars are worth the wait.<a href="http://www.wmtw.com/video/9152261/detail.html?taf=port">Watch the full news video.</a> `, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`Support surges for wind power plan` post created successfully

`All Mainers have stake in Plum Creek as public caretakers` post created successfully

`Report Outlines Ways New England Can Reduce Its Gasoline Costs and Global Warming Pollution at the Same Time` post created successfully

`Shifting Gears Report Released Today` post created successfully

`Report: Drivers not covering environmental costs` post created successfully

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Gathering focuses on global warming threat` post created successfully

`Global warming's effects on Maine examined` post created successfully

`State seeks faster river cleanup` post created successfully

`Woman honored for energy work` post created successfully

`Mills face tougher river rules` post created successfully

`DEP seeks tougher mill discharge rules` post created successfully

`FPL Energy: Dam's costs too much` post created successfully

`Controlling greenhouse gases from the ground up` post created successfully

`Grafton Notch funding imperiled by House decision` post created successfully

`New DEP permits a clear win for the Androscoggin River` post created successfully

`Firm takes new view of the North Woods` post created successfully

`Court upholds regulatory power of states regarding rivers` post created successfully

`High court backs state in dam case` post created successfully

`Supreme Court ruling impacts Androscoggin` post created successfully

`Officials cheer new plan, but still express concerns` post created successfully

`State designates $12M for land conservation` post created successfully

`More Taking Bus` post created successfully

`Maine Land Conservation Projects to Share $12 million in funding` post created successfully

`Panel Reviews Revised Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Gore in Movie Campaign to Protect Earth` post created successfully

`Milking It: Moms Find Industrial Chemicals in Their Breast Milk an Outrage -- and a Call to Action` post created successfully

`Our Waters and the Wildlife That Depend on Them Are at Risk` post created successfully

`Sportsmen Poll Says Nation’s Energy Policy “Is on the Wrong Track”` post created successfully

`Decision expected on Beaver Cove subdivision` post created successfully

`A threat to Mother Earth` post created successfully

`Finally Feeling the Heat` post created successfully

`Survey Finds Climate Change a Concern of Hunters and Anglers` post created successfully

`NRCM's comments on aspect of the extension of CMP’s Alternative Rate Plan at PUC hearing` post created successfully

`Survey fires up debate on climate` post created successfully

`Study: Global warming boosts poison ivy` post created successfully

`Legislature enacts wind energy bill` post created successfully

`Fund Forest Legacy` post created successfully

`Senate energy bill is a smart road map to the future` post created successfully

`Mainers start to drive less, carpool more` post created successfully

`Tune it up, then turn it on` post created successfully

`Sell the gas guzzler? Do some math first` post created successfully

`Everyday ways to stretch your gas dollar` post created successfully

`Vision of the Penobscot River once again teeming with life while continuing to generate energy is closer to becoming a reality` post created successfully

`Three dams to get power upgrades along Penobscot` post created successfully

`Key step taken in pact to remove dams` post created successfully

`Deal Could Bring Salmon, Other Fish Species Back To Penobscot River` post created successfully

`River group seeks more federal aid` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> OLD TOWN - Supporters of a two-year-old deal to restore Atlantic salmon and other sea-run fish to the Penobscot River celebrated their initial successes Wednesday but called on the federal government to pay its share of the project cost.Using the surging waters of the Penobscot as a backdrop, several signatories to the river restoration deal said they are making steady progress on their quest to reopen 500 miles of habitat by removing two dams and bypassing a third.One example touted Wednesday was power company PPL Corp.'s plan to increase generation at several other dams in anticipation of decommissioning the Veazie, Great Works and Howland dams.While attendees praised the $4.5 million private donations garnered so far, they urged the federal government to do more to help cover the $25 million price tag to purchase the three PPL dams. The Penobscot River Restoration Trust has until June 2009 to raise the money under the terms of the pact."They have been a good partner, we just need them to step up to make sure the project succeeds," Andrew Goode, vice president of U.S. programs for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, said after the event. The federation is a member of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust, a coalition of interest groups ranging from the Penobscot Nation to The Nature Conservancy.Leaders of the nonprofit trust are seeking $18 million from the federal government to acquire the dams. To date, federal sources have budgeted $3.5 million to the project.With the fundraising clock ticking, members of Maine's congressional delegation are requesting $14 million from various sources in the 2007 budget. That money is far from guaranteed given the tight budget climate in Washington, according to delegation members."More federal dollars are definitely needed for this project," U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud told the crowd gathered Wednesday at Old Town's Spencer Park. Michaud appeared in person, while representatives from Sens. Olympia Snowe's and Susan Collins' offices read statements.Collins and Gov. John Baldacci have also personally spoken with Dirk Kempthorne, who just began his stint as secretary of the Interior Department earlier this week. Both Collins and Baldacci urged Kempthorne to consider funding the project.Officials with the Department of the Interior could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.Signed in June 2004, the river restoration agreement was an unprecedented pact between conservation groups, government agencies and a dam owner to revive the Penobscot's decimated stocks of sea-run fish.Federal officials, including former Interior Secretary Gale Norton, have described the deal as a national model of "cooperative conservation."The agreement calls for the demolition of the PPL dam in Veazie and its Great Works dam in Old Town, as well as construction of an innovative fishway at the Howland Dam. That would open up 500 miles of river for salmon, shad, sturgeon and other migratory fish. In return, PPL can increase its generation capacity at other dams and will not face relicensing opposition from the groups.The initial $25 million would only pay to buy the dams. Demolition, construction of the bypass and other improvements are estimated to cost another $25 million.Laura Rose Day, executive director of the river trust, said the landmark agreement was possible only because all of the groups worked together. That same spirit of teamwork will be needed to pay for the massive project, she said in an interview after Wednesday's event.Day said the challenge is convincing folks in Washington that using federal money to buy dams to protect a public resource - in this case, a river once famed for its fisheries - is no different from buying land in the name of conservation.She also described the dam removal project as the best and easiest way to achieve the federal goal of restoring Maine's Atlantic salmon population."If the Bush administration wants to have this project shine as an example of how to get great thinking from the private and public sector and get tremendous environmental results, ... then the Bush administration has to make sure this project happens," Day said."The sooner we have the money, the sooner the dams come out," she later added.Penobscot Nation Chief James Sappier said representatives of many other tribes initially thought the Penobscots were "nuts" for negotiating an agreement with so many disparate parties. Now he is convinced that the same cooperation can happen elsewhere."All of the tribes in the United States are watching this project," Sappier said. "All of the tribes want to know what is going on."`, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post updated successfully

`Legislature: It's finally over` post created successfully

`LURC staff pans Beaver Cove plan` post created successfully

`Weighing benefits of Plum Creek's conservation plan` post created successfully

`Penobscot Power` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> A project former Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton called "perhaps the most significant step to restore the Atlantic salmon in the past century," aims to restore fish habitat in New England's second largest watershed without significantly reducing hydro-electric power generation. With the president and other leaders pushing for more renewable power amid fears of electricity shortages and growing concern about climate change, maintaining, or even increasing, hydro power production makes good sense.The innovative project on the Penobscot River, which involves the dams' owner, PPL Corp., conservation groups, the Penobscot Nation and federal and state agencies, will remove two dams and modify a third while increasing output at three others on the waterway. As a result, hydro power generation on the river will remain nearly the same while fish passage and the accompanying opportunities for recreational angling and boating will be vastly increased. The river, the largest freshwater source for the Gulf of Maine, is an important source of feed fish for groundfish in the gulf. Increasing the numbers of migratory fish, such as striped bass and shortnosed sturgeon, in the river could help boost marine fisheries as well.The Veazie and Great Works (located in Old Town) dams will be bought by the Penobscot River Restoration Trust and removed. A fish by-pass will be built at the Howland dam, so that the structure - a centerpiece of the town - will remain in place although it will cease making power.The agreement also called for increased power production and fishway improvements at the dams that will remain in operation. PPL Corp. recently received permission from the Federal Energy Commission to slightly increase the height of dams in Orono, West Enfield and Medway. This will increase the size of the impoundments behind each dam, pushing more water through the turbines and generating more electricity. An additional 10,000 megawatt-hours of electricity, enough to power 1,000 homes, will be generated at these dams. This increase will remain even if the rest of the project does not come to fruition. If the conservation groups buy the other dams, PPL has the option to increase power generation at the three dams by another 15,000 megawatt-hours.Low water flows made it impractical to increase power production at the two dams that are slated for removal. Still, the company expects to maintain about 96 percent of current power generation on the river.The trust needs $25 million to buy the two dams. It has raised about a third of the needed money with about $3.5 million coming from the federal government and $4.5 million from private donors. Bangor Daily News Publisher Richard J. Warren is the chair of the trust's capital campaign.During her 2004 visit to the Veazie Salmon Club, Secretary Norton called the project a shining example of the "cooperative conservation" that the Bush administration favored. However, the president and federal agencies involved in the project have never included money for this project in their budgets. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have identified the project as a priority for environmental funding, especially through the Department of the Interior. The senators are seeking $8 million in the 2007 Interior appropriations bill for the project in the next federal budget. They are asking for a little less for the Department of Conservation, which overseas marine fisheries.This project highlights the benefits of hydroelectric power while appropriately compensating for its environmental detriments.`, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post updated successfully

`Protecting a natural treasure in Orland` post created successfully

`DEP says all counties meeting ozone standards` post created successfully

`Grease, grit get pickup across country` post created successfully

`Ways to get more miles out of your hard-earned dollar` post created successfully

`Largest fish recovery project in the East gets powered up` post created successfully

`Now's the time to dump household hazardous waste` post created successfully

`Commuter day urges fuel savings` post created successfully

`Paying for Growth` post created successfully

`The Penobscot and the Presumpscot: A tale of two rivers` post created successfully

`LURC Board Unanimously Rejects Moosehead Lake Development` post created successfully

`Groups: Idling is no idle threat` post created successfully

`A day to drive down the costs of commuting` post created successfully

`Burnt Jacket LLC development denied` post created successfully

`Is ruling a clue for Plum Creek?` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Wack, Portland Press Herald Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Maine Sunday Telegram news story</a> Friends and foes of a controversial development proposed by Plum Creek Timber Co. agree that its fate is a critical step in the future of the Moosehead Lake region.And that has focused a great deal of attention on the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, the small state agency whose seven commissioners will decide whether the massive project moves forward.Last week, the commission buoyed Plum Creek's opponents when it strongly rejected another developer's smaller housing proposal overlooking the southern end of Moosehead. Environmental groups hailed the decision as a watershed event and a clear signal to Plum Creek and other developers."I think this is one of the commission's most significant decisions in the last decade," said Pete Didisheim of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. "They've spoken clearly about their priorities for the future direction of the Moosehead area."By a 5-0 vote, the commission turned back a proposal to rezone 246 acres and build 70 homes on the Burnt Jacket peninsula. But it wasn't just the outcome that delighted environmentalists; it was also the language in an accompanying written decision.The 18-page document noted that "rezoning is not an entitlement" and said that the property owner "purchased this land with a full understanding of its current zoning and its restrictions on development."Environmentalists were also pleased with the emphasis the commission placed on the Burnt Jacket peninsula's remote character and its conclusion that the property's owner did not demonstrate the need for new housing there. Plum Creek's plan calls for 975 new homes and two resorts, and its opponents feel that backers will have a hard time meeting the standards laid out Wednesday by the commission."I believe that the commission is sending a strong message out to Plum Creek and other landowners about what the commission wants to see in applications that come before it," Didisheim said."My guess is that Plum Creek's stable of attorneys is scouring through the Burnt Jacket decision very closely, wondering about the implications for their much more massive proposal for the Moosehead region."There are, however, key differences between the failed subdivision proposal and Plum Creek's plan. Perhaps most important, the Plum Creek project is connected to a larger agreement by the company to protect more than 400,000 acres of forestland in northern Maine, while the Burnt Jacket proposal did not include a land conservation component.Jim Lehner of Plum Creek said he feels comfortable that his company's proposal will be evaluated on its own merits.He said he's seen the Burnt Jacket decision but added, "I don't see it as being a problem for us."Catherine Carroll, the commission's director, said the standards applied to Plum Creek's proposal will be somewhat different than the ones used last week.Still, she called the Burnt Jacket decision "pivotal" and said the commission is going to be "extremely careful" in the face of efforts to develop wide swaths of land that were long used by the timber industry.It remains to be seen whether the Burnt Jacket decision will be remembered as a milestone in the history of a commission that has authority over 10.4 million acres of unorganized territory in Maine.But the ruling may be a signal that scrutiny has become more rigorous as larger developments are proposed."I think the bar has been raised for Plum Creek and for every other developer who might come along now with a large subdivision or a major development proposal," said Jym St. Pierre of RESTORE: The North Woods.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`LURC decisions show focus on remoteness` post created successfully

`New law aims at electricity savings` post created successfully

`Cobbossee Lake goes in right direction` post created successfully

`Discharge Decision` post created successfully

`Vision and hard work brings back Cobbossee Lake` post created successfully

`Making Maine: Natural Resources Council of Maine` post created successfully

`In Freeport, groups want to put an end to idling` post created successfully

`Chemical Security` post created successfully

`Will Chemical Security be Anti-terror Priority?` post created successfully

`A new breed of investor is taking over America's forests` post created successfully

`NRCM to Host Reception at Belfast Screening of "Inconvenient Truth," the New Global Warming Movie Featuring Al Gore` post created successfully

`Household-waste efforts increasing` post created successfully

`States sue over EPA rule` post created successfully

`Clearing the Air` post created successfully

`Groups and Local Residents Raise Concerns About Plum Creek’s Massive Development Proposal` post created successfully

`Statement by Brownie Carson about Plum Creek's Revised Plan` post created successfully

`Sixteen States Sue U.S. EPA Over Mercury Cap-and-Trade Rule` post created successfully

`Environmental groups ask for more revisions to Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Groups criticize latest Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Moosehead strategy a blueprint for success?` post created successfully

`Revised Project Ripped` post created successfully

`Two Conservation Groups Take Aim At Moosehead Region Development` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Say Plum Creek Plan Still Unacceptable` post created successfully

`Sturgeon returning to Penobscot` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Comeback good news for endangered fish</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Researchers at the University of Maine have discovered the first population of endangered shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot River in nearly 30 years, offering scientists hope that habitat conditions in the river are improving.During the past week, a research team has pulled 23 shortnose sturgeon from several spots in the Penobscot near Winterport. Discovery of so many fish likely rules out any chance that the sturgeon had strayed into the Penobscot from other rivers, researchers said Wednesday."It means there is hope for recovery of a species in our system and one that represents a really unique component of our ecology," said Michael Kinnison, co-leader of the project and a professor of biological sciences at the University of Maine in Orono. "It is part of our history."A cousin of the much larger and better known Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon are reclusive bottom dwellers that spend most of their lives in their home rivers. They can live 30 years or longer and weigh up to 25 pounds. Atlantic sturgeon, by comparison, can grow to a length of 8 feet and weigh 300 pounds or more. Sturgeon are primitive creatures with bodies that haven't changed much since the days of the dinosaurs. These "living fossils" have a series of bony plates that run the length of their bodies, a forked tail and a mouth on the underside of the head to enable bottom feeding.The federal government designated shortnose sturgeon as "endangered" in 1967, several years before the Endangered Species Act became official. The Atlantic sturgeon is listed as a "species of special concern." Dams, polluted rivers and overfishing - in part for their prized caviar - are often blamed for the collapse of the sturgeon population in Maine and elsewhere.The last documented case of a shortnose sturgeon in the Penobscot was in 1978 despite several extensive scientific surveys in the decades since. The fish are known to inhabit other Maine rivers, including the Kennebec and Androscoggin.UM graduate student Stephen Fernandes and several others were primarily gill-netting for Atlantic sturgeon near Winterport as part of his work with Kinnison and the other project co-director, Gayle Zydlewski, a professor of marine sciences at the university.So Fernandes said he was elated to see the first shortnose sturgeon netted on June 14. The group caught another 10 shortnoses during the next six days and then a dozen more on Wednesday alone."I was as excited as all can be. It was crazy," Fernandes, a master's student in ecology and environmental science, said Wednesday in an interview. "We had already been fishing the nets for a while and hadn't caught anything."Fernandes implanted special transmitters into five of the fish, which will allow researchers to track their movements up and down the Penobscot. Kinnison said he hopes that the tracking devices will lead the team to more shortnose sturgeon, which will help with population studies.Kinnison acknowledged that there are many unknowns about the sturgeon's sudden reappearance. Sturgeon can be difficult to find, meaning the fish could have been in the river all along but simply evaded detection.They are also not likely to be caught by anglers, and even if they were, the fish could be misidentified or simply tossed back as an odd catch, he said.Kinnison also said that habitat conditions for both the shortnose and Atlantic sturgeon have improved in the Penobscot in recent decades, thanks largely to the removal of several lower dams and efforts to clean up pollution.The campaign to remove three more dams on the river - known as the Penobscot River Restoration Agreement - should open up even more river to sturgeon as well as other species, including the endangered Atlantic salmon."As long as we don't degrade the river appreciably ... there is a good chance these fish can hold on," Kinnison said.The UM study on sturgeon is funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service. Joseph Zydlewski with the U.S. Geological Survey's Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit also is assisting with the project."It is really great news that shortnose sturgeon have been confirmed in the Penobscot," Thomas Squiers, director of the Resource Management Stock Enhancement Division of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said in a statement. "The next step will be to locate where these fish are spawning, and to confirm the presence of eggs and larvae." `, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post updated successfully

`Truth be told` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record editorial</a> The film, "An Inconvenient Truth," chronicles Al Gore's efforts to make global warming a recognized problem worldwide. In light of the Bush administration's intransigence on the issue at home and abroad, its release is particularly fortunate."The movie shows incontrovertible evidence of the harm being done by fossil fuel emissions," says Managing Editor Jim McCarthy, who saw it recently in New York City. "Anyone who sees this film and still denies the reality of global warming is in deep denial."The Evening-star Cinema in Brunswick plans to screen "An Inconvenient Truth" early in July, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine will help kick off that run. Meanwhile, members of NRCM and other leading environment groups will be at the Colonial Theater in Belfast on Saturday and at the Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville on Tuesday, where the film is now being shown.Movie-goers might be overwhelmed by the scope of the problem, but there's no cause for despair or indifference: We each can act locally to make a difference.Each of us contributes to the problem: The average American is responsible for the release of 20 tons of global warming pollution each year, NRCM says. Consequently, each of us can help solve it.The Global Warming Challenge invites us to pledge to reduce our personal global warming pollution by at least 1,500 pollution pounds, a mere 4 percent. This will help NRCM reach a goal of 600,000 pounds less global warming pollution during the next year. It's not that hard to do (see Web link below).Whether you care deeply about the issue, whether "global warming" has been just a buzz word to you or whether you've bought into the pseudo-science dismissing the problem, "You owe it to yourself to see this film," renowned critic Roger Ebert says.See it, talk about it, act on it.Truth: First it makes you miserable, then it sets you free.`, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Allagash task force begins its work Monday` post created successfully

`Maine officials heartened as battle about greenhouse gases continues` post created successfully

`Court to settle fight on CO2 limits` post created successfully

`Air pollution showdown set in high court` post created successfully

`Allagash task force begins river management review` post created successfully

`Clean air case no reason to delay` post created successfully

`Keep Maine Safe from Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News op-ed</a> Last Friday's edition of the Bangor Daily featured an excellent article on the local YMCA camp for children with cancer ("Camp Rainbow an oasis for children with cancer," BDN, June 23). The story provided a great look at a way that a group of Maine citizens are working together to provide an excellent opportunity for these kids. Most Mainers are well aware that rates of cancer among our population are increasing. In the 1990s, the number of Maine children with cancer was 436 cases per million. This is above the national average of 432 cases per million. From 1973 to 1999, Maine was seventh in the nation for the number of deaths caused by cancer. These facts are startling. Not only are cancer rates increasing in our state, but they are also increasing nationally among children. From 1973-1995, brain and nervous system cancer among Maine children increased 53 percent, cancer in soft tissues was up 37 percent, and kidney and renal pelvis cancer increased 32 percent. We are all aware of the simple fact more and more people are being diagnosed and even born with life-altering cancers. I find it inspirational that people have dedicated time and energy to organize a camp for children affected by cancer. It is also heartening that people are hard at work searching for cures to cancer. At the same time, it is also disappointing that we have not taken the preventative measures to keep our children and citizens safe from cancer-causing chemicals.Every day Mainers come in contact with toxic chemicals in toys, cosmetics, televisions and many other products that we use. At the same time, a study by the Environmental Working Group showed that the blood of newborn American babies can contain up to 200 industrial chemicals, including pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes from burning coal, gasoline and garbage. Babies are being born with chemicals that may cause cancer in their bodies. These are chemicals that we allow manufacturers to use in the products that our sold in our stores.Many people assume that we have some sort of process requiring that these chemicals have to be proven safe before they are used, or that manufacturers of the products we buy are not allowed to sell us cancer-causing toys or cleaning products.The truth - straight from the U.S. General Accounting Office - is that 90 percent of the chemicals produced in the United States have not been fully tested for public safety. Maine has no law on the books that requires manufacturers to eliminate toxic chemicals that may be hazardous to human health.Our state has, however, passed recent laws banning mercury-added button-cell batteries, increasing the recycling of mercury thermostats and securing funding for lead paint education paid for by the paint industry. Many of these are first-in-the-nation laws that we should be proud of. However, every day there is an increasing need for legislation to eliminate the use of many chemical-based products in order to prevent future increases in cancer rates among Mainers.The Maine People's Alliance, in coalition with the Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, is calling on our elected leaders to support a comprehensive chemicals policy that would require the replacement of unnecessary, toxic chemicals with safe, affordable alternatives; hold corporations accountable by requiring them to show that all their chemicals are fully tested for health and safety hazards; and expand our right to know that the products being sold to us are safe.A comprehensive chemicals policy will surely be an issue facing the 123rd Maine Legislature - a body that we will be electing this fall. The leaders that we vote for this November will have a clear choice: they can either stand with manufacturers of chemicals, who believe that they should be able to sell what they want until we are 100 percent sure that the products in use are dangerous, or they can stand on the side of people in Maine, to whom it makes complete sense for our goal to be preventing the use of products that may be harmful until we are sure that they are safe for our consumption.While it is important to help individuals already affected by cancer, as is illustrated in the article on Camp Rainbow, it is also necessary that we tell our leaders to do everything in their power to prevent Mainers from exposure to dangerous toxic chemicals when there are clearly safe and affordable alternatives.Adam Goode is a community organizer at the Maine People's Alliance.`, assigning current date

`Safer Products` post updated successfully

`Maine Takes Another Step Forward in Recycling Toxic Computers and TVs with July 1 Disposal Ban` post created successfully

`Plum Foolish` post created successfully

`Air conditioning?` post created successfully

`House favors drilling closer to coastlines` post created successfully

`State bans computer dumping` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake deadline extended` post created successfully

`Regionwide tribal coalition embraces Kyoto Protocol` post created successfully

`Cities taking lead in climate-change fight` post created successfully

`BEP to hold hearing on state ozone` post created successfully

`State seeks credit for better air` post created successfully

`Can the wind deliver the promise of hydrogen?` post created successfully

`Moosehead - Furor in the Forest` post created successfully

`LURC seeking clarification of Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Penobscot River restoration` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Sandra Leonard</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News op-ed</a> As a child growing up along the Penobscot Rover, I thought our river could be all things to all people. It was the source for hydro power; we were lucky my elders said to have such a source of power right in our own back yard. I also knew we must have one of the best salmon fisheries in the country since we always sent the first salmon to the president. Wow! I remember thinking. It has taken us generations to realize that the cost of industrial uses of the river has been high.While early communities sprang up along the rivers all over the country for the utility of the waterways for transportation and generation of power, we now recognize the tremendous value of these rivers as much more. The region's fish and wildlife, diverse boating opportunities, and scenic beauty are not only worth preserving in and of themselves, but are clearly an asset to economic development here and throughout the state of Maine.What's so exciting about the Penobscot River Restoration Project is that we have found a way to have both - we can revitalize economic and cultural traditions in communities along the river through restoration of the fisheries within the Penobscot River watershed, while retaining the economic benefits of hydropower generation on the river. And, the agreement to reconfigure hydropower on the river will help ensure the continued presence of PPL Corp. on the river, which is a significant economic asset to the region. By paying attention to the lessons we learned along the way, we can accomplish this and much more. The Penobscot, Veazie and Eddington salmon clubs have added to our rich cultural heritage, and helped attract people from all over the country when the lower Penobscot River was considered the premiere spot for recreational salmon fishing. Over time the cumulative impacts of so many dams on the river took its toll on salmon and all the other sea-run fish. In addition, commercial fisheries for alewives and American shad also helped build the economy here. When industrial uses of the river predominated, we lost these legendary fisheries along with the strong ecological connection from inland waterways to Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Fishing for striped bass, another migratory fish that will benefit from the removal of the Veazie and Great Works dams, is becoming an increasingly important recreational fishery. More than 2,000 young adult striped bass have been caught at the Veazie fish trap - with removal of the dams, these fish and many more would be coming right up through Old Town to the base of the Milford Dam. Fishermen of all types will see an increase in opportunities to fish for a diversity of species.Paddling enthusiasts, ranging from white water kayakers to those seeking quiet stretches of river with opportunities to view wildlife, will benefit from restoration of the free flowing contours of the lower Penobscot River. Business leaders and community members up and down the river are now acknowledging that the Penobscot River has many values, and that these values are not mutually exclusive. All these uses of the river contribute to the economy through money spent on equipment and supplies, lodging and the many amenities that visitors to our region seek. The fact that we can continue to produce essentially the same amount of electricity through PPL's other hydropower dams on the river is truly remarkable, and a testament to the thoughtful considerations that went into developing the restoration project.Sandra Leonard lives in Bangor. `, assigning current date

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust` post updated successfully

`Warming in Washington` post created successfully

`Changes to ozone list considered` post created successfully

`As ozone declines, Maine breathes easier` post created successfully

`Eagles' success a cautionary tale for policymakers` post created successfully

`An Inconvenient Truth` post created successfully

`Growing pains in unorganized territory` post created successfully

`Maine air quality remains at risk` post created successfully

`LURC questions Plum Creek on resorts, housing` post created successfully

`State seeks details from Plum Creek` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> BANGOR — The Land Use Regulation Commission wants more details from Plum Creek Timber Co. on its proposed development in the Moosehead Lake region. The agency also asked for an additional $141,395 to help pay for the review. Agency officials asked for further information on the proposed resorts, utilities, affordable housing and other aspects of the massive development, the largest subdivision ever planned for Maine.In a June 29 letter, LURC staff listed deficiencies in Plum Creek's application to rezone land around Moosehead Lake. The proposal calls for nearly 1,000 house lots and two resorts over 10,000 acres in an area that serves as the gateway to Maine's North Woods.Plum Creek must correct the deficiencies before LURC staff will begin the public review process officially, LURC Director Catherine Carroll said. The review is expected to last well into next year.Plum Creek is petitioning LURC for approval of a 30-year plan that includes developing 480 shorefront lots and 495 backwoods lots, two resorts and an industrial park. As part of the proposal, the company says it will donate or sell conservation easements totaling more than 400,000 acres.Jim Lehner, general manager of Plum Creek's Northeast region, said the company fully expected to receive a deficiency letter, given the size of the project, and none of the requests appears onerous, he said. Deficiency letters are not unusual in large applications.LURC also has sent Plum Creek a $141,395 "processing fee" bill to cover part of the administrative costs associated with the application, including for future public hearings.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Forest deal to preserve 202,000 acres` post created successfully

`Plum Creek holding conservation hostage to development` post created successfully

`Conservation groups give 200,000 acres` post created successfully

`Plum Confused` post created successfully

`Lawmakers repair road near Allagash` post created successfully

`North Woods parcels welcomed by state` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> A sportsmen's paradise and timberland near Baxter State Park as well as a Down East paddler's mecca will now be protected by the state, thanks to the completion this week of two conservation projects.That the transfer of management from private groups to the Department of Conservation has been planned for some time makes it no less noteworthy.It guarantees perpetual access for outdoor recreation on 202,000 acres of environmentally and economically significant lands that will never be fragmented for development.In the larger of the two deals, the state received a 195,000-acre easement from The Nature Conservancy on working forest owned by Katahdin Timberlands abutting the western border of Baxter State Park. The gift came with a $500,000-acre endowment for the management of the parcel, a standard to which other groups should aspire. It's the culmination of an unprecedented $50 million investment by The Nature Conservancy in two struggling paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket once owned by Great Northern Paper. No conservation group had financed a mill before. But the conservancy recognized that a sustainable, working forest can help support the many other public values Mainers expect as a birthright.As part of that agreement, the conservancy acquired the easement, worth $24 million along with ownership of the 46,000-acre Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area to the south.The parcels link about a million acres of forest from the Allagash Wilderness and the Pingree lands in the north to the Debsconeags and the Nahmakanta Reserve lands near Baxter State Park.At the headwaters of the Machias River, the 7,700 acres of headwaters forests, lakes and wetlands donated by The Conservation Fund to the state are also an element of a larger conservation vision. The gift protects long stretches of one of the wildest canoe routes in the Northeast, plus critical spawning habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon and breeding grounds for Neotropical songbirds and links to extensive holdings assembled by the Downeast Lakes Forestry Partnership.While the mention of a proposed Maine Woods National Park is divisive, most Mainers want to see the state's great forests retain their remote character. The tremendous turnover in forest ownership has brought with it unprecedented opportunity for long-term land preservation.The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the parts.As the pressures of development, global markets and wild cards like climate change tinker with Maine's future, projects like these can help protect the landscape's resiliency and with it opportunities for the future.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Land deals add to Maine's richness` post created successfully

`UM professor accepts award for climate change research` post created successfully

`State's rivers focus of new respect` post created successfully

`Forest Legacy Formula` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> The state this week touted the completion of two projects made possible by federal land preservation funds, but it is in danger of not being able to complete a similar conservation deal near Bangor. President Bush included two Maine projects in his list of 31 to be funded through the Forest Legacy program. However, when the Senate finalized its list the Lower Penobscot Forest Project, which would protect more than 42,500 acres near the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge, was removed. Senate and House negotiators, who will soon meet to reconcile their differing versions of the Forest Legacy funding bill, should fund the president's list of projects.In the last decade nearly 1 million acres in Maine have been conserved with Forest Legacy funds. The federal program enables the state and private entities to purchase development rights on forest land while allowing logging to continue. This benefits those who rely on the woods for work and those who use them for recreation. Both are important to the Maine economy.On Tuesday, the state announced the completion of two more projects funded in part with Forest Legacy funds. In 2002, The Nature Conservancy bought land and an easement from Great Northern Paper Co., as part of an agreement to restart the paper mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket. The Department of Conservation has now taken over management of the easement on more than 195,000 acres west of Baxter State Park.The state also accepted more than 7,700 acres around the headwaters of the Machias River from The Conservation Fund. The purchase will protect Atlantic salmon habitat and allow for more recreational use.This year, the state has the top-ranked project on the president's Forest Legacy list, a plan to add 3,688 acres to Grafton Notch State Park. The land is surrounded by the park and includes a portion of Old Speck Mountain and a major snowmobile trail. The Trust for Public Land has negotiated an agreement with the landowners to buy the land, which it intends to turn over to the state. The president's budget includes $2 million for Grafton Notch.The other Maine proposal on the president's list is the Lower Penobscot Forest project, an effort to protect more than 42,500 acres near the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge. The Nature Conservancy and Forest Society of Maine are negotiating with private landowners to buy two parcels in Great Pond and Amherst. Bangor Daily News publisher Richard J. Warren serves on the Forest Society board.The land is the largest undeveloped forest block in central Maine in an area where new housing developments are being built at an increasingly rapid pace. The president's budget includes $2.2 million for this project, which is expected to cost $15 million.The Senate, however, removed this project and three others from the list and replaced them, in three instances, with ones in the home states of senators on the Appropriations Committee. The president's list was compiled by a committee of regional Forest Legacy officials and state foresters. Projects are ranked based on their quality. Because of Maine's success in preserving land for wildlife and recreational use while keeping it open to forestry, it has been a large recipient of Forest Legacy funds, according to federal officials. The best projects, not pet projects, should be funded.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Our attitudes, behaviors key to a healthy planet` post created successfully

`Army Corps Reform` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> In its report on Hurricane Katrina, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Susan Collins, recommends more independent review of Army Corps of Engineers construction of levees like those that failed in New Orleans. Such reviews are also supported by the National Academy of Sciences and the American Society of Civil Engineers. With the Army Corps this week proposing a massive levee system across Louisiana to protect from future hurricanes and major reconstruction work being planned around New Orleans, now is the time for Congress to make these recommendations a reality.In its own evaluation of the performance of the New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Protection System, the corps wrote that the city's levees failed because of poor design and flawed construction. For example, the corps did not account for poor soil quality or that the ground was sinking in some areas. It did not reconsider the height of the levees after being warned of this sinking, according to the report. Failure of the levees flooded huge portions of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.Sen. Collins' committee found dozens of failures before and during the hurricane. On the levees, it said "the performance of many levees and floodwalls could have been greatly improved, 'and some of the failures likely prevented, with relatively inexpensive modifications,'" citing the finding of an American Society of Civil Engineers and National Science Foundation preliminary report on the levee system.An independent review of the levee design and construction may have identified the need for such "inexpensive modifications" before the inadequate flood protection system was built and, ultimately failed. The Hurricane Katrina levee failures are the largest and most recent example of problems with Army Corps projects.Now Congress has a chance to fix this problem. Following on Collins' recommendations, Sens. John McCain and Russ Feingold have an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act. Their amendment requires independent peer review of Army Corps projects. The review would be done concurrent with the required public comment period so as not to slow projects down. Additional technical review would be done as necessary.The amendment also sets up a system to prioritize projects. The Army Corps of Engineers annually spends about $2 billion on construction projects for flood control, navigation and environmental restoration. It has a backlog of $58 billion worth of projects authorized by Congress. Through funding earmarks, Congress now decides what projects the corps does each year. The McCain-Feingold amendment would create an interagency task force to prioritize projects based on national significance, among other factors, to minimize political influence.The Bush administration supports the peer review and prioritization reforms. So should the Senate.`, assigning current date

`Other Federal Issues` post updated successfully

`In Search of a Pan That Lets Cooks Forget About Teflon` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Marian Burros</h3> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com" target="_blank">New York Times news story</a> Like many home cooks, I have sent my nonstick skillets to the moldy recesses of my basement, where they have joined the 1950's aluminum pots and the Dru casseroles (Dutch enamel coated cast iron, now eBay collectibles). What led to this step were unsettling reports that an overheated Teflon-coated pan may release toxic gases. DuPont, the manufacturer of Teflon, says that its pans are safe and that their surfaces won't decompose, possibly releasing the gas, until the pan's temperature reaches 680 degrees. Some scientists say that an empty pan left on a burner set on high reaches 700 degrees in as little as three minutes. All pans with nonstick coatings are subject to the same problems, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization. I banished the skillets last year and spent months dithering over what to buy while making do with the pans I had left: a large Revere Ware skillet with a concave bottom; a small, warped hand-me-down from my mother; and a medium All-Clad in fine shape. A few passes at online pot sellers made matters worse: there are too many choices. Finally, after consulting the ratings from Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated and calling several experts, I decided to do a test of my own, using the most highly recommended pans, along with a few of my own choices. While Teflon lets manufacturers make inexpensive pans usable, uncoated cheap pans have hot spots, so cheaper pans — other than cast iron — were never considered. The most important characteristic was how close the pans came to having the nonstick qualities people love about Teflon. Can they sauté and brown, even without oil? Almost as important, how easy are they to clean? There were eight pans in the test, most of them 12 inches in diameter: All-Clad with an aluminum core, All-Clad with a copper core, Bourgeat copper; De Buyer carbon steel; Calphalon anodized aluminum; seasoned and unseasoned Lodge cast iron and Le Creuset enameled cast iron. All-Clad was one of the top choices of most experts, but did not do well in my tests because sometimes food stuck to the pans and cleaning them was difficult. Top chefs with whom I spoke agreed. "All of my All-Clad sauté pans have brown spots on the sides and outside, too," said Scott Conant of L'Impero and Alto. "And eggs always stick." That's the nature of stainless steel, said Harold McGee, author of "On Food and Cooking" (Scribner, 2004) and the scientist who can explain everything that happens in the kitchen. "Things stick to stainless," he said, "and polymerized oil is one of them." For the two sets of tests, I cooked 6 dozen eggs; 24 pounds of chicken breasts with and without skin; 10 pounds of onions; and 10 pounds of potatoes. In one set of tests, pans were coated with one tablespoon of oil; in the other just a thin film of oil was applied with waxed paper. All the pans were preheated, the oil added and allowed to get hot enough to ripple; the food had lost its refrigerator chill. With a tablespoon of oil, all of the pans cooked well and evenly. The chicken was nicely browned, the potatoes were crisp, the onions were meltingly sweet and the eggs were nicely done. The difference between cooking in All-Clad with copper and with aluminum is not significant enough for most cooks to make the more expensive copper pan worth the higher price. The Bourgeat copper pan, of course, cooked quickly and evenly, too, but the differences are too subtle in most situations to be worth the extra money. But with just a film of oil, neither the All-Clad nor the Bourgeat pans cooked chicken or onions without sticking badly. But then, they don't claim to be nonstick. The remaining pans cooked well with just a film of oil. The Le Creuset pan and the two cast-iron pans produced amazing results. Nothing stuck, including the eggs, and it was quite easy to roll up omelets. There were almost no eggs to scrape up. I don't recommend browning potatoes or onions with a film of oil because they won't have much flavor, but these pans could do it. The chicken, on the other hand, was moist and browned beautifully, a result you wouldn't get with Teflon-coated pans. Calphalon did not do as well with just a film of oil: the chicken was nicely browned, but an awful lot of scrambled eggs stayed in the pan. The carbon steel, an old workhorse that wins the prize for ugly duckling, cooked all the foods, with the exception of the eggs, quite well. Like the Calphalon, this pan had a lot of scrambled egg left in it, and one of the sunny-side-up eggs broke when it was being lifted out of the pan. The only other difference was that the cast-iron pans, with or without enamel, took longer to heat up and cool down. But bigger differences became clear when it was time for cleaning, the kitchen job I like least. The All-Clad, even more so than Bourgeat, required serious scrubbing to remove those pesky little brown spots that form when oil leaps up the sides of the pan and sticks. And food does stick to All-Clad sometimes, requiring removal by cleanser and elbow grease. Cleaning the cast iron, Le Creuset and carbon steel was very easy. Food that clings to them can be easily scrubbed away with a stiff brush or, in the case of Le Creuset, soaked off. (Soap is not recommended for cast iron and carbon steel, but it can be used on the Le Creuset and the Calphalon.) Unlike the Calphalon and carbon steel, the cast-iron and enameled pans are heavy. The handles get hot, so pot holders must be used. The carbon steel and the untreated cast iron must be seasoned, though the process is simple. They must be dried thoroughly and lightly oiled or they will rust. Cooking certain acidic foods like tomatoes in cast iron changes the taste and color, but it does add iron to the diet. After all the tests, there was one pan I fell for: Le Creuset. It is easy to clean, and because of its enamel finish, acidic foods can be cooked without changes to color or taste. The cast iron pans were a very close second. I recommend Le Creuset pans with a matte black enamel interior, not treated with any Teflon-like substance. (The company makes its black and white interior enamel from the same material, and says the black is fired at a higher temperature and withstands higher cooking temperatures.) David Bouley of Bouley and Danube said he uses Le Creuset in his country house because "it is the most reliable." For cooking fish, one of the most delicate of foods, Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin uses cast iron, as does Michel Richard of Citronelle in Washington. "We stopped using Teflon a long time ago," he said. "The skin started coming off, and I didn't want to give you a steak with a skin coating." `, assigning current date

`Federal Toxic Chemicals Policy` post created successfully

`EPA Orders Phase-Out of Dry Cleaning Chemical` post created successfully

`Summer strategies can save electricity` post created successfully

`Maine senators: No drilling here` post created successfully

`Failing the acid test on oceans` post created successfully

`Oil drilling ban still makes sense` post created successfully

`The Invisible Danger Facing Our Loons` post created successfully

`Warmer Waters Disrupt Pacific Food Chain` post created successfully

`3 wounded veterans experience restorative power of nature` post created successfully

`Wind plan stirs up environmental conflict` post created successfully

`Mercury cleanup progresses into new phase` post created successfully

`HoltraChem cleanup proceeds` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Tons of mercury-contaminated soil remain at Orrington site</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> 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 Monday.The state and the company that formerly owned the now-shuttered HoltraChem plant have made "significant progress" during the past three years, reducing the environmental threat posed by tons of mercury and other contaminants still found on the site, said state environmental Commissioner David Littell.Removing the buildings and tanks - which are so contaminated that they must be treated as hazardous waste - will make the progress even more obvious, Littell said.But the two sides have yet to agree on the biggest portion of the cleanup: what to do with hundreds of thousands of tons of mercury-tainted soil left behind when the chemical plant closed in 2000.Littell and Gov. John Baldacci joined representatives of the Maine People's Alliance, a grass-roots group, at Bangor's Cascade Park to highlight the progress. The park is located within sight of the Penobscot River, several miles upstream from the HoltraChem site.Calling HoltraChem "the top environmental cleanup site in the state," Baldacci said removing the mercury is critically important to the health of the Penobscot River and, therefore, to the health of the people and animals living in the watershed as well as to the state's economy.Mercury, which HoltraChem used to produce chlorine and caustic soda for the paper industry, is a naturally occurring toxin that is known to cause severe neurological and heart problems. Humans are exposed to mercury primarily by eating contaminated fish and wildlife."It is unacceptable to have this level of mercury" near the Penobscot, Baldacci said. "But calling it unacceptable will not make it disappear."The company that formerly owned the site, St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt Inc., already has removed from the site piping, pumps and other equipment believed to be contaminated with mercury and has gutted the inside of one of the main buildings. More than a dozen tanks containing hazardous materials also were cleaned.Mallinckrodt is in the process of cleaning or draining another 73 tanks or containers as well as cleaning and rinsing other buildings or equipment on the site. Crews removed 1,430 pounds of metallic mercury and filled 18 drums with mercury sludge during May and June alone.The fourth phase of the cleanup, announced Monday, involves removal of seven buildings and demolition of a dozen more tanks. The company is working on completing phases three and four during the next year or longer, Littell said.The biggest battle over cleaning up after HoltraChem likely still looms over the horizon, however.In the fall of 2005, Baldacci and Littell's predecessor as commissioner, Dawn Gallagher, announced plans to require Mallinckrodt to remove an estimated 370,000 tons of mercury-contaminated soil now contained primarily in landfills on the site.The soil would be trucked to treatment facilities, alleviating concerns about lingering or future contamination as the town of Orrington attempts to convert the riverside property from an environmental liability to an economic asset.Mallinckrodt officials have rejected the disposal plan, which would cost the company $100 million to $200 million.Instead, Mallinckrodt officials have argued that encapsulating the contaminated soil on-site is more logistically feasible, faster, and potentially safer because of the risks of exposing and then moving the mercury-laden soil.Mallinckrodt is being held economically responsible for the cleanup because it is the only former owner of the site that is still in business.Tons more mercury are believed to lie at the bottom of the Penobscot as well as in areas downstream. A federal judge has ordered an extensive study of the river between Veazie and Penobscot Bay to determine the extent of the mercury pollution and its ecological impact. The study was expected to take another four years to complete.Littell said DEP officials are trying to get as much cleanup done on the site before ordering the company to remove the soil, which some fear could prompt Mallinckrodt to slow down or back away from the remediation project."We are moving forward deliberately and prudently to protect the Penobscot River and the people that live on it," Littell told reporters at the press conference.Mallinckrodt officials did not reply to requests for comment by Monday evening.Adam Goode, the Penobscot Valley organizer for the Maine People's Alliance, described the HoltraChem cleanup as a "concrete example of what gets done when citizens voice concerns." MPA has been involved in HoltraChem issues since 1988 and was a partner in a precedent-setting legal victory holding the company accountable for pollution downstream of the plant.The HoltraChem case is "an opportunity where citizens have made a big difference," said Goode. "For years, citizens in the Orrington area have made a lot of noise about the HoltraChem cleanup."`, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post updated successfully

`Senate vote could lead to drilling off Maine` post created successfully

`Don't let Senate drilling bill open the wrong door` post created successfully

`NRCM Supports Scaled-Down Version of Redington Wind Power Project` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Urges Compromise Solution Involving Only Black Nubble Mountain </h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) today announced its support for a modified version of a wind power project proposed by Maine Mountain Power for two mountains located near the Appalachian Trail in Western Maine. One week before public hearings are set to begin on the project, NRCM is urging both proponents and opponents to agree on a scaled-back project that would reduce environmental impacts on one of Maine’s most prominent stretches of high elevation mountains, while still providing for a very significant wind power development that would reduce global warming pollution. Maine Mountain Power’s permit application to the Land Use Regulation Commission calls for construction of 12 turbines on Redington Pond Range and 18 turbines on Black Nubble, with a total capacity of 90 Megawatts (MW). NRCM supports only the Black Nubble turbines, and believes Redington Pond Range should be placed into permanent protection as mitigation for the impacts of development. Redington Pond Range is the only mountain in Maine above 4,000’ (other than Sugarloaf Ski Area) that is not currently protected from development. “Strong passions have surfaced in connection with this proposal, and people on both sides of the issue are correct,” said NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim. “It is essential that Maine reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, and we also need to protect wild places that make Maine special. We believe that a constructive solution is available that would provide meaningful progress toward both goals.”The reconfiguration called for by NRCM would result in a 54 Megawatt (MW) wind farm on Black Nubble – which would be one of the largest wind power projects in New England. Such a project would generate as much electricity as is used by 22,000 Maine homes annually. It would produce more renewable energy per year than all but five of Maine’s 102 hydropower facilities. “A Black Nubble project would provide a big step forward for wind power development in New England,” said Didisheim, “while protecting one of Maine’s tallest peaks.” NRCM strongly supports wind power development as a way of reducing society’s dependence on fossil fuels, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting air pollution, and contributing to Maine’s economy. NRCM endorsed the Mars Hill wind power project currently under construction in Aroostook County, and has called for Maine to meet 5 percent of its electricity needs from wind power by 2010 and 10 percent by 2020. NRCM evaluates each wind power proposal independently, and believes that some locations in Maine are not appropriate for wind power development. Redington Pond Range is one such place. “Redington lies in the heart of one of Maine’s few remaining high-alpine roadless areas, with a fragile, remote, and unfragmented forest that is prime habitat for a range of important species, including the threatened Bicknell’s Thrush,” said Didisheim. Maine Audubon and the Appalachian Mountain Club have expressed strong concerns about the potential impacts of the project, especially on the ecological values and resources of Redington Pond Range. The National Park Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and Maine Appalachian Trail Club have voiced deep concerns about the impact on the remote character of the region if 420-foot-tall turbines were built so close to the Appalachian Trail. The Redington turbines would be one mile from the Trail at the nearest location. “Many of the major concerns that critics have raised about the project would be significantly reduced if the developers limited it to Black Nubble,” said Didisheim. “There would be less road building, less habitat fragmentation, reduced risks to threatened species, and reduced visual impacts – yet Maine would still have the benefits of a significant new source of clean renewable power.” All of the turbines slated for Black Nubble would be at least 3 miles from the Appalachian Trail, and substantially further from many key vistas along the AT, making them less prominent features on the landscape. The ecological impacts would be reduced because Black Nubble is on the periphery of the habitat region of greatest concern. NRCM hired a Boston-based energy consulting firm, La Capra Associates, to conduct a financial viability analysis of a 54 MW Black Nubble project. Using data available from the developer and its knowledge of energy markets and project costs, La Capra’s financial model shows that the modified project could be profitable for investors. “Maine Mountain Power has stated for the record that a Black Nubble project would not be viable, but our analysis suggests otherwise,” says Didisheim. “The people of Maine are being asked to make a difficult trade-off in allowing a major wind farm to be located in one of our state’s most precious mountain areas. We believe that the developer can and should meet us half-way,” said Didisheim. NRCM has filed extensive testimony (including the La Capra analysis) with Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission in advance of the public hearings proposed for August 2-4 at Sugarloaf. NRCM is an intervenor in the proceeding and will use its testimony to explain why the Commission should deny the request to rezone the top of Redington to allow turbine construction, while at the same time permitting a wind farm on Black Nubble. “NRCM has closely followed this project since it was first discussed more than a decade ago. We have visited the site, studied the 1,600-page application, listened to proponents and opponents, and hired our own consultants to help us develop an independent assessment,” said Didisheim. “Maine has one opportunity to make its best judgment about whether to allow wind turbines to be built in the Redington mountain area, and if so, how many, in what locations, and on what terms. Given the complex mix of challenging, conflicting, and legitimate issues on all sides of this issue, NRCM strongly believes that a Black Nubble option is the best compromise.”“All of us currently use electricity generated from coal, oil, and other sources that are causing significant harm to the environment and public health. We cannot escape our individual responsibility for some of the impacts on other people’s lives caused by our appetite for electricity. Trade-offs must be made, and Maine must be part of the solution,” said NRCM Energy Project Director Dylan Voorhees. This permit application is being considered at a time when wind power projects are facing difficulty receiving approval in New England, yet when there is growing public concern about global warming and our dependence on foreign fuels. “The stakes are high. The stage is set for conflict. But we believe a constructive alternative is possible. We also believe that Maine people would strongly support a sensible solution that balances competing needs, and helps avoid a protracted all-or-nothing battle between attorneys on opposing sides,” said Didisheim. “NRCM urges all the parties to help make the compromise happen.” <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/redington_blacknubble_turbine.pdf">Redington-Black Nubble turbine map (PDF)</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/redington_map.pdf">Redington Wind Farm Project map (PDF)</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/redington_testimony.pdf">NRCM testimony filed with LURC (PDF)</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/redington_NRCM_exhibits.pdf">NRCM testimony exhibits for LURC (PDF)</a> <a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/documents/LaCapra_testimony.pdf">Testimony by La Capra Associates</a> `, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`EPA slow to finish rules on air toxins` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Bart Jansen, Washington D.C. Correspondent</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency took years longer than Congress intended to regulate toxic air pollutants, and major parts of the program remain incomplete, according to an audit by congressional investigators. Problems with the program raise health alarms because 95 percent of all Americans face an increased likelihood of developing cancer from air toxics such as benzene, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office.The study was requested by a group of lawmakers that includes Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine. The study found that EPA was four years late in issuing 96 rules for industrial emissions. The delays set back evaluations of how they are working. The evaluations are supposed to be completed eight years after they begin.Smaller stationary sources such as dry cleaners and mobile sources such as cars produce 70 percent of the pollution from toxics. But EPA has completed only 16 of 70 rules for smaller polluters and hasn't finalized rules for mobile polluters."While EPA has made progress toward implementing the air toxics program mandated by the Clean Air Act, most of the completed requirements were met late and many requirements and significant challenges remain," wrote John Stevenson, GAO's environment director,But senior EPA officials contend that the agency has reduced pollution significantly in recent years. The agency also complained that its agenda is set largely by lawsuits filed after deadlines are missed."We believe this is an inappropriately narrow measure of progress," William Wehrum, acting assistant administrator of EPA, wrote in response to the study.Lawmakers requested the study to monitor rules that Congress adopted in 1990 as amendments to the 1970 Clean Air Act. Air toxics include such substances as benzene, asbestos, chlorine, toluene, xylenes and benzene. The GAO report found that:n EPA met congressional deadlines for only 12 of 453 requirements for the program. EPA was late on 202 and is past due on 89, and 150 more are unmet and not yet due.n The air-toxics program suffered in spending priorities against other clean-air programs. The toxics program got 12 percent of total funding in 2005, which was one-third less than five years ago.n Delays in developing rules for toxics created delays in reviewing whether they are effective."It is extremely disturbing and troubling that reducing toxic air pollutants, as indicated by the EPA report, isn't a priority of the EPA," Snowe said.Allen said the study confirmed that the Bush administration systemically impedes or blocks EPA's enforcement of the Clean Air Act."It also lays bare the failure of the Republican Congress to fulfill its oversight responsibilities, allowing this administration to ignore and evade the Clean Air Act's clearly stated mandates," he said.State action also has been slow.The Maine Department of Environmental Protection created a Maine Air Toxics Initiative in late 2002 to study the risk and develop low-cost or no-cost options for reducing air toxics. Although the group hoped to come up with its recommendations by the end of 2004, it is now aiming for a consensus by the end of this year.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Removal of dam ready to begin` post created successfully

`EPA seen lax on pollution enforcement` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">GAO says agency dragging its feet on Clean Air Act </h2> <h3 class="author">By Alan Wirzbicki, Globe Correspondent</h3> <a href="http://www.boston.com" target="_blank">Boston Globe news story</a> WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency has dragged its feet and failed to enact dozens of requirements mandated by the Clean Air Act of 1990, including some that would have improved poor air quality around Boston, according to a scathing government report released Wednesday.The report by the Government Accountability Office, the investigatory arm of Congress, asserts that the EPA missed its deadlines -- by more than a decade in at least one instance -- for issuing restrictions on 89 sources of air pollution that were supposed to have been regulated under the landmark law."There should be no doubt that reducing toxic air pollutants is not a priority at the EPA," said Senator Olympia Snowe, Republican of Maine, one of 15 members of Congress to request the investigation.The pollutants covered in the report include chemicals such as benzene and chlorine emitted by vehicles and factories that can cause a variety of ailments including reproductive problems, asthma, and cancer. EPA statistics from 1999, the last year for which they were available, estimated that the cancer risk caused by the chemicals in the Boston area was 60 times higher than in some rural parts of Vermont and Maine.In all, according to the EPA, about 95 percent of Americans breathe unsafe levels of the deadly chemicals, known collectively as air toxics.Most air toxics, according to the EPA, come from car and truck exhaust and from small-scale polluters like gas stations. The Clean Air Act directed the EPA to reduce air toxics, but critics charge that the Clinton and Bush administrations lagged behind the timetable that was envisioned in 1990 when the act became law ."If you know that 90 percent of Americans are at risk but you're dragging your feet and not meeting deadlines, that's a pretty bad place to be," said Alice McKeown, a spokeswoman for the Sierra Club in Washington. "It shows that the EPA really needs to buckle down."The lawmakers who wrote the act in 1990 "really thought that in 10 years, in November of 2000, that the US would be a completely different place, where the air was a lot cleaner," she said.Senator James Jeffords, a Vermont independent who is the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, said the EPA has "abdicated its responsibility to protect our citizens" and that Congress needed to force the agency to fulfill its commitments.In a statement released yesterday, EPA spokeswoman Jessica Emond said the agency is committed to improving air quality, but didn't specifically address the conclusions in the GAO report.In its comments to the GAO during the investigation, the EPA said it lacks the funding to meet the remaining Clean Air Act mandates on time. The Bush administration cut the budget for the air toxics program by 21 percent last year.The act also instructed the EPA to update the list of air toxics on a regular basis, but the GAO report said the agency has not added any new chemicals to the list since 1990, despite the hundreds of new industrial chemicals that have hit the market since then."They're pulling back on this fundamental research, and it makes us very nervous," said David Wright, section chief for the air toxics program at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Wright said that states often rely on the EPA for guidance on complicated scientific issues.Hoping to spur the EPA , environmental groups have filed lawsuits against the agency over the Clean Air Act. The GAO report suggested legal maneuvering was a big reason the EPA had made any progress in implementing the law."The program's agenda is largely set by external stakeholders who file litigation when the agency misses deadlines," the report said.However, according to EPA data, the clean air rules are beginning to have an effect. In 2002, agency statistics included in the GAO report show, a total of 4.6 million tons of air toxics were released into the atmosphere, down from 7.1 million tons in 1993.Emond said the Bush administration has finished writing the rules for 174 types of ``major stationary sources" of air pollution, such as large factories and power plants, but environment groups say those sources account for only about 20 percent of air toxic pollution. Cars and trucks are by far the largest source of air toxics, followed by small producers like gas stations and dry cleaners.Some states have stepped up efforts to regulate air toxics on their own, but Wright said that's difficult because pollution crosses state borders -- a problem that requires the EPA to play more of a leadership role. For example, Wright said, scientists believe the smog in Acadia National Park in Maine, rated as one of the five most polluted national parks, comes mostly from car exhaust emitted in Boston."Part of the solution for Maine to get air as clean as it should be is to work on our local services, but we also have to take a regional and national approach," Wright said. "The impact of the delay is that these hazardous air pollutants have not been reduced to levels that we think are necessary to protect public health."`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Sandy River gets new look` post created successfully

`Drilling not the answer` post created successfully

`Blaine House hopefuls back alternative energy` post created successfully

`Cleaner air ought to be a priority for EPA` post created successfully

`Saco approves purchase of wind turbine` post created successfully

`Step up to the energy debate` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News op-ed</a> The automobile industry has been "test driving" vehicles that get 60 to 90 miles per gallon of fuel for more than 25 years. I know, because in 1980 I went to Amherst, Mass., to interview popular economist and people-powered vehicle engineer George Benello for the local alternative weekly. He related some chilling tales about sabotage and submersion by the unholy alliance of the oil, auto and insurance industries committed to keeping fuel consumption high, auto efficiency and safety low.When the alternative energy movement caught on in the '70s - fueled by "the oil crisis" but also by anti-nuke fervor and a fascination with technology - the unholy trio mobilized. They systematically undermined the fledgling industries of solar, wind, low-head hydro, rammed earth, alternative fuel production and other technologies being developed by a generation of kids raised to love science who'd morphed into Whole Earth Catalog fans.Ronald Reagan's first official act as president was to take Jimmy Carter's solar electric panels off the White House. (They were purchased by Unity College!) Like George Bush after him, he deep-sixed federal funding for research and development of new energy technologies, and de-railed laws like CAFE mileage standards that encouraged greater efficiency and conservation of resources. Now George II is at the wheel doing the same things.What if we had continued building the alternative energy path we started to create a quarter of a century ago - one never abandoned by a handful of hearty souls like Richard Komp of Maine Solar Energy Association? Today we could be providing a substantial amount of our electricity as well as our heating and transportation fuels through local and regional generation, without creating a lot of pollution (and in many cases reducing it). Think of the dollars and the pollution saved, think how geo-politics would have changed. Think of the jobs working in small manufacturing plants, delivering and installing systems, maintaining small wind and hydro motors, etc.! Think how this kind of development meshes with other strategies for creating wealth for Maine's people without ruining Maine in the process.Almost 30 years ago I set out to educate myself about energy. I used the interlibrary loan system, Popular Science, audited a couple of courses at UMass (no fee, no credits) and asked questions or just eavesdropped at lit. tables set up at fairs and concerts. It took about a year of my "spare" time, but the great thing about energy is that once you know how it works, you know what makes sense and what doesn't. You can't be conned by "experts" (who after all get paid by the industries they talk about).For example: driving around Maine in an air-conditioned SUV is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Nuclear power is part of the problem, not part of the solution (on waste disposal alone this has always been obvious). Drying clothes in the dryer is part of the problem. Hauling food all over the country is part of the problem. Big box stores are part of the problem. Clogging the air with wood-smoke is part of the problem. Burning any kind of gas is part of the problem.Thomas Jefferson wrote (I don't usually haul out the white patriarchy but this is a quote I base my life on): "I know of no better repository for the ultimate powers of the People than the People themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it [control] from them, but to inform their discretion."Yes, informing the people is the chief purpose of the communications industry, so hopefully the Bangor Daily News will take its responsibility seriously and devote plenty of space to educating people about energy.But it's also our responsibility to go get the information. And then, to use it. Because nobody else is going to do that. Neither government nor industry nor academia is going to lead us away from technologies that make those who own them rich, and toward technologies that cost less to make and maintain, and which use energy that is cheap or free.We need to talk about energy and work on energy agendas for our communities. We need to change the way we live, individually and collectively, and talk about that. If we do not, the generations that follow us will inherit a ghastly nightmare. To one who has enjoyed so much of the comforts and luxuries of our energy-gobbling society, that's unacceptable. At the very least, we should do everything in our power-and that's actually quite a lot - to pay for the feast we have consumed.We have the opportunity to do much more. We cannot only pay back, we can pay forward. We can bequeath a cleaner, safer, saner world to our grandchildren. The technologies have been there for decades, and they work. Most of them are fairly simple. The resources to make the transition to a renewable energy economy already exist, and most of the changes can be made very rapidly.There is only one thing lacking-the same thing that was lacking 25 years ago: the will of the People, speaking together to the government that was supposed to be of, by and for US. But that can only happen when we begin to talk with one another, when we take seriously our responsibility to learn and think, to listen and speak up. We have to shed the victim-spectator role and step up. Step up America, before it's too late.Jane Livingston of Veazie is a freelance writer, editor and publicist. Her 1995 Cavalier has gone 130,000 miles; it has no AC and gets 28 mpg. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Targeting mercury in Maine` post created successfully

`Study: EPA missed deadline on toxic pollutants` post created successfully

`We must cut energy costs by conserving` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> Energy is very much in the news these days. In the background are gas prices that are still rising, mounting evidence that the effects of global warming may already be upon us, more war in the oil-rich Mideast and unprecedented power demands by consumers to keep our air conditioners going during an especially hot spell. In the foreground, a number of crucial decisions are being debated: Should Congress end a 25-year ban and allow oil and natural gas drilling off of the Atlantic Coast, including off of Maine? Should we allow a huge industrial Liquified Natural Gas terminal to be built somewhere on the Maine coast? And coming up this week are public hearings on a proposal to build a large wind farm on the Redington Range in the Western Mountains wilderness, well within sight of the Appalachian Trail. Should the Land Use Regulation Commission allow rezoning for this mountaintop area so that the project can be built?The Associated Press just surveyed the major candidates for governor for their positions on energy. Most support an LNG terminal somewhere on the Down East coast -- as long as it's locally approved. There's support among them all for the development of wind power -- as long as it's locally approved. Most say offshore drilling in the Atlantic is a bad idea. Among the public, the location of an LNG terminal has been deeply divisive; residents of Harpswell fought about the wisdom of building it there and eventually rejected a proposal to do so. Then developers went Down East -- and a proposal to locate a terminal on Passamaquoddy land has led to painful dissent among that tribe's members as well as their neighbors along that part of the coastline. The Redington wind farm proposal has people who consider themselves environmentalists arguing both for and against the plan; it's been a painful division of a normally unified community. The issue of when, how and where to develop energy sources is not abstract or philosophical or simply an environmental problem; it has a direct effect on our pocketbooks far beyond what we pay at the gas pump. Municipal budgets are being busted by the costs of heating schools and town buildings, as well as keeping school buses and town vehicles on the road. State agencies face similar problems. Energy costs are not theoretical. You pay them at the pump and in your tax bills. So understanding just what we can do to mitigate the effect of this global commodity on which we all rely is crucial.It is unlikely that anything we do here in Maine will bring down the cost of energy sources such as oil and gas. There's really only one way to bring down the energy cost to our communities, and that's to use less of this expensive resource. While we cannot conserve our way out of the cost crisis presented by our current energy situation, conservation is the one sure way to temper the cost to our communities of ever-rising energy prices. Gov. John Baldacci has made an admirable first step in getting the state as a whole to address the issue by proposing that Maine supply 10 percent of its energy needs with renewable sources by 2017. But we'd like to consider something more ambitious. First, on the state level, we should consider a Maine Energy Competition. What if the governor issued a challenge -- to be rewarded with fame and possibly glory -- to communities and institutions across the state: Decrease your energy use by 2 percent this year, 4 percent next year, and so on. This is already being done with certain industries and state government departments; it should be a challenge issued to municipalities and school districts as well. Second, since electricity is supplied regionally, Baldacci can take even further leadership by pressing the New England governors to work collaboratively to stabilize the growth in energy demand in the region. Right now, Maine's demand is growing from 1 to 1.5 percent each year; states to the south are growing from 1 to 2 percent a year. That's a growth that can be managed and even arrested with conservation -- and still allow for economic expansion.Maine and the rest of New England have a well-deserved reputation for innovation and pluck in the face of challenge. That's precisely what we need in the midst of this energy crisis. We will certainly need to make hard decisions that will entail sacrifice on all sides as we grapple with issues such as the siting of wind power facilities. But we can also work to avoid the necessity of new generation -- if we can tame the tiger that is our addiction to endless energy. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`MDI Biological Laboratory turning 'green' over building` post created successfully

`Hearings this week target wind farm plan` post created successfully

`Mousam River gets a checkup` post created successfully

`States push EPA to label all hazards in pesticides` post created successfully

`Maine and global warming are linked` post created successfully

`Judge denies dam appeal` post created successfully

`Wind farm draws crowd` post created successfully

`Plum Creek review may be delayed` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Developer says it cannot tell state officials terms of conservation plan</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Plum Creek Timber Co. officials recently told state regulators that they cannot disclose the details of a land conservation deal totaling more than 300,000 acres near Moosehead Lake because negotiations are ongoing.In response, state officials have warned that the lack of information - along with other omissions in Plum Creek's application - could delay review of the company's petition for nearly 1,000 house lots and two resorts near Moosehead.Plum Creek has pledged to permanently protect more than 400,000 acres of forests as part of its development plans around Maine's largest lake. The company would donate easements on roughly 72,000 acres to offset the impact of development.The remaining 330,000-plus acres would be shielded from development - with the vast majority remaining working forest open to recreation - through a series of deals negotiated between Plum Creek, The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups. Those land deals, known as the "Conservation Framework," are contingent upon LURC approval of Plum Creek's development plans.Meeting in mid-July, Plum Creek officials told LURC staff that they cannot provide the details of these side agreements, as staff had earlier requested.During an interview Wednesday, Plum Creek's Jim Lehner said negotiations on the deal are continuing but that he assumes all details would eventually become public, as long as The Nature Conservancy agrees."I would hope so," Lehner said. "But, again, it's a joint agreement between Plum Creek and TNC and anything we announce has to be done jointly."Bruce Kidman, spokesman for The Nature Conservancy's Maine chapter, said he is confident that any information that LURC needs will be provided to the commission once the negotiations are complete. But he does not expect his organization's national board to vote on it until the fall.Several groups involved in the debate over Plum Creek's plans have urged LURC to remove all references to the so-called "Conservation Framework" from the company's application, arguing that privately negotiated deals do not belong in a public zoning review process.LURC director Catherine Carroll said last week that the commission's presiding officer will decide whether the Conservation Framework is relevant or irrelevant to Plum Creek's application. "But if it is, then I need to know what is in that agreement," she said.In the meantime, Carroll said she is waiting to receive a complete application to begin the formal review process. Lehner said the company continues to work on the application but gave no timeline for its completion.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Politics of climate change take a hopeful turn` post created successfully

`On brink of wind energy` post created successfully

`Solar power heats up` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Alan Crowell, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal online</a> LIBERTY -- Three years ago, Energyworks LLC, which specializes in selling and installing renewable energy systems, sold about 20 solar water heating systems.Last year, that number roughly doubled and, this year, Bill Behrens, an owner of Energyworks, estimates his company will install about 100 solar water heating systems.The market is growing so quickly that Behrens believes demand may well exceed the number of reliable solar contractors over the next few years."The bottleneck really is training people," he said.Long associated with off-the-grid homes and the environmental fringe, solar power is moving into the mainstream as fuel and electricity prices rise, sending more people in search of energy security on a personal level."Many more people now realize that if they can insulate themselves from (the volatility of fuel prices) they are going to have a lot more control over their household budget, their business budget," Behrens said.Behrens said that he and his partner have been in the renewable energy business since the late 1980's and just during the past three years have seen it change dramatically.Part of that change has been driven by the volatility of fuel prices and the fact solar equipment has gotten better and, in some cases, cheaper.But he said rebates offered by the state's solar power program and federal tax incentives have also helped.Maine's program offers rebates of a maximum of $1,250 for a solar hot water system, or $7,000 for a photovoltaic system which provides electricity.Solar hot water systems can cost between $6,000 and $10,000 and are usually designed with a backup system for cloudy periods.Photovoltaic systems can cost from $5,000 to more than $50,000, depending on a number of factors, including size, and whether battery banks are included.Particularly for solar hot water systems, the Maine rebate, along with new federal tax incentives, can greatly reduce the time it takes for the new system to pay for itself.State energy experts estimate that with state and federal incentives, solar water heating systems can pay for themselves in six to 10 years, and if energy prices continue to rise, that pay-back period could shrink further.Maine's solar program, an initiative of Gov. John E. Baldacci that was signed into law in 2005, offers $500,000 in rebates each year for three years, with 25 percent of that amount earmarked for electrical systems and the rest going toward thermal projects and the cost of administering the program.Richard Bacon, residential program manager for Efficiency Maine, of the Maine Public Utility Commission, said so many applications for solar electric systems rebates were received during the program's first year that all the money allotted for that purpose over all three years of the program is now accounted for.Thermal systems, including solar water heating systems, got off to a slower start. Bacon said about $200,000 in rebates for thermal systems was left over after the program's first full year.But interest in thermal systems appears to be picking up -- he said one installer recently told him he had orders for 11 new systems this year. Bacon said he believes the program will pay out all the money allotted for thermal system rebates this year, and maybe most of the money left over from last year as well.Beth Nagusky, director of energy independence and security, said some people were installing solar systems before the program went into effect, she said, but for many, the upfront costs of solar were simply too much. The program appears to be doing what it was designed to do, make solar power a more realistic alternative for more Maine people."This is a mainstream technology that works in Maine," she said. "I think we needed to jump start the market, create more excitement and interest."The higher energy prices go, the more people will see solar systems as something they can be comfortable with, Nagusky said.And that, she said, will be good for Maine because it means the state will produce less greenhouse gases and be less reliant on fossil fuel.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Summer Nights Heating Up, Scientists Say` post created successfully

`Program to train energy experts` post created successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam: SOS can't stop` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> Things changed after the 1970s, when passage of the Clean Water Act resulted in the cleanup of pollution that flowed into the rivers. And over the last 20 years, a series of legally-binding agreements were entered into by state and federal regulators, citizens and owners of several dams along the Kennebec and Sebasticook Rivers to restore native fish populations to both the Kennebec and the Sebasticook. Those agreements, which were part of a massive federal, state, conservationist and angler-led effort to bring back the rivers' decimated native fish populations, specified that if dam owners were to continue generating both power and income at their facilities, they would have to provide fish passage at dams that had historically blocked those fish from reaching their upstream spawning grounds. But for several years now, there's been one stubborn holdout of people resisting the tide of restoration that is making its way upriver -- the members of Save Our Sebasticook, or SOS. The group's membership is drawn from residents along the 5.2 mile long lake-like section created in the SebasticookRiver by the Fort Halifax dam in Winslow. When the owners of that dam found that the cost of installing a fish ladder far outweighed any income they got off the dam, they applied for permission from the state and federal governments to breach the dam. They got permission from both -- and howls of protest went up from SOS. Their waterfront property would be worthless without their lake-like impoundment, they said; bald eagles and other wildlife would die; toxic sediment would be exposed by the breaching; and anyway, they maintained, the agreements were made in secret and without proper public notice or input. Just about the only thing they didn't say would happen was that the sky would fall, but it was only a matter of time.The group has spent the past few years filing one legal and administrative appeal after another to stop the breaching of Fort Halifax. They've made appeals to state court. They've appealed to federal court. They've appealed to the state Board of Environmental Protection. And every single time, their appeals have been rejected. Helped by one of the state's most prominent law firms, the members of Save our Sebasticook have been unable to get legal traction anywhere. They've been told over and over again by any number of judges and agency reviewers that eagles won't die, the agreements they're challenging are legally defensible, toxic sediments are not a problem and indeed, it's arguable whether their property values will plummet given the fact that they'll be living on a lively, restored river post-breaching, rather than the fetid, algae-ridden, slow-moving river section it is now. The rulings have come down again and again, and the answer is always the same: SOS's case has no merit. Indeed, the owners of the dam, Florida Power and Light, have said that they'd be willing to turn the dam over to SOS or anyone else and even give them the money that would have gone into breaching it -- but they haven't had any takers. We wonder, if maintaining the dam is so important to SOS, then why don't they take it over themselves? Because as FPL has found, it's entirely uneconomical to keep it operating if fish passage has to be installed. Which is the reason, of course, that it will, ultimately, be breached.That's why we were dismayed to hear last week that, upon their latest appeal being rejected in state court, SOS intended to appeal that rejection to the state's Supreme Court. What is it about "no" that they don't understand? We're sorry to see that more time will be spent not only by SOS's volunteer lawyers, but by attorneys working for the public, on a quixotic quest that is clearly going to end in defeat for SOS -- but a victory for the river. SOS certainly has the right to continue its roadblocking, but that doesn't make it right to do so. The Kennebec and the Sebasticook are on their way back to restoration, and the members of SOS are standing in the way only temporarily of something that is unstoppable.`, assigning current date

`Edwards Dam & Kennebec River` post created successfully

`Climate Change Partners` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> With the Bush administration determined not to act on climate change, states and cities are doing what they have to - combating the problem on their own. Last week, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a trans-Atlantic emissions trading program. The next day 22 of the world's largest cities announced plans to bargain for cheaper energy-efficient products and to share ideas on reducing pollution. While these efforts are positive, they would be more productive if they were backed by federal policy.The message from Gov. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, was simple: "We know there is global warming, so we should stop it." That's why his state teamed up with Britain on a carbon dioxide trading system like the one now in use in Europe to meet emissions reductions in the Kyoto Protocol.Eight northeastern states, including Maine, have already teamed up on a trading system. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Delaware, aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent by 2020. It would do so with a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases that rewards efficient use of fossil fuels and provides incentives for innovation. A cap-and-trade system works by governments setting a cap, or limit, below the current emission level from a specific source; power plants, for example. The emissions amount is divided into credits, which companies can trade, buying or selling based on their levels of efficiency and demand.The RGGI model is not the brainchild of a liberal Democrat, but of Republican New York Gov. George Pataki, who encouraged Northeast states to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when it became clear the federal government was not going to set national standards for doing so.Other states are considering joining the initiative. California and Britain could, too, further broadening the emissions trading market.Because California is the world's seventh largest economy, technological innovations and successful policies there will spread to other states. Maine and many other states, for example, have adopted California's vehicle emissions standards. Such changes, however, would happen nationwide much more quickly if they were supported by the federal government.Businesses are already investing in energy efficiency and reducing emissions because it reduces costs. International Paper Co., the country's largest paper company, has cut its carbon dioxide emissions and its costs by increasing its use of wood waste to fuel its operations. DuPont now uses 7 percent less energy that it did in 1990, saving the company $2 billion while producing 30 percent more goods than in 1994 when it began its emissions reductions program. The company has also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40 percent since then."We see that there is not great leadership from the federal government when it comes to protecting the environment," Gov. Schwarzenegger said.Climate change is a global problem so localized solutions, while helpful, are only part of the answer. Where states, cities and businesses are leading, the U.S. government will eventually have to follow. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Paper mill's permit altered` post created successfully

`Exported mercury returns to haunt U.S.` post created successfully

`Alaska Wake-Up Call` post created successfully

`Allagash panel sets County hearings, visit to waterway` post created successfully

`Study says Antarctic snowfall still scarce, but not for long` post created successfully

`Energy alternatives essential to stable economy` post created successfully

`Ceremony hails Sandy River dam removal` post created successfully

`Legal muscle lined up for Plum Creek battle` post created successfully

`Tourists Flock as Warming Alps Crumble` post created successfully

`BP Alaska Woes Could Hurt ANWR Drilling, Greens Say` post created successfully

`Spanning the Globe` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Andrew Revkin has been reporting on climate change for nearly 20 years, the last 11 as an environmental reporter at the New York Times, and his work has taken him to the ends of the earth. Tuesday evening, Revkin will be at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor giving a talk titled "The Daily Planet: A Journalist's Search for Sustainability, from the Amazon to the Arctic." Reporting on climate change is challenging, Revkin said in a recent phone interview. He said many reporters and editors tend to get caught in one of two traps. One is the trap of balancing a story with dueling doctorates: giving equal weight to conflicting opinions of climate change even when those challenging the science are a tiny minority. Recently, Revkin said, many reporters have fallen into the opposite trap: ignoring scientific uncertainties and sensationalizing climate change by linking it directly to every extreme weather event, for example. Revkin avoids hype in "The North Pole Was Here" (Kingfisher, 2006, $15.95), his new book for younger readers. The book covers the science of climate change from the vantage of a scientific expedition he accompanied to the North Pole. (The title refers to the wandering Arctic ice cap - post a flag at the pole one day and it may be many yards away the next.)There's a reason the book focuses on the Arctic. "One thing that physics and geoscience has shown pretty clearly is that a little global warming goes a long way in the Arctic," said Revkin. "There are natural mechanisms in the Arctic that amplify warming." One example is that warming accelerates as sea ice, which reflects solar energy back into space, is replaced by open water, which absorbs the sun's energy. "There's been a big reduction, particularly in the summers, of the extent of the sea ice up there in recent decades," he said. "So it kind of builds on itself."Revkin said his first lengthy article about climate change appeared in Discover Magazine in 1988 and, though science has filled in many gaps since then, the bones of the story remain the same. "The basic questions haven't changed. The debate is still about how much warming is too much," he said. "And no one disputes the physics that greenhouse gases make the earth warmer than it would otherwise be, and we are adding more to the atmosphere." University of Maine professor Joseph Kelley, a marine geologist and member of the university's Climate Change Institute, agreed. "Climate is definitely changing, I don't think there's any dispute among people in the field," Kelley said Wednesday. "It's getting warmer. The degree to which people are contributing to warming can be argued, but the obvious correlation between us and CO2 is hard to get around." Scientists may agree on the basics of climate change, but politicians don't. In the past two years Revkin has broken stories about White House political appointees trying to muzzle government scientists such as NASA climate expert James Hansen. Politics aside, Revkin said this is a remarkable time to be covering the environment. "We are at this momentous juncture as a species," he said. "We've spent literally a million years or more as a purely local organism dealing with the environment locally - harvesting, exploiting, polluting and cleaning up locally. And just now, just these past few decades, science has revealed that we have become a global player." Andrew Revkin will sign copies of his new book at Port in a Storm bookstore in Somesville on Aug. 17 from 3 to 5 p.m. Murray Carpenter is a freelance journalist in Belfast. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:Fishhawk2@adelphia.net">Fishhawk2@adelphia.net</a>. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Shrinking the carbon footprint` post created successfully

`Task force takes a look at Allagash` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Members of wilderness waterway panel get history lesson</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Standing on the edge of a bog hidden within the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, members of a state panel listened intently as Gary Pelletier explained the significance of an old, two-story farmhouse gradually succumbing to nature's forces.The house, Pelletier said, was built around 1865 by one of the region's early settlers. In the ensuing decades, it changed hands and was put to use as livestock barns, a sporting camp and eventually a schoolhouse.Three nearby cabins were used until the 1980s. Then the state allowed the cabins - and the history lessons associated with them - to disappear into the wilderness, Pelletier said.Few who paddle the Allagash River likely know the old Taylor Camps farmstead, as the property is known, is even there, much less stop to explore.But members of the task force on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway spent more than an hour Sunday following Pelletier, a local expert in Allagash history, through thickets and over downed trees as part of a two-day trip to the waterway.The trip was a chance for the panelists, most of whom have spent considerable time in the Allagash, to become reacquainted with the waterway's natural beauty. It was also an opportunity to learn more about local history and culture, and how those tie into frustration among local residents about how the waterway is managed."It simply reinforced what has been said before about the importance of really getting a handle on the history and making it available, not letting it slip [away] unnoticed with time," Don Nicoll, the group's chairman, said after returning to Fort Kent on Monday. "Too much of that history is gone."The Allagash Wilderness Waterway Working Group was formed by Gov. John Baldacci this spring after an all-out brawl in the Legislature over vehicle access to the river, day use of the waterway by local residents, and the fate of several bridges largely used by the timber industry.Rather than settle those long-standing disputes, the group was asked to recommend how to run the waterway in a more efficient and less controversial way. The panel held two public hearings in Aroostook County on Saturday and Monday to hear residents' ideas.But the group spent all of Sunday and much of Monday on the waterway.Driving in through Allagash, the panelists visited Michaud Farm, Ramsey Ledges and Cunliffe campsites. They visited the purported grave site of a former river driver who died more than a century ago, and explored several former homestead sites.The group also walked part of the latest flash point in the decades-old feud over the Allagash - the Old Michaud Farm Road. While walking the road, which was recently reopened by work crews that included two lawmakers, the task force members were passed by a father and son in a pickup truck who were going to fly-fish at Cunliffe."That's what it is all about," said Rep. Troy Jackson as the fishermen went on their way.Jackson, an Allagash Democrat, and Sen. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, had permission from the landowner when they helped reopen the road in July, but had not consulted or notified anyone with the state Department of Conservation, which oversees the waterway. Their actions infuriated some conservationists who wanted the road to remain closed. A state investigation is still pending.On Sunday, the panelists' first stop after launching from Michaud Farm was Taylor Camps, an old homestead about two miles south of Allagash Falls that was inhabited from the mid-1800s through the 1980s. The state allowed the property to disintegrate after it was vacated as part of a long-standing policy of allowing developed sites to "return to wilderness."Pelletier, a retired warden whose family roots in the Allagash date back several generations, demonstrated his plan to rehabilitate and restore two log cabins that date from the early 20th century.Group members compared Pelletier to a child in a candy store as he excitedly marched the dozen people throughout the overgrown property, all the while spewing interesting facts and humorous stories about the former inhabitants. Pelletier believes other Allagash users also would be interested in learning about the site's past with the help of signs and historical exhibits.Pelletier's walk-through of Taylor Camps was a popular fireside topic later Sunday evening at the Allagash Falls campsite, where the group spent the night, and again Monday morning.Don Hudson, who heads the Chewonki Foundation, a conservation and outdoor education group, said he had floated by Taylor Camps many times during Allagash trips but never stopped. He predicted that many paddlers would stop to learn more about local history.Martin, who is one of the fiercest defenders of the interests of Allagash-area residents, suggested that the state erect signs similar to those at Route 11 rest stops that highlight local history."There is clearly so much more than merely canoeing the river that is possible," said Martin, a member of the panel who accompanied the group Sunday.After rising early from their tents and eating a hearty breakfast, the crew of panelists and several others reloaded their canoes Monday morning and began a leisurely paddle downstream toward the town of Allagash.The weather was nearly ideal, with temperatures in the 60s and a light breeze, as the group floated through the northern tip of the 92-mile wilderness waterway. Throughout their time on the water, the group members encountered more bald eagles than they did other paddlers.Navigating his canoe through a shallow section of the Allagash, panelist Brownie Carson said he believes the waterway's "wilderness character" and its history and culture are compatible.But Carson, who has become one of the linchpins of Maine's environmental community in his capacity as executive director the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said he remains concerned that opening up areas to more vehicles will spoil the wild side of the waterway."We do still see a river with real wild character, and that is certainly worth protecting," Carson said.`, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post updated successfully

`Residents suggest Allagash oversight` post created successfully

`Smoke gets in your lungs` post created successfully

`Plan to curb pollution moves forward` post created successfully

`Learning on the lake` post created successfully

`Lawsuit opens a window on New England's climate future` post created successfully

`State receives funds to aid rare wildlife` post created successfully

`Maine’s Annual Report Card for Global Warming:` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">But at Five-year Anniversary of Regional Climate Agreement, States are Not on Track to Meet Emission Reductions Targets</h2> <h3 class="author">Natural Resources Council of Maine ** Environment Maine</h3> Portland, ME—A regional “report card” released today by a coalition of environmental advocates in New England and Eastern Canada gives Maine a “B” for its actions to reduce global warming pollution over the last year. The report card evaluates the states and provinces against the specific commitments that they made in 2001. Maine received a “C” in 2004 and a “B-“in 2005. Maine has improved its grade—earning the highest grade in New England for 2006 and is only second to the Province of Quebec, which scored a “B+”. However, significant emission reductions have yet to be seen across the region. “Maine’s progress has been good, but we need aggressive implementation of Maine’s Climate Action Plan to ensure real emission reductions to meet the agreement’s timeline and to avoid the worst effects of global warming over the long-term,” said Jennifer Andersen of Environment Maine.The release of the 2006 Report Card on Climate Change Action coincides with the five-year anniversary of the signing of the 2001 regional climate agreement by the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers. The agreement outlines global warming policies that the states and provinces should be implementing and commits the region to the following goals:<ul><li>Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010.</li><li>Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.</li><li>Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75-85% in the long-term.</li></ul>“The urgency to act aggressively on global warming has been increased by scientific discoveries made since 2001 in the Arctic and Antarctic about the speed of warming and the danger of feedback loops that could push us to a tipping point sooner than expected, “ said Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. This year’s report card gauges how well the states and provinces are implementing global warming policies. It also adds a new grading category, based on whether the states and provinces are on track to meet the 2010 pollution reduction target. Maine, as well as every other New England state, received an “F” for the pollution reduction grade.“Although Maine continues to be a leader on climate policy there is still a lot more we have to do to ensure emission reductions by: investing more in energy efficiency; increasing the amount of renewable energy we generate and use; developing bio-fuels; continuing the “cleaner cars” program and, expanding transit services in urban and rural areas including expansion of the Downeaster train service. The good news is that we still have time to meet these regional goals and with the support of Maine people and our state government, we will,” said Andersen.”One of the areas that the Baldacci administration did well in was “leading by example”, reducing emissions from the government sector by increasing energy efficiency, using more hybrid cars, and mandating LEED-certified, green building standards for government buildings. With so many states dragging their feet, now it is clearly time for the Governor to strengthen his leadership, both in Maine and across New England,” Voorhees said.<a href="/uploads/cc_scorecard_2006.pdf">Read the full report card.</a> `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Three ways to support the environment when you travel` post created successfully

`Region's cleanup efforts fall short` post created successfully

`Hydrogen cell to provide electricity` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement on NEG/ECP Climate Action Report Card` post created successfully

`More work needed to hit greenhouse gas goals` post created successfully

`Nothing really common about Common Loon` post created successfully

`House contest offers big savings` post created successfully

`Seal bobs its way along the Kennebec River` post created successfully

`Grant to aid energy` post created successfully

`Poll finds Mainers more concerned about environment` post created successfully

`Scientists find global warming 'time bomb'` post created successfully

`Group designates acreage Down East as bird haven` post created successfully

`New England cottontail not protected yet` post created successfully

`Wilson Pond landowners learning what it means to be lake-friendly` post created successfully

`Free passage for fish` post created successfully

`State offers $7 million for energy fixes` post created successfully

`Atlantic salmon fishing returns to Maine` post created successfully

`Even in Winter, Arctic Ice Melting` post created successfully

`Storm Water Ducks` post created successfully

`200 years of troubled waters for Atlantic salmon` post created successfully

`Green homes take root with local builders` post created successfully

`Hazardous waste cleanup program must be funded` post created successfully

`Refuge endangered` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Sunkhaze Meadows in Milford could lose its staffing</h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> MILFORD - Blue skies and red maples reflected off the placid water surrounding Tom Comish's canoe as he paddled deeper into the Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge one recent morning."One of the things that I like about the refuge is it is relatively remote, and I've tried to keep it that way," said Comish, the refuge's manager and sole full-time staff member.Comish's supervision of the 11,200-acre refuge soon may end, however, because of budget cuts throughout the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge system.The prospect of an unstaffed refuge is making some frequent users of Sunkhaze nervous and eager to prevent it."I just would hate to see it get lost. It's such a small refuge compared to some of the others," said Jan Beckett, who, with other members of the group Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows, will take their concerns to top U.S. Department of the Interior officials visiting the area on Wednesday.Earlier this year, cash-strapped administrators in the Fish and Wildlife Service's regional office announced plans to eliminate 24 positions at refuges throughout the Northeast. Seven of the positions are in Maine.In addition to Comish, Sunkhaze stands to lose a part-time administrative position. Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge in Limestone is slated to lose a biologist. The Rachel Carson refuge in southern Maine would lose its manager and an administrative position but gain a public use specialist. Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Washington County would lose two maintenance positions but gain a law enforcement officer.The Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, a complex of more than 70 islands, would pick up 3.5 new positions as the federal agency seeks to bolster operations at key refuges, according to a pamphlet distributed by the wildlife service.The agency describes the cuts as an example of the "tough choices" faced by Interior Department programs as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, homeland security and hurricane relief eat into federal discretionary spending."A number of national wildlife refuges that can make the most significant conservation contribution in the Northeast will 'stay strong,'" the pamphlet reads. "The decision to focus resources on these refuges will prevent the across-the-board mediocrity that would result from proportionately equal budget cuts at each refuge."Sunkhaze, however, will join the list of refuges nationwide that are unstaffed.About 15 miles north of Bangor, Sunkhaze was purchased from timber operators in 1988. Roughly 75 percent of the refuge is bog that serves as prime nesting and visiting grounds for waterfowl.All of Maine's roughly two dozen warbler species are found in the refuge, making it popular with birders. The refuge is also home to moose, bear, deer, coyotes and game birds.About 4,000 people visit Sunkhaze annually, a fraction of the tens of thousands who visit Maine Coastal Islands and Lake Umbagog wildlife refuges.The refuge was nearly empty one weekday earlier this month when Comish led a small group up Sunkhaze Stream, pointing out cormorants, beaver dams and a popular moose hangout along the way."One of the nice things about Sunkhaze Meadows is I've been up this stream a lot of times and I have never seen another person up here," Comish said.As manager, Comish maintains the refuge's trails, parking lots and gates as well as performs biological studies with the help of a crew of interns. He is the agency's liaison with hunters and snowmobilers who use the property, not to mention the first line of defense against ATVs, which are prohibited within the refuge.Comish, who works out of the service's field office in Old Town, said agency officials have indicated they might fund the manager position through March. After that Comish could be transferred to another refuge, continue at the Old Town office in another capacity or take an early retirement offer.Under the downsizing, the Maine Coastal Islands refuge offices in Petit Manan would take over management of Sunkhaze. Wildlife service officials have pledged to continue maintenance and to respond to any problems at Sunkhaze, but they acknowledge that the new arrangement will mean some differences.That concerns Comish and members of the Friends group."There are people who don't like to follow the rules, and sooner or later they are going to realize no one is here much," Comish said later at his office. "I can foresee ATVs being a problem, and I can see even timber thefts being a problem."Bryan Wells, president of Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows, said service officials have assured him that Sunkhaze will not be closed or sold.Nonetheless, Wells believes the decision to de-staff the refuge undermines his group's efforts to educate the local community and increase visitation."It's the effect it has on the community," Wells said. "The value of the refuge has gone down."Members of the Friends group have written letters to agency officials, urging them to keep a manager at Sunkhaze or to find money for at least a part-time employee. But Wells said the downsizing plan appears to be a "done deal."But this week, Friends members plan to take their campaign directly to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who will be in Brewer as part of a national "listening session" tour.The hearing will be held at Jeff's Catering, 15 Littlefield Way, Brewer at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20."If we get enough outcry, there is always a chance," Beckett said. `, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife` post created successfully

`Maine Coast Could Be Devastated by Global Warming` post created successfully

`Interior chief to visit Maine` post created successfully

`The next Atlantis?` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Report on coastal impact of global warming offers soggy forecast for Bath, Mid-coast</h2> <h3 class="author">by Seth Koenig</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record news story</a> BATH - The Natural Resources Council of Maine released a report today saying that, if unchecked, global warming could put Bath Iron Works and the Bath Police Department under water.How wet? The report shows 21 percent - or 3,186 acres - of Harpswell at risk of being submerged by the six-meter estimate. About 19 percent (3,458 acres) of Phippsburg would be swallowed up by the rising waters under that scenario, as well as a whopping 30 percent (1,507 acres) of Arrowsic.Overall, the study predicts Maine's coastal towns could lose as much as 128,000 acres and 32 municipal buildings. Reid State Park in Georgetown "would be devastated," the findings say. At a press conference at Portland City Hall this morning, the Council plans to announce the findings of what it called "one of the most complete depictions ever done of the potential impacts on Maine's coastline from rising sea levels due to global warming."The report identifies 20 "most at risk" communities in the state - including Bath, Harpswell, Phippsburg and Arrowsic - and discusses both a minimal sea level rise of one meter and a maximum of six meters."(The Natural Resources Council of Maine) developed its analysis with assistance from the geographic information systems department at Colby College and with input from faculty at University of Maine's Climate Change Institute," a council statement reads, in part, adding that "the (one-meter) figure is routinely suggested as a level that could be reached in our children's lifetime. Many scientists now believe the (six-meter) level is a possibility, due to accelerating global warming, and sea and land ice melting in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic Circle."In Bath, the study explains that if the six-meter rise occurs - which equals about 20 feet - 17 percent of the city would be consumed by the Kennebec River.Among the 1,013 acres under water would be almost six miles of roadways and the Bath Police Department."Bath Iron Works, the state's largest private employer, would be ruined by the smaller sea-level rise and completely flooded in the higher sea-level rise scenario," a council statement reads."If global warming continues unabated, portions of Maine's coastline will be forever changed," said Dylan Voorhees, council energy project director. "That is why we are calling for increased efforts at every level to reduce global warming pollution. The most dangerous impacts of sea-level rise can still be avoided, but widespread action is needed now. According to our scientists, we have a shrinking window of opportunity to change our course - measured in years, not decades."The report shows 21 percent - or 3,186 acres - of Harpswell at risk of being submerged by the six-meter estimate. About 19 percent (3,458 acres) of Phippsburg would be swallowed up by the rising waters under that scenario, as well as a whopping 30 percent (1,507 acres) of Arrowsic.Overall, the study predicts Maine's coastal towns could lose as much as 128,000 acres and 32 municipal buildings. Reid State Park in Georgetown "would be devastated," the findings say."Based on what we are learning in the polar regions, we must now confront the possibility of a rapid three-foot sea-level rise caused by melting glaciers," said Prof. Gordon Hamilton of the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute. "Glaciers in Greenland are changing much faster than we expected just two or three years ago. This should be cause for very serious concern in a state like Maine, with the nation's longest coastline and many communities built just slightly above sea level." `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Analysis: Global warming could put Walker´s Point under water` post created successfully

`Warming study: High costs for coast` post created successfully

`NRCM study says global warming could put chunks of Maine coast under water` post created successfully

`Study Describes the Impact of Global Warming on the Maine Coast` post created successfully

`Statement on release of NRCM analysis of where global warming is projected to flood Maine’s coast` post created successfully

`Statement of Matt Prindiville, NRCM Policy Advocate Before Secretary Kempthorne` post created successfully

`Group OK to use town boat launch for green project` post created successfully

`Retreating into denial as global warming surges` post created successfully

`Interior secretary talks with Mainers` post created successfully

`Branson commits $3B to fight global warming` post created successfully

`California sues car firms on fumes` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.cnn.com" target="_blank">CNN news story</a> SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- California sued six of the world's largest automakers over global warming on Wednesday, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions of dollars in damages. The lawsuit is the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions, state Attorney General Bill Lockyer said. It comes less than a month after California lawmakers adopted the nation's first global warming law mandating a cut in greenhouse gas emissions. California has also targeted the auto industry with first-in-the-nation rules adopted in 2004 requiring car makers to force cuts in tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks. Automakers, however, have so far blocked those rules with their own legal action -- prompting one analyst to say California's lawsuit represents a way for California to pressure car manufacturers to accept the rules. "That's the objective," said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, a nonprofit organization that provides public research and forecasts about the industry. "They want to get the automakers basically to bow down and pay homage to the (emissions) law." The complaint, which an auto industry trade group called a "nuisance" suit, names General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., the U.S. arm of Germany's Daimler Chrysler AG and the North American units of Japan's Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.. Lockyer told Reuters he would seek "tens or hundreds of millions of dollars" from the automakers in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California. Environmental groups hailed the lawsuit, saying it represented another weapon for the state as it seeks to curb greenhouse gas emissions and spur the auto industry to build vehicles that pollute less. "(California) just passed a new law to cut global warming emissions by 25 percent and that's a good start and this lawsuit is a good next step," said Dan Becker, director of the Sierra Club's Global Warming Program. Ford deferred comment to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which said the lawsuit was similar to one a New York court dismissed that is now on appeal. "Automakers will need time to review this legal complaint, however, a similar nuisance suit that was brought by attorneys- general against utilities was dismissed by a federal court in New York," the industry group said in a statement. Toyota declined to comment as the company evaluates the lawsuit, while Honda said in a statement it was committed to developing environmentally responsible technology. The other automakers had no immediate comment. However, Sean Hecht, executive director of the Environmental Law Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the lawsuit has a "reasonable" chance of succeeding. He also noted the judge in the New York lawsuit cited rarely-used legal doctrine in ruling that the question at issue was political rather than legal and should therefore be addressed by the legislature and not the court. "I was surprised that the court in that case did that," he said. "I think it is a straight forward legal question. My impression is this is a very legitimate case to bring." The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for past and ongoing contributions to global warming and asks that the companies be held liable for future monetary damages to California. It said California is spending millions to deal with reduced snow pack, beach erosion, ozone pollution and the impact on endangered animals and fish. "The injuries have caused the people to suffer billions of dollars in damages, including millions of dollars of funds expended to determine the extent, location and nature of future harm and to prepare for and mitigate those harms, and billions of dollars of current harm to the value of flood control infrastructure and natural resources," it said. The Center for Automotive Research's Cole said it would be tough for the industry to immediately meet demands from some critics and predicted other states would quickly follow suit should California succeed with the legal action. Adoption of diesel engine emissions technology or gasoline-electric hybrids comes at great cost and improving gas mileage also likely means smaller lighter vehicles, trade-offs that are not attractive to consumers, he added."These are not free technologies, they are very expensive," Cole said. "Most people are price sensitive." In the complaint, Lockyer charges that vehicle emissions have contributed significantly to global warming and have harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health of the most populous state in the United States.Lockyer -- a Democratic candidate for state treasurer in the November election -- said the lawsuit states that under federal and state common law the automakers have created a public nuisance by producing "millions of vehicles that collectively emit massive quantities of carbon dioxide." Carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases have been linked to global warming. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Climate Concerns` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">The Earth is warming, local area already feeling impacts</h2> <h3 class="author">By Avery Yale Kamila, lifestyle editor</h3> <a href="http://communityleader.mainetoday.com/" target="_blank">The Community Leader</a> Oceanfront property owners beware. Sea level is rising and it’s eating away at the Maine coastline. “I’ve visited Falmouth, Cumberland and Brunswick and it’s shocking to find educated, upscale people not even understanding what’s happening in their backyard,” said Joseph Kelley, a professor of marine geology at the University of Maine at Orono, who has studied the impact of rising sea levels in Maine for more than 20 years. “In the last 10 to 15 years, I’ve seen more and more instances of people having to take emergency measures to save their property,” Kelley said. “I never used to get calls like this.” The problem, according to Kelley and other scientists, is a steady rise in the ocean level. He said this trend was first spotted in the 1940s, by individuals who watch the tide gauge in Portland Harbor. In the years since, the water level has continued to go up an average of two to three millimeters each year. Based on this trend, conservative predictions peg sea level rise by 2100 at roughly two feet higher than it is today, and Kelley says much of the property on the Foreside will be abandoned or destroyed by this date. Kelley points out that a one-foot vertical rise in sea level could drive the coastline 300 feet landward, depending on the topography and geologic underpinnings of each section of coast. In Casco Bay, between Cape Elizabeth and Bailey Island, mapping done by Kelley shows that 20 percent of this shoreline has been engineered to fight ongoing erosion problems, seven percent of the shoreline is unstable and two percent is highly unstable. “If sea level rises, beaches move inward, but the hard, rocky coast doesn’t erode,” Kelley said. “But go to Falmouth Foreside or Cumberland Foreside and they’re not on a rocky coast, they’re on unconsolidated sediment. They’re very susceptible to regular erosion as well as catastrophic landslides.” Driving this erosion and rising sea level is the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere and the subsequent melting of glaciers and polar ice caps. According to a joint statement released last year by the national science academies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Japan, Russia, France, Germany, India, Brazil and China, the Earth’s surface has warmed by “approximately 0.6 centigrade degrees over the 20th century.” This equals almost a two-degree Fahrenheit increase. The report goes on to project that the average surface temperature will rise “between 1.4 centigrade degrees and 5.8 centigrade degrees above 1990 levels, by 2100.” (This corresponds to a rise of 2.5 to 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit.) A report released in 1998 by the federal Environmental Protection Agency said during the past century the average temperature recorded in Lewiston went up 3.4 degrees Fahrenheit and precipitation in areas of the state away from the coast decreased by 20 percent. The culprit behind these warmer temperatures is the increase in greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) since the onset of the industrial age. “In the last 100 years, the Earth has experienced dramatic rises in greenhouse gases, toxic elements and acid rain,” said Professor Paul Mayewski, who is the director of the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine at Orono and a pioneer in the effort to extract historical climate data from glacial ice cores. “Greenhouse gases have risen faster than anything in the Earth’s record.” He explained that the climate system is dynamic and influenced by a number of competing factors. Scientists are still working to determine such things as how much heat the oceans can absorb without impacting the atmosphere. Mayewski adds that “the models suggest that part of the planet would get cooler.” What is clear is that changes in temperature will alter precipitation and storm patterns, possibly giving rise to more catastrophic hurricanes like the devastating storms that hit the Gulf Coast last year. “The natural climate system can change very dramatically and very fast,” Mayewski said. “We can expect there will be a strong increase in storms. Probably more dramatic extremes in precipitation. For Maine, as it gets warmer, it’s easier for diseases to live here and migrate here. I think we can expect that what they have in Massachusetts, we’ll have here.” The results of the changing climate will be many, and some are already being felt. More diseases, such as Eastern equine encephalitis and Lyme disease, may appear in the state. Fisheries could be disrupted as the waters warm and cause changes in habitat. Animal and plant populations could alter as warmer temperatures cause insects to hatch sooner than the birds and other species that rely on them for food. Spruce and fir trees could decline and maple trees could disappear. But for the moment, the surest way to observe climate change in action is to keep an eye on the tides. “The present rate of rise should drive erosion at a rate to make homeowners uncomfortable,” Kelley said. “The rate of sea level rise is faster than anything we’ve measured over the past thousands of years.” `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Wind and Snow` post created successfully

`Agents of change` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Locals work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions</h2> <h3 class="author">By Avery Yale Kamila, Lifestyle Editor</h3> <a href="http://communityleader.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">The Community Leader</a> For 17-year-old Ami Robbins, the push to take action to combat global climate change came after watching the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” The film stars former Vice President Al Gore and offers a chilling portrait of the changes impacting the globe. “It was life-changing,” said the Yarmouth High senior. After the Sierra Club-sponsored screening, Robbins learned about the environmental group’s Cool Cities program, which urges municipalities around the country to sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and adhere to the international Kyoto Protocol, a greenhouse gas reduction treaty ratified by 141 nations and rejected by the United States. To date, 295 American cities and towns have joined the Cool Cities movement, including four in Maine. Robbins teamed up with classmates Ned Jones and Nick Richmond and together the trio is working with Yarmouth’s Conservation Commission to collect the information needed to persuade the Yarmouth Town Council to sign the agreement. “Our dependence on foreign oil and environmental devastation are really the paramount issues of our day,” Robbins said. “It’s not terrorism. These are long-term issues that are going to affect us within my lifetime.” According to Glen Brand of Falmouth, the co-founder of the Cool Cities campaign and a senior executive with the Sierra Club’s Maine office, there are three primary ways municipalities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the pollution fueling climate change. These include improving the energy efficiency of town-owned buildings, purchasing cleaner vehicles and building renewable energy generation facilities. “The advantages of taking local action are many,” Brand said. “We’re talking about reducing energy use and saving taxpayer dollars. Energy use almost always means air pollution. In some places we’re talking about creating new jobs and new technologies.” Freeport residents too are organizing in hopes of convincing the Town Council to join the Cool Cities initiative. Joan Saxe, who sits on the Sierra Club’s board of directors, is leading the effort and plans to host a meeting Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Azure Cafe for residents interested in helping with this and other projects to reduce the town’s climate impact. “We can only hope that people are beginning to wake up and realize what they can do, because there’s so much individuals can do,” said Saxe, who also leads the town’s no idling campaign, which has since been replicated in a number of Maine communities. Talk of signing the Cool Cities campaign will come to Falmouth Sept. 25, when Town Councilor Ann Goggin brings the topic before the council. Recently, Goggin has been a vocal advocate of creating an energy-efficient, green building standard for all new municipal buildings in Falmouth. The town is considering building a new police station and upgrading the Central Fire Station and proposals are in the works for expanding the library and building a new school. “We need to ask our town to make sure its boilers are as efficient as possible,” said Goggin. “We should ask our police to drive hybrid cars. We should be asking our community to do more and better.” One Falmouth resident who doesn’t need convincing about the importance of green building is architect Gunnar Hubbard, who is the president of Fore Solutions. The Portland-based consulting firm works with developers and construction firms to obtain third-party green building certification. Hubbard reports that in the three years his firm has been in business, he’s seen a steady increase in green building interest. “Buildings play a significant role” in greenhouse gas emissions, Hubbard said. “They are the major contributor to global warming. Over 30 percent of the energy consumed nationally and globally is by buildings.” Another local business devoted to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions popped up this spring when Sue Jones launched Community Energy Partners in Freeport. The company works with municipalities, small business and farmers to develop small-scale wind and biomass generation facilities. She was inspired to start the business by a visit to Germany, where she reports each village has two to three wind turbines supplying part of the town’s energy needs. Community-based energy generation has a significant presence in Denmark, and is a growing phenomenon in Iowa and Minnesota. “The whole concept of community energy is that it’s locally-owned and locals get a large share of the benefits,” said Jones, who is working on two wind projects and two bio-fuel projects in Maine. “What I do is try to help them get a project together. That may be anything from exploring the technology to exploring the financing. I can also bring in project developers, potentially some investor money and I’ve been doing grant writing.” One thing that gets all these local leaders excited is the realization that reducing greenhouse gas pollution saves money and spurs innovation. As Brand said, “We have better use for money than wasting it on inefficient energy production. Protecting the environment and saving taxpayer dollars go hand-in-hand.” See the film Talk of climate change has been on the rise lately, and one factor fueling interest is the recent release of the documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth.” Churches throughout Maine plan to offer free screenings of the movie in October. All these showings will be followed by discussions. Libby Moore, who chairs the Environmental Stewardship Committee at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth, said in the discussion after the screening she hopes “to get people to move into a place where they feel they can do something personally. Take some kind of action. I think what’s scary to people is the problem seems like it needs big action. But small action is where we can have an impact.” Sunday, Oct. 1 4 p.m. — St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Yarmouth 6 p.m. — Cumberland Congregational Church Tuesday, Oct. 3 7 p.m. — First Universalist Church, Yarmouth Hot Future This is the second story in a two-part series looking at the impact of global climate change on Maine. Last week we explored the science behind the changes. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Landowners fight lynx habitat designation` post created successfully

`Friend to endangered species` post created successfully

`Running a business that takes nothing from the earth that is not renewable` post created successfully

`Vote No on Question 1 (TABOR) to Protect Maine's Environment` post created successfully

`TABOR Threatens One of ME's Strengths -- Its Beauty` post created successfully

`'Nightmare scenario' – A new report paints a scary, and some say extreme, picture of what global warming could do to the coast` post created successfully

`Two good ways to fight global warming` post created successfully

`Penobscot dam removal the best Rx for Maine salmon` post created successfully

`The sea also rises` post created successfully

`UMO: Antarctic elephant seal discovery sheds new light` post created successfully

`Conditions prime for solar` post created successfully

`Clean air policies should make Mainers feel dirty` post created successfully

`1st Atlantic salmon caught on Penobscot` post created successfully

`Study shows area could be affected by rising sea levels` post created successfully

`Lynx and Lawsuits` post created successfully

`Record donation preserves pristine midcoast property` post created successfully

`Cleaner air in N.E.` post created successfully

`Report foresees warmer Maine` post created successfully

`Donation of midcoast land shows unusual generosity` post created successfully

`LakeSmart program offers free advice` post created successfully

`Extent of Mercury Pollution More Widespread, Report Shows` post created successfully

`What Can Mainers Learn From Montana’s Plum Creek Mistakes?` post created successfully

`Northeast climate may be more like South’s by 2100` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Version 2.0 – the devil is in the details` post created successfully

`Bluffs take a beating` post created successfully

`State to educate on biofuels` post created successfully

`Acting locally to stem global warming` post created successfully

`Land trust acquires 14 acres` post created successfully

`Maine College Makes Green Pledge` post created successfully

`Bowdoin Goes 100% Green` post created successfully

`Candidates spar on environment` post created successfully

`Energy booster` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Ray Routhier, Portland Press Herald Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Maine Sunday Telegram news story</a> Monday night, Mainers can watch a TV show about a Windham family who had their whole house made more energy-efficient -- from insulation and new windows to a five-zone heating system. Then on Tuesday, they can find out how to take the same "whole house" efficiency approach themselves, with the help of a new state program. The TV show, which will air on Portland station WPXT (Channel 51), is called "Whole House" and is part of the promotional effort for a new state program called "Maine Home Performance with Energy Star."The efficiency program is designed to be "one-stop shopping" for people looking to identify energy problems in their homes and then correct them, said Beth Nagusky, director of the Governor's Office of Energy Independence and Security.People who find contractors through the program may also be eligible -- depending on their incomes -- for 1 percent loans through the Maine State Housing Authority to help pay for the work. In Cumberland County, for example, the income limit for a family of three or more is about $75,000. "Maine has some of the oldest housing stock in the nation, some of the coldest winters, and 80 percent of homes are heated with oil or kerosene," said Nagusky, citing the need for assisting homeowners with energy efficiency. "The best thing about this program is that it's one-stop shopping."The state program, which will officially be launched on Tuesday, will begin with contractors in York, Cumberland and Androscoggin counties, but the goal is to expand it statewide "as soon as possible," Nagusky said. The "Energy Star" in the program name refers to the federal Energy Star program, which sets energy efficiency guidelines for appliances and practices. The Maine Home Performance is a version of a program that is being used in states across the country.Though most state agencies don't promote their programs by creating a reality TV show, the pairing of home improvement work and TV has proven to be a viewer favorite before.Nagusky said her office was aware that WPXT filmed a local home energy makeover show last year called "Hot Squad." That show was inspired by a rash of popular home improvement shows, as well as rising oil prices. When Nagusky and her staff heard the station was interested in doing a similar show this year, they contacted the station about partnering on a show. The result was "Whole House."500 FAMILIES APPLIEDThe "Whole House" TV show has already done a pretty good job of promoting the Maine Home Performance program without even airing. That's because the premise of the show was that one lucky family would win an audit and whole-house makeover The process of buttoning up their home would be filmed and made into a half-hour TV show detailing the work, while giving tips and advice to viewers. The Energy Independence office and WPXT promoted the show by advertising for people to enter a contest to become the show's subject family. Some 500 families applied. When that pool was pared to 30, home owners were asked to submit a videotape of their home and family, as well as their heating bills.Each family's heating bills and house information was used to calculate their energy inefficiency. Each family that applied for the show will be contacted and told about the Maine Home Performance program, Nagusky said.For the show, producers were looking for a home that needed a lot of help."We were looking for the worst offenders, but also for someone who was interesting and comfortable on camera," said John Marshall, creative services director of WPXT and producer of the "Whole House" show. The family that was picked was the McCarthy family of Windham. Their house is 200 years old, with no heat in the second floor bedrooms, and a vast array of efficiency problems throughout. Plus, the McCarthys had another important reason to want a warmer home -- they were expecting their fourth child. The baby, Nathaniel, was born on Sept. 24, just before contractors started working on their house. Because of that, the whole family spent the first week of Nathaniel's life in a hotel, until their renovated home was ready."When we bought this house (a little over year ago), we chose character over cost-effectiveness. We knew it was a fixer-upper," said Rick McCarthy, a Web developer for Visa. But thanks to the "Whole House" contest and Maine Home Performance program, the McCarthys got things fixed up all in one fell swoop. Marshall, the show's producer, estimated that the value of work and improvements was probably about $40,000. Specifically, the McCarthy family's home improvements include: A new furnace and a forced hot-water heating system, with five zones, including heat upstairs; about 20 energy-efficient replacement windows; and insulation in walls and other spaces where needed. "Whole House" will feature contractors giving the McCarthy house an energy audit, using fans and infrared cameras to detect air leaks, and then installing the various improvements.'WHOLE HOUSE' APPROACH One of the companies involved in the "Whole House" show and the Maine Home Performance program is WarmTech Solutions in Yarmouth. The company provided insulation for the McCarthy home, said Ashley Richards, general manager of WarmTech. Richards said his company takes the "whole house" approach being advocated by the Maine Home Performance program. That means his company looks at insulation, ventilation, moisture control, and a range of things that are connected to the efficiency and safety of a home. Nagusky said that homeowners in the program will be able to see how much the work will cost overall, what it will cost per month if a 1-percent loan is used, and what the estimated savings will be. When people see that information, she said, they are often convinced to have the work done. For instance, she offered an improvement report done for a women in New York, under a program similar to Maine Home Performance. The report recommended improvements, with a cost of $9,232. That would be $55 a month if the work was funded by a 1percent loan. The report also estimated a savings in energy costs of $1,736 a year, or roughly $145 a month. So that's a net savings of $90 a month. "That's a no-brainer. The only reason not to do it is inertia, and we're trying to overcome that with this program, by making it as simple as possible for people," Nagusky said.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Caring for God's green earth` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Union Church in Biddeford switched to energy-saving light bulbs and helps its members make "green" choices at home.First Parish Congregational Church in Brunswick asked its members to buy $10 worth of local farm produce every week to reduce pollution from transportation. And at the First Universalist Church at Rockland, families stop by a table after services each Sunday to pick up their shares of fresh vegetables grown on a local organic farm.Motivated by climate change and its potential impact on people around the world, these Maine churches are leading a national movement to bring the message of environmental justice into their pulpits, pews and communities."We are at a moment in time when we're called upon to act," said Lucie Bauer, co-chair of the Green Sanctuary Committee at the First Universalist Church in Rockland.The role of religious organizations in protecting the Earth will be the subject of an all-day eco-justice conference at the Augusta Civic Center next Saturday. The conference is sponsored by the Maine Council of Churches, a primary force behind the movement here."Maine happens to be one of the most active of all state campaigns," said Gary Gardner of the World Watch Institute, author of "Inspiring Progress: Religions' Contributions to Sustainable Development." Gardner is scheduled to speak at the conference next week.The green churches movement started more than a decade ago, but has expanded rapidly in the past five years because of growing concern about global warming, according to Gardner. It covers a range of religions and denominations, including leaders of evangelical churches who made national news earlier this year by calling for more U.S. action to fight climate change.Anne D. "Andy" Burt is the environmental justice coordinator for the Maine Council of Churches, which includes eight denominations and about 650 churches statewide."I am commited to making sure the Earth is in good condition for the little ones that are coming along. We are leaving them an Earth that is really in trouble," said Burt, a 61-year-old grandmother of four from Edgecomb.Global warming is galvanizing the faithful in much the same way civil rights once did, she said, because of the wide-ranging impacts it could have, especially on some of the world's poorest people. Warming and melting in the Arctic is threatening the culture and livelihoods of indigenous people there, while rising sea levels are threatening the existence of entire island nations in other parts of the world, she said. "It is making all of us aware that what I do every day, the choices I make, affects people, plants and ecosystems, not only right in my immediate neighborhood but around the world," Burt said. "It really is a moral, spiritual issue."Burt has helped churches work for political change, such as promoting local no-idling policies and marching in an international rally against global warming in Montreal. She is now working with churches around the state to support local farmers as a way of fighting climate change, as well as supporting sustainability in their own communities. Buying locally produced food means the food doesn't have to be trucked in from somewhere else -- a practice that pumps heat-trapping gases into the air and accelerates global warming. Many churches are asking members to spend $10 a week on local farm produce. Some churches also are serving communion breads made with Maine grains.At the Universalist Church in Rockland, 14 families have bought shares in a nearby organic farm in exchange for a weekly delivery of produce. The church itself bought a share and donates its "share" of the produce to a local food pantry. The system, known as Community Supported Agriculture, helps keep farmers in business by guaranteeing a revenue stream. And that helps sustain local food sources.The effort also makes for a quaint ritual every summer Sunday, when families file out of the church and collect their fresh food. The farmers set up at a table in front of church beneath a large banner that says: "We Believe in Caring for Our Planet.""Global warming is something that has really called us as an issue. It's the moral issue of our time," Bauer said."Because faith communities see something beyond the accumulation of material goods as being important, I think faith communities can be very helpful. We're very clearly taking a leadership role in this, and the congregation feels good about that."`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Building a carbon market from coast to coast` post created successfully

`Plum Creek conservation methods questioned` post created successfully

`Plum Creek tactics in Montana criticized` post created successfully

`Time is short to address global warming` post created successfully

`Maine accelerates commuter van offering` post created successfully

`Proposal to be aired` post created successfully

`Panel narrows options for managing waterway` post created successfully

`Proposed marina marks resurgence of interest in once-polluted Kennebec` post created successfully

`Groups pushing for fish passage at Sappi dam` post created successfully

`Cleanup of Hazards at Mill Site to Begin` post created successfully

`Growth expert tells state to preserve nature` post created successfully

`Salmon season deemed a success` post created successfully

`Vt. researchers rebut EPA theory on mercury pollution fallout` post created successfully

`More Mainers Oppose Plum Creek Plan for Moosehead` post created successfully

`Improve, don't undo, shorebird protections` post created successfully

`Land trust seeks to preserve 71-acre Windham parcel` post created successfully

`Maine Coast Heritage Trust purchase restores Machias Bay shore land to tribe` post created successfully

`Let states adopt stricter tailpipe rules` post created successfully

`Plum Creek inks deal to protect land` post created successfully

`Testimony on Dragon Products’ Applications for Closure and Reclamation of its Cement Kiln Dust and Waste Clinker Piles` post created successfully

`Mars Hill project a County windfall` post created successfully

`A Place for Conservation` post created successfully

`Energy expo draws crowd in Augusta` post created successfully

`State expanding van-pool service` post created successfully

`'Made in Maine' host discusses global warming` post created successfully

`Sprague to open biofuel facility in S. Portland` post created successfully

`No oil drilling off New England` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> We've said it before and we'll say it again: Don't touch Maine's coastline.Members of Congress have been wrangling for months now over two different versions of legislation that will open up portions of the nation's coast to oil drilling, which had been closed to exploration for a quarter of a century. One version would allow new drilling in a relatively small portion of the Gulf of Mexico; the other version would allow drilling 50 miles from shore along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. That means oil rigs off the Maine coast. As well as the potential for fish-killing, bird-smothering, beach-spoiling, livelihood-wrecking oil spills.The issue is particularly worrisome as Congress approaches its lame-duck session after the November election. Coastal protection advocates -- count among them the governors of California, South Carolina and Maine as well as this state's entire congressional delegation -- are worried that a last-ditch effort by the powerful oil and gas industry could result in legislation that would lift the Outer Continental Shelf Moratorium, which has prevented the leasing of most coastal waters for fossil fuel development since the early 1980s.We're worried, too. New England has an $813 million commercial fishing industry as well as a multi-billion dollar tourism industry. There's hardly a justification on earth that would convince us to risk the resource -- a clean ocean and coastline -- that feeds those industries. We're especially disinclined to do so in the face of measures such as conservation that could help lower demand for oil and gas. And the recently issued Brookings Institution report on Maine's potential for prosperity specifically says that preserving "place" is a crucial part of our economic future -- as quantifiable a contribution to our economic development as any oil and gas development.So, to our congressional delegation, we say keep up the good fight. And to any other legislators who would trade New England's fishing industry and the source of much that is both essential and precious to us -- in exchange for a few barrels of oil -- we say "back off." Our coastline is not for sale. `, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`Progress on the Allagash` post created successfully

`Court to hear clean air case` post created successfully

`New group is united by a river` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Alan Crowell, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- A wide-ranging partnership of onservation, natural resource advocacy and sportsmen's groups are joining efforts to preserve the Kennebec River.Including the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, The Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments and the Maine Department of Conservation, the Kennebec River Initiative aims to identify and preserve those aspects of the river that make it special, according to members."I think the general sense is that there is increasing development along the river and some of the natural assets that make it such a pleasant (resource) are at risk," said Ken Young, executive director of the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments.By bringing together disparate groups with links to the river, from Trout Unlimited, to Maine Rivers, which advocates for restoring Maine's river systems, the initiative aims to focus efforts on key elements that make the river unique, whether that be public access or undeveloped farmland on its banks.Young said the idea is not to "lock up" the river corridor but to make sure that those parts of the river that make it special to anglers, boaters or communities along its shore are retained."You keep it available so that people can use it," said Young.He said the initiative also aims to preserve the river's role as an economic asset for tourism and economic revitalization.Traditional conservation tools, including conservation easements, or land purchases, would be used to preserve the character of the river.Karin Tilberg, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation, said that the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine and Trout Unlimited played key roles in getting the initiative started."What really prompted our involvement was hearing from so many people that they were beginning to get worried," she said.Development pressures on Maine's coast have been working their way upward and inward and Tilberg said there was a sense that the Kennebec River would soon be under the same pressure.She said there will first be a "listening and reaching out phase" to better understand what people most value.After an inventory is created, specific recommendations will be developed.The initiative is supported with grants from a variety of state and private sources. `, assigning current date

`Edwards Dam & Kennebec River` post created successfully

`Real value of Katahdin Lake purchase` post created successfully

`Poisoning Our Environment` post created successfully

`Justices test rules on power plants` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Bart Jansen, Washington D.C. Correspondent</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> WASHINGTON - Supreme Court justices plunged into the complexities of regulating coal-burning power plants Wednesday, but revealed little about how they may resolve an air pollution case that carries high stakes for Maine.Duke Energy Corp. is challenging Environmental Protection Agency regulations that force plants to install costly pollution control equipment when making repairs. The company won in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that the EPA had changed its rules in a way Congress hadn't intended.Environmental Defense and the North Carolina chapters of the Sierra Club and Public Interest Research Group are challenging the appeals decision by arguing that the stricter enforcement standards have been clear and that it's too late for utilities to challenge them.Justices questioned both sides' attorneys Wednesday, voicing concerns about increased pollution and the effects of changing rules on businesses. "What I'm concerned about is that companies can get whipsawed," said Justice Antonin Scalia.The Bush administration sided with the three environmental groups during the arguments Wednesday.Deputy Solicitor General Thomas Hungar told the justices that the appeals court erred. The EPA made the rules clear at the start in 1980 and the EPA administrator reiterated the definition in 1988, he said."In fact, it's quite clear that there's no whipsaw here for a number of reasons," he said. The case deals with changes to the 1970 Clean Air Act."Major modifications" were supposed to force the installation of better pollution control equipment, but "routine maintenance, repair and replacement" were excluded from the requirement. The fight in this case is over what repairs qualify as "major modifications."The environmental groups quote regulations citing "any physical change" that "increases the amount of air pollution by such source." Under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration standard, emissions are measured in "tons per year."Duke argued that a rival standard, called New Source Performance Standards, should prevail. Under that standard, pollution is measured hourly, which means a plant that operates for more hours -- increasing annual pollution -- would not trigger the tougher standards. States are sharply divided. Southern and Western states contend that if the EPA requires pollution controls projected to cost the industry billions of dollars, the agency might discourage utilities from upgrading their equipment. Maine and other Northeastern states worry that power plants would spew more pollution their way if modifications allow the plants to operate longer. Justice Stephen Breyer noted that even if a power plant emits the same amount per hour, changing the turbines to let it run 24 rather than 12 hours per day will double the pollution."Now the whole idea of the (Prevention of Significant Deterioration) system is you don't have twice as much pollution in the air, and I guess that's why they wanted to do it," he said.Carter Phillips, a Duke lawyer, said Congress should have been clearer if that were the goal.Justice Samuel Alito asked about a statement from an EPA official that backed Duke's interpretation. But Hungar said the top EPA administrator stated the EPA's position in 1988 and it was consistent with the government's current position. The court could decide the case on a technical point that doesn't deal with pollution.The environmental groups said the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction to hear the case because Congress allowed challenges only through the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.The groups also said the deadline for challenges expired 60 days after EPA promulgated the regulations -- decades ago.But justices Wednesday sounded sympathetic to Duke's argument that the utility couldn't challenge the regulation until now because of changes in how it was interpreted. Justice Anthony Kennedy asked repeatedly whether Duke should have challenged the rules in 1980, 1992 or 2000. And when Sean Donahue, a lawyer for the environmental groups, said the rules were clear, Chief Justice John Roberts called that "an audacious statement." `, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`Towns tackle E-waste disposal` post created successfully

`Wind power transcript available` post created successfully

`Environmental groups defend Clinton-era clean air program` post created successfully

`America's cold reputation on global warming` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Plum Creek` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Coastal Shoreland Zoning Protection` post created successfully

`40-lot lake development moves ahead` post created successfully

`NRCM Co-Sponsors Gubernatorial Forum About Maine's Environment` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Toxic Chemicals in Consumer Products` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss North Woods Access and Uses` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Solid Waste Disposal Issues` post created successfully

`VIDEO: Maine Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Global Warming` post created successfully

`Students take algae-to-biofuel project to MIT` post created successfully

`Pollution cases threaten future of Maine's air` post created successfully

`Conservationists see gold in Camden Hills` post created successfully

`Mars Hill wind farm shows way to cleaner power` post created successfully

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway deserves stronger protection` post created successfully

`Keep Moosehead peaceful for future generations` post created successfully

`Plant, mow and water the ... roof?` post created successfully

`Maine rejected for lynx-protection zone` post created successfully

`Exempted lynx: Feds opt not to designate ‘critical habitat’ in Maine` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Version 2.0 – the devil is in the details` post created successfully

`4 Allagash waterway hearings set` post created successfully

`New Maine: Green roofs and porous parking lots` post created successfully

`Maine campuses embrace sustainability` post created successfully

`Government promises to boost household appliance efficiency` post created successfully

`Portland's tree to use energy-efficient lighting` post created successfully

`Ski areas to offset electric use with wind` post created successfully

`Teachers put earth science in action` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Doug Harlow</h3> <a href="http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">Morning Sentinel news story</a> FAIRFIELD -- Lawrence High School science teacher Eric Brown hopes his strain of Gang Green spreads through the school and to other high schools in the region.His gang of green teachers and students is environmentally friendly and even landed Brown, who is green himself, an environmental award.Brown recently received the first People's Choice Award from the National Resources Council of Maine for his work recycling at the high school. He was one of 36 nominees across the state for the award recognizing people who are making a difference in their communities.He was awarded a plaque, which now hangs in his classroom.The recycling program began in 2005 and by the end of the school year in June of this year, Gang Green had gathered and shipped 12 tons of paper products for recycling at the Clinton transfer station. That is 12 tons that had been headed to the landfill, he said.This year, the group continues its work and has expanded to include plastic milk bottles from the school lunch program."We do books, we do office paper, we do newspapers, we do cardboard and paper board, we do soda bottles," Brown said of the recycling program. "And we've just now started recycling milk jugs here at school."Brown and English teacher Linda Woods, the gang member who nominated him, said the group places big waste bins in the school foyer every Friday. Students from each homeroom carry recycling bins from class to the foyer and the contents accumulate.A Waterville company, Shredding On Site, then arrives and handles the material and takes it away for recycling.Brown said he got the idea for the recycling program one day last year while out walking his dog near his home in Waterville. He said he wrote a poem on the topic and sent out a mass e-mailing with an invitation to faculty members to show their concern for the environment."If you are concerned about the environment," Brown said he wrote. "If you are concerned about the fact that we are an educational institution and so therefore should do perhaps a better job teaching the kids the importance our resources and to be responsible for what we use ..."I proposed that we start this new group which we coined Gang Green because we were a gang of green-minded people."25 MEMBERSBrown said the group began as a group of about 10 teachers, with science teacher Jasen Bellner actually coming up with the Gang Green moniker. It now boasts a roster of more than 25 faculty and students, he said. Students For Environmental Awareness, led by biology teacher Sue DeMott, soon joined the gang to help sort the paper that was being brought to the school foyer and a successful program was born, Brown said. The volume of paper increased from 200 or 300 pounds per week during those first few weeks, to 700 or 800 pounds of paper per week these days, he said."The goal is to get more students involved and to have the movement spread, to get some kind of Gang Green movement in other high schools," Brown said. "We just want people that are part of the educational process to understand that we all need to be responsible for whatever it is we use."When you throw something away you should spend five or 10 seconds thinking about where this is going."`, assigning current date

`About NRCM` post updated successfully

`Mainers can't rely on private lands for playtime anymore` post created successfully

`Investigation Exposes Plum Creek Timber Violations` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Forestry Practices Demonstrate` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">Remarks by Cathy Johnson, NRCM North Woods project director</h3> Today we are releasing the results of an investigation of Plum Creek’s forest practices in the state of Maine, based on a review of internal documents from the State agencies responsible for administering Maine’s forestry and environmental laws, and for managing wildlife habitat. Plum Creek purchased more than 900,000 acres in Maine in 1998, and claimed at the time – and repeatedly since – that the company would practice sustainable forestry in Maine and be a good corporate citizen. Over the past eight years, however, NRCM has heard from loggers, registered Maine guides, property owners, camp owners, and hunters that Plum Creek has logged in a very aggressive fashion – which some believed was destroying important wildlife habitat and possibly violating Maine’s laws for protecting our forests and environment.To get a better understanding of Plum Creek’s practices, NRCM utilized the Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) to request copies of internal documents concerning Plum Creek’s forest practices at the Department of Conservation, Land Use Regulation Commission, Maine Forest Service, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Department of Environmental Protection. We requested information about Plum Creek’s compliance with Maine’s forestry laws, and we specifically requested information about Plum Creek’s practices in relation to protection of deer wintering habitat – an issue that had been brought to our attention as a serious concern on Plum Creek lands. What we learned, and what we are revealing today, is deeply troubling. We have documented a flagrant pattern of disregard by Plum Creek for Maine’s forestry and environmental laws and protections for wildlife habitat. Based on a review of documents obtained from the state under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act:• Plum Creek repeatedly violated the Maine Forest Practices Act, prompting the MFS to assess the largest fine in Maine history against Plum Creek; • Plum Creek ignored a requirement to get a permit before constructing a new powerline; • Plum Creek violated water protection laws; and • Plum Creek repeatedly destroyed crucial deer wintering areas over the objections of IF&W biologists.We have learned that Plum Creek this year received the largest fine in Maine history for violations of the state’s Forest Practices Act. The $57,000 fine, levied in June 2006, was three times larger than has been received by any other timber company practicing in Maine. The next largest penalty for logging law violations was $19,500. Internal documents show that staff at the Maine Forest Service calculated Plum Creek should pay penalties of more than $75,000, but the penalties were limited to $57,000 by a prior settlement agreement. Plum Creek was fined for violations throughout its ownership for harvesting too much timber, and without approved plans. Plum Creek has repeatedly failed to notify the Maine Forest Service of its extensive clearcuts, as required by law. We also have learned that Plum Creek developed a 7,500-foot-long powerline corridor at its First Roach Pond subdivision near Moosehead Lake without a permit – in violation of Maine law. Internal documents capture the voice of a disbelieving LURC staff member asking “I would like to hear more about the circumstances under which they ‘forgot’ to get a permit.” (See Appendix 10)Plum Creek has also polluted streams in Somerset County in violation of Maine law. Describing the extent of these violations, an internal staff e-mail says: “I have a CD-ROM full of pictures showing LURC violations. I have seen such things before, but not such a concentration of them.” (See Appendix 12)We are particularly alarmed by Plum Creek’s failure to protect wildlife habitat necessary for the survival of deer populations during Maine’s difficult winters. Internal documents show that Plum Creek has aggressively harvested softwood stands in the middle of the most important “deer wintering areas” on the company’s land. According to biologists at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Plum Creek has the worst record of any major landowner in Maine in terms of protecting deer yards. (See Appendix 4) This “feeble and dismal history to protect important DWAs” includes the following:Plum Creek destroyed deer yard habitat between Upper Pierce Pond and the Dead River, despite years of efforts by agency staff to get the company to defer cutting in the area. As revealed in an internal IF&W memo: “Plum Creek ignored this request and cut the area so heavily it will not be a functional DWA [deer wintering area] for another 30 years.” (See Appendix 3)Plum Creek also has destroyed deer yard habitat in Indian Stream Township, which again came as a total surprise to State biologists. As stated in internal documents, “They are harvesting in the core area. This was a surprise to me. It was very clear with Plum Creek that MDIF&W needed a written plan for this area…. I told them not [to cut] until there was a plan. They agreed.” But then Plum Creek broke their promise and went in and harvested “targeting every dominant good spruce tree” in a fashion that left state agency staff to conclude: “This DWA cannot continually experience this level of poor management and sustain wintering deer in this region now, or into the future.” (See Appendix 5)Similarly, Plum Creek refused to honor requests from IF&W biologists to limit cutting in valuable deer wintering habitat in Lexington Township. An IF&W e-mail states that “Plum Creek knowingly and contrary to my request, eliminated this shelter by removing 60-65% of the volume.” The biologist concluded that the stark results could be used as a teaching tool to show what “extremely poor DWA management” looks like. (See Appendix 6)Last January, the level of concern about Plum Creek’s egregious destruction of deer wintering areas reached crisis proportions. As captured in an e-mail from IF&W biologist Douglas Kane to bureau director Ken Elowe: “I think it’s critical that we meet ASAP to craft a strategy that will conserve important winter shelter for deer on Plum Creek’s ownership. Each day that we wait, additional shelter will be cut. And, in Region E [the Moosehead Lake Region].. there is precious little left.” (See Appendix 7)Ten days later, after a meeting with Plum Creek, Douglas Kane wrote another e-mail expressing new concerns that Plum Creek already had plans to harvest in 12 of its 21 deer wintering areas near Greenville, and that seven of the remaining nine deer wintering areas appeared vulnerable because they are accessible by newly developed logging roads. In one further e-mail on the subject, Doug Kane plaintively wrote: “By the time each of you read this short email another important patch of DWA [deer wintering area] shelter in Region E [the Moosehead Lake Region] will probably be on the ground…. During the last 7 or 8 years Plum Creek has been in the area, from very early on to present, we have had many meetings discussing DWA management. Unfortunately, we have accomplished absolutely nothing in terms of conserving shelter for wintering deer on their ownership. In fact… we have lost important acres and continue to loose [sic] what little DWA shelter is left on their ownership in my region.” (See Appendix 9)This is the behavior of Plum Creek: they have received the largest fine in Maine history for violating the Forest Practices Act. They have destroyed important deer wintering yards on their ownership, ignoring the advice of some of the state’s top wildlife biologists. Plum Creek chose instead to aggressively log important wildlife areas regardless of the impact on the wildlife that is owned by all Maine people. NRCM has also determined that the heavy logging that Plum Creek is doing near Moosehead Lake seems to be a precursor to its massive development plans. Of the 975 house lots that Plum Creek wants to build around Moosehead Lake, more than 100 would be located within the boundaries of critical deer wintering areas – and Plum Creek is already well on the way to cutting down most of the trees in many of those areas. A Republican congressman from Washington State once called Plum Creek Timber Company “Darth Vader,” because of its aggressive logging practices, but the company has claimed that it has improved its forestry practices since that time. Plum Creek claims to be practicing sustainable forestry in Maine, but the company must be judged on its actions – not its words. They committed the worst violation of timber laws in Maine history. They have the worst record for protecting deer habitat of any major landowner. These actions speak volumes about Plum Creek. They suggest that Plum Creek is willing to harm Maine’s environment and violate our laws if they get in the way of corporate profits. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Global Warming Could Wipe out Most Birds - WWF` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Cites Plum Creek Violations` post created successfully

`Environmental group cites Plum Creek violations` post created successfully

`Report cites violations by Plum Creek` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Plum Creek Timber Co., one of Maine's largest owners of forestland, repeatedly violated environmental standards in the years before 2003, the Natural Resources Council of Maine said Wednesday.The advocacy group, which issued a report citing state records related to the company's logging practices, also said the company continued to destroy established deer habitat until early this year.The report, which challenges Plum Creek's corporate image as a protector of Maine's environment, noted, for example, that the company paid a $57,000 fine in June for a series of logging violations from 1995 through 2002, by far the largest such penalty ever imposed in Maine."This is really a systematic avoidance of Maine's environmental laws," said Cathy Johnson of the Natural Resources Council. The group has been a leading critic of Plum Creek's plans for two resorts and about 1,000 house lots in the Moosehead Lake region. The company's logging record, Johnson said, indicates it shouldn't be trusted to develop sensitive areas in the North Woods.Plum Creek's general manager in Maine, Jim Lehner, said the company has taken responsibility for its violations and works with the state agencies to avoid problems."Whenever an issue comes up, we address it immediately," he said. "We're proud of our record." The company is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, he said. "Does it mean we don't make any mistakes? No, we do make mistakes." The council's report focuses on improper clearcutting and other logging violations, and the destruction of crucial deer-wintering areas over the objections of state biologists.The group also criticized the company for failing to get a permit before starting construction of a 7,500-foot-long powerline corridor near Moosehead Lake in 2003, and for altering stream beds near a logging road in 2002. The company cited a miscommunication and paid a $4,000 fine for the powerline violation, and it repaired what it said was unintentional damage to the waterway, according to the state.The report also raises questions about how aggressively the state has regulated Plum Creek and whether state agencies have helped protect the company's image. For example, a final news release from the Department of Conservation about the Plum Creek fine in Juneis missing a sentence from a draft that said the company was penalized $57,000. The final notice does not include the fine amount or otherwise indicate that the action was more than a routine technical settlement. Also, the word "clearcuts" in the draft was changed to "harvesting" and "harvests" in the final version. The action got little, if any, publicity at the time.The leaders of several agencies that regulate forestry and land use in northern Maine said Wednesday that they have treated Plum Creek no differently than any other landowner. "Nothing was done to accommodate or to alleviate Plum Creek's violations of the Forest Practices Act," said Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan. The information was available to anyone who was interested, he said.The $57,000 fine imposed in June was in addition to a $9,000 fine the company paid in 2003 for a clearcut that violated the Forest Practices Act.The 2003 case led to a selective review of Plum Creek's logging practices back to 1995, the process that concluded in June with the $57,000 fine. The review of the eight-year period found that Plum Creek violated the law at 48 previous harvest sites throughout its more than 900,000-acre property. The discovery of so many past violations shows how difficult it is to monitor logging and enforce the law in a 10-million-acre forest, officials said. But it also shows that the Maine Forest Service did its job, said Director Alec Giffen.Until June, the largest single fine imposed under the 17-year-old law was $19,500, assessed to International Paper in 1998 and Jay McLaughlin in 2001.Lehner, the Plum Creek manager, said the violations were the result of not precisely measuring cuts as required by changes in the law in 1999. "We were interpreting those rules incorrectly. It was a huge mistake for us," he said. The company has since retrained its foresters, he said.State Forest Service officials say Plum Creek cooperated in the review of its lands and has not been found in violation of the law since the 2003 settlement.Plum Creek's logging in deer-wintering areas has not violated any laws, but it did earn the company a bad reputation among some state officials last winter. The record also shows a clear disregard for protecting wildlife habitat when it interferes with profits, according to Johnson.Deer-wintering areas are stands of mature spruce, fir and hemlock where deer can find shelter from cold, wind and deep snow. The so-called deer yards are considered critical for sustaining the species so far north. Most deer yards are protected only through voluntary cutting limits agreed to by landowners and the state's Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.Biologists in the department grew frustrated last winter by Plum Creek repeatedly cutting down known deer areas. In one e-mail among staff members, a biologist said Plum Creek had a "dismal and feeble history" and probably the worst record of any major landowner in Maine. In January, another biologist warned that the cutting of deer yards had accelerated even as pressure was building for the company to stop.Shortly after, the agency called for a meeting with Plum Creek and the two began negotiating an agreement regarding deer areas. That process is continuing, said Ken Elowe, director of resource management for Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. "They have become more understanding to the needs of deer and more understanding that they should work with us," Elowe said. At the same time, state officials are now talking about protectingmore deer habitat through formal regulation.Lehner said the company is working to resolve the dispute and pointed out that the deer areas at issue are not legally off-limits. "This is all well above and beyond what is required by law," he said. "They asked us to stop cutting and we did." The company is still planning to place house lots inside some deer-wintering areas, Lehner said. Those plans will be reviewed by Fisheries & Wildlife.Johnson said some of the company's aggressive cutting has been on land it intends to develop.<a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/pc_foaa_report.asp">Read NRCM's full report and related materials.</a> `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Group assails Plum Creek` post created successfully

`New lights to save city energy` post created successfully

`Open house today for 'affordable' apartments` post created successfully

`Whitecap acquisition moves ahead` post created successfully

`Giving green` post created successfully

`Mars Hill's wind farm almost ready` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's violations suggest more oversight needed` post created successfully

`Ski areas tapping wind power to promote green-energy source` post created successfully

`Lynx, deer heard in North Woods debate roles` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake well worth selling some public lots to acquire` post created successfully

`Group turns up heat on Plum Creek` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA - An environmental group is ratcheting up the heat on Plum Creek Timber Co. in a report released Wednesday that details fines against the company, permit problems and logging in areas important to deer survival during winter.The Natural Resources Council of Maine said the report highlights serious concerns about Plum Creek’s record on sustainable forestry, environmental protection and wildlife management. Group members contend that the documents also raise questions about the Seattle-based company’s trustworthiness as it moves forward with development plans for the Moosehead Lake region.A Plum Creek spokesman acknowledged past mistakes but said the company works closely with state agencies to correct them. One state official added that he was encouraged by the company’s recent cooperation on protecting winter "deer yards." Using internal state documents obtained through the Freedom of Access Act, NRCM compiled a list of violations and official complaints against Plum Creek, including:ä A $57,000 fine for violations of Maine’s timber harvesting laws, the largest such fine in state history.ä Construction of a 7,500-foot-long power-line corridor outside of Greenville without the necessary permits.ä Water quality violations in Somerset County.ä Multiple instances of logging within areas that state biologists said was needed to protect northern Maine’s fragile deer population during winter.The report is NRCM’s most serious salvo to date against Plum Creek and the company’s petition to sell 975 house lots and land for two resorts near Moosehead. The proposal, which also includes more than 400,000 acres of permanent conservation, would be the largest subdivision ever in Maine if approved by state regulators.Cathy Johnson, NRCM’s North Woods project leader, said she believes Plum Creek’s environmental and forestry record are relevant to the company’s Moosehead plans, which the group contends will harm the region’s wilderness character. "Plum Creek is saying, ‘Trust us, we’ll do a good job in the development plan,"’ Johnson said. "Yet when you look at their record, they cannot be trusted."Jim Leaner, manager of Plum Creek’s northeast region, interprets the company’s record differently."We have been here [in Maine] eight years, and certainly we’ve made a few mistakes. We’re not perfect," Lehner said. "But I think the key there is when we do have an issue, we get on it right away and work closely with the agency and resolve it."Much of NRCM’s report focused on logging on Plum Creek land that has been identified as winter habitat for deer, which are at the cusp of their range in northern Maine. These areas, known as "deer yards," offer shelter from the deep snow and bitter winter weather under the interlocking crowns of adult conifer trees.In 2005 and early 2006, biologists with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sent a bevy of e-mails to their superiors in Augusta blasting Plum Creek for cutting in deer yards against their recommendations. Several biologists questioned whether the state’s cooperative approach on deer yards with Plum Creek was working, suggesting instead a move toward the more heavy-handed protective zoning.In a January 2006 e-mail cited in NRCM’s report, DIF&W wildlife biologist Eugene Dumont called the company’s history with deer yards "feeble and dismal" and suggested Plum Creek was the worst major landowner in the state on the issue.In another e-mail, biologist Douglas Kane lamented the loss of additional deer wintering areas, or DWA, along the East Outlet of Moosehead Lake as well as what he described as years of unproductive negotiations with Plum Creek."Unfortunately, we have accomplished absolutely nothing in terms of conserving shelter for wintering deer on their ownership," Kane wrote in a January 2006 e-mail. "In fact, we have lost important acres and continue to loose [sic] what little DWA shelter is left on their ownership in my region."On Wednesday, Lehner said the company has since halted harvesting in deer yards identified by DIF&W biologists and is working with the department.Kenneth Elowe, head of DIF&W’s Bureau of Resource Management, said many of those e-mails were sent at a time when staff were experiencing their "peak frustration" toward Plum Creek on the deer issue. Elowe said things have improved considerably and that he is encouraged by the change."Since then, I would say since April or May, we have seen a lot of progress with them," Elowe said. "They have become much more cooperative, especially on the biological basis of what deer need."<a href="http://www.maineenvironment.org/pc_foaa_report.asp">Read NRCM's full report and related materials.</a> `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Getting down to specifics with Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Chemical Burns` post created successfully

`Plum Creek words, actions disconnected by forestry record` post created successfully

`In Support of Int. No. 643, “A Local Law to Amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York, in Relation to the Recycling, Reuse and Safe Handling of Electronic Equipment Sold in the City of New York.”` post created successfully

`Forward on the Allagash` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Having concluded that 15 or more years of dispute over the intended use of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway was likely enough, Gov. John Baldacci put together a group to create a means for cooperation. The group’s draft report, released this week, is a welcome step backward.Backward is welcome in this case because separate agendas among Maine citizens have pushed the state repeatedly into conflict — over access, manmade structures, aesthetics — but mostly over what wilderness means. By stepping back and asking Maine citizens and government officials to come to agreement on the goals of the waterway, the strategies for getting there should become more apparent, and the individual considerations such as whether an access point is appropriate or whether to preserve a building should answer themselves.That is the optimistic hope, anyway, and the reason for optimism is that the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Working Group has proposed more public access to the waterway’s oversight through its AWW Board of Overseers, which would include the conservation commissioner, attorney general, director of the Maine State Planning Office and two public members — one from the each congressional district. This is a small board, and while the working group properly recognized the need for geographic diversity, it might also have noted diversity of opinion within a district and, without letting the board become too large to function, had, say, two public members from each district.The purpose of the oversight board would be to develop strategies for managing the waterway and improve relations between those managing the waterway and the public. It would participate in the hiring of the waterway director, conduct hearings, work with local landowners and keep lawmakers apprised of issues. The board would also be charged with getting more money to support the management direction it chooses. The working group offers three useful specifics for the board’s mission:- Protect and improve the wilderness of the waterway, including the surrounding watershed, to enhance the experience of its primary users, canoeists and fishermen.- Respect the history and culture of the Allagash region by preserving and restoring historic sites and artifacts.- Support low-impact recreational and educational uses of the waterway that "respect the integrity of the natural areas and history of the peoples of the area" consistent with current waterway programs. "Low impact," the group emphasizes, means uses now permitted in the waterway as described by statute.No single organization is going to like all of the group’s recommendations, and no single organization is supposed to. The point of the draft report is to bring various factions — from those who want more day use to those who highlight a maximum wilderness experience on the waterway — together to improve understanding and discover ways develop strategies to meet common goals.That is not the place Maine might have expected to be more than 40 years after the waterway was recognized by the federal government, but an open process, respectful of local culture and determined to protect the waterway, is the right response to find a way forward.`, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post updated successfully

`Allagash draft recommendations` post created successfully

`EPA case key to Maine to be heard` post created successfully

`Plan seeks to end feud over Allagash` post created successfully

`Allagash panel seeks public comment` post created successfully

`The tipping point on global warming` post created successfully

`Deck the trees with diodes` post created successfully

`Oakhurst making switch to biodiesel` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Tux Turkel, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Oakhurst Dairy in Portland will be running 130 delivery trucks -- more than 90 percent of its fleet -- on biodiesel fuel by the end of the year.The fuel switch will make Oakhurst trucks the largest private biodiesel fleet in New England. Among other benefits, burning biodiesel will remove from the air an estimated 1,332 tons per year of carbon dioxide, a gas associated with global climate change. The reduction is equal to taking 262 cars off the road for a year.Clean air activists say they hope other large diesel fleets will follow Oakhurst's example.Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning fuel refined from renewable vegetable sources, such as soybeans. Biodiesel use and supply is growing in Maine as the state looks for ways to cut back on imported petroleum, improve air quality and fight climate change. Oakhurst will announce its program today in a ceremony in Portland that will include Gov. John Baldacci."We have been working on decreasing our carbon emissions for several years as part of our commitment to a healthier planet," said StanBennett, president of Oakhurst Dairy. "But this is a huge step forward for our organization."Oakhurst was among the first Maine companies to sign on to the Governor's Carbon Challenge, which sets benchmarks for cutting carbon emissions. Oakhurst burns roughly 600,000 gallons of fuel a year. Except in the coldest weather, the dairy will use a blend of biodiesel called B20, which consists of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. This ratio significantly reduces air pollution, with no engine modifications. Oakhurst plans to experiment with increasing the biofuel ratio, Bennett said, to further cut petroleum use. Oakhurst has been joining with Clean Air-Cool Planet, a Portsmouth, N.H.-based nonprofit group that works with business and government to promote solutions to global warming.Bill Burtis, a group spokesman, said biodiesel has been embraced in the region by several municipal fleets, such as the Keene, N.H., government operations, including the National Guard; and companies such as Oakhurst and L.L. Bean. A high-profile company such as Oakhurst making a big commitment to biodiesel serves as an example to other fleet owners in New England, Burtis said. Interest in biodiesel over the past year has been aided by increases in crude oil prices, which has made biodiesel cost competitive. In addition, Bennett credited the state's eight- cent-per-gallon reduction in the excise tax for motor fuel that contains at least 2 percent biodiesel with helping Oakhurst make the switch . The provision was part of Baldacci's energy bill last session. Oakhurst is northern New England's largest family-owned independent dairy. It also has begun buying hybrid cars for its sales staff as part of its energy and carbon reduction plan. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Energy efficiency workshop set` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Maggie Gill-Austern, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Lewiston Sun Journal news story</a> FARMINGTON - Federal money is out there for farmers and small business owners who want to make their operations more energy efficient, and an upcoming workshop will teach people how to get it."It's a great opportunity for farmers and small business owners," Portland-based Community Energy Partners President Sue Jones said on Monday. Jones, along with two representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture, will be explaining two federal grant programs available to small business owners and farmers this Friday.The grants provide funding to help "develop and install renewable energy projects or make energy efficiency improvements," according to a news release from Jones' company.In 2006, a Farmington man - Bussie York - received money to help buy an energy-efficient grain drier, Jones said.Anybody interested in making their business or farm more energy efficient - from installing new windows to putting in solar panels - is welcome at the meeting, Jones said. It will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday at the Ben Franklin Center at Franklin Commons.The two speakers from the USDA, Mike Grondin and John Sheehan, actually review grant applications and talk with prospective applicants about applying."They do the nuts and bolts of these programs," Jones said.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`The politics of climate change to visit Augusta this year` post created successfully

`Allagash hearings revive divisions` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> ORONO - Speakers representing all sides in the debate over the Allagash Wilderness Waterway picked apart a proposal Tuesday that would give a board of appointees control over the scenic waterway’s long-term future.More than a half-dozen speakers said they could support the proposed Allagash Wilderness Waterway "Board of Overseers" or some version of it, with changes to the board’s membership. But nearly a dozen people urged a state task force to scrap the proposal altogether and instead keep the status quo."I think the present setup is pretty good," Sarah Medina, land-use director for Seven Islands Land Co., told members of the commission. "I would leave it the way it is and just ask people to work together a little bit better, and let the [Department of Conservation] make the hard decisions."The Allagash task force is winding down its effort to identify alternate management options for the 92-mile waterway. Gov. John Baldacci created the group earlier this spring after the latest flare-up between St. John Valley residents and environmentalists over access points to the waterway.The group held four meetings simultaneously Tuesday in Fort Kent, Orono, Augusta and Portland — all connected through video conferencing — to hear public comment on the proposed board of overseers.The five-member board would be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic plan for the waterway, hiring a director, reporting to the Legislature and fundraising.The board would comprised the commissioner of the Department of Conservation, the attorney general or his designee, the director of the State Planning Office and public representatives selected from each of Maine’s two congressional districts.Multiple speakers from the Fort Kent location urged the group to drop the governing board idea, predicting the body would only exacerbate tensions between local residents and conservationists."Why haven’t we looked internally to the problems that are there?" asked Gary Pelletier, a retired warden and Allagash native. "If we do have a problem within the system, it is within the system [where] it should be handled."Representatives of the forest products industry expressed alarm at what they perceived as an "escalation of authority" through the board. Others questioned whether the board would be accountable to the public, adding that people currently can effect change in the waterway through the Legislature."It’s an unnecessary additional layer of government further separating the members of the public from those who govern" the waterway, said John Rust with the Maine Professional Guides Association.Others saw value in the idea of a quasi-independent board insulated from the political process but suggested changes to the board’s composition.Cathy Johnson with the Natural Resources Council of Maine urged the group to eliminate the two public board members and instead appoint a representative of the National Park System with knowledge of the federal "Wild and Scenic" river program.However, the cultural and philosophical differences that have fueled years of disagreement over the waterway were clearly evident Tuesday, most notably whenever the words "maximum wilderness character" came up.Dean Bennett, the author of several books on the Allagash, said the two public board members should be committed to maintaining the maximum wilderness character as well as the unique culture and history of the waterway.That led to the first of several exchanges between task force members and speakers about the meaning of the phrase as well as the intent of the original legislation and acts creating the waterway 40 years ago.Panel chairman Don Nicoll said the group may meet again to discuss the public comments and possible changes to the draft recommendation. If significant changes are made, the panel could hold another public hearing before presenting the recommendations to the governor.The public comment period on the current draft recommendations will remain open through Dec. 12. Written comments can be e-mailed to <a href="mailto:kelly.arata@maine.gov">kelly.arata@maine.gov</a> or sent to Kelly J. Arata, Legislative & Policy Coordinator, Governor’s Office, 1 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0001.`, assigning current date

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway` post updated successfully

`Plum Creek review to begin` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> State regulators said Tuesday that they now have enough information from Plum Creek Timber Co. to begin the formal review of the company’s development plans for the Moosehead Lake region.The Land Use Regulation Commission said in an e-mail distributed Tuesday that Plum Creek submitted the details of an agreement with several conservation groups to permanently protect more than 340,000 acres in the Moosehead region.LURC staffers had told Plum Creek they needed to see the purchase and sale agreement to consider the company’s concept plan for its Moosehead lands as complete. Having now deemed the company’s application "acceptable for processing," LURC staff can move forward with a review that may take a year or longer to complete.Public hearings are tentatively scheduled for the spring or summer of next year, LURC said Tuesday.Seattle-based Plum Creek is proposing to sell off 975 house lots and land for two resorts in the Moosehead region. If approved by LURC, the plan would be the largest development project in Maine history.Responding to earlier calls for more permanent conservation in the development, Plum Creek announced earlier this year that it was partnering with The Nature Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Forest Society of Maine to conserve more than 340,000 acres.The deal with the three groups — valued at approximately $35 million — would rank as one of the largest land conservation projects in U.S. history. Some of the land would be purchased outright by the groups, while the rest would be placed in conservation easements.Plum Creek also has offered to donate approximately 72,000 acres of conservation land to offset the proposed development in the company’s concept plan.Many observers regard the regulatory review of Plum Creek’s application as a pivotal event in the future of Maine’s North Woods with significant implications for the local economy and the region’s natural resources. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Supreme Court in global warming fray` post created successfully

`Justices’ First Brush With Global Warming` post created successfully

`Oakhurst takes milk run to the 21st century` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake fund drive $1.8M short` post created successfully

`Reading between the lines of Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Huge Measure 37 claim filed - The Plum Creek Timber Co. proposes to build homes scattered across the coastal region in two counties` post created successfully

`State considers cap, trade plan solution to CO2` post created successfully

`Eyesore or cash cow?` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Maine Sunday Telegram news story</a> MARS HILL - The conversation in Mikala Woollard's hair salon these days usually revolves around the windmills."I hear both sides of it, all day long," she said.And whenever she steps outside, there they are, looming behind the house she and her husband built on the side of Mars Hill Mountain. "There's no getting away from it, for me anyway."This quiet farming community next to the Canadian border is getting a lot of attention these days as home to New England's first major wind farm. Twenty towering windmills line the ridge of Mars Hill Mountain, visible from virtually everywhere in town, and from several surrounding towns, too. Eight more turbines are about to go up, and the blades should start turning and generating power this month.The windmills already are changing the town's identity. To some, they're beautiful. To others, an industrial eyesore. How well the wind farm fits in around here could affect plans for many other wind farms planned around the state."I'm absolutely sure there will be more as people see what they're all about," said Town Manager Raymond Mersereau. "Mars Hill is plowing the ground."Plowing is nothing new for the people of this town. Mars Hill sits in the heart of Aroostook County potato country, where generations of close-knit families have grown up on farms. But harvesting wind is new, and so is being the focus of attention and curiosity. Residents of the county know Mars Hill for its golf course and ski slope. But most people who come here are simply passing through on Route 1. Until now, the town's biggest claim to fame may have been that the peak of Mars Hill Mountain is the first place in the United States to see the sunrise - in summer at least. Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island and Porcupine Mountain in Lubec share the honor in winter.Now, as 80-year-old native John Ackerman put it, "we've got something no one else has." Ackerman, for one, is pleased about that. "I can't see anything wrong with it," he said, as the breakfast discussion in Al's Diner on Main Street turned, again, to windmills. "It'll give the town a good tax base," said Lynwood Brown, a 75-year-old from the neighboring town of Blaine. Ackerman and Brown predicted that those who don't like the windmills will get used to them, just like they got used to the first ski tow in the 1960s. "There was a lot of people saying then it's going to ruin the mountain," Brown said.The wind farm already has been drawing visitors to Mars Hill to check it out, and many here expect tourism to be one of the spinoff benefits. "That's going to be an attraction," Ackerman said. That kind of acceptance, if not support, is considered a big reason Mars Hill is leading the way."Here, there are people who are against it but they're not so adamant about it as they are in other places," Mersereau said. "We're more attuned to people using the land the way they want to."Another reason may be that Mars Hill Mountain, a lone sloping rock rising from the rolling farm fields next to the Canadian border, was already developed to some extent with cell towers and the Big Rock Ski Area.The biggest reason, though, is the wind that blows steadily over the sloping mountain as if passing over a windfoil."This is a great wind site," said Andrew Perkins, project manager for Evergreen Wind Power LLC, developer of the $55 million wind farm.The 28 windmills will be spread more than four miles across the ridgeline. Each stands 262 feet tall at the hub, with three 115-foot-long blades sticking out. The windmills are expected to start spinning and generating power by the end of December, Perkins said. At peak conditions, the turbines will make 20 revolutions per minute and generate 42 megawatts, enough electricity to power more than 40,000 homes. Until now, New England's largest wind farm was a 6-megawatt plant with 11 windmills in northwestern Vermont. The electricity made in Mars Hill will go onto the commercial grid, which means the wind power will flow into New Brunswick, Canada, where demand is stronger, rather than into Maine.The company and the town negotiated an agreement that gives the wind farm a fixed tax bill -- $500,000 a year for 20 years. That's equal to nearly one-third of the town's total tax revenue -- $1.6 million.The state is certain to keep its share of the new revenue -- technically, it will reduce the town's education funding -- but Mars Hill is still expected to keep at least $250,000 a year. That will be enough to reduce residential tax bills by as much as 20 percent, or $400 a year for the owner of a home assessed at $80,000, Mersereau said. "This was a very fair deal for the town," he said.Not everyone here is convinced. George Hatt of Mars Hill said he doubts taxes will actually drop, and he thinks the town could have done better than $500,000 a year. "That's not a lot of money," Hatt said. The project overcame a range of concerns, such as the potential for the windmills to kill birds or bats, something turbines have done in other parts of the country. Radar monitoring indicated the turbines were not located in the path of a significant flyway, although the company is required to monitor wildlife impacts. On the other hand, some people have been supportive because the wind farm's clean, renewable energy will replace power made by burning fossil fuels, a process that contributes to global warming.Now that people are getting a good look at the windmills, however, the visual impact on the town's rural landscape is dominating the conversation. A lot of people are not happy with the new look, said Woollard, the hair stylist.Woollard mostly bites her tongue when customers complain about the windmills or about not getting enough information before the project was approved. But she understands."Basically, I like the mountain the way it was," she said. "I just hope it does benefit the town in some way."Woollard expects she'll soon be hearing the windmills in addition to seeing them, although the developer says the noise will be minimal.Michele Morrison, who works at Al's Diner on Main Street here, said she can see the windmills from her home in Presque Isle and they are just as ugly from a distance as they are up close."I used to love to look at the mountain. It's beautiful in every season," Morrison said. "It's ruined."A lot of people here are surprised at how much the windmills dominate the view, she said. And the idea that people would go out of their way to come to Mars Hill and look at them makes no sense to her. "For what?" she said. "Who wants to see that?"Few people live closer to the windmills than Michele Kearney and her family. Their new home is on the mountain's eastern slope beneath several turbines. "When the sunset hits them, they're kind of neat," Kearney said. "My kids say it's like candles on a cake."She's also wondering what they will sound like, but she's not worrying, she said. The time has come for renewable energy, she said."Times are changing," she said. "I just can't see what's wrong with them."Advocates of wind power are counting on that attitude to spread.Large wind farms have been proposed for Redington Township near the Sugarloaf Ski Resort, northern Aroostook County and Kibby Mountain in the western mountains, and there are smaller projects planned in Freedom and Deer Isle.A total of about 1,000 megawatts of wind power is on the drawing board in Maine, the equivalent of more than 20 wind farms the size of the one on Mars Hill Mountain, said Beth Nagusky, director of Maine's Office of Energy Independence and Security. "The potential is huge. It's a really exciting time," she said. "That's one thing we can do to stop global warming, which to me is the most serious environmental and social threat this world faces." Each of the wind farm proposals will face its own challenges, such as the local wildlife and aesthetic impacts, Nagusky said. But she hopes Mars Hill is the beginning of a new trend."Maybe more people will think that they aren't so bad and it's a sacrifice worth making," Nagusky said.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`New management won't stop Allagash conflicts` post created successfully

`Katahdin land deal nearing fruition` post created successfully

`Paul Harvey speaks about Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Another wind farm in works` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Donna M. Perry , Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Lewiston Sun Journal news story</a> KIBBY TOWNSHIP - A Canadian energy company plans to apply for a permit to construct a $250 million to $300 million wind farm on two mountains in northern Franklin County, a company official said Tuesday. TransCanada will file an application with Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission within the next 30 days, the company's project manager, Nick Di Domenico said. "We have satisfied ourselves that is an appropriate site for wind power," Di Domenico said. In 2005, the company received approval from LURC to erect three meteorological towers to measure the wind and conducted other environmental studies, including on wetlands and bats, he said. The project will be the second wind farm in Franklin County seeking LURC approval. Maine Mountain Power LLC has proposed building 30 wind towers atop the Redington Pond Range and Black Nubble mountains in Redington Township, near Carrabassett Valley and about 35 miles to the southwest of Kibby Mountain by air. The application to rezone about 1,000 acres to build the $130-million Redington farm, located about 4 miles west of the Sugarloaf ski resort, is already under LURC review. TransCanada's proposal is to install 44 turbines on 13.7 miles of ridge line on Kibby Mountain and Kibby Range in Kibby Township and a small portion of Skinner Township, located near the Somerset County line and just south of Quebec, Canada. The company has an option on an easement owned by the Plum Creek Timber Co. Its design shows the turbines on a southern ridge of Kibby Mountain and on a wishbone-shaped ridge of Kibby Range. The proposed turbine heights will be 260 feet to the top of the hub where Federal Aviation Administration lighting would be located and an additional 150 feet to the tip of the blade. The overall height of each tower is 410 feet, based on company documents. Access for the project would be via existing logging roads where possible, and siting for the additional access has been examined for elevation, ground conditions and environmental issues to ensure that roads result in the least cut and fill or other resource impacts, according to a summary of key environmental issues. Techniques were identified in consultation with state agencies for design and construction of the roads that will minimize erosion potential and ensure that drainage patterns are maintained. The road will not be paved or gated. Road travel surface to access the ridge lines will be about 20 feet and access between turbines by crawler cranes will require a road travel surface width of 34 feet. A substation would be at the base of the ridge lines, from which about 29 miles of transmission lines would be constructed to connect with the Bigelow substation in Carrabassett Valley. The transmission line route has been selected with consideration of a range of potential interconnection points and routes to minimize potential visibility, natural resource impact, proximity to residences, and the number of landowners. Most of the transmission line corridor property is actively managed forest, according to the company's summary. TransCanada plans to submit the application to LURC in late December or early January and seeks a public hearing on the project in the spring of 2007. If the project is approved, construction will be done over a two years with some turbines operating by the end of 2008 and the project complete in 2009, Di Domenico said.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Revealing the true game behind Measure 37` post created successfully

`Twelve-year-old making a difference` post created successfully

`$250 Million Wind Project` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Business wants 44 turbines in Franklin Co.</h2> <h3 class="author">By Alan Crowell, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- A Canadian company hopes to build a wind power project in Franklin County that would be the biggest of its kind in the state.TransCanada, a large Canadian energy company that owns or controls roughly 7,700 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States and Canada, will file an application with the Land Use Regulation Commission within 30 days to build a $250 million to $300 million wind farm, according to a spokesman.If the application is approved, 44 turbines -- each roughly 41 stories high -- will be constructed on Kibby Mountain and the Kibby Range near the Somerset County line beginning as soon as next fall.Nick Di Domenico, project manager for TransCanada, said the project would generate 132 megawatts at peak capacity. He said the company has spent 18 months studying the wind resource and the surrounding environment on the mountains."We have satisfied ourselves that we can build 132 megawatts with minimal environmental impacts," he said.The Kibby project would be well more than twice the size of the 50-megawatt Mars Hill wind farm in northern Maine, which is expected to begin transmitting power this month.It is also much larger than the proposed 90-megawatt Redington Wind Farm project, also in Franklin County, proposed by Maine Mountain Power.Concerns about fragile ecosystems have made the 30-turbine Redington project on Black Nubble Mountain and Redington Range controversial.Hundreds of people attended three days of public hearings on that project in August. Environmentalists said the project would have an unacceptable effect on fragile sub-alpine habitat and would erect lighted towers close to the Appalachian Trail.The Land Use Regulation Commission has scheduled a meeting to discuss the project next month. Di Domenico said one reason his company was attracted to the Kibby Township site is that in the mid-1990s, an application for a wind power project there was approved, although no turbines were ever built."(The application) had gone through a very vigorous environmental review and come out the other end," Di Domenico said.Just the same, Di Domenico said, TransCanada has studied the project's effect on vernal pools, wetlands, bird migrations, bats, and many sensitive species. He said TransCanada has also worked closely with environmental advocacy groups.Pete Didisheim, advocacy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said that while the council does not have a position on the Kibby project yet, the site does not seem likely to be as controversial as Redington Ridge."Our general sense is the TransCanada site meets many of the criteria that one would use to select a good site," Didisheim said.The project also fits well economically within New England's power generation landscape.Federal tax incentives and a premium for wind power offered by some New England states help make the project economically feasible, said Di Domenico.Those economic factors, along with Maine's strong wind resource, relatively friendly regulatory atmosphere and the fact that it is in the energy-hungry Northeast make it attractive to wind power investors, according to Kurt Adams, chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission."There are a lot of places on the planet that have a great wind resource but not many are right next to Boston," he said.The state's growing wind power generating capacity is a good thing for several reasons, including the fact that Maine is very dependent on fossil fuel generators, particularly natural gas, said Adams. In 2004, about three quarters of Maine's power came from oil or gas, with the vast majority of that coming from gas generating plants.Because Maine has more generating capacity than it uses, any new non-fossil fuel generation will tend to exert downward pressure on prices, he said.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Taking action on CO2 emissions` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record editorial</a> From the land down under comes additional evidence to support a consensus of most scientists and ever-increasing numbers of citizens that global warming is a real threat requiring decisive and dramatic action. Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization's latest report shows global emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide have more than doubled since 1990. In addition, the rate of increase is accelerating, meaning the already high rate of emissions accumulating in the atmosphere is getting worse. Scientists say this trend, based on data collected over the past 30 years, indicates recent efforts to cut back on emissions have had little impact on emissions growth. "From 2000 to 2005, the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions was more than 2.5 percent per year, whereas in the 1990s it was less than 1 percent per year," said Mike Raupach, a scientist involved in the study of a 30-year record of air samples. Consider, too, that this study reports that 2005 marked the fourth year in a row of above-average growth in the growth of carbon dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere. Emitted by burning coal, oil and gas, and by industrial processes, these gases blanket the Earth, trapping the heat of the Sun close to the planet. And that, in turn, influences the effect known as "global warming" that is responsible for sea level rise, melting glaciers, extreme weather events, drought, heat waves, and changes in the migratory patterns of birds and animals. With so much evidence accumulating that greenhouse gas emissions are increasing at rates coincident with similar increases in global temperatures, it defies both science — and common sense — to insist there is no correlation, and that therefore there is no need to change our habits of energy production and consumption.The rub, of course, comes in translating scientific understanding into social action. Objections about cost, fairness (ie. What about China and its large coal-burning plants?) and feasibility must be addressed head on. Consumers and industry, alike, must be persuaded that whatever costs there might be in enacting tougher controls on carbon dioxide emissions, the costs of staying in our present course will be far, far greater. Without significant reductions in emissions, many global warming scenarios project a future of intensified flooding, withering droughts and consequent upheavals in the affected regions of the world.Maine and six other Northeast states, in the next year or so, will be moving forward with implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Maine's Public Advocate Stephen Ward puts the initiative's cost at $3 to $50 per year in 2015 for residential customers.That seems a modest impact, indeed, for doing our share in a global fight against global warming. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Freedom planners approve wind power plan` post created successfully

`Pay as you pollute` post created successfully

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Cutting damages deer livelihood` post created successfully

`Plum Creek plan jeered, cheered` post created successfully

`Company agrees to Saco dam fishways` post created successfully

`Maine ozone cutbacks praised` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> The federal government recognized Maine’s efforts to reduce smog on Monday by removing nine midcoast and Portland-area counties from a list of locations with ground-level ozone problems.The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision means that all Maine counties now meet federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone.While not necessarily a clean bill of health, the re-designation shows that Maine is making progress with its air pollution programs, state officials said.The nine counties removed from the EPA’s "non-attainment" list are: Hancock, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Cumberland and York."While Maine is now meeting the federal ozone standard, there remains room for air quality improvement," David Littell, commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, said in a statement. "We need to continue working with [the] EPA and upwind states to further reduce emissions of ozone precursors and other pollutants, including mercury from power plants."Ground-level ozone is a component of smog formed when pollutants from vehicles, smokestacks and other sources react chemically with intense sunlight. High levels of ozone, which occur most frequently during summer, can harm the respiratory system or exacerbate existing breathing problems.The dangers of ground-level ozone are most acute for the very young, the elderly or the sick but can also affect healthy adults working or exercising outside on hot summer days.In 1988, Maine reported 34 days when ozone levels were considered unhealthful to sensitive groups. But the number of unhealthful days have steadily dropped, with just two days reported during the summer of 2006.Jim Brooks, head of the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality, attributed the improvements to more stringent emissions levels in Maine combined with pollution reductions in upwind states. Brooks said ozone problems were so severe during the 1980s that he never thought the state would come into attainment of the EPA standards before he retired."I’m very pleased. This is a milestone," Brooks said.Mainers will likely continue to see warnings about unhealthful ozone levels on some hot summer days despite the federal designation, however. That is because ozone levels can rise above healthful levels for several hours without violating the 8-hour standard used by the EPA.The EPA is also considering whether to lower the current air quality standard, now set at 84 parts per billion, to reflect new scientific evidence on the health effects of ground-level ozone. The American Lung Association and other health groups have argued that the 84 parts-per-billion standard is much too high.A lower standard could affect Maine’s attainment status, Brooks said. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`State lights way toward lower electricity costs` post created successfully

`New life for the Saco River?` post created successfully

`The Cost of an Overheated Planet` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Steve Lohr</h3> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com" target="_blank">New York Times news story</a> The iconic culprit in global warming is the coal-fired power plant. It burns the dirtiest, most carbon-laden of fuels, and its smokestacks belch millions of tons of carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas. So it is something of a surprise that James E. Rogers, chief executive of Duke Energy, a coal-burning utility in the Midwest and the Southeast, has emerged as an unexpected advocate of federal regulation that would for the first time impose a cost for emitting carbon dioxide. But he has his reasons.“Climate change is real, and we clearly believe we are on a route to mandatory controls on carbon dioxide,” Mr. Rogers said. “And we need to start now because the longer we wait, the more difficult and expensive this is going to be.” Global warming is not only an environmental hazard, but also a great challenge for economic policy. Without economic incentives, analysts say, the needed investments in industrial cleanup, innovative low-carbon technologies, fuel-efficient cars and other ways of reducing energy waste will not occur.Mr. Rogers’s stance is far from universal within the power industry, but it has surprising support, particularly from those, like him, who also produce electricity from carbon-free nuclear reactors.And despite the Bush administration’s adamant opposition to any limits on fossil fuel emissions, the idea is beginning to pick up momentum in the American political arena as well. Already, California has adopted a policy aimed at reducing the state’s contribution to global warming by 25 percent in the next 14 years.In Washington, several influential lawmakers, including Senator John McCain, a leading Republican contender for president in 2008, have introduced legislation intended to limit the nation’s carbon dioxide output. But how would those goals be achieved? Global warming can be seen as a classic “market failure,” and many economists, environmental experts and policy makers agree that the single largest cause of that failure is that in most of the world, there is no price placed on spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.Yet it is increasingly clear that there is a considerable cost to carbon dioxide emissions, especially to future generations, as climate specialists warn of declines in farm output in poor tropical countries, fiercer hurricanes and coastal floods that could make many people refugees.Price List for Polluting “Setting a real price on carbon emissions is the single most important policy step to take,” said Robert N. Stavins, director of the environmental economics program at Harvard University. “Pricing is the way you get both the short-term gains through efficiency and the longer-term gains from investments in research and switching to cleaner fuels.”Some academics see an analogy between a global warming policy and the pursuit of national security in the cold war. In the late 1950s, American military spending reached as high as 10 percent of the gross domestic product and averaged about 4 percent, far higher than in any previous peacetime era. A Soviet nuclear attack was a danger but hardly a certainty, just as the predicted catastrophes from global warming are threats but not certainties.“The issues are similar in that you pay now so things are less risky in the future — it’s an insurance policy,” said Richard Cooper, a Harvard economist. “And in the cold war, we taxed ourselves fairly highly to mitigate that threat.” What makes such a view more than a conceptual argument is that executives like Mr. Rogers, who is also chairman of the Edison Electric Institute, a utility trade group whose members provide 60 percent of the nation’s electric power, are also pushing for a carbon dioxide-pricing policy to reduce the risk to their companies. They say that only with some sort of federal policy in place — which would probably take the form of a tax on carbon dioxide waste from any source, or a “cap and trade” regulatory system — will it become clear what carbon cleanup or fuel-switching moves their companies may have to make, and on what sort of timetable.Investors in alternative energy projects also emphasize the need to set policy priorities.“We need a policy framework for the long term,” said Vinod Khosla, a leading environment-oriented venture capitalist. “Fifteen years is the minimum horizon of stability that we need.”Beyond incentives for business, a national global warming policy should include increased federal spending on research on futuristic technologies to curb carbon emissions, advocates say.Combating global warming, they say, will require over-the-horizon breakthroughs involving safe nuclear energy, hydrogen power and advanced carbon sequestration — or technologies that have not yet been imagined.But even today, there are sizable opportunities, by insisting on more efficient energy use, that are not being seized, according to the McKinsey Global Institute. In a new report, the institute, a business-oriented research group that is part of McKinsey & Company consultants, estimated that the yearly growth in worldwide energy demand could be cut by more than half through 2020 — to an annual rate of 0.6 percent from a forecast 2.2 percent, using current technology alone.Available steps that would yield a more productive, and efficient, use of energy include compact fluorescent lighting, improved insulation on new buildings, reduced standby power requirements and an accelerated push for appliance-efficiency standards.All these moves, McKinsey said, would save money for consumers and businesses. “We were really surprised by these huge straightforward opportunities that are not being taken,” said Diana Farrell, the McKinsey Global Institute’s director. “In some senses, there is a big market failure.”Energy efficiency can help slow the pace at which the risk from global warming risk increases, but it cannot reverse the trend alone. In the very long term, environmental experts say, the world’s economy needs a technological transformation, from deriving 90 percent of its energy from fossil fuels today to being largely free of emissions from fossil fuels by 2100, through cleanup steps or alternative energy sources.Science and Uncertainty Given all the uncertainties, the scientists and economists who design and run simulations of global warming policy acknowledge that their work is at best a tool for thinking about climate change issues. Still, they tend to agree that over the next 50 years, the cost of slowing and eventually reversing carbon emissions growth will be 1 to 2 percent of global economic output. They assume the focus over those years will be mainly on efficiency and cleaning up electricity generation. In later years, their cost projections become more varied, ranging from 1 percent to as high as 16 percent of global output, depending on assumptions about how difficult it will be to wean the world’s vehicle fleet from fossil fuels, and to make other technological leaps.“Going past 2050, the cleverness really has to kick in,” said John M. Reilly, an economist at the M.I.T. Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change.A global warming policy would be shaped first by science and social values, before economics. A sensible goal, according to many environmental specialists, is to try to avert a doubling or more of atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide in this century.“This is not something that goes on inside a computer, but a grand political calculation,” said Stephen H. Schneider, a climate expert at Stanford University. Yet even in realms of social policy, where uncertainty is high, there is an implicit calculation of costs and benefits. In the case of global warming, the cost of society’s insurance policy may well be worth it, measured in the damage averted.But it will not be cheap. Take the experts’ consensus estimate that curbing carbon dioxide emissions over the next 50 years will, on average, cost about 1 percent of global economic activity annually.It seems a modest figure. Yet in today’s terms, 1 percent of the United States economy is more than $120 billion a year, or $400 a person.Put another way, $120 billion is about equal to the Bush administration’s tax cuts in 2001; it is also roughly the amount spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars this year. “There’s no easy way around the fact that if global warming is a serious risk, there will be serious costs,” said W. David Montgomery, an economist at Charles River Associates, a consulting group.A price on carbon dioxide emissions, most economists agree, would be the most efficient way to combat global warming. And the price, they say, should start small to give industries time to adapt, then ratchet up over the years to encourage long-term investments in energy saving, carbon cleanup and new technology. The two methods of pricing carbon are to charge a tax on each ton of carbon dioxide emitted into the air, or to place a cap on total emissions and then let polluters trade permits to emit a ton of carbon dioxide.Economists like William D. Nordhaus of Yale and Mr. Cooper of Harvard advocate a tax as the clearest price signal to the energy marketplace, and less susceptible to political tampering and market manipulation than a cap-and-trade system. It could also be used to raise revenue to offset other taxes.In a recent paper, Mr. Cooper suggested an initial tax around $14 a ton of carbon dioxide emitted, which he calculated would translate roughly into a 100 percent tax on coal and add 12 cents to each gallon of gasoline. Such a tax would raise as much as $80 billion a year in the United States.“There’s nothing sacred about the number,” he said, “but you need to get a significant price into the system to create the incentive for people to go out and look for solutions.” A Quota or a Tax? Economically, a cap-and-trade system has the same goal as a tax, putting a price on carbon dioxide emissions, but goes about it differently. A limit would be placed on overall emissions, with polluters allocated permits. Then, companies able to go below their emission targets would be allowed to sell their unused “permits to pollute” to companies that could not.A cap-and-trade system also has some political advantages. It can deflect the anger over higher costs and enable governments to use their allocations to essentially buy political support, since permits are the equivalent of cash. Big polluters, who will have to invest most to clean up, could be granted extra allowances in the early years of the program to subsidize their investments.In the United States, caps and trading have a record of success in combating acid rain, which is caused by sulfur dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants.“People said it was a crazy idea, too complicated and too regulatory,” said Richard L. Schmalensee, an M.I.T. economist who was an economic adviser to the first President Bush when the sulfur emissions program was designed. “But the lesson learned was that a cap-and-trade system can work.”The global warming legislative proposals before Congress — including one sponsored by Senator McCain and Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, and another by Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico — envision cap-and-trade systems.But the challenge of controlling carbon emissions is far greater than sulfur. Carbon dioxide is a pervasive byproduct of the economy, and the polluters are many and varied. Once emitted, carbon dioxide is vexingly long-lived in the environment.The early struggles of the European Union’s carbon emission trading system, set up last year, point to the administrative and political difficulties. The European governments, responding to lobbying by domestic businesses, handed out permits that exceeded the emissions that most companies were already putting into the air. When that became clear in April, the market price of carbon dioxide emissions fell by half. Senator Barbara Boxer of California, who will soon take the chair of the Senate environment committee, has pledged to push Congress to impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions, as the Europeans have done.Yet without coordinated international action, even if the United States — the largest source of carbon emissions — reined them in, this would have only limited effect on global warming. China is on track to surpass the United States as the leading emitter of carbon dioxide by 2009, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency.“Unless China and India are brought in, it won’t matter much what the developed world does,” said Scott Barrett, a professor of environmental economics at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.But developing nations like China and India, energy specialists say, would certainly avoid joining any international effort on global warming without an emphatic move by the United States.“Every year we delay, we contribute to another year of delay in China, India and elsewhere,” said Jason S. Grumet, executive director of the National Commission on Energy Policy, a bipartisan group of energy experts. “The ecological and economic imperative is to start now.”`, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`EPA injects reality into its auto mileage estimates` post created successfully

`Initiative targets Kennebec River` post created successfully

`Allagash waterway panelists drop board oversight plan` post created successfully

`Turbines at Mars Hill begin spinning to life` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Rachel Rice</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> MARS HILL - The wind turbines atop Mars Hill Mountain are spinning to life — for brief spurts, at least — as testing gets under way at the wind farm, which is expected to begin generating energy by the end of the year.With 20 turbines planted along the mountain’s ridge and eight left to assemble, the Mars Hill Wind Farm is the biggest wind power operation to come to New England.Evergreen Wind Power LLC of Bangor has worked for four years and is spending about $55 million to develop the wind farm. It is expected to generate about 42 megawatts of electricity, or enough to supply about 45,000 Maine homes at full capacity. Whether the electricity will be sold to customers in Maine or elsewhere is still being negotiated.Project manager Andy Perkins said Thursday that while some of the 50 or so workers at the site are installing the last turbines on the north end of the mountain — they will be placed at a lower elevation than the turbines on the ridge — other crews are conducting "mechanical completions."For each turbine, workers are running through a comprehensive checklist that includes inspecting all internal and external parts, torquing the bolts, making sure all cables are tight, and ensuring that the turbine alignment is correct. Perkins said the time it takes to finish a check varies from turbine to turbine."We’ve done mechanical completions in a day, and we’ve done them in a week," Perkins said. "It depends on how long the punch list is and how much detail we have to go into."Crews have mechanical completions done on about nine of the turbines. Once the wind towers have been checked out, Perkins said the next phase is to prepare them for commission. That includes going inside each tower, setting all the computers up, and going through the electronics and programming.As workers complete these last steps, Perkins said that people eyeing the mountain will see the turbines spinning once in a while. Crews will turn them on and off as the commissioning proceeds."We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re making progress," Perkins said. "We’re very hopeful that we’re going to be spinning by the end of the year."`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Freedom: Wind power project gets OK` post created successfully

`Deal completed, Katahdin Lake now part of Baxter State Park` post created successfully

`Done deal: Katahdin Lake part of Baxter State Park` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake purchase a fitting tribute to Gov. Baxter's vision` post created successfully

`Plum Creek development would ruin woods` post created successfully

`Clean Cars Program leads way to 'Clean Air'` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Sarah Louden</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Brunswick Times Record op-ed</a> I am presently a high school senior in Portland and as a part of my senior English project I am researching alternative energy in Maine. Through my research I have become familiar with the Clean Air Act and the Clean Cars Program, vital issues which affect both Maine's citizens and its environment. However, many local residents are unclear as to what these projects entail. The Clean Air Act (passed by Congress in 1970) allows states to choose between complying with federal emissions standards, or adopting California's more protective emissions standards — known as the Clean Cars Program. Maine, along with 11 other states, has adopted these more stringent standards. This allows states to take the lead in tackling new air pollution problems. Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency presently will not grant California (and the other states backing California's plan) a waiver that would force automobile producers to limit the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from new vehicles. Although the EPA has granted more than 40 waiver requests under the Clean Air Act during the last three decades, the agency continues to sit on this request.The proposed emissions standards would be put into action in 2009, and they would continue to be gradually phased in over the next eight years. Not only will these new standards cut global warming pollution from new vehicles by nearly 30 percent by model year 2016, they also will save consumers hundreds of dollars on fuel and maintenance costs.The Clean Cars Program's emissions standards are based on technologies available today, and they are clearly more protective than the federal standards.Currently, global warming is a serious threat to the environment, and will continue to have a profound impact on our lives. President Bush and his administration's lack of action is jeopardizing the future interests of America, especially the quality of life and the public health and security of its residents. In Maine, more frequent heat waves, droughts, milder winters, reduced snow-pack, water scarcity, rising sea levels and increased air pollution will soon be a reality — unless we put the Clean Cars Program into action first.Sarah Louden is a high school student in Portland. `, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars` post updated successfully

`Maine, others sue EPA over soot` post created successfully

`Region urged to collaborate on emissions` post created successfully

`Beyond Baxter's Legacy: Discussion on use must continue` post created successfully

`Cony gets recognition as energy-efficient school` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- State officials are scheduled to present a $100,000 grant award recognizing the energy efficiency of Cony High School today. The Maine Public Utilities Commission's Efficiency Maine High Performance School Program rewards energy-efficient new schools.Upgrades meant to boost efficiency at Cony, which opened this school year, include an automatic air control system, high-efficiency refrigerators and special lighting that shuts off if nobody is in a room. School officials estimate the upgrades will save the school $28,292 in energy costs annually.Several state and school officials are expected to be on hand at Cony today at 11 a.m. for the award presentation.The grant program is a partnership of the PUC, state Department of Education, Maine Bureau of General Services, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Maine School Management Association.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Baxter's Folly makes it to finish line` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Jim Brunelle</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal op-ed</a> The recent addition of 4,000-acres to Baxter State Park more-or-less completes the legacy of Percy Baxter's magnificent obsession.A successful $14 million fundraising campaign by the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit land conservation outfit, led to the parcel's purchase from the Gardner Land Co., and its presentation to the state in formal ceremonies at Millinocket last week.The land includes Katahdin Lake, primeval forest and stunning views of Mt. Katahdin, the centerpiece of the park that was Baxter's 1931 down payment on his famous gift to Maine's people.He kept adding to that gift over three-and-a-half decades, but was not able to pick up the Katahdin Lake section during his lifetime. In that sense, this latest addition comes as a gift from beyond the grave -- Baxter died in 1969 -- even though the money for it came not from him but from more than 1,000 new donors during the past year or so.The money came from individuals, corporations and foundations in contributions that ranged from a few dollars to more than $1 million. All of them, from small to large, were offered in the same visionary spirit that inspired the original donor, Baxter himself.Liz Soares, in her biography of Baxter, "All for Maine," quotes him addressing the Legislature as he was contributing several new parcels to the park in 1955:"When you inspect this map, it will be difficult for you to visualize how this has been accomplished, how my numerous purchases have been brought together into one solid area. I myself can hardly realize it. A map showing the different acquisitions, both small and large, over the years, would remind you of your grandmother's patchwork quilt, which finally, in some mysterious way, came out of the confusion into one large piece."The homespun metaphor is apt. Soares's book carries a chart showing various acquisitions of land, stitched together by Baxter between 1931 and 1963, that resembles nothing so much as an old-fashioned crazy quilt.By now, just about every Maine schoolkid is familiar with the story behind Baxter State Park, but it's always worth revisiting for the benefit of newcomers.Percival Proctor Baxter, scion of a wealthy Portland family with a highly tuned sense of social responsibility, devoted much of his life to public service and philanthropy.As governor in the 1920s, Baxter conceived the idea that Maine's tallest mountain, Katahdin, should be owned by the state rather than the timber companies. When he failed to convince the Legislature of this proposition -- it was instantly dubbed "Baxter's Folly" -- he offered to donate two year's worth of his own salary as governor to help finance the idea.Nobody took him up on the idea, so after he left office and became a private citizen again, he quietly began negotiating to purchase Katahdin and surrounding lands on his own.It was not simply a question of his putting up a sizable chunk of the family fortune to get what he wanted. He had to battle the opposition of landowners, paper companies, political rivals and the scoffing of editorial writers and other skeptics every step of the way.Eventually, he overcame much of the opposition and began deeding the property he acquired to the state in stages, beginning with the mountain itself. Before he was done -- the last parcel was turned over to the state in the mid-1960s, shortly before his death -- Baxter had made an outright gift to the people of his beloved state of 200,000 acres of recreational wilderness.He had initially been inspired by fears that rampant timber harvesting in northern Maine was threatening to strip the region of its wilderness character, so he took care to build in a failsafe protection for his patchwork quilt.His one inflexible condition was that the land must "forever be used for public park and recreational purposes, forever be left in the natural wild state, forever be kept as a sanctuary for wild beasts and birds."For the most part, his preservationist philosophy has held up, although it is regularly tested. Opposition to the latest park addition required a compromise that set off a separate 2,000 acres north of Katahdin Lake that would remain open to hunters, snowmobilers and others.Never mind, the basic vision of Baxter's legacy remains intact. And with the addition of the Katahdin Lake parcel, 75 years after he deeded the mountaintop itself to the people of Maine, the original scope of that vision is now complete. Jim Brunelle is a weekly columnist and has been commenting on Maine issues for more than 40 years. He lives in Cape Elizabeth and can be reached at <a href="mailto:jbrune@maine.rr.com">jbrune@maine.rr.com</a>. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`State revisits law shielding shorebirds` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Maine Department of Environmental Protection officials are offering a significant compromise to coastal landowners and developers frustrated with a new law that restricts construction in areas frequented by migratory shorebirds.Officials are soliciting feedback on a proposal to reduce the 250-foot buffer now required near shorebird feeding and staging areas. The setback requirement for shorebird roosting areas — deemed more critical to bird survival — would remain at 250 feet.The department is also considering a transition period to give current property owners more flexibility when developing their land.If approved, the changes would slash – by as much as 90 percent – the acreage affected by the controversial new law, which aims to protect fragile populations of sandpipers, plovers and other shorebirds."This is a very substantial modification that reflects the concerns we have heard to continue to protect the habitat … yet still allow folks to develop their property," said DEP Commissioner David Littell.Under a law enacted earlier this year, landowners must leave a 250-foot buffer between development and areas that migratory shorebirds use for roosting, feeding and staging. Landowners with shorebird habitat must apply for a permit from DEP which, in turn, is to work with the property owner to minimize the effect on birds by relocating development or making adjustments.DEP officials have said the measure seeks to guide development into appropriate areas rather than prohibit it altogether.But some landowners, contractors and local officials largely from Down East communities argue the rules have ruined property values and could stymie economic development.As written, the rules will have the greatest impact on rural coastal communities, many of which are enjoying a housing boom. An estimated 17.5 percent of Washington County’s coastline, for instance, would be affected by the law now on the books.The rules breezed through the full Legislature last winter. A legislative committee and the Board of Environmental Protection held numerous public meetings on the rule. However most discussion centered on provisions to protect amphibian breeding areas known as vernal pools.Landowners and development groups claim they were caught by surprise by the shorebird and high-value waterfowl provisions. Now, the same committee that approved the rule unanimously earlier this year is under intense pressure to revise or scrap the law altogether.Littell said his department is open to reducing the setback for feeding and staging areas, adding that the actual size of the buffer is still up for discussion.Some groups have urged the state to exempt, or "grandfather," current landowners from the rules. Instead, Littell is proposing a transition period in which current property holders could build closer to shorebird areas.Littell and other DEP officials presented their proposal to representatives of several interest groups last week. The department hopes to submit its proposal to the Legislature in several weeks."I think the proposal has some merit," said Linda Gifford, legal counsel for the Maine Association of Realtors. "It’s definitely a step in the right direction."Gifford said her association wants more information on the transition period as well as how much land would still be affected by a 250-foot setback from roosting areas. The Realtors would also want to see all other buffers returned to 75 feet.Members of a fledgling landowners’ group, while pleased that DEP is willing to compromise, remain skeptical of the overall law.Carl Bragg, a founding member of Property Rights Advocates of Maine, criticized DEP and lawmakers for passing a law that he said would have an enormous economic impact on Washington County.Bragg said the group is pushing for a total repeal of a law, which he equates to state theft of land."If somebody stole $5 from you … and then they said, ‘OK, I’ll give you back $3,’ would you take it?" Bragg said.Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, has submitted his own legislation to return the buffer to 75 feet near feeding and staging areas. Raye, who is optimistic about a compromise, also wants more information about the inland property affected by the waterfowl provisions."The genesis of this problem is that the issue was never scrutinized," Raye said.The Maine Audubon Society, meanwhile, is also open to changes as long as they continue to protect the shorebirds, said Jenn Burns, the group’s legislative liaison. Rather than going back to the 75-foot buffer, Maine Audubon is more supportive of a 150-foot buffer near feeding and staging areas.Burns said she is encouraged by the number of landowners and developers who, although critical of the 250-foot buffers, have expressed a strong interest in protecting bird habitat.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife` post updated successfully

`Staff urges OK of wind-power project` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Joe Rankin, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- The staff of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission has recommended approval of a proposed $150 million wind power project in northern Franklin County.The draft recommendation on Maine Mountain Power's Redington wind farm was released Friday. It goes before the seven-member Commission for a vote Jan. 24.Final approval could make Maine a leader in wind power in the region and pave the way for other projects, including the even larger TransCanada wind farm proposed for Kibby Mountain to the northwest.The Commission staff determined after months of review that the Redington project complies with the agency's comprehensive plan and state laws, Director Catherine Carroll said Friday.She predicts "extensive deliberations" when commissioners meet in January. "It's entirely now in the hands of the Commission, and we'll find out what they do," she said.The draft decision recommends approval of a zoning change to allow the wind farm and its preliminary development plan.The 90-megawatt project calls for 30 huge wind turbines on Redington Pond Range and Black Nubble Mountain, between Carrabassett Valley and Rangeley, with ridgeline roads, weather monitoring towers, and two transmission lines."It's great. I'm relieved. It's been a phenomenal amount of work," said Harley Lee, the president of Maine-based Endless Energy, which teamed up with Edison Mission Group of California to pursue the project.Lee has been working to site a wind power project in the area for 17 years."It's the right project, at the right place, at the right time," he said Friday. "Our energy system is broken. It's not economically sustainable, environmentally sustainable, or socially sustainable. We need to take some big steps and I think this wind farm is a good step for Maine to take."Lee said that, contingent on Commission approval, site clearing could begin later this winter, with turbines coming on-line by the end of next year.While the Redington-Black Nubble project has yet to generate electricity, it has generated plenty of controversy, based largely on its location in an area of 4,000-foot peaks, and because it would be visible from Maine's premier hiking path, the Appalachian Trail.Hundreds of people showed up for three days of hearings on the wind farm last August.The project sowed fractures in Maine's environmental community. Some organizations supported it as a generator of clean energy and antidote to global warming, others opposed it because of the potential for damage to sensitive sub-alpine ecosystems and the effect of the lighted turbines on the landscape.The 30 turbine towers would each be 260 feet tall, with 150-foot blades, making them a total of 410 feet tall, or about a tenth the height of the mountain. They would be lighted with slow-cycling on-off red lights to warn aircraft.Steve Hinchman, a staff attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation, said Friday that final approval of the zoning change and development plan by the Commission could set a "critical precedent for Maine" by affirming that wind power is an appropriate use of Maine's North Woods."This is a megaproject for Maine and it's also big news for wind development. If we're going to transition to a carbon-free economy, which we have to do to beat global warming in Maine, then we're going to need a lot of wind power. This may be only one project, but it's a significant step," Hinchman said.A 50-megawatt wind power project is under construction in Mars Hill in Aroostook County. Canadian energy giant TransCanada has said it will file for LURC permits to build a $250 to $300 million, 132-megawatt, wind farm of 44 turbines on Kibby Mountain near the Quebec border. Pete Didisheim, the advocacy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said Friday that he was "surprised in some regards" by the draft recommendation on Maine Mountain Power's proposal. "It really could have gone either way," he said.The Council had promoted a compromise plan that would have limited the wind farm to Black Nubble mountain, while protecting loaf-shaped Redington.That would have halved the size of the project and kept it farther from the Appalachian Trail, but neither developer nor opponents would give ground, said Didisheim.Didisheim praised the Commission staffers for their work. "It's a difficult balancing act between doing the right thing to deal with global warming and move ahead with clean energy and also trying to protect what's special about Maine," he said.The Council, Maine's largest environmental group, would probably not appeal if approval is forthcoming, he said: "We'll support whatever decision the commission makes."Didisheim said his review of the 130-plus page recommendation showed only routine construction conditions, such as ones for access roads and transmission lines. "There's no big surprising requirements," he said.The draft approval requires continued monitoring for the project's effects on birds and bats, and also requires the developer to present a habitat protection plan for the threatened northern bog lemming.Didisheim said he was surprised that the Commission didn't require that the developer buy more land in the area to balance out the impact of the power project.Jenn Burns, a staff attorney with the Maine Audubon Society, which opposed the project, said her organization is "disappointed, but we'll be curious to hear the commissioners discuss and deliberate at length on the issue. I wouldn't expect them to necessarily rubber stamp it."She said she wasn't particularly surprised by the staff recommendation of approval. "I think that there's been a bit of support for the project, but there's also been a lot of strong issues raised with concerns about the project."`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Staffers of panel support wind farm` post created successfully

`Court tosses out Bush smog rules` post created successfully

`Two Timber Firms Pretending To Be 'Green,' Groups Allege` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's plan no benefit to Moosehead region's economy` post created successfully

`State sets fast pace in conservation` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, Portland Press Herald writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> It's been another big year for land conservation in Maine, headlined by such acquisitions as Katahdin Lake and 1,910 acres along the coast of Phippsburg.Forests, islands and other lands protected in 2006 kept the state on an aggressive pace of private land conservation that led the nation from 2000 to 2005. Maine, in fact, is second nationwide in the amount of privately owned conservation lands, according to a recent national census.Lands protected in 2006 ranged from 195,000 acres in the so-called Katahdin Forest near Millinocket to the extension of a walking trail in downtown Portland. In October, a landowner donated the Phippsburg land, one of the state's largest undeveloped coastal properties, to the Maine chapter of The Nature Conservancy.And this month, conservationists completed a deal to add Katahdin Lake to Baxter State Park, by far the year's most celebrated project, as well as its most controversial."I think it was a phenomenal year," said Maine Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan.The momentum here is part of a national trend. Private lands set aside for conservation nationwide grew 54 percent to 37 million acres between 2000 and 2005, according to the Land Trust Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based network of conservation groups. Concern about sprawl around the country has fueled the creation of thousands of community land trusts, which are becoming more sophisticated about ways to protect private lands. Larger national groups, such as The Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land, also have become more creative, especially with easements that prohibit development but leave the land in the hands of timber companies or farmers. At the same time, more landowners are seeing conservation deals as good for business.But even with the national growth, Maine's numbers stand out.Maine had 1.72 million acres of privately conserved land at the end of 2005, nearly 9 percent of the state, according to the alliance's national census.California, a state five times the size of Maine, topped Maine by less than 15,000 acres. No other state had more than 1 million acres privately conserved, according to the census.Conversely, Maine is consistently ranked near the bottom of states for public conservation land. Maine has 1.2 million acres of publicly owned open space. California, for example, has more than 40 million acres of public open space."We're starting from an extremely low base," said Tim Glidden, director of the state's Land for Maine's Future program.The amount of privately conserved land in Maine increased by an eye-popping 1,156 percent in the five-year period, from 136,712 acres to 1.72 million.One deal in particular contributes to the state's standing. A 763,000-acre conservation easement signed in 2001 on Pingree family timberlands remains the single largest private conservation deal in the nation. Land trusts have been closing deals in all parts of the state, but a big reason for Maine's leadership in the private conservation trend is the changing ownership of the 10 million acres of forest that cover the northern half of the state.Long owned by paper companies that managed the forests and welcomed public use, much of Maine's unorganized territories has been sold to a new breed of investors who want to sell off higher value lands for development or conservation. That has led to a race by conservation groups to keep the forestlands and lakefronts intact before they are developed.The Pingree deal helped pioneer the use of forestry conservation easements, which allow timber harvesting and traditional recreational uses but ban development. For the landowner, the sale of such easements restrict future uses but help to finance their business operations.The vast majority of privately protected lands in Maine are in the conservation easement category.While most conservation projects in Maine protect traditional access, some are wary of such easements. The Katahdin Lake deal almost unraveled because the land around the lake was made off-limits to hunters and snowmobilers, even though the state promised to protect access elsewhere."There's a lot of us out there that are very concerned," said Bob Meyers, executive director of the Maine Snowmobile Association. "A lot of (projects) are starting to appear to be an ecological reserve for the sake of eliminating certain types of access, and that's not right."McGowan, the state's conservation commissioner, said the concerns are unfounded. He called Katahdin Lake a special case and "the crown jewel of the century" in land conservation in Maine. But, he said, 99 percent of protected lands in Maine remain open to recreational users. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Moving ahead with wind power` post created successfully

`Try TRI Again` post created successfully

`Redington wind project deserves LURC approval` post created successfully

`Katahdin Lake project hinged on a diligent duo` post created successfully

`A win for Maine in federal ozone case` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> Editorial When the Environmental Protection Agency issued new limits on ground-level ozone two years ago, it made sense to give cities time to come into compliance.But the EPA's decision to grant regions up to 17 years to meet the new smog standards was an abuse of the agency's discretion, a three-judge federal appeals panel in Washington has ruled.The judges also rejected the EPA's decision to exempt some cities already violating the new standard from the law's most protective requirements.Maine was one of seven states to join a Southern California air quality agency and several private groups in suing to force the EPA to take a stronger stand.Ground-level ozone is created when sunlight causes nitrous oxides to react with other chemicals, particularly in summertime. High in the atmosphere, ozone blocks ultraviolet rays.Closer to the ground, this molecule, which is formed of three oxygen atoms instead of the more common two, is an irritant that even in moderate levels affects those with compromised lung function like the elderly and asthmatics.The federal agency adopted the new standard, which measures ozone levels across eight-hour intervals, because it acknowledged the old one-hour standard was too weak to protect public health.Yet the EPA then weakened pollution control requirements for areas violating both the old and new standards, arguing it acted within its authority to apply weaker protections to these areas. The judges ruled that action violated the clear intent of Congress, which reduced the EPA's discretion in 1990 out of frustration with the agency's lack of urgency in obtaining compliance.The Bush administration has not decided whether to ask the full appeals court to review the ruling, which requires EPA to draft a new enforcement plan.Regardless, the decision is good news for Maine, which lies downwind of some of the nation's largest sources of smog-producing pollution.This year, nine Maine counties that had suffered from high smog levels were deemed to have met the new standard, due in no small part to pollution reductions upwind. Congress has clearly stated that it's the EPA's job to protect public health.The agency cannot simply replace Congress's judgment with its own.`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`Groups put pressure on timber companies` post created successfully

`Groups Oppose Forest Certification Of Weyerhaeuser And Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Maine's conserved lands: enough for all uses` post created successfully

`Court: HoltraChem owner must pay for studies` post created successfully

`State to accept comments on Allagash bridge` post created successfully

`LURC to hold Katahdin resort hearing` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Nick Sambides Jr.</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> MILLINOCKET — By virtue of at least 14 written requests, the state Land Use Regulation Commission will hold a public hearing on businessman Matthew Polstein’s proposed $65 million upscale ecotourism resort in March or April.The hearing, LURC Director Catherine Carroll said, will be held in Millinocket, probably at the Baxter State Park Authority offices on Balsam Drive because of available meeting space. Carroll hopes to discuss setting a hearing date with the commission when it meets on Feb. 7.Exactly when the hearing will be set is uncertain because commission officials still are reviewing Polstein’s application in order to certify it complete and ready for review. Once that happens, a hearing can be held. Hearings require 30 days’ notice, Carroll said."This won’t go without some controversy and opposition, I am sure, but my observation is that Matt has been working diligently to address any issues or concerns that interested parties have regarding his project and to address those concerns prior to filing the application," Carroll said Friday.Polstein said he welcomed a hearing. He had requested public hearings when he handed the zone change application and resort plan to LURC on Nov. 29, but was told by LURC staff to await other requests, he and Carroll said.Polstein is a Millinocket town councilor who owns three businesses.Sally Bouchard, Town Councilor David Cyr, John DiCentes, Kathy A. Gagnon and Alyce Maragus are among the signatories to the letters seeking a hearing, 12 of which were form letters. All are political opponents of Polstein’s or contributors to the Magic City Morning Star Web site — magic-city-news.com — which Polstein blasted at a November Town Council meeting for reportedly conducting a smear campaign against him and his businesses, or they have opposed extensive expansion of town tourism businesses.The Web site’s owners, Ken and Michele Anderson, have denied Polstein’s allegation. Maragus said she wrote the LURC form letter and passed it out for the reasons the letter states.LURC is not required to hold hearings on rezoning requests, but "Since this project will have a lasting [effect] on our area, I am hereby requesting that a public hearing be held in Millinocket so that the LURC staff can hear the opinions of those who will be most affected by this development," the letter states.Polstein’s plan for Ktaadn Resorts calls for a community center, expanded Twin Pines camping ground, and a residential and mixed-use subdivision totaling 35 residential lots and 12 mixed-use town houses on 1,450 acres of Township 1 Range 8 along Millinocket Lake and Hammond Ridge.He estimates it would create at least 100 full-time jobs, spur at least 60,000 visitor-days in the Katahdin region, or draw 17,000 tourists to his resort for about 3½ days each. Some of the most interesting aspects of the proposed resort include agricultural centers, living and work space for artisans and other "creative economy" workers, and a traveler’s philanthropy program that encourages visitors to devote time, talent or money to the local economy.If LURC approves the proposal, Polstein hopes to begin construction next fall. Total construction could take five to eight years, he has said.Although she is skeptical of its viability, Maragus doesn’t necessarily oppose the project, but "any consideration that LURC will give to the natural beauty or the camps or camp owners up there should be given before that project gets off the ground floor," she said Tuesday.Council Chairman David Nelson, who supports the project, agreed."My understanding of the process is that it works to ensure that all the voices are heard so that the people who are part of the LURC commission can make an informed decision on what’s best for that area and the region. So to have open hearings where people have a chance to speak on topic is important," he said. "As a member of the council, I plan to be there."With Polstein abstaining and Councilor Jimmy Busque absent, the council voted 5-0 in October to support the project’s concept.Carroll said the commission could have a decision in six months. Commissioners hope to finish reviewing Polstein’s project before they take on the much larger, and more controversial, Plum Creek development plan.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Moosehead development hearings set` post created successfully

`Plum Creek rezoning plan hearings set` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Green Reputation Challenged by NRCM` post created successfully

`Uncertain constituency leaves Maine's LURC in lurch` post created successfully

`Dates set for Plum Creek hearings` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> AUGUSTA - State regulators have approved a tentative plan to begin hearings in May on Plum Creek Timber Co.'s controversial development project in the Moosehead Lake region, but some environmental groups say the sessions should be delayed.The Land Use Regulation Commission voted 4-2 on Wednesday in support of a hearing schedule that calls for the first daylong public comment period to be held on May 19 in Greenville.That hearing would set the stage for a series of "technical" sessions involving interested parties certified as intervenors. A second public comment session would be held on June 2 in either Bangor or the Augusta area, potentially followed by a third week of technical hearings."I do feel this is a reasonable time frame to be proposing," LURC director Catherine Carroll told the board. "After all, we have had the application since April of 2005, and we have been reviewing the proposal non-stop."Plum Creek's plan to develop 975 house lots, two resorts and an affordable housing complex in the region surrounding Maine's largest lake has drawn intense public interest, with an estimated 1,000 people attending four "scoping sessions" held by LURC in the months after the plan was announced.Plum Creek officials claim that revisions in their development plan address many of the concerns expressed at the scoping sessions. The company removed lots on remote ponds, moved a proposed resort closer to Greenville and offered to protect permanently more than 400,000 acres of forestland through easements and land sales to conservation groups.Critics, however, maintain that the plan would bring sprawl to the principal gateway to Maine's North Woods, changing its nature and character for all time.In response to questions about whether two public comment sessions would be sufficient and suggestions that sessions be scheduled in southern Maine, Carroll said the commission can always add public hearings.Representatives of Maine Audubon, the Natural Resources Council of Maine and other groups that are likely to seek intervenor status urged commissioners to move back the hearing dates until July at the earliest.Critics of the tentative schedule questioned whether intervenors would have enough time to prepare responses to reports that Plum Creek is scheduled to submit in March. Groups also noted that many seasonal residents of the Moosehead area don't arrive until June or July."This enormously complex proposal involves tens of thousands of acres in an area of enormous significance to the people of the state," said Harrison Richardson, an attorney representing Maine Audubon and the Natural Resources Council. "I see no reason why there needs to be a hearing in May."But LURC Chairman Bart Harvey said no date will please everyone. He said the commission must move forward with its review of Plum Creek's plan, which is only one of several major issues pending before the board.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Fishways needed on Presumpscot's dams` post created successfully

`State panel supports replacement of Allagash waterway bridge` post created successfully

`Preserving the intent of Gov. Baxter` post created successfully

`Time to chart a course to our energy future` post created successfully

`SAD 3 considers using wind` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Feasibility study being done by Coastal Enterprises </h2> <h3 class="author">By Craig Crosby, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> KNOX -- Mick Womersley shuffled carefully across the pipes, 40 feet in the air, his body and hard hat silhouetted by the falling sun. With one final reach, he began his descent and the small, black pods with which Womersley had been working began spinning furiously in the afternoon breeze. Back on the ground, Womersley looked up at the small anemometer and wind vane he had installed, dozens of feet below the whirring 31-foot blades on Wes Kinney's 100-foot tower on Knox Ridge, and he thought about the future. "I love the sound of a wind turbine," said Womersley, a professor at Unity College and sustainability expert. "That this is just sitting there, cleanly producing power and it's home grown. It's a Maine resource."The anemometer and wind vane Womersley finished installing on Thursday afternoon will deliver data that will be recorded over the next few months. The information will be crucial as Maine School Administrative District 3 decides whether to become the first district in the state to add a wind turbine of its own. The district is expected to break ground this spring on a new school that will serve pre-kindergartners through 12th-graders. Last spring, the school's board of directors gave Coastal Enterprises, Inc. of Wiscasset permission to conduct a feasibility study on behalf of the district to determine if it can harness wind to help offset electricity costs and perhaps even turn a profit. "There are only certain locations and situations around the state where wind turbines can work," said Stephen Cole, director of natural resources and sustainable communities for Coastal Enterprises. "You need a place with pretty high and sustained winds. The circumstances of Mount View building a new school on a ridge with good wind capacity made it seem like a good testing ground." Located in Thorndike, the Mount View school complex is visible from Kinney's farm approximately a quarter of a mile away.Judging by his naked eye, Womersley estimated the ridge on which proposed wind turbine would sit is at least as high as the spot where Kinney's turbine has stood for more than 20 years. Winds must average at least 14 miles per hour over the course of a year to meet the minimum requirements of most turbines, Womersley said. There cannot be too many lulls, nor too many gusts. "There's plenty of wind here," he said. "Nobody's really worried about having enough wind."Kinney's windmill, which was installed at the farm in the mid 1980s, produces up to 20 kilowatt hours and serves his entire farm. His electric bill last month was $91. When the turbine is not in use his bill ranges from $250 to $450, Kinney said. The turbine proposed for the district would probably produce about 1.5 megawatts. The district would qualify as a small power plant, allowing it to sell excess electricity. "I think the wind mill's a good idea," Kinney said. "I miss it when it's not running. You have the investment and you have the income coming in, so you have to balance it out." That is exactly what the school board plans to do once the feasibility study is complete, said Barbara Rado Mosseau, superintendent of MSAD 3. In addition to studying the wind data, the study will include an overview of permits the school would need, and what grants are available to help cover the installation expense, which Cole estimates could run as high as $500,000. So far the district has spent nothing. Coastal Enterprises, a private, non-profit community development corporation, received a $60,000 grant from the Massachusetts-based Jessie Cox Charitable Foundation to conduct the study. "This is just a feasibility study," Mosseau said. ""I believe the board is very, very interested in all kinds of options that are energy efficient and sustainable. The cost of doing that is another issue. That's something the board would have to consider." The new school is expected to be completed by September 2009. The turbine project would be tied into the construction schedule to help reduce installation costs, Cole said. There is still much to be done, however, before the turbine ever becomes a reality at the new school."We're not quite there in crunching the numbers to know what the savings will be, but in the best of all possible worlds, we'll be able to make the case that renewable energy makes good financial sense for the district itself," Cole said."It seems that's the only way renewable energy products are going to be widely used, if you can demonstrate they are a practical investment." `, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post created successfully

`Deer yard measures lauded` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA - Sportsmen applauded recent efforts to protect winter deer habitat on Friday but predicted stiff battles in Maine courtrooms and legislative chambers over trapping and land-use issues during the coming year.Speakers offered a mixed bag to the hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts gathered at the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine’s annual meeting, held at the organization’s new conference center in Augusta.On one hand, Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reported slow but steady progress negotiating deals with owners of forestlands that are key to deer survival amid the bitter cold and deep snow during more typical northern Maine winters.But they said the state continues to struggle to guarantee public access for hunting and other traditional sports.The latest "deer yard" deal, announced late Thursday, establishes voluntary wood harvest management agreements on 32,000 acres of Plum Creek Timber Co. land in Somerset, Franklin and Piscataquis counties.Environmental groups have repeatedly targeted Plum Creek in recent months for harvesting in areas identified as deer yards. The Natural Resources Council of Maine, for instance, is seeking to repeal Plum Creek’s certification as practicing sustainable forestry based, in part, on the company’s record in deer wintering areas.Gene Dumont, wildlife management supervisor with DIF&W, acknowledged that his department has struggled to protect deer yards amid the changing landscape of ownership in Maine’s commercial forests. The department had worked out deer management agreements with many of the large timber companies. But the management agreements were voluntary, and new owners have been under no obligation to limit harvesting in the groves of densely packed, adult conifers that provide deer with protection from the elements and predators during winter.But Dumont and others said Plum Creek, which has bought nearly a million acres in Maine since the late 1990s, should be recognized not only for agreeing to manage 32,000-plus acres for deer, but also for stipulating that any future owners of the land be bound by the same agreement for at least five years."It’s been an arduous process and taken several years to get here, but we feel good about this program," said Paul Davis, general manager for Plum Creek who joined Dumont on a panel discussion of deer yards.In a statement, NRCM representatives downplayed the significance of the voluntary agreements."Plum Creek has leveled deer yards after agreeing not to in the past," said Cathy Johnson, NRCM’s North Woods project director. "They could walk away from this agreement just as they have walked away from previous agreements."In other news from Friday’s SAM gathering, DIF&W Commissioner Roland "Danny" Martin said his department would see a slight increase in funding each year under the two-year budget proposed by Gov. John Baldacci on Friday.Biologists also reported that kill numbers from last fall’s deer season appear healthy and on target. And the head of the Maine Warden Service said landowner relations will be a top priority for wardens during the next year.The mood was not always upbeat amid the sportsmen, however.Several speakers predicted that a lawsuit filed in federal court by the Animal Protection Institute could have dramatic impacts on the state’s sporting community.California-based API is seeking a court injunction ordering Maine to halt all animal trapping in areas inhabited by bald eagles, Canada lynx and gray wolves, all of which are federally protected species.At least four lynx and two eagles have been inadvertently trapped in recent months in Maine. Most of the animals were released without serious harm, although one of the eagles had to be euthanized.The group charges that Martin and DIF&W officials are violating the Endangered Species Act by tolerating incidental capture of eagles and lynx.Tony Celebrezze, the director of state services for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, said his organization has filed for intervenor status in the case to help fight against groups he accused of "exploiting" the courts in order to outlaw trapping. Once they have achieved that goal, the groups will target hunting or even fishing, he predicted."What’s to stop them from going after fishing where there are endangered sturgeon in the water?" he said.API representatives and their supporters in Maine have said they are only trying to force Maine to comply with federal laws protecting those species.Several speakers predicted that hunters, snowmobilers and all-terrain vehicle riders will continue to lose access to land in Maine unless something drastic is done. SAM and other groups are proposing a variety of access-related bills in the current legislative session, including one that would force the state to replace any acreage closed off to traditional uses.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Mercury study overdue` post created successfully

`Taking Control of Electric Bill, Hour by Hour` post created successfully

`Group of Mainers aims to conserve land indefinitely` post created successfully

`Connecting dots of climate change is bleak business` post created successfully

`SAD 9 eyes energy audit` post created successfully

`Mercury 'hot spots' found` post created successfully

`Leaden pace of mercury rules pollutes Maine` post created successfully

`Legislators Seek to Boost Riverfront Community Development` post created successfully

`Maine leaders call for tougher mercury limits` post created successfully

`Bond would boost plans in river towns` post created successfully

`Conservation easement rules should be refined` post created successfully

`$25 Million river hopes hang on bond proposal` post created successfully

`Linking rivers and economic development` post created successfully

`Mercury findings should fuel curbs` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> Mercury is a highly potent neurotoxin. When ingested by humans, it can cause birth defects and impairment of brain functions. Scientists on Wednesday released a study that showed severe mercury contamination hotspots in the Northeast and maritime Canada, including the upper Kennebec and Androscoggin river watersheds. The study's conclusions directly contradict the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency, which has helped its friends in the energy industry by downplaying both the extent and risk of highly toxic mercury contamination in the region. The EPA has used its studies to justify lax regulation of mercury emissions from midwestern power plants. Mainers should be concerned.Mercury is a naturally occurring element that exists in tiny amounts in the earth's crust. Its presence becomes a problem, however, when power plants burn coal and mercury is then released into the atmosphere through the plant's smokestacks. Those emissions are carried by wind and deposited on the Earth, where the mercury eventually makes its way into lakes and streams. The smallest creatures in the water ingest the mercury, the next creatures up on the food chain -- fish, for example -- eat the smaller creatures and then even larger creatures, such as loons and osprey, eat the fish and the mercury levels get multiplied in a process called "bioaccumulation." The animals' health and reproductive abilities can be seriously impaired by the mercury they ingest. And, of course, humans who eat the fish from mercury-laden waters are at risk as well. That's why we have fish consumption advisories in Maine, warning pregnant women and young children not to eat certain freshwater fish. Unfortunately, loons and the fish themselves can't read those signs.We're not surprised at the extent of mercury contamination in our state's waters; earlier studies had hinted that such hotspots existed. And sadly, we're not surprised at the perfidy of our federal environmental regulators, who have rarely seen an industry they couldn't help by gutting pollution controls. Perhaps, though, this study will finally fuel a change in federal policy. U.S. Rep. Tom Allen, D-1st District, has long pushed for legislation to systematically monitor mercury contamination across the country as a way of measuring whether pollution controls are adequate; that legislation will have a stronger chance in the now-Democratic Congress. And Maine Sen. Susan Collins has said she'll push for stronger regulation of midwestern power plant emissions to curb mercury contamination downwind. Both efforts are welcome -- we're just sorry that the very regulators charged with protecting our environment and health weren't the ones to undertake them.`, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post updated successfully

`Mercury 'hot spot' identified in Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Researchers have documented high mercury levels in wildlife in several Western Maine lakes and reported evidence of three more potential mercury "hot spots" elsewhere in the state, according to two studies released Tuesday.A team of 11 scientists, including several from Gorham-based BioDiversity Research Institute, studied mercury levels over three years in thousands of wildlife tissue samples from New England, New York and Eastern Canada.The results showed that while the neurotoxin was present throughout the region, five areas jumped out as "biological hotspots" with mercury contamination levels above healthy levels. While not the sole source, coal-fired power plants were blamed as the largest contributor of airborne mercury. The upper watersheds of the Androscoggin and the Kennebec rivers — including such popular recreation spots as Moosehead and Flagstaff lakes — were grouped together in the reports as the only hot spot in Maine. High levels of mercury were found in loons and yellow perch in those waterways.Researchers also identified nine "areas of concern" in the region — including three in Maine — where they found preliminary evidence of higher mercury levels in wildlife. The three Maine locations identified in the two reports, both published in the peer-reviewed journal BioScience, are in the lower Penobscot River, Down East and in the St. John River.David Evers, executive director of the BioDiversity Research Institute, stressed that the studies do not mean that everyone should stop eating fish from those watersheds. Moosehead Lake, for example, is so large that loons in one area contained unsafe levels while loons on other parts of the lake were comparatively healthy.Evers did not provide details, however, about exactly where the mercury levels were highest and the maps contained in the report are too broad to pinpoint specific areas.But Evers said people should be aware of the health risks of eating too much fish from the identified regions and adjust their diets accordingly. Pregnant women and young children, who are most susceptible to mercury-related health problems, should potentially avoid eating any fish from the hot spot areas, he said."I’d be extremely careful," Evers said.The study group, which was organized by the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation in Hanover, N.H., argued that emissions from U.S. coal-fired power plants accounted for most of the contamination they studied. When emissions from regional coal-fired plants declined, so did mercury levels in wildlife, the reports said.In Maine, fluctuating water levels in reservoirs also helped mercury leach out into the environment.Mercury is dangerous because it accumulates in tissue and becomes more concentrated as it moves up through the food chain. In addition to perch and loons, the researchers studied a smaller number of samples from bald eagles, smallmouth bass, brook trout, otters and mink.The four other hot spots identified by the reports were in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the upper Connecticut River in Vermont and New Hampshire, the Merrimack River in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire and in central Nova Scotia.Samples taken from wildlife in the nine areas of concern also tested positive for high levels of mercury; however, not enough samples were taken to label the areas hotspots, Evers said.The authors of the reports said the findings cast serious doubts on federal models for mercury contamination. In the one specific case examined in depth in the study, the authors found that mercury deposition was five times higher than Environmental Protection Agency estimates near a coal-fired plant in southern New Hampshire.The researchers said the reports underscored the need for more monitoring of wildlife, especially fish species liable to end up on someone’s dinner plate.They also said the findings support calls for the EPA to go beyond its current goal of a 70 percent reduction in mercury emissions by 2025. Several states, including Maine, are suing the EPA to force the agency to adopt more stringent rules.Evers praised Maine’s mercury-reduction efforts and called on the state to continue pushing the issue nationally."By cleaning up our backyard we can point a finger elsewhere and push other states to clean up their backyards as well," he said.U.S. Sen. Susan Collins praised the reports and criticized the federal EPA’s mercury emissions rules. Collins, a Maine Republican, plans to submit legislation mandating lower emissions standards and creating a nationwide monitoring network."I have long argued that EPA used faulty science in order to justify an insufficient mercury rule, and these studies prove it," Collins said in a statement. "EPA misrepresented the mercury problem based on computer data which had not been peer-reviewed, and then put out a rule which does not account for mercury hotspots and which places children and pregnant women at risk."EPA officials said the agency is working on a system of nationwide monitoring sites and that current rules will reduce mercury deposition in the northeastern U.S. by 80 percent."Under the Bush administration, the U.S. is the first nation in the world to regulate mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants," Jessica Emond, the EPA’s deputy press secretary, said in a statement.`, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post updated successfully

`Riverside growth bond proposed` post created successfully

`Climate change bearometer` post created successfully

`Collins seeks mercury law` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Lindsay Tice, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Lewiston Sun Journal news story</a> Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is calling for new legislation to track mercury pollution and to slash emissions from the nation's power plants. She made the announcement shortly after two new studies determined the upper Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers were "hot spots" for mercury. "I have long-argued that EPA used faulty science in order to justify an insufficient mercury rule, and these studies prove it," Collins said in a statement Tuesday. "EPA misrepresented the mercury problem based on computer data which had not been peer-reviewed, and then put out a rule which does not account for mercury hot spots and which places children and pregnant women at risk." The studies, published this month by the peer-review journal BioScience, identified five northeastern regions with high mercury levels in fish and birds. The hot spots include the Adirondack Mountain region in New York, the upper Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont, the lower Merrimack River in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, central Nova Scotia and the upper Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers. On Tuesday, David Evers, one study's lead author and director of the BioDiversity Research Institute in Gorham, held a news conference with other researchers to announce the findings. Later that morning, Collins announced that she would introduce legislation to create a nationwide mercury monitoring network. She also said she would reintroduce legislation to reduce mercury emissions from power plants by 90 percent. "Congress should act on this issue expeditiously," Collins said. In a statement, U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud said he would also support any legislation that sets up a mercury monitoring network. Maine state environmental officials released a statement Tuesday welcoming the studies, noting that the only way to seriously reduce mercury in Maine is through a national program limiting emissions from coal-fired plants elsewhere in the country. Typically, 95 percent of the mercury entering a Maine lake comes from atmospheric deposition, much of which comes from out-of-state sources, according to the release from Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner David Littell's office. Citing the studies' findings of unusually high levels of mercury in loons on Maine impoundments, DEP officials said they will review information on potential water discharges, local emission sources and historic data.`, assigning current date

`Federal Mercury Policies & Maine` post updated successfully

`Bond would boost river communities` post created successfully

`Groups propose $25M bond for riverfront growth` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Propose Spending Millions On Maine Riverfronts` post created successfully

`Move Afoot to Continue Revitalizing Maine Rivers` post created successfully

`2006 Warmest Year on Record` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">When it's this hot, it's time to act</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> Normally, when you've been banging your head against the wall, trying to convince someone of something that they resolutely refuse to believe, it's a moment of triumph when they finally get it. But we don't think Al Gore's smiling.Gore has become world-renowned for his crusade against global warming. His movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," allowed him to take center stage as the educator-in-chief, explaining how the world's addiction to burning fossil fuel was creating climate change on a global scale. The longterm buildup of carbon dioxide (a.k.a. greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere was warming the planet in potentially catastrophic ways.But until very recently, the Bush administration would have nothing of it. They suppressed conclusions by their own scientists that our cars, smokestacks and profligate energy consumption had anything to do with the fact that cherry trees were blooming in Washington in December and phoebes are singing in Maine in January.That's why an announcement by the the National Climatic Data Center earlier this week came as a double whammy. Not only did federal scientists come to the frightening conclusion that 2006 was the warmest year recorded in the lower 48 states, they linked that warming to the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere. Yet it's such bad news that we can't imagine Gore dancing a Tennessee Two-Step because the administration's acknowledging what the rest of us have known for some time. It's not a moment of celebration when the government finally gets around to confirming that the sky is falling (or warming up). And given that the Bush EPA is fighting battles all the way up to the Supreme Court to avoid having to regulate greenhouse gases, we're not expecting this moment of truth to translate into policy change. The sky may be warming, but we're not going to do anything meaningful about it on a federal level.The good news is that bold action to stem climate change is being taken on a state level. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, continuing his transformation from action movie star to global action governor, has proposed creating the world's first global warming pollution standard for transportation fuels. Unveiled in his State of the State address earlier this week, Schwarzenegger's plan would cut fuel carbon content 10 percent by 2020; if the plan is put to work, it could trigger reductions in the carbon content of fuel worldwide. Here in the Northeast, Maine is one of seven regional state participants in the country's first mandatory program to cap carbon emissions from power plants and reduce them by 35 percent by 2020. Working from an agreement signed by the seven states' governors in 2005, the program would use market forces -- such as a cap-and-trade program -- and leave it to polluters to figure out how to cut their carbon emissions. But those reductions would be mandatory. State regulators will spend the next year hashing out the details of how that program will work in Maine. Someone has turned the old saw on its head and said that "Invention is the mother of necessity." Because we invented fossil fuel-burning devices -- from the internal combustion engine to mighty power plants -- we're now faced with the necessity of dealing with their unintended consequences, including the enormous threat posed by global warming. In a week when we learned even more acutely how our climate is changing, that necessity looms large. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`PUC chief urges cut in use of electricity` post created successfully

`Tentative Hearing Schedule Set For Plum Creek Project` post created successfully

`‘Green-stamping’ of Timber Companies Comes Under Scrutiny` post created successfully

`Developer scales back Moosehead proposal` post created successfully

`New Moosehead Lake plan submitted` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> A developer whose petition to rezone land on Moosehead Lake was denied by state regulators last year is back again with a scaled-down housing plan.Hank McPherson of Burnt Jacket LLC has submitted what he is calling a "draft" rezoning request to the Land Use Regulation Commission for a 31-lot subdivision near the town of Beaver Cove on Moosehead Lake’s eastern shore.In June, LURC officials rejected McPherson’s request to rezone 246 acres on Burnt Jacket peninsula for a 70-lot subdivision featuring both lakefront and hillside houses.The commission cited a variety of factors in turning down the request. Two primary reasons, however, were that the proposed subdivision was deemed too far from existing development and that McPherson’s plans failed to conserve and protect the natural, unspoiled qualities of the area.After extensive discussions with LURC staff, McPherson more than halved the number of proposed lots and relocated the development envelope closer to town. McPherson’s new application proposes 21 lakefront lots and 10 nonwaterfront lots."We are trying to satisfy LURC and some of the other people who had concerns about the original application," said McPherson. "So we changed the location and reduced the size."Scott Rollins, manager of LURC’s permitting and compliance division, said the commission needs additional information from McPherson before staff can begin the formal review process.Rollins said staff have been working with McPherson to develop a proposal that meets commission expectations. In addition to reducing the number of house lots, some of the lots are adjacent to an existing residential zone and are close to Lily Bay Road. McPherson said he expects to make more changes to accommodate LURC suggestions.While not guaranteed to receive approval, the new application addresses many of the commission’s earlier concerns, Rollins said. "We are pleased with what we have before us right now," Rollins said.The first Burnt Jacket proposal drew considerable attention from environmental organizations for a variety of reasons, some of them outside of McPherson’s control.During February 2006 hearings, critics said the developers had failed to provide more information on how the subdivision would affect Moosehead Lake, local wildlife and the nature-based tourism industry.McPherson and his attorney said at the time that those issues would be addressed during the subsequent subdivision review process.But McPherson’s application became entangled — at least in public debate — in the much larger controversy over Plum Creek Timber Co.’s development plans near Moosehead.Intervenors and residents who spoke against the Burnt Jacket proposal frequently referred to Plum Creek’s plan to sell off 975 house lots and land for two resorts. Plum Creek’s plan also includes more than 400,000 acres of conservation land.Many said the Moosehead region needs a comprehensive growth plan, not piecemeal development. Some intervenors optimistically interpreted the ruling against the Burnt Jacket application as a bad omen for Plum Creek’s massive proposal. LURC staff insist they once again will review the Burnt Jacket proposal on its own merits. The public review portion of Plum Creek’s development concept plan also is expected to begin this spring or summer.Meanwhile, groups involved in the review of McPherson’s first proposal will be watching closely.Diano Circo, the North Woods policy advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said he had not seen the new plans yet. While NRCM would, in principle, support clustering new development near existing homes, the group wants to ensure the second-round application is not merely a steppingstone toward the larger development planned in the first proposal, Circo said.McPherson, who originally hoped to sell 150 lots on the Burnt Jacket peninsula, said Friday that it is too early to say whether he would seek to develop more of the roughly 2,000 acres he owns on the peninsula. That will depend on how his second rezoning application fares with LURC, he said. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Fluorescents' Bright Future` post created successfully

`Wind farm seeks rezoning` post created successfully

`Wind farm approval sought` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> KIBBY TOWNSHIP - A Canadian-based energy company has filed its application with state regulators seeking a zoning change and development permit for 2,900 acres in western Maine to build a $270 million wind farm.TransCanada Corp., based in Calgary, Alberta, is proposing to erect 44 wind turbines on 13.7 miles of ridge line on Kibby Mountain and Kibby Range in Kibby and Skinner townships in northern Franklin County, near the Canadian border.The project also would include power collection lines, access roads and an electric transmission line to connect power generated by the turbines to the existing power transmission grid about 25 miles away.The wind farm would be capable of providing about 132 megawatts of wind-generated electricity to customers in Maine and New England, according to TransCanada.If approved, construction would begin later this year, with some turbines in operation by the end of 2008 and the project completed in 2009.The company filed its application last week with the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission. Commission staffers will go through the application before a public hearing on the project is held, said Catherine Carroll, the agency's director.The company said it expects the project would create up to 250 jobs during construction and 10 to 12 permanent jobs once it is operational.The commission's staff has recommended approval of a proposal by Maine Mountain Power LLC to rezone about 1,000 acres near the Sugarloaf/USA ski resort to erect 30 turbines. `, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Maine, other states join forces to muscle EPA on air pollution` post created successfully

`It's time for show and tell on the Presumpscot River` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's deceptive advertising` post created successfully

`Hunters should seek more conservation` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Organizations Announce Priorities for Legislature` post created successfully

`Snowe, Collins Co-sponsor Climate Stewardship Act` post created successfully

`Global warming plan a priority` post created successfully

`'Multiple use' doesn't mean everything everywhere` post created successfully

`Environmental groups tout agenda for session` post created successfully

`Franklin County eyes wind project for Kibby Mtn.` post created successfully

`Local woman warms to Al Gore's message` post created successfully

`Environmental bills vie for lawmakers' eyes` post created successfully

`Board favors purchase of land near Moosehead` post created successfully

`AMC preservation plan generating controversy` post created successfully

`Tracking Mercury` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups List Top Legislative Priorities` post created successfully

`Wind farm backer questions Freedom appeals process` post created successfully

`It may be cold, but we can't ignore global warming` post created successfully

`Brewer students find ways to conserve energy resources` post created successfully

`NRCM responds to Plum Creek's plans to revise its Moosehead development proposal` post created successfully

`Hallowell inn going from green to greener` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Rethinking Moosehead Resort` post created successfully

`Western Maine Wind Farm Gets Important Support; Opponents Angry` post created successfully

`Changes to resorts project possible` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By John Richardson, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Plum Creek Timber Co. is considering more changes in its development plans for the Moosehead Lake region.A lawyer for the company sent a letter this week to Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission asking for a postponement of public hearings scheduled to begin May 19. The commission released the letter on Thursday.Virginia E. Davis, the lawyer, did not say what changes were being considered, but said in her letter that more information should be presented this month."As you know, Plum Creek has been meeting with representatives from numerous state and federal agencies and with other stakeholders. We also have been meeting with LURC staff and consultants, reviewing comments from the public and information in the administrative record. The purpose of this letter is to advise you that, based upon that review and analysis, Plum Creek is contemplating amending its proposed plan."Plum Creek wants to rezone timberlands to allow two resorts and 975 house lots clustered around ponds, lakes or rivers. It also has committed itself to donating a conservation easement on about 60,000 acres of forest and selling an easement on 340,000 additional acres if its development plans are approved.Luke Muzzy, project manager for Plum Creek, said the company's request for more time is in response to feedback from the commission and various other state agencies. "We saw that it was going to be appropriate to make some changes, and we decided to make them sooner rather than later," he said.Muzzy would not speak in any detail about the changes or the information that prompted them, but he indicated that development areas could be reduced or redefined. "We're looking at the locations of some of our existing development. We're not looking at any new areas."He said he hopes that the changes will be presented in two to three weeks, and that they won't be as significant as changes presented last year. "This is an amendment to a plan. It's not a whole new plan," he said.Catherine Carroll, director of the Land Use Regulation Commission, said the letter from Plum Creek was unexpected but not a big surprise."It's not unusual for an applicant to continue to make revisions to their project," she said. "We don't want to go to public hearings until and unless we have a definitive project on the table."Plum Creek has not told state officials what might change. "I don't know what to expect," Carroll said. Depending on the extent of the changes, the public hearings could be rescheduled for the late summer or fall, she said, adding, "It's impossible to tell at this point."Plum Creek first filed a proposal with the commission in April 2005.After the area's residents and others called for the project to be scaled back and moved closer to existing communities, the company went back to the drawing board for several months and emerged last April with one of the proposed resorts downsized and some of the house lots moved closer to developed areas.The plan still faced criticism as being too large and threatening the natural character of the area. A Plum Creek official said last summer, however, that the company was not inclined to change the plan again to appease critics.`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Moosehead Lake plan heads back to drawing board` post created successfully

`Plum Creek to alter plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek proposal put on hold indefinitely` post created successfully

`Solar inn array could power 6 homes` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Mechele Cooper, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">Morning Sentinel news story</a> Innkeeper Scott Cowger and his guests stood on the roof of Maple Hill Farm Bed & Breakfast and Conference Center on Thursday to formally unveil what is being touted as the largest assembly of solar thermal panels and tubes in the state.Even though hands and faces were stinging from the bitter cold, heat was being generated for the combined solar hot water and grid-tied electric system."We're doing this because we have a strong personal belief to minimize our impact on the environment, but also, it's a good business decision," Cowger said of the project at his bed and breakfast at 11 Inn Road. "It has a fairly quick payback. The system will be paid for in five years. And then we'll be putting money back into our pockets."The system was installed by Energyworks LLC in Portland. Cowger said electric and fuel oil savings are expected to amount to $4,000 a year.Engergyworks estimates that the system is expected to reduce the annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 40,000 pounds. Before the system was installed, Energyworks estimated that Cowger's business was responsible for 160,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when carbon-containing fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal are burned. Some scientists say major changes in global climate could result from the continued increase in carbon dioxide concentration.Cowger, a former state senator from Hallowell, said the system collects solar rays to generate electricity and heat hot water -- he has two, 160-gallon hot water storage tanks in the basement. Three power inverters convert direct current into conventional alternating current electricity so it can be used in the building."We're going to use the power here and sell the green tags," he said. "And that will bring in a little more income to offset the cost. We'll get about $1,000 back a year."Green tags are a paper record created whenever a unit of electricity is produced. By purchasing these tags, you are using your money to support electricity generated by renewable resources, which exclude oil, coal and nuclear.Cowger said Maple Hill's solar electric system will be selling the renewable energy credits or green tags to the New England Power Pool through Downeast Solar Co-op.Bill Behrens, director of Energyworks, said Cowger's system is part of Central Maine Power's grid and that the system generates 15 kilowatts of electricity, which would power six homes."The systems are getting bigger and more and more commercial establishments are going solar," Behrens said Thursday.Cowger said he received a Rural Development $41,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture toward the overall cost of the $166,000 system and a $35,000 low-interest loan from the Maine Public Utilities Commission's energy conservation loan program.John Sheehan, business and cooperative specialist with USDA Rural Development, said Cowger's project was designed to reduce energy costs and America's dependency on foreign oil."(The grant program) was created to provide an alternative source of funding," Sheehan said. "We focus on small rural businesses and organizations."Erika Morgan of the Maine Energy Investment Corporation in Brunswick on Thursday handed over a check to Cowger for $3,000 from the nonprofit's reinvestment fund."(The fund) was created by people who bought green power and want to make it possible for other people to create green power," Morgan said.Peter Cooke of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection manages the state's incentive program called "Environmental Leader." Maple Hill was the first certified Environmental Leader green lodging establishment. To be certified, Cooke said a business has to meet certain criteria and earn credits. "We have 33 hotels and motels certified as leaders now, from Downeast to Bethel and Ogunquit to Moosehead Lake," Cooke said. "They accumulate enough credits to be considered and this place is off the Richter scale."Maple Hill also uses a wind turbine with a capacity of 10 kilowatts to generate renewable energy, which was installed in 2003.Cowger said he is grateful for the support of this commercial-scale renewable energy project."Another reason we're doing this is to encourage other business people to look at solar energy," Cowger said. "I'm the former chair of the Natural Resource Committee, so I guess you could say I'm putting my money where my mouth is."`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Maine wilderness: Beyond the Allagash battles` post created successfully

`Plum Creek to rework Moosehead Lake plan` post created successfully

`Maine can do better than Suncadia` post created successfully

`Two river restoration projects awarded $1.8M in federal funds` post created successfully

`Timber companies earmark prime land for development` post created successfully

`For Sale' signs sprouting where timber once stood,<h2 class=""subtitle""></h2> <h3 class=""author"">by Laura Oppenheimer` post created successfully

`Past Plum Creek abuses reveal ability to mislead` post created successfully

`Hopes For A Compromise For Moosehead Lake` post created successfully

`Still warm, and still cool` post created successfully

`Board to vote on wind energy` post created successfully

`President Unveils '20 In 10'` post created successfully

`LURC rejects Redington wind farm` post created successfully

`Land-use board shows power in wind farm vote` post created successfully

`Panel rejects wind power in Redington` post created successfully

`LURC stymies western Maine wind power project` post created successfully

`Corporate interest` post created successfully

`Wind project suffers blow` post created successfully

`Wind vote a savage blow to energy policy` post created successfully

`Comments by NRCM Regarding Redington Wind Farm's Application` post created successfully

`Rejection casts doubt on state projects` post created successfully

`Allen: Bush energy plan needs funding` post created successfully

`The White House Requests $10 Million from Congress to Restore the Penobscot River` post created successfully

`“A Vision for the Moosehead Lake Region," Free 28-page Publication Available` post created successfully

`River project to get $10M` post created successfully

`Penobscot funding tide` post created successfully

`Plum Creek, Version 3.0` post created successfully

`Redington Wind Project Denial: Opportunity lost` post created successfully

`Praise comes in waves for NOAA's Penobscot River Restoration Project funding` post created successfully

`Despite ruling, Baldacci optimistic on wind power` post created successfully

`Flame retardant study raises red flags for health risk` post created successfully

`Allen, Michaud praised for supporting clean energy` post created successfully

`Ratepayer's advocate will now focus on RGGI` post created successfully

`Gov. Patrick Joins The Fold` post created successfully

`Setting CO2's Market Value: States Team Up To Fight Warming` post created successfully

`Wind power compromise was possible` post created successfully

`Unions see greenbacks in 'green' future` post created successfully

`Redington fight emblematic of Maine's challenge` post created successfully

`Senators want feds' help on dam project` post created successfully

`Penobscot River project gets two boosts` post created successfully

`Despite Redington vote, wind power needed` post created successfully

`The Biofuel Cafe` post created successfully

`R.I. become last New England state to join global warming pact` post created successfully

`Definitive Global Warming Science Report to be Released Tomorrow` post created successfully

`U.N. panel blames humans for warming` post created successfully

`Lawsuit filed to invalidate access points along Allagash River` post created successfully

`PUC cites energy program savings` post created successfully

`Appeals begin in wind farm OK` post created successfully

`Suit filed over access to Allagash` post created successfully

`Developer to submit new plan for lake` post created successfully

`Summit on climate to be held at COA` post created successfully

`UMaine researchers welcome new report on climate change` post created successfully

`Plum Creek revision cuts lake lot plan` post created successfully

`Workload puts strain on land-use agency` post created successfully

`River tract saved` post created successfully

`U.N. adds heat to climate debate` post created successfully

`Maine looks to feds for leadership` post created successfully

`Developer Again Revises Plan For Moosehead Lake Project` post created successfully

`A rising threat` post created successfully

`Climate Change Report Spurs New Policy Considerations` post created successfully

`Legislature Considers Banning Another Flame Retardant` post created successfully

`Maine Fire Commission Endorses Ban on Toxic Flame Retardant` post created successfully

`Revised plan is cause for optimism` post created successfully

`A better way to embrace wind power` post created successfully

`Timber in transition: For Plum Creek, real estate adds value to forestlands` post created successfully

`Timber in Transition: When Plum Creek land changes hands, public is often locked out` post created successfully

`Bipartisan Support Builds to Renew Land for Maine’s Future Funding` post created successfully

`Funds to conserve Maine lands sought` post created successfully

`Bright ideas` post created successfully

`Climate Change` post created successfully

`Lawmakers urge support for land bond` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci Announces Major Global Warming Bill` post created successfully

`UMF, MaineGeneral earn top 'green' honors` post created successfully

`Efficiency the way to shrink our carbon footprint` post created successfully

`State seeks windfall on energy plan` post created successfully

`Maine Governor Baldacci Tackles Global Warming` post created successfully

`Global Warming Thaw` post created successfully

`Global Warming Conference Held In Augusta` post created successfully

`Hannaford Recognized For Its Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Report aims to ease conflict over waterway management` post created successfully

`Allagash task force presents findings` post created successfully

`Freeport home praised for environmental design` post created successfully

`Bald eagles: Do not disturb` post created successfully

`Enviable Results from Going Green` post created successfully

`Beauty of trail rightly protected` post created successfully

`Land for Maine's Future needs to keep at it` post created successfully

`View from Moosehead: Plum Creek's chance to create a legacy` post created successfully

`Planning talk should include look at LURC` post created successfully

`Efficiency required` post created successfully

`Plum Creek: Please Get It Right` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 255, An Act Concerning Litigation Brought by the Attorney General To Enforce Provisions of the Forest Practices Laws` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 340, An Act to Require the Replacement of Trees Cut in Shoreland Areas` post created successfully

`Dam permit issue spurs fish activist` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Joel Elliott, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">Morning Sentinel news story</a> AUGUSTA -- Fish passage activist Douglas Watts said he plans to take his case to court if the state doesn't decide in his favor in a March hearing. Watts wants the Maine Bureau of Environmental Protection to modify permits held by the owners of four dams in order to require immediate fish passage along stretches of the Kennebec River through central Maine. The state-issued permits are illegal with the current language, and current practices threaten the American eel, American shad, blueback herring, alewife and Atlantic salmon by limiting their movements through the Kennebec River, Watts said."They (signatories of the agreement) made a mistake, and it needs to be fixed," he said. But at least one environmental group is saying that the current arrangement is the best possible compromise. The Natural Resources Council of Maine is pushing for the arrangement to stand."Look at what the original agreement has brought us. It brought the removal of the Edwards Dam, fish passage at the Benton Dam and the Burnham Dam, fish passage at the Lockwood Dam," Council staff scientist Nick Bennett said Tuesday. "These are all very positive things that we don't think would have happened without the agreement."Licenses held by dam owners require them to provide fish passage, but only if certain requirements are met. The licenses provide for triggers such as the number of fish attempting to pass the dams, according to Watts and Bennett. Dams at issue are the Lockwood Hydro Project in Waterville and Winslow; the Shawmut Hydro Project in Fairfield, Benton and Clinton; and the Weston Hydro Project in Skowhegan, Norridgewock, Starks and Madison. Various environmental groups, dam owners and individuals will present their positions on the matter at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 15 at the Calumet Club in Augusta. Watts said the BEP will hear testimony, examine evidence and render a verdict within a month or so. The hearing comes in response to petitions filed by Watts and Friends of Merrymeeting Bay. Watts, who in the past has worked with Friends of the Kennebec Salmon and Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, said he filed his petition as an individual. Friends of Merrymeeting Bay filed a separate petition. Watts said he might consider some sort of compromise. However, he said, "if it's just 'You guys are wrong, we disagree, we're going to keep everything the same,' I'm going to just go to Kennebec County Superior Court."`, assigning current date

`Edwards Dam & Kennebec River` post updated successfully

`Federal climate change policies are inevitable` post created successfully

`Plum Creek plan “encouraging” to critics` post created successfully

`Snowe urges action on global warming` post created successfully

`DEP urges legislative ban on fire retardant` post created successfully

`Next spring season for salmon may be in ’08` post created successfully

`Conserving land preserves what makes Maine special` post created successfully

`Lead-laden Lunchboxes OK'd by Government` post created successfully

`Westbrook dam key to Presumpscot fish restoration` post created successfully

`New direction for Allagash` post created successfully

`Australia will switch off less efficient lightbulbs` post created successfully

`Watt-up? Edison’s light bulb could be on endangered list` post created successfully

`Michaud sees green at Bates` post created successfully

`Baldacci creates land-use task force` post created successfully

`Chemical Report Breakdown` post created successfully

`Civic Center lighting overhaul to save $18,000 in annual costs` post created successfully

`Wild tradition: Film marks 40 years of Allagash waterway` post created successfully

`A golden opportunity for Plum Creek planners` post created successfully

`Gore's 'Truth' spurs Mainers to action` post created successfully

`Grow with the flow` post created successfully

`Experts: Forests can make money by slowing global warming` post created successfully

`With Gore's goading, Hollywood goes green at Oscars` post created successfully

`Oscar for Al Gore Global Warming Film` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Gore Documentary Wins Oscar and Laughs for Former Veep, Who Vows to Continue Climate Campaign</h2> <h3 class="author">by Gary Gentile, Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.abcnewsgo.com" target="_blank">ABC news news story</a> LOS ANGELES (AP)— Former Vice President Al Gore used the success of his documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth" to expand his efforts to educate people about global warming and to tell a few jokes. The film turned Gore's roadshow about climate change into a film that won Academy Awards for best documentary and best song. Gore also teased a bit Sunday night about his plans to possibly make another presidential run, although backstage, he said he was not a candidate. The win was a triumph for Gore, who has kept a sense of humor about the 2000 election, where he won the popular vote, but lost the election to George W. Bush. "My fellow Americans," Gore said. "People all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue, it's a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started with the possible exception of the will to act. That's a renewable resource. Let's renew it." Earlier in the evening, Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio took the stage to unveil a series of efforts the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences took to make this year's awards more environmentally friendly. Pressed by DiCaprio about any other major announcement he might like to make, the former vice president pulled out a statement. "My fellow Americans, I'm going to take this opportunity right here and now, to formally announce my intentions to …" Gore said before the orchestra broke in and he walked off, laughing arm-in-arm with DiCaprio. Backstage, Gore put speculation to rest, saying "I do not have plans to become a candidate for office again." Instead, Gore said he was dedicating all his efforts to pressuring governments to act on climate-crisis issues. "It is the overriding world challenge of our time," Gore said. "I really hope the decision by the Academy to honor the work by director Davis Guggenheim and these producers will convince people who did not go see it before to see the movie and learn about the climate crisis and become a part of the solution." Guggenheim also thanked Gore for inspiring his film. "All of us were inspired by his fight for 30 years to tell this truth to all of us," Guggenheim said. The win was especially pleasing to Gore because it came during a year when the Academy had taken steps to save energy and preserve the environment. Oscar ballots were made from partially recycled paper and organic produce was served at the Governor's Ball. The Academy joined with the Natural Resources Defense Council to reduce energy usage and increase recycling. "For the first time in the history of the Oscars, this show has officially gone green," DiCaprio said. Other initiatives included rides for presenters and stars in hybrid vehicles. The Academy said it had explored hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses to transport crew and other workers, but did not have enough time to do it this year. Meals for the hundreds of crew and cast members were served on reusable plates and biodegradable dishware. Food left over from the post-Oscars Governor's Ball was to be donated to a local shelter. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`A different light bulb can make a difference` post created successfully

`Bill would lift limits on lots in UT` post created successfully

`Researchers See Crucial Role for Forests in Reducing Global Warming` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 437, "An Act to Address the Reporting of Oil Spills"` post created successfully

`Not out of the woods` post created successfully

`Toxins Still Threaten Wildlife` post created successfully

`PUC marks landmark bulb sale under state incentive program` post created successfully

`1,000,000 and counting: Fluorescents are incandescent` post created successfully

`Company seeks approval to buy Fort Halifax Dam` post created successfully

`Cut Carbon, Save Money` post created successfully

`Climate change in the Maine woods` post created successfully

`Battle of Fort Halifax drawing to a close?` post created successfully

`Project aims to fill gap in conservation of land` post created successfully

`Tech Firms Go Green As E-Waste Mounts` post created successfully

`LURC's Authority` post created successfully

`Land Use Questions` post created successfully

`UM lauded for energy-saving work` post created successfully

`Do green lawns make green water?` post created successfully

`Climate is big issue for U.S. hunters, anglers` post created successfully

`Landmark Global Warming Bill Introduced in Maine` post created successfully

`Legislators announce backing for bill to cut global warming pollution from power plants` post created successfully

`Bill outlines 'market-driven' strategy to control emissions` post created successfully

`Snowe lauds dairy's fuel mix` post created successfully

`Restricting phosphorus is clearly good for lakes` post created successfully

`Written Testimony in Support of Maine DEP Budget` post created successfully

`The Big Reboot: What to Do with Old PCs?` post created successfully

`Wilderness areas grow at faster pace` post created successfully

`Fulfilling Maine's promise to stem climate change` post created successfully

`Members Of British Parliament Pay Visit To Augusta` post created successfully

`Plum Creek’s plan for massive development in Maine draws criticism` post created successfully

`Wind farm would be N.E.'s largest` post created successfully

`British say reducing emissions aids growth` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 734, "An Act To Improve Public Understanding in Rulemaking"` post created successfully

`Company seeks approval for second wind farm` post created successfully

`Winthrop woman proud of anti-pollution efforts` post created successfully

`Activists push dam owners to protect fish` post created successfully

`Winter sets record for warmth worldwide` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 88, “Resolve, To Encourage the Use of Safe Chemicals in Public Schools”` post created successfully

`Of Moose and Men` post created successfully

`Tracking Mercury` post created successfully

`New school: 'Efficient' and 'sustainable'` post created successfully

`Milfoil fighters forced to look for other funds` post created successfully

`Baldacci unveils $397M bond plan` post created successfully

`Paying to Keep Up` post created successfully

`Global Warming Action Could Curb Nightmare Impacts` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 968, In-stream Flow and Water Level Standards` post created successfully

`Maine to receive $4.2M to protect forests` post created successfully

`New Research: Peregrine Falcons Show Highest Toxic "Deca" Levels ever reported` post created successfully

`Now is not the time to cut LURC off at the knees` post created successfully

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> Editorial Two cats in a sack generally get along better than Republicans and Democrats when it comes to the subject of state bonding.And that's too bad.Bonding is an essential mechanism for investing in critical state infrastructure like roads, bridges and sewage treatment plants and conserving land. It's also an important tool a state can use to promote sectors of the economy that need a little boost. Maine's economy is changing from a manufacturing and natural resource base to one increasingly focused on innovation and expanding tourism. It's not an easy transition and requires encouragement to maintain momentum.The need to support transportation, innovation and land conservation is growing. Yet, Maine has not issued a bond package since 2005. Recently, three major bond rating houses agreed that Maine's fiscal situation is sound and its economic outlook is positive. Maine ranks 33rd nationally in debt per capita, and the state pays down about $70 million in general obligations each year. Add it all up, and the state has the capacity to issue a significant bonding package this year.After last year's politically instigated collapse of an effort to pass a transportation bond, what's needed from Augusta is a sensible, deliberate bipartisan effort to prioritize state needs in order to reach consensus on how Maine can prudently invest in its future.INAUSPICIOUS START So it was not the most promising sign when Senate Republicans on Wednesday fired a shot across the Democrats' bow with an e-mail touting their agenda 15 minutes before the first scheduled meeting with other legislative leaders.Senate Minority Leader Carol Weston sought agreement on a $200 million bond package for roads, bridges and sewer systems as a precondition to discussing everything else, which she described as "pet projects and low-priority proposals."This might be exactly what the Republican rank and file want to hear, but it was hardly an approach designed to foster broad agreement on how to invest in the state's future.Hopefully, the politicians will settle down to the business of thinking about what's best for the state rather than what looks good to their supporters in a press release.On Monday, Gov. Baldacci is expected to announce his bonding proposal, which will address transportation and other high-priority needs like education, job creation and conservation.The administration issued a preview on Thursday, when the state Office of Innovation recommended that Maine invest $150 million over three years to promote research and development and job creation in the biomedical, technology and marine sectors.Specifically, the panel suggested directing $15 million a year to the University of Maine System for research and development infrastructure, $7 million a year to support biomedical projects, $5 million a year for the marine industry and $23 million a year for other technology sectors.Baldacci hasn't agreed to the specifics of the plan, saying he will need to weigh competing demands.Among them should be supporting Maine's community college system. The seven-campus system is a key part of the state's effort to increase the number of Maine students who obtain a post-secondary education. Without additional funds, officials may have to start limiting enrollment.It's also critical that lawmakers replenish the state's Land for Maine's Future fund, which is out of money. As last fall's Brookings Institution report noted, Maine's greatest asset is Maine: an internationally recognized synonym for liveable communities set amid an intact New England landscape. LMF has been a key partner with Maine's private land trusts in protecting this quality of place by leveraging federal money to help secure some of the most significant conservation purchases and easements in state history. But the program never enjoyed the consistent funding it needs. TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, TOOMaine needs to invest significant sums in its transportation infrastructure. Our roads are crumbling, and hundreds of bridges are in need of repair. It's not like these problems cropped up overnight. But 2006 was an election year. In order to show supporters they were keeping a lid on state spending, Republicans opted to oppose a transportation bond. Instead, they convinced Democrats to earmark $15 million in the general fund budget for road, bridge and other projects.One year later, materials costs have risen and our roads are worse than ever. So on the one hand, it's good that the GOP now sees the need for significant investment in transportation and sewer systems. On the other hand, investing in asphalt and concrete but not in innovation and quality places is a road map to nowhere.Lawmakers need to be sensitive to the state's high tax burden. Maine's constitution provides that all legislative bonds that exceed $2 million have to go before the voters, and their mood has been soured by lawmakers' lack of progress in reducing the tax burden.Still, a bond package that begins to address our transportation, research and conservation needs is overdue. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post created successfully

`Traces of flame retardant found in falcon eggs in Maine, N.H.` post created successfully

`Governor finds balance inside bond package` post created successfully

`Expand efforts to fight milfoil` post created successfully

`Rising temps bad news for Maine’s coastal towns` post created successfully

`Wildlife officials may turn to zoning laws to protect whitetails' winter habitat` post created successfully

`U.N. agency has key role in climate change warning` post created successfully

`Maine a model of e-waste disposal` post created successfully

`Seizing our clean-energy opportunity` post created successfully

`Ban This Toxic Flame Retardant` post created successfully

`Maine has lots of room and reasons for land and research bonds` post created successfully

`It's time to make clean, efficient energy a town meeting priority` post created successfully

`Being energy-efficient is far from inconvenient` post created successfully

`State should ban flame retardant` post created successfully

`Peregrine falcons return to Acadia` post created successfully

`In Opposition to LD 1089, An Act to Create the Maine Natural Resource and Environment Efficiency Commission` post created successfully

`Residents challenged to fight warming` post created successfully

`Bonds for rivers receive hearing` post created successfully

`Bill aims at risk of floods` post created successfully

`Legislator wants $10M for cleanups` post created successfully

`Protect our wildlife habitat` post created successfully

`Global-warming convert says 'its time has come'` post created successfully

`Toxic Industrial Emissions Up in Maine` post created successfully

`Ktaadn plan draws raves at hearing` post created successfully

`Millinocket resort plan draws little criticism` post created successfully

`State receiving $2.7M energy grant` post created successfully

`Buy Land, by Waterfront` post created successfully

`Allagash Advisory Council` post created successfully

`Court boosts environmental groups, EPA on power plant cleanup` post created successfully

`Rock goes GREEN` post created successfully

`Justices side with Maine in two air pollution cases` post created successfully

`College to train energy auditors` post created successfully

`NRCM Releases Online Movie About Toxics in Our Homes: "You're in Jeopardy"` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 555, “An Act to Protect Children from Lead Exposure by Requiring Sufficient Notice of Renovations”` post created successfully

`Court makes 1st ruling on world climate` post created successfully

`Franklin Chamber supports wind farm` post created successfully

`Climate Debate's New Phase` post created successfully

`Consultants keep rockers in tune with environment` post created successfully

`Maine's clean-car rules win Supreme boost` post created successfully

`Court ruling upends the greenhouse gas debate` post created successfully

`Time for Congress to address global warming` post created successfully

`Bond package passes` post created successfully

`Children’s Health Threatened by Toxic Chemical` post created successfully

`Bipartisan bond deal addresses state needs` post created successfully

`Bill to ban fire retardant debated by lawmakers` post created successfully

`Public land review` post created successfully

`Land use bills won't help Maine` post created successfully

`Bill To Ban Flame Retardant Draws Chemical Industry Opposition` post created successfully

`Dover-Foxcroft Couple Wants to Donate 115 Acres as Forestry Classroom` post created successfully

`Fresh breeze blows from Supreme Court` post created successfully

`Lawmakers should leave LURC alone - it's doing fine as it is` post created successfully

`No need to hype climate change report` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1658, “An Act to Protect Pregnant Women and Children from Toxic Chemicals Released into the Home Environment”` post created successfully

`Industry ad ignites deca bill backers` post created successfully

`Governor's plan would require polluters to pay` post created successfully

`Questions About Deca Should Lead to a Ban` post created successfully

`Global Warming Gathering Planned April 14` post created successfully

`Environmental and business leaders announce consensus plan to implement RGGI` post created successfully

`Replacing bridge over Allagash challenged` post created successfully

`Clean Air Act Foul` post created successfully

`Warming requires action now` post created successfully

`Grassroots actions planned against carbon emissions` post created successfully

`Governor's compromise bill seeks to reduce global warming` post created successfully

`Rallies seek laws to cut emissions` post created successfully

`Draft plan seeks to cut mercury emissions` post created successfully

`New climate, new policies` post created successfully

`Report: Carbon emissions up 18%` post created successfully

`Diverse groups gather to discuss oil dependence` post created successfully

`Capitol rally to target carbon` post created successfully

`Make a commitment to good environmental choices` post created successfully

`Climate rallies join national push` post created successfully

`Baldacci pledges carbon cuts during rally` post created successfully

`Arguments for Banning Deca are Strong` post created successfully

`Mainers get in 'step' with climate rally` post created successfully

`Climate Change Poses Serious Threat to U.S. National Security` post created successfully

`Panel to weigh bill to require cell phone recycling` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1717, “An Act to Promote Recycling of Cellular Telephones”` post created successfully

`Panel updated on Kibby plan for wind power` post created successfully

`GAO warns of cost tied to changes in climate` post created successfully

`'Carbon calculator' shows your pollution` post created successfully

`Ad blitz targets proposed flame-retardants ban` post created successfully

`Bar Harbor college goes all out for Earth Day` post created successfully

`Wind farm rejection goes to court appeal` post created successfully

`Protect health, not a cash cow` post created successfully

`Green grass emissions` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Given the enormity of the problems associated with global warming, lawnmower emissions may seem like a small issue. As the cliche goes, however, changing policy usually begins by picking the low-hanging fruit. Lawnmowers are such fruit, but the rules proposed this week by the Environmental Protection Agency would reduce emissions more than you might expect.According to the EPA, a walk-behind mower emits as much pollution per hour as 11 cars. A riding lawnmower compares to 34 cars. Americans spend more than 3 billion hours per year using lawn and garden equipment, according to the agency.The rules proposed this week would cut emissions from gas-powered lawnmowers by more than a third. That is on top of larger reductions as a result of rules that were fully in place last year. Even larger cuts would be required in recreational watercraft engines, which can emit as much per hour as 348 cars.When fully implemented, the rule would result in an annual reduction of 2.7 million tons of carbon dioxide and would prevent 450 premature deaths each year, the EPA said in announcing the rule. The health care benefits would be about $3.4 billion by 2030. In addition nearly 200 million gallons of fuel would be saved each year, saving consumers about $350 million.To meet the standards, manufacturers are expected to use catalytic converters for the first time in these engines. The devices, first widely used in cars in the 1970s to meet clean air requirements, convert pollutants in exhaust into less harmful components.The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Inc. says that comparing lawnmowers to cars is inaccurate because cars are used a lot more. While technically true, this is beside the point. When lawnmowers are used, they pollute a lot for the size of their engines. This isn’t necessary.There are of course alternatives that don’t require rule changes. Electric mowers emit no pollution and can easily cover an average yard on a single charge. Old-fashioned push mowers also have no emissions and offer a chance for a bit of exercise, too.Tougher pollution standards for lawnmower and boat engines won’t slow climate change on their own, but they are part of a policy that must require lower emissions from all sources.`, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`EPA data 'amazed me'` post created successfully

`Experts find traces of deca in seals` post created successfully

`Hundreds join at COA to mark Earth Day` post created successfully

`US State Seeks to Legislate Mobile Phone Recycling` post created successfully

`Clean-energy advocate peddles awareness` post created successfully

`Hammond Ridge (ZP 710) Public Hearing Comments` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1851, "An Act to Establish the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Act of 2007"` post created successfully

`Lawmakers urged to pass pollution cuts` post created successfully

`Colby grad a leader in clean-energy effort` post created successfully

`Greenhouse gas bill draws crowd` post created successfully

`Bill's impact on utility rates eyed` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Committee Votes 10-3 to phase out toxic “deca” flame retardant` post created successfully

`Good idea: Ganging up on climate change` post created successfully

`NRCM’s Everett “Brownie” Carson To Be Honored For Conservation Leadership In Washington, DC` post created successfully

`Plum Creek submits new plan` post created successfully

`MAINE VOICES: Responding to risks of climate change` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1657, “An Act to Support and Enhance Maine’s Beverage Container Recycling Laws and Household Hazardous Waste Collection”` post created successfully

`Plum Creek revises Moosehead plan` post created successfully

`Critics not swayed by new Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Revised Plum Creek plan saves shoreland` post created successfully

`Climate debate stays on high heat` post created successfully

`Ogunquit envisions lure of being 'green town'` post created successfully

`Washington County: LURC approves wind farm application` post created successfully

`Managing Katahdin Lake next for park` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Unveils Third Version of Development Plans` post created successfully

`River review 'very complex'` post created successfully

`So Young. So Toxic.` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Submits Revised Plan To State Regulators` post created successfully

`8,000-acre land deal in trouble` post created successfully

`Shorebird habitat deal brokered` post created successfully

`Androscoggin Cleanup Still a Major Environmental Issue` post created successfully

`International Award Given to NRCM` post created successfully

`State's bid for land near Katahdin Lake in danger` post created successfully

`Ban chemicals found in baby bottles, toys` post created successfully

`Environmentalists, Verso to square off on discharge limits` post created successfully

`Wind-powered ski area earns award` post created successfully

`KENNEBEC LAND TRUST: Bog Pond spared from development` post created successfully

`Debate focuses on pollution runoff` post created successfully

`Disposal of banned, unusable pesticides made easy and free through state` post created successfully

`Developer proposes smaller wind farm near Sugarloaf` post created successfully

`Turbine noise raises concern` post created successfully

`Androscoggin River Pollution at Issue in Auburn` post created successfully

`In Support of LD 1655, "An Act To Improve Home and Commercial Building Energy Efficiency"` post created successfully

`In Support of L.D. 837, “An Act to Prevent Infant Exposure to Harmful Hormone-disrupting Substances”` post created successfully

`The Villains` post created successfully

`EPA lauds Maine environmental group` post created successfully

`Celebrating Rachel Carson` post created successfully

`UMPI announces $1.5M wind turbine project` post created successfully

`Bill seeks ban on additive used in kids' plastic toys` post created successfully

`Workers: Tougher river rules cost jobs` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's latest change is movement in the right direction` post created successfully

`Plum Creek, Round 3` post created successfully

`River hearings can make, or become, history` post created successfully

`Like a spring spawn, festival returns to celebrate fish run` post created successfully

`How Green is the Valley?` post created successfully

`Greenhouse gas limits to benefit state` post created successfully

`Reduced wind-farm proposal readied` post created successfully

`NRCM Endorses Black Nubble Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Wind farm plan scaled back` post created successfully

`Groups divided over wind power project` post created successfully

`Wind farm plan scaled back Redington out` post created successfully

`Revised Plan Submitted For Rejected Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Redington Project Scaled Back in Effort to Draw Support` post created successfully

`Expert, Verso disagree on mill improvements` post created successfully

`Changing wind directions` post created successfully

`'Green' power lights state buildings` post created successfully

`Greenhouse gas legislation fits Maine's conservation ethic` post created successfully

`Moving ahead with wind power` post created successfully

`A clean river is not a jobless river` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Investment in pollution controls saves jobs, improves the Androscoggin</h2> <h3 class="author">by Lynne Lewis</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Lewiston Sun Journal op-ed</a> As an economist, I have listened carefully to the "jobs versus environment" debate as it has raged once again these past weeks over cleaning up the Androscoggin River to meet Clean Water Act standards.In my opinion, cleaning up the river will not put jobs at risk - not staying competitive within the paper industry is the real threat. We can have jobs and a clean environment.The Verso mill in Jay provides good jobs that Maine needs, and I would like to see all of these jobs remain here in Maine. Using cleaner technologies can help. Investment in modern pollution technology can both lower manufacturing costs and improve water quality. These technologies are widely used and readily available.I have looked at the report by paper consultant Neil McCubbin that was commissioned by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and submitted in December 2003. This report offers detailed evidence of attainable, low-cost solutions for a cleaner river.According to that report, annual operating costs of the mills would actually be lowered by using cleaner technologies and lowered substantially under some scenarios. This would make the mill more competitive, and more likely to continue operating during market slow downs than similar mills with higher operating costs.Yes, some investments would be necessary, but the money would be recouped quickly according to this report. We do not have to trade jobs for environmental quality.At the Board of Environmental Protection hearing on May 3 in Auburn, a gentleman who works at one of the papermills, in the environmental department, testified to the BEP that he was the only person in this department when he started working there years ago. He went on to say that now there are four people in his department, two holding PhDs. This suggests to me that this area of cleaner technologies is growing, and bringing good jobs here as well.Ultimately, I am risk averse. If there is a way to lower operating costs and ensure these good jobs remain, it seems, to me, to be the logical way to go. The side benefit, then, is improved water quality.This is a win-win for everyone. Cleaner rivers increase property values and improve economic development opportunities in communities along the river.I also heard numerous individuals testify during both public hearings about fishing for non-native fish, such as small mouth bass, in the Androscoggin River. Many individuals talked about the amazing "health" of the river's bass fishery. What I did not hear about was fishing for trout, Atlantic salmon or other native fish that thrive in the Androscoggin above the Verso mill, but not below it.Native, cold water fish cannot thrive in the polluted waters below the Jay mill. The Clean Water Act says that the river should be clean enough to support these native fish - and I agree. In addition, recreational fishing is valuable to Maine's economy, and a traditional part of the Maine way of life. When Sen. Edmund Muskie, a native of Rumford, wrote the Clean Water Act, I cannot imagine he ever envisioned his own neighborhood river - the Androscoggin - would be exempt from the standards other rivers are now required to meet. That this great river is treated as a second class waterway, and still fails to meet federal or state Clean Water Act standards, is an outrage and an embarrassment.Let's keep it win-win. Let's make Maine's paper industry competitive and make the Androscoggin River as clean as it should be. I hope the BEP will put this issue at rest once and for all and do the right thing.Lynne Lewis, of Portland, is an environmental economics professor at Bates College. `, assigning current date

`Cleaning Up the Androscoggin River` post updated successfully

`Court hears case on gas mileage rules` post created successfully

`Maine's Environment Needs Your Help Today!` post created successfully

`Free our fish to move freely up and down rivers` post created successfully

`Freedom might nix ordinance that stopped wind farm` post created successfully

`Collins targets mercury pollution` post created successfully

`Ogunquit sees good in going 'green'` post created successfully

`Locals offer climate change training` post created successfully

`Measure to ban deca advances in Augusta` post created successfully

`Go green on vacation -- stay here` post created successfully

`Freedom wind project returns` post created successfully

`Wind turbines: Graceful and clean or garish eyesores?` post created successfully

`Think twice about changing the nature of lake region` post created successfully

`Lots For Sale` post created successfully

`Cafe delay` post created successfully

`Staples recycling computers for $10` post created successfully

`Market has force to turn paper 'green'` post created successfully

`Maine joins call for EPA to let states cut emissions` post created successfully

`Baldacci signs bill creating Allagash panel` post created successfully

`EPA should approve greenhouse gas emissions waiver, Calif. says` post created successfully

`EPA urged to allow states to regulate emissions` post created successfully

`Maine right to support California push for clean air` post created successfully

`Maine reheats its solar energy rebate program` post created successfully

`Energy gurus tout BNAS 'Eco-plex'` post created successfully

`Maine Legislature Votes to Ban Toxic "Deca" Flame Retardant` post created successfully

`Maine to Phase Out Flame Retardant` post created successfully

`Senate OKs ban on flame retardant` post created successfully

`Groups work to preserve scenic 'gem'` post created successfully

`Car dealer to industry: Come clean` post created successfully

`Move Ahead with RGGI` post created successfully

`Mainers to note 100th birthday of Rachel Carson` post created successfully

`Maine bald eagle recovery 'our wildest dream'` post created successfully

`Rachel Carson's Legacy Endures` post created successfully

`Testimony before the EPA in Washington, DC regarding auto emissions standards` post created successfully

`Alewives will give you a run for your money` post created successfully

`Kibby wind project open house set` post created successfully

`Tax loopholes will still cost Montanans millions` post created successfully

`Maine site of world salmon talks` post created successfully

`Maine House warms to emissions initiative` post created successfully

`Panel backs Maine forest projects` post created successfully

`Bush calls for summit on greenhouse gases` post created successfully

`State closer to greenhouse gas initiative` post created successfully

`SAD 9 upgrades net savings on fuel costs` post created successfully

`LURC staff endorses resort's rezoning plan` post created successfully

`If a tree falls and nobody hears it, it reflects well on land conservation` post created successfully

`Celebrating the Kennebec` post created successfully

`2 wind projects to be decided` post created successfully

`Wind compromise` post created successfully

`Global warming already affecting New England` post created successfully

`U.S. salmon plan earns perfect score` post created successfully

`Environmental Organizations Support Proposed Kibby Mountain Wind-Power Project in Maine` post created successfully

`Draft energy bill would block state action on global warming` post created successfully

`Maine third Northeast state to pass "RGGI" law to cut global warming pollution from power plants` post created successfully

`Wind project picks up support` post created successfully

`Environmental groups back wind-power plan` post created successfully

`Black Nubble deserves a second look` post created successfully

`Climate Change Calls for Leadership on Wind Power` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Endorse Windpower Plan` post created successfully

`Senate Endorses Greenhouse Gas Initiative` post created successfully

`Senate gives initial OK to greenhouse gas bill` post created successfully

`UM study eyes potatoes as source of plastics` post created successfully

`Green groups support project` post created successfully

`Bill targets higher fuel economy, lower emissions` post created successfully

`LURC OKs rezoning for $65 million resort` post created successfully

`Senator Collins Introduces Comprehensive Climate Change Package` post created successfully

`Environmental groups support one wind power project` post created successfully

`A Better Energy Bill` post created successfully

`Plum Creek steps up public relations` post created successfully

`Study finds 36 toxic chemicals in bodies of Mainers tested` post created successfully

`Study shows everyday items expose all of us to pollutants` post created successfully

`Tests on 13 Mainers find industrial chemicals` post created successfully

`Toxins found in systems of 13 Mainers` post created successfully

`Chemicals in Household Products Often Unsafe or Untested` post created successfully

`Statement by Brownie Carson about Body of Evidence report` post created successfully

`Senate OKs global warming bill` post created successfully

`Maine colleges set to join effort on climate` post created successfully

`Kennebec River bill wins Senate approval` post created successfully

`Small Study Yields Alarming Results` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Sounds Alarm About Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`LURC prepares to tackle full slate of projects` post created successfully

`State touts bright idea for bulbs` post created successfully

`Pending doom: Global warming crisis` post created successfully

`Chemical Trespass in Our Bodies` post created successfully

`UM experts say climate change is affecting Maine's ecosystem` post created successfully

`State launches recycling plan for CFLs` post created successfully

`Governor signs law to phase out chemical uses` post created successfully

`Mainers Need Chemicals Policy` post created successfully

`Despite appeal of wind energy, projects have foes` post created successfully

`Time to get wind power moving` post created successfully

`Indian leaders speak out against global warming` post created successfully

`Plum Creek’s Revised Plan Still Raises Deep Concerns` post created successfully

`Statement by Brownie Carson regarding Plum Creek's newest development proposal for Moosehead Lake` post created successfully

`Audubon, Natural Resources Council Oppose Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek opponents say development plan still too big` post created successfully

`Advocates opposing Moosehead revisions` post created successfully

`Environmental groups speak out against Plum Creek plan` post created successfully

`Maine takes aim at global warming` post created successfully

`Groups ramp up dissent against Moosehead plan` post created successfully

`Groups Oppose Latest Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Detail Opposition To Revised Plum Creek Development Plan` post created successfully

`Maine Law Caps Carbon Dioxide Emissions` post created successfully

`Environment prospers in legislative session` post created successfully

`Groups call on Governor Baldacci to re-double efforts to curb global warming pollution` post created successfully

`Baldacci signs bill on global warming` post created successfully

`The Little Engine That Could Poison` post created successfully

`Maine lawmakers applaud energy bill` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">In addition to increasing fleet mileage requirements, the bill earmarks money for UMaine research.</h2> <h3 class="author">by John Richardson, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Maine's Republican U.S. senators praised the massive energy bill adopted by the Senate just before midnight Thursday as a historic step toward ending America's dependence on foreign oil and addressing climate change. Both Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins championed parts of the bill, which was widely seen as a triumph for the Senate's Democratic majority. Snowe had worked for six years to increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, and negotiated with fellow lawmakers this week to help gather enough votes to overcome a threatened filibuster. "It is really a remarkable accomplishment," Snowe said. "It's been an uphill battle for so long." Collins, who also supported the fuel efficiency increases, added an amendment to the bill to provide $275 million over five years to support research into alternative fuels, such as biofuel that University of Maine researchers are extracting from wood. Collins also added an amendment -- and Snowe co-sponsored it -- to provide $60 million over six years to study abrupt climate change. The University of Maine also is involved in that research. "UMaine will no doubt continue to play a pivotal role in the future of these crucial environmental and energy issues," Collins said in a news release. The Senate voted 65-27 for the measure, which Snowe said Friday represents a major shift in energy policy toward conservation, efficiency and alternative fuels. "There is finally an awakening," she said. The nation's first new across-the-board fuel efficiency standards since 1975 would require automakers to raise the fleet efficiency standard by 10 mpg, to 35 mpg, by 2020. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., had fought to instead pass a more auto industry-friendly fuel economy measure and said one reason for his effort's failure was growing public concern about global warming. He called the auto industry "a juicy target." Snowe said she is confident the auto industry has the technology to meet the fuel efficiency standards. "Unfortunately, the foreign automakers are capturing the market because they have the fuel-efficient vehicles," she said. The House is expected to move its version of the bill forward as soon as next week. -- The Associated Press contributed to this report. `, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work,Clean Energy & Efficiency,Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Chemical Chimera` post created successfully

`Plum Creek proposal inspires wider debate` post created successfully

`Better Living Thru TSCA` post created successfully

`Maine and New Brunswick to Cooperate on Reducing Greenhouse Gases` post created successfully

`Baldacci, premier eye energy partnership` post created successfully

`Supreme Court Limits the Endangered Species Act` post created successfully

`House gives preliminary OK to greenhouse gas bill` post created successfully

`Bald eagle off endangered list` post created successfully

`Production good at new wind farm` post created successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam deal rejected` post created successfully

`State's bald eagles still protected by laws despite federal delisting` post created successfully

`Members named to wind power task force` post created successfully

`Governor names members of wind power task force` post created successfully

`Already, '07 a year of bad air days` post created successfully

`Energy measure has state worried` post created successfully

`Feds to support state conservation effort` post created successfully

`Chemical testing results startling` post created successfully

`Energy Boost` post created successfully

`On the Wings of Recovery` post created successfully

`Live Earth showings set for Maine, world` post created successfully

`How to save the Sebasticook` post created successfully

`Remember the moose!` post created successfully

`After the music` post created successfully

`Climate change test` post created successfully

`Bog buffer saved near Bangor` post created successfully

`Mainers take part in Live Earth event` post created successfully

`N.H. wind farm developer gets final state OK` post created successfully

`HoltraChem case could go before nation's highest court` post created successfully

`In support of the Black Nubble wind project` post created successfully

`Support Builds for Black Nubble Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Presumpscot River dam to be removed` post created successfully

`Developer files application for revised wind power project` post created successfully

`Groups Throw Their Support Behind Scaled-Back Wind Power Project` post created successfully

`Statement on Release of Northeast Climate Impact Assessment` post created successfully

`Wind power project backers boast organizational support` post created successfully

`Warming could hurt Maine industries` post created successfully

`Black Nubble wind project's undeniable merits` post created successfully

`Hearing on new span over Allagash nixed` post created successfully

`Wind farms are a part of our energy future` post created successfully

`LURC members tour wind farm in Mars Hill to gain perspective` post created successfully

`Report details impact of climate change to Maine` post created successfully

`Bridging the canyons of peak power` post created successfully

`Opposites attract over harnessing wind power` post created successfully

`Policy of patience makes dam removal practical` post created successfully

`The long view on Kennebec hydropower and fish restoration` post created successfully

`Wind project garners support` post created successfully

`UMF chief joins peers fighting global warming` post created successfully

`Groups endorse Washington Co. wind project` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Throw Support Behind Maine Wind Project` post created successfully

`New wind-energy plan builds support` post created successfully

`Environmental groups throw support behind E. Maine wind project` post created successfully

`Statement by NRCM at the opening of the Maine Electric Vehicles Dealership in Falmouth, ME` post created successfully

`Popular conservation fund appealing for more money` post created successfully

`Toxic Chemicals Inside Us Are a Nightmare We Can End` post created successfully

`Decision on lynx sparks investigation` post created successfully

`Ruling on lynx protections mishandled, to be reviewed` post created successfully

`Solar home or 'monstrosity'?` post created successfully

`Eat fish or avoid it? Scientists weigh in` post created successfully

`Wind Power Picks Up` post created successfully

`Land program seeks voter OK to borrow $17M` post created successfully

`Paying Maine's indebtedness to Thoreau` post created successfully

`Lynx Habitat Decision Reviewed` post created successfully

`326 acres added to protected land` post created successfully

`Decision reopens debate over lynx` post created successfully

`Little Suburb in the Big Woods` post created successfully

`Androscoggin Riverbanks Growing More Attractive` post created successfully

`The green scene` post created successfully

`An outlet for plug-in cars` post created successfully

`Panel backs wind project` post created successfully

`Mercury in the water` post created successfully

`Court upholds state's right to oversee lake's quality` post created successfully

`Lynx review` post created successfully

`Baldacci names members to new Allagash panel` post created successfully

`The BEP gets a complex and controversial case` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's zoning petition faces challenge` post created successfully

`Plum Creek opponents change strategy` post created successfully

`Lynx habitat, populations under review` post created successfully

`Moosehead region to hold subdivision hearing` post created successfully

`Wind Power Tour Brings a Bus Full of Citizens to Mars Hill, Maine` post created successfully

`Canada Lynx Protection: How not to make decisions` post created successfully

`Region's Largest Wind Farm Draws Tour Groups` post created successfully

`Do it for Ed Muskie` post created successfully

`Board must decide what's right for river` post created successfully

`Forest project preserves heritage` post created successfully

`Stetson Mountain wind farm focus of LURC public hearing` post created successfully

`Maintaining Moosehead Lake region's character` post created successfully

`Officials fear rescue scenario for Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Dam closer to removal` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Maine's high court upholds permit granted to FPL Energy</h2> <h3 class="author">by Colin Hickey, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> WINSLOW -- A Maine Supreme Judicial Court decision Tuesday might have eliminated the last legal hurdle to removal of the Fort Halifax Dam. The court, in a case argued Feb. 13, upheld a decision in Kennebec Superior Court that the Department of Environmental Protection acted properly in issuing a permit to allow the removal of the hydroelectric facility on the Sebasticook River -- a decision subsequently supported by the Board of Environmental Protection. Save Our Sebasticook (SOS), a group led by Rep. Kenneth Fletcher, R-Winslow, a landowner on the Fort Halifax impoundment, is the party that contested the DEP and BEP decisions at the Superior and Supreme court level. In its decision, the Supreme Judicial Court wrote: "SOS contends that the Board did not comply with the (Maine Waterway Development and Conservation Act) because it failed to perform a balancing test and make appropriate findings, and because FPL Energy failed to demonstrate compliance with applicable water quality laws. We disagree and affirm the judgment." Dana Murch of the DEP said the court's decision was gratifying for his agency. "Our position is we did everything required and more by the law," he said, "and the court agreed." Murch said with the decision he expects the dam will be removed next year so as to allow fish passage without mechanical means by 2009 -- passage of alewives has been provided by a fish pump in recent years. F. Allen Wiley of FPL Energy acknowledged that the court's decision would seem to be the last legal barrier to dam removal. But Wiley said he would have to confer with FPL Energy lawyers before he could say that definitively. The energy company is bound by a 1998 agreement that required fish passage be provided for sea-run species by either a fish lift or dam removal by May 1, 2003. FPL Energy opted to pursue dam removal after it determined building a fish lift would be too expensive. SOS delayed the dam removal process through a series of court challenges at the state and federal level. Fletcher said he was disappointed but not surprised by the court's decision "considering the court's recent actions in upholding other BEP and Superior Court actions." The Kennebec Coalition, one of the 1998 agreement's signers, had the opposite reaction to the ruling, according to William Harwood, a lawyer representing the collection of fishery and conservation groups. "Overall," Harwood said, "we are very pleased and our clients are very pleased that the court recognized that DEP and BEP did a very careful job of reviewing the case before they ordered the dam removed." DEP's Murch said the legal rulings on his agency's handling of Fort Halifax are unprecedented in Maine. "This the first time," he said, "that the courts have ruled on how the department applies state law on dam removal." Even removal of Edward's Dam in Augusta, while highly contentious, never involved any challenges to DEP's role in the process, he said. Fletcher said the 1998 agreement involving state agencies, hydro owners and various state and federal fishery and conservation groups played a big part in the court's decision. "It has become apparent," he said, "there are many who want to protect the agreement at all costs rather than consider the broader issues involved in the interest of achieving balanced solutions." Fletcher argues much has changed in the world since the 1998 pact, most notably grave concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and the need to limit those emissions through greater reliance on renewable energy sources. SOS continues to back a proposal by dam operator Essex Hydro Associates to purchase and operate Fort Halifax. As part of its proposal, the Boston-based company said it would build a fish lift. Essex Hydro has not given up on its plan. "We still have a desire to proceed and take over the project and continue its operation unless and until the dam is out," Essex Hydro President Dick Norman said. Norman was uncertain about the impact Tuesday's ruling would have on his company's hopes for Fort Halifax. "We haven't had an opportunity to see the court decision," he said, "and frankly have not been a part of that process, so I'm really not in a position to comment on the legal effect of that decision." The Kennebec Coalition and two federal agencies rejected the Essex Hydro proposal. Essex Hydro and Fletcher have asked for a meeting to address their concerns but so far have been unsuccessful. Fletcher said the Kennebec Coalition is the only party to the 1998 agreement unwilling to meet with Essex Hydro. "We are only asking just to get together to see if we can work something out here," Fletcher said. "I'm not sure what we can legally do about it, but we are trying to pursue this in a logical, sensible matter." Harwood, the Coalition's representative in Supreme Court appeal, said he has not been involved in Essex Hydro's request for a meeting. But Harwood said, "My understanding is (Kennebec Coalition members) did not find the proposal something they were interested in pursuing and also felt it was a bit of too little, too late." Daniel Marra of the Kennebec Coalition said previously that the Coalition, as well as federal and state agencies involved, found several substantive flaws with the Essex proposal, especially the lack of a functional design for the fish lift. Town officials in Winslow, meanwhile, share Fletcher's disappointment in Tuesday's ruling, as well as his frustration that the Essex Hydro proposal has not been accepted. Winslow selectmen sent a letter to Gov. John Baldacci last month to ask that he intervene in the matter. Town Manager Michael Heavener said the Baldacci administration wrote back but made no commitment to get involved in the matter. Heavener, though, said he remains hopeful that a way can be found to preserve the dam. "I think as a municipal leader I have an obligation not just to the residents of Winslow but to the people of Maine to keep looking at other proposals," he said. `, assigning current date

`Clean & Free-flowing Waters` post created successfully

`NRCM Files 60-Day Notice to Sue US FWS to Protect Canada Lynx` post created successfully

`Here's hope for saving the treasure of Maine` post created successfully

`LURC Forum Targets Wind Farm Noise` post created successfully

`Maine Groups File Notice On Lynx Habitat` post created successfully

`Doing Our Part as Mainers for the Environment` post created successfully

`A Place for Wind` post created successfully

`Potential Energy Savings Have Towns Seeing Green` post created successfully

`Two Major Land Deals May Affect Public Access` post created successfully

`A Regional Vision` post created successfully

`Forest owners under pressure to sell off land` post created successfully

`Rural Maine sees a change` post created successfully

`Boosting Conservation` post created successfully

`Details Emerge on Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Saco to Consider Buying Second Wind Turbine` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Forum Set at UMF Friday` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Morning Sentinel Staff Report</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news update</a> FARMINGTON — A public breakfast forum on proposed wind energy projects in northern Franklin County will be held Friday at the University of Maine at Farmington.The form will include speakers with differing viewpoints on the two projects and wind generation in general.The free forum starts at 7 a.m. in the North Dining Hall in UMF Olsen Student Center.Panelists will include representatives of TransCanada Energy Ltd., which is proposing a project on Kibby Mountain, and Maine Mountain Power, which has plans for a wind farm on Black Nubble Mountain. The Land Use Regulatory Commission will be hold public hearings on both projects this fall. Speakers will include proponents of the projects and also David Publicover of the Appalachian Mountain Club, who has researched the siting of wind energy projects in Maine.Links to information on proposed wind energy projects, site research and other information are available at the Western Mountains Alliance website at <a href="http://www.westernmountainsalliance.org/" target="_blank">www.westernmountainsalliance.org</a>. For information, call 778-3885 or email<a href="mailto:tswain@westernmountainsalliance.org">mailto:tswain@westernmountainsalliance.org</a>. <a href="http://blog.nrcm.org/" target="_blank">Comment now about this article on NRCM's blog.</a>`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Wind Project on Black Nubble Returns` post created successfully

`Future Dim for Allagash Lawsuit` post created successfully

`Lead Poisoning Still Sad Fact for Too Many Maine Kids` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Maine's older housing stock has more affected structures than most other parts of the nation.</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> The dangers of lead poisoning didn't go away when the heavy metal was removed from gasoline and paint, as the news out of China demonstrates. So, a group of Mainers deserves great credit for helping people recognize and counteract their children's continuing risk from lead.Lead can cause developmental problems, learning disabilities and mental retardation. And it remains a sad fact that each year about 200 Maine children are found to have enough lead in their blood to affect the development of their brains, though that number is down considerably from the 800 or 900 cases reported annually a decade ago. Today's lower number is a significant improvement, but groups such as Maine's Childhood Lead Prevention Program and the Portland Lead-Safe Housing Program correctly see the proper number of cases as zero. Though news reports of lead-contaminated toys imported from China have publicized the danger, the people working in Maine to build awareness and remove hazards point out that relatively few cases of lead poisoning can be attributed to that source. Instead, Maine remains one of the most affected states because of its substantial stock of older housing, which still contains many building in which lead-based paint persists, even though it was banned in 1978. About 30 percent of Maine homes fall into the riskiest category, and about 78 percent of homes on the Portland peninsula may have some lead in them, activists say. Nationally, 25 percent of homes contain some lead. Portland's program screens at-risk children and offers homeowners help to remove lead hazards, while cautioning that scraping and repainting can release lead dust into the air. A new Maine law requires landlords to notify tenants of renovations in older homes, but the best defense is to insist on testing before moving into a questionable apartment or home.<a href="http://blog.nrcm.org/" target="_blank">Comment about this article on NRCM's blog.</a>`, assigning current date

`Safer Products,Federal Toxic Chemicals Policy` post created successfully

`Phase 5 Cleanup of Holtra-Chem Plant OK'd` post created successfully

`Safe Products Top List of Baby Presents` post created successfully

`State Park Absorbs Katahdin 'Jewel'` post created successfully

`Groups Search for Consensus on Wind Power` post created successfully

`Maine Farmland Trust Offers Alternatives to Selling Out` post created successfully

`Homegrown Lead Problems` post created successfully

`Mercury is Found in More Species` post created successfully

`Algae Bloom in Penobscot River Blamed on Mill in Millinocket` post created successfully

`Sebasticook River: Removal of Dam on Track for Nov. '08` post created successfully

`State Discourages Idling at Ferry Terminals` post created successfully

`Resort Owner Reveals Big Plans` post created successfully

`Land Endowment Logic` post created successfully

`Prius Envy: Honda to Introduce New Hybrid` post created successfully

`NRCM Comments on Maine DEP's Draft Rules Chapter 150, “Control of Emissions from Outdoor Wood Boilers”` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Still Makes Sense for Maine` post created successfully

`Wind Turbine Appeal to Be Heard Wednesday in Freedom` post created successfully

`County Panel Endorses Black Nubble Wind Project` post created successfully

`High Levels of Lead Force Recall of 800,000 More Mattel Toys` post created successfully

`LURC Adds Second Public Hearing Date` post created successfully

`King Eyeing Wind Project` post created successfully

`Colby Student Reviews City’s Energy Costs, Emissions` post created successfully

`Hourly Car Rental is a Hit at Bates College` post created successfully

`Lynx Habitat: Political Terrain` post created successfully

`Land for Maine's Future Turns 20 Years Old` post created successfully

`Beyond Hunting` post created successfully

`UMaine Team's Research Becomes a Hot Topic` post created successfully

`As Ontario Goes, So Should Maine` post created successfully

`Mill Stops Use of Phosphoric Acid` post created successfully

`NRCM and Maine Audubon Support Revitalized Moosehead Ski Area` post created successfully

`Ruling: States Can Limit Vehicle Emissions` post created successfully

`Mill Stops Using Acid That Caused Algae Bloom` post created successfully

`States Win Court Fight on Auto Emissions` post created successfully

`Vermont Judge Upholds Stiff Emission Standards` post created successfully

`Falmouth Plans $5 Million for Land Preservation Fund` post created successfully

`The Bloom is Off the River` post created successfully

`Student Activists Aim to Save Moosehead` post created successfully

`Trickle-down-the-river Economics` post created successfully

`Wind Power Project Faces LURC` post created successfully

`Maine Musician Shows Moosehead Lake is Something to Sing About` post created successfully

`Conflict in the Wind` post created successfully

`Interior Department is Right to Reopen Lynx Case` post created successfully

`Hearing Set on Scaled-back Proposal for Wind Farm` post created successfully

`1 Million Acres to be Managed by N.C. Firm` post created successfully

`Contentious Issues To Be Debated at Plum Creek Hearings` post created successfully

`A Place for Wind` post created successfully

`Hannaford Plans "Green" Store` post created successfully

`LURC Holds Hearing On Western Maine Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Positive Energy` post created successfully

`Hannaford Plans World's Greenest Supermarket in Augusta` post created successfully

`California Driving` post created successfully

`Hannaford To Build "Green" Supermarket` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Factions Agree on Value, Not Placement` post created successfully

`A Day of Sharp Wind Farm Criticism at Black Nubble Hearings` post created successfully

`A Broader Climate View` post created successfully

`Now is the Time, This is the Place for Wind` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Critics Fear Impact` post created successfully

`Missing Park Visitors? Blame State Policy Wilderness` post created successfully

`BAT Bus Credited with Reducing Emissions` post created successfully

`Board Rejects Bid to Halt Freedom Wind Project` post created successfully

`Moosehead Proposal - Commission's Job: Well-planned` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> In early November, the state's Land Use Regulation Commission, or LURC, will begin formal public hearings on Plum Creek's proposal to develop subdivisions and resorts in the Moosehead Lake Area. It's a crucial juncture in what has so far been a fiercely contentious process.For more than two years, Plum Creek and a host of environmental critics have been battling over the proposal. One extreme holds that Plum Creek's proposal represents careful, planned development that will bring prosperity to the Moosehead region. The other extreme holds that the proposal represents mindless sprawl that will kill what's best about that storied part of the northern forest. In between those two extremes are the public, as well as a three-member group of environmental organizations who have negotiated a deal with Plum Creek to conserve thousands of acres of land if development proceeds. In the middle, also, are area residents who want to see economic activity that will help their struggling local economy.LURC commissioners are charged with regulating development in the state's unorganized territories. When Plum Creek bought the hundreds of thousands of acres surrounding Moosehead under consideration, they purchased it as timberlands, to be used primarily for forestry operations. The land cost approximately $200 an acre when it was bought in 1998. In order to move forward with their plan, LURC commissioners must grant Plum Creek's proposal to rezone the land for development. That rezoning can easily transform Plum Creek's investment into the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. But that rezoning may come at a substantial cost. Moosehead doesn't belong to Plum Creek, nor does it belong just to the people who live in the region. It's a national treasure. The landscape around Moosehead will look different if development proceeds on a large scale, and the use that generations have made of its spectacular natural assets may be compromised. Those potential losses are detailed in the comments on the plan registered with LURC by a host of federal and state agencies. In doing their statutory duty to comment on the natural resource and recreational implications of Plum Creek's plan, the agencies have not only provided crucial information to the LURC commissioners -- citizens who get paid $100 a day for their services -- they have also provided the public with useful information to help assess the project's tradeoffs. For a public buffeted between the public relations strategies of the developers and the anti-developers, the comments are a welcome addition to the debate.This is what we knew already: That the minute Plum Creek starts bulldozing a woodland or lakeside site for development, the character of the area is changed. Multiply that by the hundreds, and the change will be substantial. We believe that economic development in the Moosehead region is both inevitable and appropriate. What's before LURC with this proposal -- the largest development proposal in Maine history -- is what that will look like and how much it will be allowed to change the landscape.The agency comments to LURC detail a range of concerns: Wildlife habitat will be lost, affecting the abundance and distribution of animals such as lynx, wood turtles, loons, moose and deer. Traditional public access, in a region renowned for its recreational opportunities, will be diminished. Water quality in Moosehead Lake and its tributary streams will be degraded, affecting fishing. With these and other comments in hand, as well as the anticipated public commentary, LURC commissioners should then proceed to their job: Weighing the benefits and costs of the development. To help them in that task, commissioners need look no further than the purpose and scope that the Legislature adopted for the agency when it began.Well-planned, appropriate development that allows the preservation of ecological and natural values, while also allowing Maine residents and visitors to engage in a variety of recreational activities -- that's LURC's charge as it enters this stage of consideration of Plum Creek's proposal. If that means sending Plum Creek back to the table one more time, so be it -- developers are accustomed to many years of negotiation and revision in order to get approval for their plans. The Moosehead region's value to Plum Creek is huge -- but so is its value to the people of Maine. We only have one chance to get it right.LURC's purpose and scope, adopted in1973 and 1975 by the Maine Legislature "To preserve public health, safety and general welfare; to prevent inappropriate residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses detrimental to the proper use or value of these areas; to prevent the intermixing of incompatible industrial, commercial, residential and recreational activities; to provide for appropriate residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses; to prevent the development in these areas of substandard structures or structures located unduly proximate to waters or roads; to prevent the despoliation, pollution and inappropriate use of the water in these areas; and to preserve ecological and natural values ... "In addition, the Legislature declares it to be in the public interest, for the public benefit and for the good order of the people of this State, to encourage the well planned and well managed multiple use of land and resources and to encourage the appropriate use of these lands by the residents of Maine and visitors, in pursuit of outdoor recreation activities, including, but not limited to, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and camping."<a href="http://blog.nrcm.org/" target="_blank">Comment on this editorial on NRCM's blog.</a>`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Wind` post created successfully

`Kennebec Potential Just Waiting to be Discovered` post created successfully

`Concern Grows Over Emissions Rules` post created successfully

`Agencies Want Plum Creek Plan Modified` post created successfully

`Mitchell Urges Resolve on Global Issues` post created successfully

`State to Offer Free Pesticide Disposal` post created successfully

`TransCanada's Wind Power Project Goes to Public Hearing` post created successfully

`Boston's Fenway Park Discovers That It's Easy Being Green` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Critique Asks the Right Questions` post created successfully

`Central Maine's 'Green' Buildings Good for Us, World` post created successfully

`Public to Weigh In on Kibby Wind Project This Week` post created successfully

`A Trail Now Runs Through Us` post created successfully

`Judge Says State Could Be Liable for Lynx Trappings` post created successfully

`State of Conservation` post created successfully

`River Study Appeal Rejected` post created successfully

`Wind's Relevance` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plans Outlined` post created successfully

`EPA Assesses Three Senate Climate Bills, Including One Sponsored by Snowe` post created successfully

`Pest Control Businesses Becoming Chem-free` post created successfully

`Restore the Clean Water Act` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Foes Fewer` post created successfully

`Wind Project Splits Public` post created successfully

`Trapping Restricted to Protect Canada Lynx` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Stands to Gain from "Conservation" Plan` post created successfully

`Maine, N.H., Vermont Applaud Clean Air Settlement` post created successfully

`Tree Legislation Sponsored by Rep. Dawn Hill Now in Effect` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Revisions Cause Delay` post created successfully

`The Future of Coal Ought to Be Cleaner` post created successfully

`Moosehead Plan Hearings Delayed` post created successfully

`LURC Delays Consideration of Plum Creek Development` post created successfully

`Agencies Weigh in on Moosehead Lake Development` post created successfully

`DeLorme Switches to Energy-efficient Globe` post created successfully

`Gasification Plant Draws Protest` post created successfully

`Green UMPI` post created successfully

`United Efforts for 'Everyone Who Breathes'` post created successfully

`Voters to Decide on Rule Shift that Would Allow Energy Plant` post created successfully

`Lead Tests Raise Red Flag for Lipsticks` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Hazardous levels found in one-third of market samples</h2> <h3 class="author">By John C. Drake, Globe Staff</h3> <a href="http://www.boston.com" target="_blank">Boston Globe news story</a> The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has found that more than half of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested contained lead. Parents worried about the dangers of lead in their children's toys, bibs, and homes are about to be confronted with a new potential hazard: their lipstick.The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is releasing today product test results that found that more than half of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested contained lead. The lead levels in one-third of the lipstick samples, purchased from retailers in four cities, including Boston, exceeded 0.1 parts per million, which is the federal lead limit for candy.The lead levels varied independently of the lipstick's cost, according to the coalition of public health and consumer rights' groups."There are hazardous levels of lead in lipstick," said Stacy Malkan, a cofounder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "These tests are a wake-up call to the industry."The lead levels should not concern healthy women without children in their homes, said Joel Tickner, a professor of environmental health at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. But use of lead-tainted lipstick by pregnant women could lead to lead exposure for the fetus, and lead exposure for children who use lipstick is also a concern, he said."These levels of lead are not likely to cause poisoning," said Tickner, a specialist on exposure to toxic chemicals. "They are likely to be cumulative to other exposures and can cause subtle neurological effects you can't trace back to a single exposure."The testing, conducted by Bodycote Testing Group laboratory in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., found the highest levels of lead in several samples of L'Oreal and Cover Girl cosmetics. L'Oreal Colour Riche "True Red" lipstick had a lead content of 0.65 parts per million, and a sample of the makeup giant's "Classic Wine" color had a lead content of 0.58 parts per million.Cover Girl's Incredifull Lipcolor "Maximum Red" and ContinuousColor "CherryBrandy" had lead contents of 0.56 and 0.28 parts per million, respectively. In a statement, L'Oreal said it "proudly stands behind" its products."Each and every ingredient used in our products has been thoroughly reviewed and tested by our internal safety team made up of toxicologists, clinicians, pharmacists, and physicians," the statement read. "All the brands of the L'Oreal Group are in full compliance with FDA regulations . . . and the requirements for safety in the more than 130 countries in which our products are sold."The findings follow numerous recent nationwide recalls of children's toys and jewelry found to have excessive levels of lead. "There seems to be an almost endless list of products that infant children and pregnant women are exposed to that put them at risk for lead poisoning," said Dr. Sean Palfrey, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center and medical director of the Boston Lead Poisoning Prevention Program."If you have a mom who uses a lipstick which has some lead in it and then she gets pregnant, she may be slightly poisoned and can poison her fetus," he said. "Then the baby is born and may have an elevated lead level, which is dangerous."The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no safe level of lead exposure for children and has called for eliminating lead hazards in children's environments. But the federal government has not cautioned about lead content in lipstick.Malkan said that lead in lipstick is a valid concern, borne out by the campaign's tests. But she dismissed the cancer scare and a suggestion that consumers can test for lead by scratching lipstick with a gold ring.The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is calling on manufacturers to reformulate their products to remove lead and is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to more closely regulate the content of cosmetics.But she cautioned that these tests should not be taken as "the definitive word" on lead in lipstick. "It's a tiny percentage of the market in lipstick," she said. "Our test identified a problem in the industry. There's lead in lipstick that doesn't need to be there and shouldn't be there."<a href="http://blog.nrcm.org/" target="_blank">Comment on this news story on NRCM's blog.</a>`, assigning current date

`Safer Products,Federal Toxic Chemicals Policy` post updated successfully

`Land for Maine's Future Battles Escalating Costs` post created successfully

`Reducing Maine's Carbon Footprint` post created successfully

`Coal Gas Proposal on Town Ballot` post created successfully

`Can Coal Gasification Deliver on Promises?` post created successfully

`Lobstermen: 'Say No to Coal'` post created successfully

`Warming and Peace` post created successfully

`Panel Calls on City to Enact Green Laws` post created successfully

`Clean Water Act Well Worth Celebrating` post created successfully

`Rangeley Resident Gets EPA Award` post created successfully

`New Voices Come out in Opposition to Proposed Coal Plant` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement on Proposed Coal Power Plant in Wiscasset` post created successfully

`State Recognizes Heroes Of Clean Water` post created successfully

`More Protests Target Wiscasset Power Plant Proposal` post created successfully

`Global Warming is On the Agenda, So Now What?` post created successfully

`NRCM Adds Voice to Clamor Against Coal Gasification Plant` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Groups Near Funding Goal` post created successfully

`Saving the World on the Web` post created successfully

`Recycling Campaign is Launched` post created successfully

`Recycling? It's Rad` post created successfully

`Bond Links Nature-based Assets with State’s Economic Future` post created successfully

`Question 4 Asks Voters to Repair Parks, Save Open Spaces` post created successfully

`$35.5M Bond Aims to Spur Land Conservation` post created successfully

`George Carlin, Jamie Lee Curtis Blame Humans for Fires` post created successfully

`States Submit Plan for Mercury Cleanup` post created successfully

`States Call for Stricter Mercury Rules` post created successfully

`Farmington Plant to Use Wind Power` post created successfully

`Power Plant Rejected Over Carbon Dioxide For First Time` post created successfully

`Plum Creek No Good for Maine` post created successfully

`Yes on Question 4` post created successfully

`Waste Goes Solar in Norway` post created successfully

`Yes on Question 4` post created successfully

`Senator Collins Believes Congress is Ready to Fight Global Warming` post created successfully

`Global Warming Forces Re-examination of Our Values` post created successfully

`Coal Developer Gets Caught in Backspin` post created successfully

`Androscoggin is 'Hammered'` post created successfully

`Belgrade Lakes: Water Quality Hit By "Silence," Funds` post created successfully

`Opposition Grows Against Energy Plant` post created successfully

`Conservation of Maquoit Bay Properties Celebrated` post created successfully

`Lead Hazards Persist in Holiday Items` post created successfully

`Global Warming Rally Set Saturday` post created successfully

`LURC Staff Endorses Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Group Looks to Revive Conservation Panels` post created successfully

`Riverfront Communities Worth Investing In` post created successfully

`A Debate Runs Through It` post created successfully

`Choppy Waters Ahead on Maine's Allagash River` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Moved Forward by Agency Panel` post created successfully

`Emissions Change is 'Worst Fear' for Automakers` post created successfully

`Three Maine Wind Projects Deserve to Move Forward` post created successfully

`The Unproven Claims of Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Farmington Treatment Plant Setting Up Wind Turbine` post created successfully

`Gasification Plan Evokes Memories of the Past` post created successfully

`Climate Progress` post created successfully

`LURC Eyes Plum Creek Hearing Dates` post created successfully

`Measure to Protect Lands a Winner` post created successfully

`High-powered Wind-energy Backers to Hold Meeting` post created successfully

`SAD 17 Gets Energy Lesson` post created successfully

`Wiscasset Turns Down Energy Project` post created successfully

`Senators Urge Mercury Guidelines` post created successfully

`Maine on the Road to a Clean Energy Future: New England’s largest wind farm wins approval while voters turn down massive coal plant` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Hopes to Be Operating in One Year` post created successfully

`Bill Would Set High Standard for Coal Plants` post created successfully

`LURC OKs Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Hearings to Begin Dec. 1` post created successfully

`Energy Plant Zoning Rejected` post created successfully

`Experts Predict Widespread Impacts from Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement about Experts' Predictions of Widespread Impacts from Plum Creek Proposal` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Will Damage Moosehead Region, Critics Say` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups: Plum Creek Plan Falls Short` post created successfully

`Calif. Appeals for Tougher Auto Emission Standards` post created successfully

`Hearings On Moosehead Lake Development Set` post created successfully

`Saco Has Four Bidders to Build Environmentally Friendly Station` post created successfully

`Maine Voters Prove They Still Value Our Spectacular Outdoors` post created successfully

`Revitalized River Flows to Healthy Future` post created successfully

`Hazwaste Collection Day is Saturday` post created successfully

`The Politics of Maintaining Our Dirty Air` post created successfully

`New Challenges Come with Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`As Cremations Increase, So Do Calls for National Standards, Accreditation` post created successfully

`Saco River Will Get More Fish Passages` post created successfully

`Coal Plants Can No Longer Be Merely Local Issues` post created successfully

`Maine’s Clean-Energy Efforts Lauded` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Developers Defend Project` post created successfully

`Court Rejects Fuel Standards on Trucks` post created successfully

`UMaine Begins Global Warming Study` post created successfully

`Coal Not Suitable for Power Generation` post created successfully

`Promoters Offer Briefing on the Power in Wind` post created successfully

`Mainer is Out to Save the World One Litter Bit at a Time` post created successfully

`Probert Memorial Forest a Gift Searsport Will Long Remember` post created successfully

`How Will Global Warming Affect Maine?` post created successfully

`Tips For a Rough Winter` post created successfully

`Ex-president to Utilize Wind at Walker's Point` post created successfully

`Donors Provide $10M for River Restoration Work` post created successfully

`TIF Approved for Stetson Mountain Project` post created successfully

`Topsham Couple Turns to Wind Power` post created successfully

`Gassing Up` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Plan Would Rob Moosehead of Its Character` post created successfully

`Wet-wash Wonder` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Project: Rezoning Hearings Scheduled` post created successfully

`Walker's Point Wind Turbine Draws Attention to Micro Wind Projects` post created successfully

`Bank Commended for Green Building` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan: Development Fails to Enhance Region` post created successfully

`Feds Toss Controversial Wildcat Habitat Rule` post created successfully

`Baldacci Touts "Green" Tree` post created successfully

`Maine Failing to Meet Global Warming Target` post created successfully

`Compromise Possible on Lynx Protection` post created successfully

`12 States Sue Over EPA Rule on Toxins` post created successfully

`New Hampshire Region's Worst at Reducing Pollution` post created successfully

`Too Many Plum Creek Loopholes` post created successfully

`Penobscot Restoration` post created successfully

`Maine Among U.S. Leaders in Search for Alternate Energy` post created successfully

`Fish and Wildlife Officials Review Plum Creek Development` post created successfully

`Maine Receives Global Warming Report Card` post created successfully

`Maine Joins Suit Over Toxic Chemical Information Policy` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Hearings Set for Weekend` post created successfully

`LEDs Brighten Christmas Spirit` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Hearings Begin Saturday` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Also Plays Role in Political Landscape` post created successfully

`Land Deal Good for All, State Says` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Aired, 2nd Hearing Set for Today in Augusta` post created successfully

`Is This Any Place to Build a Home?` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Draws Crowd` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Hearing becomes emotional at times </h2> <h3 class="author">by Alan Crowell, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- Opponents on Sunday called Plum Creek's plans to rezone more than 400,000 acres around Moosehead Lake a potential catastrophe for Maine and the region.Supporters said the chance to ensure predictable growth and conserve hundreds of thousands of acres in the North Woods was the chance of a lifetime at the second day of public hearings on the real estate investment trust's proposed concept plan.Testimony was civil but sometimes emotional, with opponents invoking the purity of the night sky over the North Woods while proponents spoke of a region where schools and the hospital were close to shutting down after years of losing jobs and population. On either side, however, there was broad agreement that the decision of the Land Use Regulation Commission, which serves as the planning board for the unorganized territories, is critical. The land around Moosehead has been a magnet for sportsmen and tourists for centuries and the decision could set a precedent for the development of other large tracts in the unorganized territories, which makes up about half of Maine.The largest land use proposal ever submitted in Maine, the plan has been revised three times and will go before the public at two more public hearings: Dec. 15 in Portland and Dec. 16 in Greenville. A decision is expected sometime next year.About 300 people attended Sunday with roughly half indicating they would speak. Of that number, a little more than one third said they were in favor of the proposal while fewer than two thirds were against it.That plan calls for the creation of about 1,000 house lots and two resorts with a total of 1,050 accommodation units, one at Lily Bay and the other at Moose Mountain.A total of about 20,000 acres would be developed. Land conserved through easements or sale as part of the project amounts to 431,000 acres, according to Plum Creek. Some of that land is outside the plan area.Bob Burr, former president of Pride Manufacturing Co. who is now retired and living in Mercer, called the Plum Creek proposal a "watershed issue," and urged the commission to approve it."This plan will allow for planned, staged development in or near areas that already have residential and commercial activity," Burr said.Growth and development is natural and inevitable, said Burr.The question, he said, is not development or no development, but of whether development will be planned.He pointed out the plan also calls for the conservation of an area roughly twice the size of Baxter State Park.William Dowling, a resident and former mayor of Augusta, said the plan would provide a much-needed economic boost for Greenville and the state.It also balances development with conservation, he said."Not many companies can afford to develop a project of this size and also convert 400,000 acres into conservation and public access," said Dowling.If Plum Creek Timber Co. were instead to divide its land into hundreds of parcels, the result could be unplanned and uncontrolled development and the loss of access, Dowling said."This is a onetime opportunity while this land is still intact. Don't let it go by the wayside for something better to come along. It won't," he said.Those opposing the plan, said Maine people would lose an invaluable part of their heritage if it goes through.Lisa DeHart, a registered Maine Guide from West Gardiner, said that in return for the right to develop land, Plum Creek is offering access and jobs -- a bad bargain, she said."In my opinion we have both already," said DeHart. "I'm a river guide; there is access to the entire state of Maine; you just can't drive there. As soon as you can, we might as well be .... New Jersey."People hire a river guide because the guide offers them the chance to take a trip in which they don't see a road, dock, a golf course, a jet ski or a trophy home. If the Plum Creek plan is not seriously revised, she said her own future as a guide would be devastated.Bill Townsend, a resident of Canaan and former member of the commission, said the board has a huge job cut out for it."We have known for 50 years that this day was going to come ... and that is why, more than 40 years ago, the effort started to create the Land Use Regulation Commission," he said.Townsend said one of his big concerns was the tax implications. New development does not pay enough taxes to build the infrastructure it requires, he said. Ecotourism also requires a high value experience, he said, something that would be loss if the area is commercialized."You are only going to have one chance," Townsend told the commission. "Don't drop the ball. Please, don't drop the ball."<a href="http://blog.nrcm.org/" target="_blank">Comment on this news story on NRCM's blog.</a>`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Don't Have to Work in a Big City to Carpool` post created successfully

`Debate Pro, Con Heard at Plum Creek Hearings` post created successfully

`BEP Issues Draft Order for Androscoggin` post created successfully

`Baldacci: Plum Creek Plan "Too Sprawling"` post created successfully

`Next Phase of Plum Creek Hearings Begins` post created successfully

`Harpswell to Seek Input on Wind Farm Potential` post created successfully

`Energy Bill Would Create a Market for Renewable Power` post created successfully

`Warming in Washington` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Development Hearings, Meetings Now on Web` post created successfully

`Report to Improve Maine's Quality: State Touting Unique Features` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Can't Remain a Local Issue` post created successfully

`Toxic Toys Exposed: National Toy Database Offers Guide to Holiday Shoppers` post created successfully

`Families Have Toys Tested for Toxins` post created successfully

`Group Blames Warming for Maine Storm Severity` post created successfully

`Cloth Bags a Practical Alternative at the Supermarket` post created successfully

`Web Site Helps Parents Select Safe Toys` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Proposal Should Worry Sportsmen` post created successfully

`Children's Toys Tested for Lead as Christmas Draws Near` post created successfully

`Opponents Tussle at Plum Creek Hearings` post created successfully

`Group Launches Website Warning Parents Of Toxic Toys` post created successfully

`Habitat: Affordable Can Be Green` post created successfully

`Moosehead Lake Should Remain Wild` post created successfully

`Toxic Toys Abound; Database Can Guide Holiday Shoppers` post created successfully

`Yarmouth Offered Gift of Island` post created successfully

`Falmouth Seeks "Green" Corps` post created successfully

`Quimby, Others Tout Katahdin Land Deal` post created successfully

`Kittery Town Council Approves Wind Turbine Project` post created successfully

`Locals Speak in Support of Plum Creek Plan at Greenville Hearing` post created successfully

`The Heart of Maine’s North Woods` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Project (in Florida) Gets Initial OK` post created successfully

`City Schools Take "Green" Lead` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Falls Short of Vision` post created successfully

`Column Missed the Facts on Energy Reform` post created successfully

`Concerns About Safety of Toys Taint Holiday Season` post created successfully

`Threat of Storm Prompts Plum Creek Hearing Delay` post created successfully

`Take the Next Step in Toxic Product Reform` post created successfully

`A Vision Shared` post created successfully

`Snow Prompts LURC to Postpone Moosehead Development Meeting` post created successfully

`New Local Reality Show to Make One Maine Home "Carbon Free"` post created successfully

`Lobsters Caught in Global Warming Pot` post created successfully

`All of Maine Has Stake in This Land Plan` post created successfully

`Carbon Dioxide Seen as Threat to Reefs, Local Marine Life` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Foes Plentiful in Portland` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Backers of Moosehead-area development outnumbered as hearing draws hundreds</h2> <h3 class="author">by John Richardson, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Maine Sunday Telegram news story</a> Hundreds of southern Mainers packed an all-day public hearing Saturday in Portland to get their first official say on Plum Creek Timber Co.'s controversial development plan for the Moosehead Lake region. The crowd included more opponents of the plan than the one that gathered two weeks ago in Greenville, the gateway to the Moosehead region. Still, opinions were as sharply divided as they have been across the state since the proposal was unveiled three years ago. "That`s just too much development," said Walter Simmons of Portland, one of many who spoke about rustic family camps in the woods around Moosehead. "I think it's going to restrict the wilderness that I`ve known since 1959." Terry Walters of Hollis said the plan would develop only 5 percent of the land while preserving about 400,000 acres of working forest for logging and recreational access. "I believe we can get it all, and I believe it`s a windfall for the state of Maine," Walters said. Plum Creek wants state permission to rezone timberland to make way for two resorts and 975 house lots scattered around Moosehead. The plan also calls for the company to donate or sell conservation easements restricting development on about 400,000 acres around the lake. About 500 people attended Saturday's hearing at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, according to police. More than 300 of them registered to speak, including 180 opponents and 124 supporters, according to organizers. In Greenville, supporters outnumbers opponents by about a 2-to-1 margin. Time did not permit all of them to speak Saturday. It was the third _ and so far the largest _ of four public hearings before the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, the zoning and planning agency for the unorganized territories of northern Maine. The final hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19 in Greenville. Separately, the commission is hearing testimony from Plum Creek and official stakeholder groups, both for and against the plan. Some northern Mainers have criticized the commission for even coming to Portland to gather feedback about a proposal to rezone land more than 150 miles away. "Maybe the folks down here don`t want that area to prosper," John Holmes of Dixfield said Saturday. "Maybe they go up once or twice a year, and they want to decide what`s best for people (who) are up there ... 365 days a year." That didn`t stop a long line of southern Mainers from describing strong connections to the land and wildlife of the Mooshead region, or from urging the commission to protect what they called a resource of statewide, and even national, importance. 'LIKE NO OTHER' Christine Slader of Yarmouth said her great-great- grandfather built her family's camp there more than 100 years ago. "Moosehead Lake has an unusual and unique character. It is like no other," she said. Chloe Maxmin, a high school sophomore from Nobleboro, said that because of her experiences around Moosehead, she has decided to become an environmental scientist, and she has written letters to the commission, the governor and newspapers, opposing Plum Creek's plan. "You have the power to protect the most beautiful ... part of this state," she told the commission. Judy Wentzell of Portland said she and her family camp at Lily Bay State Park, a peaceful campground on the eastern shore of Moosehead Lake, near where Plum Creek wants to put a resort and a subdivision. The park "wouldn`t really be remote, abutted by a resort, a golf course and a marina," Wentzell said. "The experience at Lily Bay State park won`t be the same." SUPPORTERS SEE BALANCE Many southern Mainers, however, said the plan offers the best hope for restoring the region`s tourism economy and for controlling development pressures. "To me, the Plum Creek plan replicates in a modern setting much of which existed in Moosehead years ago," said Gregory Sweetser of Cumberland, director of the Ski Maine program. Sherry Huber, a land conservation supporter from Falmouth, said the plan would bring stability and predictability to the region`s forests. "There is piecemeal, unplanned development (happening) all around Moosehead today. ... Approval of the Plum Creek plan preserves an area twice the size of Baxter State Park," she said. Rob Gardiner, a longtime environmental activist from Cumberland, also said the plan would prevent gradual, sprawling development. "Environmentalists have long said what we need is long- range planning to balance development with conservation," he said. Parke Burmeister, a law student in Portland, called the balance of development and conservation "a dream come true. ... I hope that it will not pass us by." Seattle-based Plum Creek is the largest private timberland owner in the country, and one of the largest in Maine. Plum Creek's president and CEO, Rick Holley, serves on the boards of directors of two companies affiliated with the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram – The Blethen Corp. and The Seattle Times Co. – according to Corey Digiacinto, communications manager for The Seattle Times Co. The Blethen Corp. is the majority owner of The Seattle Times Co., which consists of The Seattle Times, three other Washington state newspapers, and the Blethen Maine Newspapers. Blethen Maine Newspapers, which includes the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Kennebec Journal, the Morning Sentinel and the Coastal Journal, has a separate board of directors. Holley does not serve on that board. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Plum Creek Hearings Show Great Division` post created successfully

`Federal Climate Change Action Will Help Maine` post created successfully

`Giving a Lift for the River's Health` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Proposal Gets Another Airing` post created successfully

`Baldacci Targets Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Governor Receives Final Report on Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Winslow Planning Board Now Holds Fate of Ft. Halifax Dam` post created successfully

`Chemical Panel Hands in Report` post created successfully

`Mileage Milestone` post created successfully

`Task Force Says Maine Needs Chemical Safety System` post created successfully

`Greenville Panel to Revisit Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Council to Rave About River` post created successfully

`College Stakes a Green Claim to Fame` post created successfully

`Vigilance Necessary When Choosing Children's Toys` post created successfully

`Maine DEP Commissioner Blasts EPA Decision` post created successfully

`COA First School to Become Carbon-neutral` post created successfully

`No More Toxic Toys Under the X-mas Tree` post created successfully

`Wind Power is An Obvious Choice` post created successfully

`EPA Blocks State Global-warming Efforts` post created successfully

`For Lynx, LURC Should Toss Plum Creek Proposal` post created successfully

`Outspoken Environmentalist Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is` post created successfully

`Chemical Gap` post created successfully

`Law Mandates Free Cell Phone Recycling, Collection` post created successfully

`EPA OKs Mercury Targets for Fish` post created successfully

`Owners of Residential Turbines in Maine Happy to Save on Energy Bills` post created successfully

`Land for Maine's Future: Maine Group Seeking Conservation Prospects` post created successfully

`A New Father's Holiday Wish is for Toys to Be Tested to Ensure They're Safe for Young Children` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Proposal Expects Mainers to Play Role of Santa` post created successfully

`Knowledge of Chemicals in Products is Lacking` post created successfully

`If Emitting Less Mercury Here is Good, What About the Midwest?` post created successfully

`Group Will Buy Dams, Restore Wild Fish Runs` post created successfully

`Maine Joins Suit Over Auto Emissions` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">At issue is the EPA's denial of a waiver to allow states to impose tough standards on greenhouse gases.</h2> <h3 class="author">From staff and news services</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Maine joined California and 15 other states and sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for preventing the states from setting greenhouse gas limits for vehicles. The states, together with five environmental groups, are asking a federal appeals court in San Francisco to overturn the EPA's denial of a waiver that would have cleared the way for California to impose the nation's first emissions limits. At least 16 other states planned to follow California's lead and impose the standards on at least 45 percent of the U.S. auto market. The EPA denied California's waiver on Dec. 19, arguing that it would result in a patchwork of state regulations. State officials and environmentalists accused the Bush administration of blocking progress against global warming. "The Bush administration has ignored the problem of climate change, now they are blocking the states from taking action," Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe said in a written statement. "The decision by the EPA to deny California's waiver request leaves states no choice but to file this appeal." Maine adopted California's standards in 2005, with the aim of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from cars by 30 percent by 2016. If the EPA had granted a waiver, the law would have taken effect with the 2009 model year. Courts around the country had rejected legal challenges by the U.S. automakers. "There's absolutely no justification for the administrator's action," California Attorney General Jerry Brown said Wednesday. "It's unconscionable and a gross dereliction of duty." EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson said last month that the federal government was moving forward with a national solution and dismissed California's arguments that it faces unique threats from climate change. Legislation signed by President Bush will raise fuel economy standards nationwide to an average of 35 mpg by 2020, Johnson said, which is far more effective than a patchwork of state regulations. In an e-mailed statement Wednesday, EPA spokesman Jonathan Shradar said federal estimates show that California's law would achieve reductions to only 33.8 mpg. California officials say their 2004 law is tougher. They say it would require the auto industry to cut emissions by one-third in new vehicles by 2016 or reach an average of 36.8 mpg. Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have adopted the California emissions standards. The governors of Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Utah have said they also plan to adopt them, and the rules are under consideration in Iowa. Delaware and Illinois, which have not passed the standards, are part of the lawsuit. EPA officials "are ignoring the will of millions of people who want their government to take action in the fight against global warming," California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a prepared statement. "That's why, at the very first legal opportunity, we're suing to reverse the U.S. EPA's wrong decision." The EPA's decision was a victory for automakers. They argued that they would have been forced to reduce their selection of vehicles and raise prices in the states that adopted California's standards. It was the first time the EPA fully denied California a waiver under the Clean Air Act since Congress gave the state the right to such waivers in 1967. The denial angered some members of Congress, who claim the agency ignored the legal requirements in the Clean Air Act. Critics charged the administration with overruling its own experts and making a political deal with the auto industry. Last week, the EPA said it would turn over all documents about its denial of California's waiver to congressional committees. `, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work,Global Warming Pollution,Cleaner Cars` post created successfully

`Don't Let Plum Creek Ruin Moosehead` post created successfully

`lynx.turtle.loon` post created successfully

`LURC Approves Stetson Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Large Wind Farm Proposal Wins Approval` post created successfully

`River Restorers Reach Milestone in Balancing Act` post created successfully

`Stetson Mountain: Wind Farm Construction to Begin` post created successfully

`Quest For Cool Cities Makes This Volunteer an "Environmental Hero"` post created successfully

`Up the (Plum) Creek` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Plans For the Moosehead Lake Region` post created successfully

`Stetson Mountain Wind Farm Will Be a Step in the Right Direction` post created successfully

`New Bill Would Ban Lead` post created successfully

`Emissions Stall` post created successfully

`Lawmaker Pushes Bill That Limits Carbon Emissions` post created successfully

`Old Thermostats Bring $5 Rebates` post created successfully

`Your Old Cell Phone Could Help a Victim of Violence` post created successfully

`E.P.A. Seeks New Life for Old Cellphones` post created successfully

`Cat in a Quandary` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Proposal Should Have Closer Look` post created successfully

`LURC to Take Up Western Maine Wind Farms` post created successfully

`SAD 58 to Hear Talk on Wind Power` post created successfully

`Troupe Stays in Step For Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Tainted Toys Prompt New Legislative Bill` post created successfully

`House Democrats Take Aim At Toxins In Household Products` post created successfully

`Blowing in the Wind` post created successfully

`Winslow Panel Says Plan to Breach Sebasticook Dam is Complete` post created successfully

`Global Warming Subject For Art Students` post created successfully

`PLUM CREEK: Is Plan to Preserve More Bark Than Bite?` post created successfully

`Wind to Get Airing at LURC Meeting Monday` post created successfully

`Alternative Energy Task Force Led By Otten, Former Ski Exec` post created successfully

`LURC Should Approve Wind Farm Compromises` post created successfully

`Regulators to Debate Two W. Maine Wind Power Projects` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Too Big and Too Important Not To Get It Right` post created successfully

`Local Energy Action` post created successfully

`We Need Wind Projects If They Meet the Tests` post created successfully

`Students Seeking Greener Buildings Spearhead Push for Solar Panels` post created successfully

`LURC Takes One Step Forward for Clean Energy, Not Two` post created successfully

`Split Decision For Wind Power` post created successfully

`Wind-power Proposals See Split Decision` post created successfully

`Hut Backers Address Deer Habitat` post created successfully

`LURC Splits On Wind Projects` post created successfully

`Wind Power Decisions Draw Mixed Reactions` post created successfully

`Divided Decision on Wind Projects` post created successfully

`Regulators Take Up Wind Power Projects` post created successfully

`New Test for Developers in Maine: Climate Change` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Developers Set Sights on Summer` post created successfully

`Wind-power Rulings Show Need For New Laws` post created successfully

`Greenville School Committee Neutral on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Judging a Windmill By Its Cover` post created successfully

`Regulators Hit New Roadblock in Androscoggin Cleanup Issue` post created successfully

`Judge Sets Earlier Date for Lynx Plan` post created successfully

`Hold the Line Against Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Mining Moosehead?` post created successfully

`Truckers May Back Bill to Limit Idling Time` post created successfully

`Plum Creek "Loopholes" Weaken Plan` post created successfully

`Ogunquit: Town With a Green Streak` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Officials look to 'wow' visitors with environmental values</h2> <h3 class="author">by Anne Gleason, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> The goal is to get green. Really green. Ogunquit officials have begun an effort to get at least 20 percent of the town's hotels, motels and restaurants to be "green certified" by the state Department of Environmental Protection, and lay claim to the informal title as Maine's first "green town." "It's a project that we're going to continue to promote all through the year," said Charlene Banulis, chairwoman of the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce, which is working with the town's conservation commission to promote the "Greening of Ogunquit." After an initial push among businesses, organizers will work to bring town offices and residents on board with their own environmental program, which is being developed by the conservation commission. To add structure to the nebulous idea of becoming Maine's first green town, the conservation commission and the chamber teamed up with Peter Cooke, who oversees the green lodging and restaurant certification programs for the DEP. The state offers certification for lodging businesses and restaurants that earn at least 100 points through environmentally friendly practices including everything from switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to installing solar panels. Three of Ogunquit's approximately 100 hotels and motels are already Environmental Leaders, and several more are completing workbooks for the program. Restaurants in town are also being recruited into the effort. The Meadowmere Resort was certified as an Environmental Leader a year and a half ago and has made a number of changes, said Director of Marketing Allyson Cavaretta. For example, it uses ozonization treatment to disinfect the pool, rather than chlorine, and uses environmentally friendly laundry cleaners. Many of the choices save money in the long term, Cavaretta said. "It gives you a set of ways for how you look at things," she said. "The program is more about making (environmental concerns) a value of how to do business." In the past year, The Mariner Resort Motel and the Gorges Grant Hotel also got certified. The Beachmere Inn is one of several hotels that are completing the workbook. It wants to add photovoltaic solar panels to provide some electricity and a solar thermal panel to heat water for rooms now being built, said Sarah Diment, an owner of the Beachmere. Considering the large number of visitors who pass through Ogunquit each season, Diment said it's important for the town's hotels to send a message that Ogunquit values the environment. "We are the people that introduce the visitors to the town," she said. "If they're aware that we're a green community, then it will help them to be more environmentally conscious." Dick Wickert, who owns the 16 Beach Street Bed and Breakfast with his wife, said the business has emphasized green practices, so the "Greening" program "kind of caught our ear." Wickert picked up a workbook at a recent meeting, and hopes to be certified by the coming tourist season. A small committee within the town's conservation commission is working to develop a certification program for residents, using the state's lodging program as a guide, said Mike Horn, chairman of the commission. Karen Arel, president of Ogunquit's chamber, said the overall effort could benefit the town's tourism industry, by helping to draw environmentally conscious travelers and helping residents to preserve the town's natural assets. "It's really to get people jump-started, to say, 'Wow, I can do this,'" Arel said. "Our members are excited." So far, 61 lodging businesses and 13 restaurants statewide have green certification through the DEP program. The midcoast has the highest number of Environmental Leaders, Cooke said. "This is an incredible opportunity for the town of Ogunquit, with the number of hotels and motels in town," he said. "I think it would be kind of neat if some of these areas of the state became competitive with one another."`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,Safer Products` post created successfully

`New Wind Direction` post created successfully

`Final Hearing Held on Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Maine Should Cut A Deal With Plum Creek` post created successfully

`New Plan Could Improve Health of Androscoggin` post created successfully

`Whole Foods Bags Plastic Bags` post created successfully

`Statement on Maine DEP's Draft Rules Chapter 150, “Control of Emissions from Outdoor Wood Boilers”` post created successfully

`Way Less is More to Warren Couple` post created successfully

`LURC Officials Delve Deeper Into Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Greening Lewiston Creates Savings` post created successfully

`Isn't It Time for Senator Muskie to Get His Wish?` post created successfully

`Easement Purchase Keeps Everyone Happy in Warren` post created successfully

`Oakland Plans Wind to Power Its Buildings` post created successfully

`Ft. Halifax Dam Topic of Meeting Tonight` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Take Goals to State House` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Community Unveils Top Priorities for the 2008 Legislature` post created successfully

`Green Coalition Touts Goals` post created successfully

`Mill Works to Prevent Violations` post created successfully

`Groups Use "Social Marketing" to Aid Environment` post created successfully

`Activist: Leave Cars at Home One Friday a Month` post created successfully

`Volunteers Dedicate Time, Lives to Plum Creek Review` post created successfully

`UMF Events Target Warming` post created successfully

`LURC Should Pare Plum Creek Plan For Good of Maine` post created successfully

`Wind May Generate Savings in Oakland` post created successfully

`UMF Joins National Climate Seminar` post created successfully

`Moosehead Belongs to Maine - We Must Protect It` post created successfully

`Refrigerator Plan Should Cut Stores' Harmful Gas` post created successfully

`U.S. Needs Better Oversight on Chemicals in Our Toys` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Sprawl Threatens Moosehead Region` post created successfully

`State Urged to Set Rules for New-home Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`College Teach-ins Put Spotlight on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Global-warming Speaker Sees Challenge For Nation` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency Project at School Praised` post created successfully

`Kennebec Highlands Could Be Expanded By Adding 1,000 Acres` post created successfully

`The Chemicals Within` post created successfully

`Lawmakers to Consider Proposals to Reduce Home Heating Costs` post created successfully

`Change in Wind Rules` post created successfully

`York Considers Proposal for "Green" Construction` post created successfully

`Energy-efficiency Standards Make Sense for New Homes` post created successfully

`Bill to Cut Emissions No Idle Measure` post created successfully

`LURC Rejects Allagash Bridge Bid` post created successfully

`Maine State Climate Summit Set for Bates College Feb. 8-10` post created successfully

`Saco Wind Turbine to Boost Train Station` post created successfully

`Maine Parents Demand Action on Toxins in Baby Bottles` post created successfully

`Study Finds Chemicals in Baby Bottles` post created successfully

`State OKs Discharge Permits` post created successfully

`Strimling Urges Ban on Older Light Bulbs` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Deal Not Good Enough` post created successfully

`Study: Unsafe Chemical Found in Baby Bottles` post created successfully

`New Study Fuels Baby Bottle Concern` post created successfully

`Study: Heated Baby Bottles Leach Chemical` post created successfully

`NRCM Wins US Court Battle to Clean Up Power Plant Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`Plan: 1,000 Turbines By 2020` post created successfully

`Court Sides With Maine, Rules EPA Ignored Law on Mercury` post created successfully

`Freedom Wind Bid Could Face New Hurdle` post created successfully

`Judge Ousts Allagash Lawsuit` post created successfully

`Maine Needs to Reopen St. Croix to Alewives` post created successfully

`Maine Must Step Up Global Warming Fight` post created successfully

`NRCM Commends Wind Power Task Force` post created successfully

`Wind Power Task Force Submits Report` post created successfully

`Speaker Urges Energy Conservation` post created successfully

`Wind Power Gets Boost From Task Force Ideas` post created successfully

`Task Force Issues Wind Power Report` post created successfully

`Maine Steps Forward, Into the Wind` post created successfully

`Wind Could Power Maine` post created successfully

`Feb. 28 Winslow Meeting May Determine Fate of Dam` post created successfully

`Northern Maine Lynx Habitat Gets Another Look` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council of Maine Hires New Deputy Director` post created successfully

`Judicial Rebukes on Clean Air` post created successfully

`Oakfield: Log Home Maker Looks to Greener Practices` post created successfully

`Group Will Sue to Protect Salmon in Kennebec` post created successfully

`Seeking 100 MPG` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">A team based in Camden is seeking a $10 million prize for building a production-ready fuel-efficent car.</h2> <h3 class="author">by Isaac Kestenbaum</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Camden inventor and mechanic Jory Squibb is leading a team of Mainers that hopes to build a 100-mile-per-gallon car and win $10 million.The money is being offered by the nonprofit X PRIZE foundation to anyone who can design and build a production-ready car that gets 100 miles per gallon.Squibb's team, "Maine Automotive X," is the only entrant so far from Maine. The Automotive X PRIZE Web site lists around 40 teams, and the Maine team's closest competitors are in New York.Squibb has some experience building efficient vehicles. A native of Detroit and the son of a General Motors worker, Squibb described himself as the "oddball" of the family."My excitement has always been to find something different," he said. In the 1970s, Squibb built and even raced electric Volkswagon Beetles.A few years ago, he created Moonbeam, a small uniquely shaped three-wheel car that gets between 80 and 100 miles per gallon. The vehicle is around 6 feet long and weighs 300 pounds. It can't go much faster than 45 miles per hour.Moonbeam is only for the "true believers," said Squibb. If you're not willing to sacrifice a little comfort, Moonbeam "is just too small and too low," he said. "It doesn't have the creature comforts that frankly we're used to."Squibb sees Moonbeam as a template for the car that Maine Automotive X is now working on."It's one thing to make a prototype," he said. "But it's quite another to create a vehicle that's going to change automotive history."The team's car thus far is "not Moonbeam, but sort of 'Moonbeam-plus,'" said Squibb. The vehicle seats two passengers and rides on three wheels; it's driven by a three-cylinder diesel engine, which is in the rear. The frame incorporates elements of a Kawasaki utility vehicle.When complete, the car will resemble a teardrop, said Squibb.Twelve team members make up Maine Automotive X; Squibb found most of them by placing an advertisement in the newspaper. The team comes from throughout the midcoast area, Squibb said.The group recently became a nonprofit organization, and is now raising money. They need about $107,000, Squibb said. So far, they've secured $45,000 through donations and matching grants.If all goes well, the vehicle will be on the road next year, when all the teams competing for the prize will race their creations from city to city across the country.But for now, Squibb is simply happy that a team from Maine is getting involved in the race."It's kind of exciting that little old Maine has got an entry in this contest," he said.`, assigning current date

`Cleaner Cars,Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Augusta Firm to Aid Wind Project` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Betty Jespersen, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> FARMINGTON -- The northern Franklin County wind farm proposed by Canadian power producer TransCanada will not only significantly reduce the tax rate in the unorganized townships, but could provide funds for economic development, a state official said Tuesday.Franklin County commissioners Tuesday voted to engage Eaton Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta to advise, develop and negotiate a tax-break arrangement known as a tax-increment financing district, or TIF, with TransCanada.According to TransCanada's project manager, Nick DiDomenico, the company will pay for Eaton Peabody's services, estimated at $40,000.A TIF captures all or part of the property and business equipment tax generated by a new or expanding company. The revenues can be used by the municipality for economic development projects within the TIF's geographic district.The business benefits by being able to retain a portion of its taxes that could go toward the project's development costs.TransCanada, a Toronto-based power-generating company, proposes to construct a 44-turbine, 132-megawatt wind farm on the mountain range in Kibby and Skinner townships. Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission voted unanimously in January to support rezoning the site to accommodate the project with a final vote expected in June.According to the company, the project will generate 357 million kilowatt hours per year, equivalent to the electricity needs of about 50,000 average households, taking into account the variability of wind speeds. All power generated will be used in Maine and New England.About 250 jobs will be created during construction with 10 to 12 full-time jobs. The company also will provide a community benefits package to the towns of Eustis and Stratton of about $132,000 a year.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Chewonki Sets Goals to Reduce Carbon Emissions` post created successfully

`County Eyes TIF For Wind Project` post created successfully

`Wind Report a Blow for Redington` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Lewiston Sun Journal editorial</a> Harley Lee has a legitimate complaint. The state's wind power task force excluded Redington Township - the site of Lee's twice-rejected wind farm - in mapmaking where wind projects should receive expedited review.This appears the lone dose of politics in the task force's report, which is a refreshing, pragmatic assessment for changing Maine's convoluted regulatory environment regarding wind energy. The report was worth the wait.Not because its findings are earth-shattering. The report's value comes from its frank disclosure: Maine's approach to wind power is outdated and must be changed. This has been obvious. It is now fact.Like any road to recovery, the first important step is admitting there's a problem.For Maine to capitalize on its wind potential, it must have processes indicating these projects will get a fair review. The track record, so far, is shaky, and has been dictated by subjective opinions about scenery rather than science.The task force wisely recommends the definition of scenic, when it comes to wind energy, be rewritten. It also realizes the regulatory agencies tasked with reviewing wind projects lack expertise about the energy industry.Having the Maine Public Utilities Commission chairman join reviews of wind projects is a sensible, but superficial, suggestion. The PUC - which knows the state of Maine's electricity landscape best - needs an upfront role in evaluating wind power as a utility.Wind power should trigger three reviews: site (zoning), impact (environment) and production (utility). These should logically go to the Land Use Regulatory Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection and the PUC.These agencies could develop an expedited review procedure, which once in place, should help Maine generate 3,000 megawatts from wind by 2020, about one-quarter what New England needs to meet regional benchmarks.It'll take more than friendly regulators, however, to reach this milestone. Yet the report skimps on developing state economic incentives for wind projects, necessities for Maine to compete with other states in luring projects.Two faithful economic standbys - tax increment financing and Pine Tree Zones - are the proffered suggestions, which is odd, because if Maine would develop a new regulatory approach, it should also devise unique incentives.Shoehorning wind power into aged regulatory framework doesn't work; neither do economic incentives for hotels, retail stores and vacant commercial properties fit major utility projects in Maine's rural landscapes.The task force, however, was assembled for one primary purpose: easing the review and permitting of wind farms, a goal it accomplished by admitting the prevalent problems, and recommending solutions. The task force addressed every question about wind power, and emerged with consensus on an issue plagued by controversy.But the task force artfully dodged the Redington issue. Lee is right - by most criteria, the site is opportune for wind power, yet its exclusion from expedited review essentially erects a barrier to development.The task force report, we believed, was supposed to settle Redington.With the exclusion, perhaps it has.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Court Strikes Down Fed Emissions Policy` post created successfully

`Bar Harbor: COA, Chamber Give Green Light to Bulb Swap` post created successfully

`Freedom Wind Farm Still Twisting` post created successfully

`Byron to Consider Wind Farm Plan` post created successfully

`Richmond Board May Go Green` post created successfully

`Toxic List Includes Mills` post created successfully

`Going Green In More Ways Than One` post created successfully

`Move Over, Oil, There’s Money in Texas Wind` post created successfully

`Alewives Return` post created successfully

`Maine to Consider Tracking Toxins in Toys, Products` post created successfully

`Older Homes Need Energy Efficiency, Too` post created successfully

`Nokomis Students Go Fishing to Research Mercury Levels` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 2048, “An Act to Protect Children and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Toys and Children’s Products” and LD 2210, “An Act to Promote the Use of Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products”` post created successfully

`10,000 Square Miles of Maine Included in USFWS Lynx Protection Proposal` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 2179, An Act to Improve Residential and Commercial Energy Conservation` post created successfully

`New Buildings Should Be Energy-efficient` post created successfully

`Legislators Told of Need to Track Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Group Backs Bill Against Chemicals in Toys` post created successfully

`Proposal Designates Land For Lynx Habitat` post created successfully

`Building a Better House` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> Maine has one of the nation’s oldest housing stocks, which translates into higher heating costs. But new houses, built with the northern climate in mind, should be far more energy efficient, right? Not necessarily, according to Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.A recent survey found that 85 percent of new homes in Maine do not meet the minimum standards of an energy building code used in 40 states, including the other five New England states. NRCM is backing LD 2179, "An Act to Promote Energy Conservation," which would have the state adopt the model energy building code.About 7,500 new homes are built each year in Maine, and heating them accounts for 65 percent of home energy use. The best time to install the right amount of insulation and energy-saving windows and doors is during construction, not after the house is completed. Though efficient furnaces and boilers and new fuels such as wood pellets can mean significant savings for homeowners, the state’s Office of Energy Independence and Security notes that even more substantial savings can be realized by buttoning up the house. For every $1 spent improving insulation, a homeowner saves $3 over a 10-year period, the office reports.The energy code would not necessarily translate into more expensive houses, according to NRCM, because it would instead nudge contractors toward proven best practices. Any additional building costs will be recouped quickly in lower heating bills. The bill has the support of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Maine, a testament to its reasonable and common-sense recommendations, Mr. Voorhees said.MaineHousing, the state agency which helps build affordable residences, has been using the new energy standards for a few years, he said.The code would provide standards for the amount of insulation in walls and attics, glazing in windows, and — a relatively new area of focus — encourage insulation for foundations. If approved, LD 2179 would create training programs for energy code inspectors and require inspections so building contractors and new home buyers would know how well a building is constructed as far as energy use is concerned. Cities and towns could train their code enforcement officers to do the energy inspections; small communities could hire independent inspectors.The State Planning Office is proposing a similar though more comprehensive bill which would create a statewide building code that includes many of the energy standards. The building code push came from a resolve passed last year by the Legislature. The building code would apply only to towns with populations of 2,000 or more.In addition to savings for consumers, energy-efficiency standards for new houses will help Maine meet its climate action plan which seeks to reduce carbon emissions. Though the idea of a uniform, statewide building code might fly in the face of Maine’s heritage of "do-it-yourself" home construction, the energy standards are a reasonable step for the state to take. The code can be understood as a consumer protection measure, something like the miles-per-gallon standards for vehicles. Perhaps one day houses will come with "gallons of oil per winter" ratings.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Turn Attention to Energy` post created successfully

`Baldacci Supports Effort Targeting Poisons in Toys` post created successfully

`Plan to Reopen Fish Ladders To Be Aired in Augusta` post created successfully

`Energy Criteria for New Homes Need Tightening` post created successfully

`Energy Codes Hotly Debated` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Susan M. Cover, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">Morning Sentinel news story</a> AUGUSTA -- Homebuilders in Maine may face new regulations as a result of bills pending before the Legislature, with one measure focusing on making new homes more energy efficient.Some builders and environmental groups agree that an energy code is needed to help Mainers save money on oil bills and reduce global warming.Exactly how -- or if -- that will be accomplished will be decided in the coming weeks. There are two major proposals facing lawmakers regarding building codes, with the State Planning Office scheduled to propose a statewide building code sometime in March. The other is a bill sponsored by Sen. Phil Bartlett, D-Gorham, that focuses on energy efficiency. Described by supporters as the "bare minimum," the code would require proper insulation of cellar walls and attics. A recent survey completed by the Maine Public Utilities Commission found 84 percent of new homes built in the state did not meet minimum energy standards. "That means a lot of new homeowners are paying a lot more for energy than they need to be," said Dylan Voorhees of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The bill also provides a tax credit for homes that qualify for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star rating.The natural resources council has identified the bill as one of the most important environmental measures before legislators this year. But it may be folded into a larger bill that seeks to put in place a statewide building code, an effort that has failed several times in recent years.As it is now, the state has in place a model building code that cities and towns may adopt, but they are not required to do so.Sue Inches, deputy director of the State Planning Office, said 70-80 towns have adopted a building code and fewer than 10 have an energy code."The result is what people call a 'patchwork quilt' of codes across the state, with some towns working from older or locally amended versions of the codes, and other towns having no codes at all," she said last week in testimony before the Legislature's Business, Research and Economic Development Committee.When it comes to energy codes, Maine is one of 10 states in the country, and the only one in the Northeast, that does not have a statewide residential energy code, according to NRCM."Buildings are an enormous source of CO2 emissions in Maine and the region," Voorhees said.CO2, or carbon dioxide, has been identified as one of the leading causes of global warming. And while environmental groups like it, the bill also has the support of the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of Maine.Ashley Richards, vice president of the group, said as a builder and insulator, he knows firsthand that people can save money if they have their insulation properly installed.Richards said that could save the owner of a 2,000-square-foot home $1,200 a year in oil costs."It's not because builders are sloppy," he said. "It's just because they don't know."Yet at least two groups -- the Maine Association of Realtors and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine -- said they cannot support the bill because they prefer to wait to see what comes from the State Planning Office in the coming weeks.The Realtors support energy standards, said lobbyist Linda Gifford, but the bill goes too far in other areas.She said it's not a good time for state government to be creating another layer of bureaucracy, especially a new group of "energy code inspectors" who would review plans, issue certificates and inspect properties.She said proposed new disclosure requirements would be complicated for home buyers and sellers. Existing documents show buyers how much oil is used per year, and the type and age of heating system in use, she said.Also, she said the market is driving builders to use better standards."Any builder worth anything is building to energy efficient standards now," she said.Kathleen Newman, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maine, said they too want to see what the State Planning Office proposes in the coming weeks.The energy code bill, while a good idea, "is so top down," she said.Bartlett, the bill sponsor, said at a time when Maine homeowners are paying $500 to $600 a month in oil bills, making sure builders insulate right the first time is an easy way to help save money.Not to mention reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil."This is not the first time this bill has come forward, but because prices are soaring out of control, we're seeing a renewed interest," he said.<a href="http://www.nrcm.org/building_codes_2008.asp">Learn more about LD 2179, a bill to enact energy efficiency standards for new homes.</a> `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,State House Watch` post created successfully

`Climate Waiver-ing` post created successfully

`Alewives, Bass Live in Harmony; Re-open St. Croix` post created successfully

`Legislative Battle Centers on Alewives` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA - With its oily texture, bony flesh and homely appearance, the river herring doesn’t seem like the kind of fish to inspire love or hatred, much less political feuds.But for the third time since the mid-1990s, the lowly river herring or alewife is at the center of a major legislative battle that, depending on whom you believe, could either ruin some of Maine’s most beloved fishing grounds or improve them.The intense passions over alewives were in full show Monday as lawmakers heard hours of testimony on the latest attempt to reintroduce this once plentiful forage fish into the St. Croix River watershed.The biologists, conservation groups, lobstermen and state officials behind the reintroduction effort insist that alewives are a vital link in the complex food chain that supports the St. Croix and the Gulf of Maine.Or that’s the way things were for tens of thousands of years until 1995 when the state blocked alewives from returning to the St. Croix to spawn.But those behind the 1995 law — including dozens of registered guides, lodge owners and the leadership of the Passamaquoddy Tribe — see the alewife as a threat to the prized smallmouth bass and landlocked salmon fishing that supports the Down East economy."The possible economic impacts of reintroduction of alewives goes far beyond the imagination," Gov. Bill Nicholas of the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Princeton told members of the Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee.The bill, LD 1957, would effectively reopen fishways at the Woodland and Great Falls dams that were closed in 1995 after bass populations collapsed. Although an invasive species in Maine, bass are a hugely popular sport fish that draws anglers to the state.The proposal calls for fisheries managers to allow up to 120,000 alewives to pass upstream of the dams. While a sizable figure on first glance, 120,000 fish is a fraction of the estimated 2.6 million alewives that returned to the St. Croix in 1987."Alewives are important to us on the Marine Resources Committee and are important to us in the state of Maine because they are a forage fish," said Sen. Dennis Damon, a Trenton Democrat and the bill’s lead sponsor. "They provide food to many other fish up on the food chain and also provide food to many other organisms."The bill has earned the support from such diverse groups as the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and the Atlantic Salmon Federation."Alewives are Mainers. They are from here," said Diane Cowan, executive director of The Lobster Conservancy. "Smallmouth bass, on the other hand, are from away."But opponents predicted alewives could ruin the renowned landlocked salmon and smallmouth bass fishing in the areas around Grand Lake Stream and Spednic Lake.Harry Bailey, the owner of Bailey’s Camps on Big Lake and a former legislator, told how he introduced the original 1995 bill after watching bass populations in Spednic Lake collapse.While Bailey and many local guides blame alewives for the collapse, reintroduction supporters insist entire generations of bass eggs were wiped out by receding waters."I feel certain that if you allow alewives back in the watershed, we are going to have devastation" in the bass and salmon fishery, Bailey said.Ron Brokaw, a retired DIF&W biologist who oversaw management of the Down East fisheries for more than 25 years, pointed out that the salmon population in East Grand Lake has suffered ever since landlocked alewives were introduced illegally in 1997.Brokaw predicted sea-run alewives could have a similar effect throughout the watershed."Based on my 35 years of experience, I am very uncomfortable with the risk and I consider it to be unacceptably high," Brokaw said.But, again, the two sides disagree on the biology of alewives. Reintroduction advocates said sea-run alewives do not feed while returning to freshwater rivers to spawn. Instead, the hordes of baby alewives will become food for bass and salmon.Patrick Keliher, who heads the Bureau of Sea-Run Fisheries and Habitat within DMR, said the department is confident re-introduction will not affect bass or salmon populations. But the conservative, 120,000-fish approach, which likely would take a decade or more to achieve, would allow the agencies to monitor for and mitigate any impacts, Keliher said.The two sides also disagree on the alewives’ historic place within the St. Croix.A new study cited by the state says there is evidence that alewives historically migrated to areas above both Salmon Falls and Grand Falls. But Nicholas said nothing in Passamaquoddy history shows alewives above the St. Croix.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife,State House Watch` post created successfully

`LURC to Take Up Recommendations on Wind Farms, Huts` post created successfully

`Legislature Considers Tracking Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Maine Considers New Statewide Building Code Standards` post created successfully

`Alewives' Return to St. Croix River Debated` post created successfully

`Researchers Collect Data to Track Health of, Threats to Canada Lynx` post created successfully

`Evaluating Hazardous Consumer Products` post created successfully

`Toxicologist Helps Maine Revise Policies` post created successfully

`Safe Toys for Children Would Be Just Ducky` post created successfully

`NRCM Hires Deputy Director` post created successfully

`Bill to Restore Alewive Runs on St. Croix Should Be Supported` post created successfully

`LURC Backs Schedule to Decide Plum Creek` post created successfully

`555 Acre Tract Saved From Development` post created successfully

`Snowe, Collins OK Bill For Tougher Toy Standards` post created successfully

`Study: Toxic Pollutants Found in Eggs of Maine Birds` post created successfully

`Energy Summit Set for April 3` post created successfully

`Study Finds Dozens of Contaminants in Bird Egg Samples Across Maine` post created successfully

`Scientists Find Chemicals in Wild Bird Eggs` post created successfully

`New Crop of Chemicals is Found in Birds' Eggs` post created successfully

`Toxic Stew Poisoning Our Birds, Ourselves` post created successfully

`Judge Orders Detailed Study of HoltraChem Pollution` post created successfully

`Byron Voters Reject Wind Turbines` post created successfully

`TIF Discussion Meeting Set on Wind Project` post created successfully

`Research Finds Contamination of Maine Birds` post created successfully

`Study Finds Harmful Contaminants In Maine Birds` post created successfully

`Nobel Winner Says Action Needed on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Maine Officials Urge Tougher Air Limits` post created successfully

`Portland Gets First Wind Turbine` post created successfully

`Saco Wind Turbine Off to Slow Start` post created successfully

`Bills Seek to Protect Kids From Lead` post created successfully

`Conservation Conscience` post created successfully

`River Restoration A Must For Fisheries` post created successfully

`Dam Debate Continues Monday` post created successfully

`TerraCycle: Yogurt Cups, and More, Help Schools Raise Funds` post created successfully

`Want to Buy Some Pollution?` post created successfully

`Winds of Change Blow From Arrowsic Man to the Galapagos Islands` post created successfully

`Groups Join For Effort to Add Land to Refuge` post created successfully

`Compromise Would Allow Alewives Up to Grand Falls` post created successfully

`Carbon Cutters Win State Praise` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA - State officials recognized 20 Maine companies and institutions Monday for taking steps to shrink their "carbon footprints" and reduce energy consumption.In 2001, the governors of the New England states joined their counterparts in eastern Canada in committing to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 10 percent from 1990 levels by decade’s end.As part of that initiative, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection launched a voluntary program — known as the Governor’s Carbon Challenge — encouraging businesses to pledge to work toward the 10 percent goal.On Monday, representatives of the DEP and Gov. John Baldacci’s administration gave out 20 awards to participating businesses or organizations that met or exceeded the 10 percent goal several years ahead of schedule.The recipients ran the gamut from large, international corporations to colleges and government agencies."I think your participation here shows deep commitment to reducing CO2 emissions, to reducing the effects of global warming and to help Maine prosper," Karin Tilberg, a senior policy adviser to Baldacci, told 140-plus people attending the Governor’s Carbon Challenge Networking and Expo Forum.ZF Lemforder Corp., which operates a manufacturing plant in Brewer, has reduced its carbon emissions by 55 percent since 2000, eliminating 3,381 metric tons of greenhouse gases in the process. The company reduced its emissions primarily through efficiency upgrades in such areas as lighting, air compression and transportation.Two local colleges also were recognized for their efforts to fight climate change.College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor has reduced its carbon output by 18 percent since 2005, thereby eliminating the production of an estimated 108 tons of greenhouse gases.Unity College, meanwhile, has achieved a 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions — the equivalent of 269 tons — since 2001. Unity has retrofitted older buildings with new insulation and heat plants, built new "green" buildings on campus and buys 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources in Maine.Unity spokesman Mark Tardif credited the college’s leadership and the campus community as a whole with putting a priority on fighting climate change."Unity is very focused on the future," Tardif said. "We are placing great emphasis on sustainability and have been for some time." Bowdoin College was the third educational institution to receive a Carbon Challenge award Monday.The largest emissions reductions were made by National Semiconductor of South Portland, which eliminated production of an estimated 43,700 tons of carbon through a variety of measures.The other award recipients were:Maine State Housing, Augusta Maine Bureau of General Services, Augusta Washboard Eco-Laundry, Portland Lamey Wellehan, Auburn Renys, Newcastle MaineGeneral Health, Augusta Hannaford Brothers Co., Scarborough Winthrop Congregational Church, Winthrop Oakhurst Dairy, Portland Greater Augusta Utility District, Augusta Wright-Ryan Construction, Portland Lyman Morse Boatbuilding, Thomaston Poland Spring, Hollis Pratt & Whitney, North Berwick Bath Iron Works, BathDEP Commissioner David Littell said the award recipients demonstrated it is possible to reduce pollution, both in the form of greenhouse gases and air toxins, and reduce energy costs at the same time. `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Offers Up No Changes In Post-Hearing Brief` post created successfully

`Despite Overwhelming Public Criticism of Plum Creek Plan, Plum Creek Offers Up No Changes` post created successfully

`Master Plan Needed to Save Earth's Environment` post created successfully

`States' Inaugural CO2 Allowance Auction Set For Sept. 10` post created successfully

`MacDonald Carbon Emissions Bill Receives Unanimous Support` post created successfully

`While One Wind Turbine Idles, Others Elsewhere Will Turn` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Foes Decry Developer's Plans` post created successfully

`Winslow Planning Board Approves Ft. Halifax Dam Breach` post created successfully

`Groups: Developer Ignored Concerns` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine - Two environmental groups attempted to keep the heat on Plum Creek officials Tuesday by accusing them of ignoring concerns raised about the company’s historic development proposal for the Moosehead Lake region.A Plum Creek spokesman countered that now is not the time, given the ongoing regulatory review process, to suggest major changes to the company’s housing and resort plan.During a press conference Tuesday morning, representatives of Maine Audubon and the Natural Resources Council of Maine lashed out at Plum Creek for not scaling back the company’s proposal for 975 house lots and two resorts near Moosehead.The proposal, which is the largest development plan ever put forward in Maine, is currently in the hands of the Land Use Regulation Commission. LURC hopes to make a decision by late summer or early fall.The groups were particularly critical of the fact that Plum Creek, in closing arguments sent to LURC earlier this month, did not address what they say are the "dozens and dozens" of problems identified during public hearings, work sessions and letters. Specifically, Plum Creek’s plan still proposes too much development and often in inappropriate locations, the groups’ representatives said.Brownie Carson, NRCM’s executive director, echoed past criticisms levied by his organization that Seattle-based Plum Creek is not listening to Maine residents. The public comment period on the application closed last week.Carson predicted that Plum Creek, through its unresponsiveness, may be ensuring the company will walk away from LURC empty-handed."These issues and problems ... came up over and over throughout the LURC hearings, but you would never know it reading Plum Creek’s most recent filing," he said.Luke Muzzy, senior land asset manager at Plum Creek and one of the architects of the development plan, said the company made clear during the technical hearings that it is open to minor changes to improve the proposal.Right now, Plum Creek is awaiting the LURC staff’s first report — due next month — on potential issues in the current plan, Muzzy said. That report will guide subsequent discussions among the commission, staff and interested parties on future changes."At this point in the process, it really isn't time to introduce major changes," Muzzy said. "If I was a LURC commissioner, I wouldn’t want a moving target."The hundreds of speakers who addressed LURC during four public hearings in December and January were almost evenly divided over the controversial proposal. But opponents outnumber supporters by more than 20 to 1 among the more than 2,000 letters and e-mails submitted to LURC, according to a tally by NRCM and Maine Audubon.Supporters generally predict that Plum Creek’s housing and resort plan, when combined with more than 400,000 acres of conservation tied to the plan, will create jobs and promote tourism while permanently protecting the region’s natural beauty.But opponents argue that the luxury homes and vaguely defined resorts would harm wildlife and bring heavy traffic and pollution. Rather than help the economy, critics predict, the sprawl will spoil the very wilderness character that draws tourists.Jody Jones, a wildlife ecologist with Maine Audubon, said Tuesday that the resulting traffic will fragment wildlife corridors — including habitat of the protected Canada lynx — near Lily Bay and Long Pond."The only way to reduce those impacts is to reduce the size of the project," Jones said.But Plum Creek’s Muzzy pointed out that the company has already made substantial changes to the plan in response to public feedback. Those changes include relocating hundreds of lots away from the shoreline and proposing a conservation package totaling more than 400,000 acres."The time has passed for major rethinking" of the plan, Muzzy said. "The time has come to accept or reject the plan ... that has gone through three years of public scrutiny."`, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Comment Period Closed, But Comments Continue` post created successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam Scheduled for Removal` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Opposition Speaks Out On Development Plan` post created successfully

`Wind Power Backers Eye Lincoln Sites` post updated successfully

`Panel Backs Alewives Bill` post updated successfully

`Input Sought on Wind Farm` post updated successfully

`Forum Explores Regional Push Toward Sustainability` post updated successfully

`Reny's Wins Efficiency Award` post updated successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kennebec Journal Staff report</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news update</a> GARDINER — Reny’s Department Stores, a longtime favorite of Maine bargain-hunters, has received an award for becoming more energy-efficient.The Newcastle-based chain, which has local stores in downtown Gardiner, Farmington, Madison and Pittsfield, was one of 10 businesses honored by the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships with a Northeast Business Leaders for Energy Efficiency award, the only winner in Maine.Reny’s, sponsored for the award by Efficiency Maine, demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in energy use. The reduced energy usage resulted in annual cost savings of almost $30,000, according to a news release.The winning organizations were chosen based on their outstanding achievements to adopt and implement energy efficiency practices. Their efforts, the release said, resulted in demonstrated energy savings which improved the organizations’ financial bottom lines.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`States’ Battles Over Energy Grow Fiercer With U.S. in a Policy Gridlock` post updated successfully

`Pingree Bill Listing Hazards in Toys Worthwhile` post updated successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam Breaching Approaching` post updated successfully

`Support Grows for Statewide Building Code` post updated successfully

`Cranberry Isles: Town Joins Effort to Help Climate` post created successfully

`College to Buy Wind Farm Energy Credits` post created successfully

`Beaches and Mountains` post created successfully

`Appeal Reopens Pollution Debate` post created successfully

`Bowdoin to Offset Carbon Emissions with Wind Power` post created successfully

`NRCM Testimony on LD 2263, “An Act Establishing an Outdoor Wood Boiler Fund”` post created successfully

`NRCM Testimony In Support of L.D. 2218 “An Act to Protect Children from Hazardous Lead-based Paint"` post created successfully

`Cuts in Extended Habitat For Alewives Likely to Pass` post created successfully

`Portland to Go Lights Out for Earth Hour on Saturday` post created successfully

`House Leader: Get the Lead Out` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Company Says Lincoln a Potential Site` post created successfully

`Mars Hill: Wind Farm Celebrates a Year of Clean Power` post created successfully

`Data: Lincoln "Reasonable Site" For Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Officials Briefed on Wind Farm TIF` post created successfully

`Maine Falling Behind on Meeting Global Warming Pollution Reductions` post created successfully

`Report: New England Not Meeting Global Warming Targets` post created successfully

`Alewife Recovery Effort Will Have To Do For Now` post created successfully

`Bill Would Stop Truck Idling to Prevent Pollution` post created successfully

`What Will Power Maine?` post created successfully

`Playing With Toxins` post created successfully

`Reject Plum Creek Proposal` post created successfully

`Statewide Building Code More Efficient` post created successfully

`Time to Give Up Fight to Keep Fort Halifax Dam` post created successfully

`Energy Summit Aimed at Businesses` post created successfully

`Tax Break Eyed for Wind Farm` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> FARMINGTON -- Franklin County commissioners are considering a tax break for a $220 million wind farm project near the Canadian border.If the deal, known as tax-increment financing, is created for TransCanada's project atop Kibby Mountain and Kibby Range, the county would be able to keep a sizeable portion of the $1.6 million in tax revenue generated annually by the project for the next 20 years.The county would use its share for economic development purposes and return the remainder to TransCanada for reinvestment.Without the TIF, the project would reduce property taxes in unorganized territories, a Maine Revenue Service official said., the department that oversees the property tax division for the state's unorganized territory.If it is approved, property taxes would remain about the same. Franklin County, however, would be able to shift, or "shelter," a significant amount of those taxes from the state to use locally."It will create property tax inequity," said David Cota, town manager in Carrabassett Valley, who attended Tuesday's meeting .Carrabassett, with a nearly $519,000 county tax bill, and Jay, at $586,000, are the highest valuated communities in Franklin County.In a letter to the commissioners, Cota said TransCanada's property taxes without the TIF would reduce the tax commitment for all 21 Franklin County towns and plantations.He said there also would be a significant loss of tax revenue to the county if TransCanada were able to retain a portion of its estimated $1.6 million in annual property taxes."The concerns are whether or not this is an appropriate use of a TIF," he said. "I have real problems and feel they should pay their fair share of county services."Cota said after the meeting that he would wait and see how the agreement is worked out and if TransCanada will agree to pay money directly to the county in lieu of taxes to cover its share of fire, police and waste disposal services."I definitely feel more positive, but there is still a long way to go," he said.Jay Town Manager Ruth Marden asked TransCanada's representative, Nicholas Di Domenico if the project would go ahead without the TIF.He said it all depends on the company's board of directors, which meets in May or June, to determine if it is still viable. The cost of equipment, including the European-made turbines, has increased dramatically because of the lower value of the dollar, which makes imports expensive.The Unorganized Territory of Maine has no local, incorporated municipal government and is administered by the state. There are more than 400 townships in the territory that covers more than half the area of Maine.On Tuesday, a few town officials, residents and environmental advocates crowded into the small meeting room when the county commissioners met with consultants Gregory Mitchell and Noreen Norton of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta. The session was one of five planned before the commissioners vote on the TIF district in May.If the deal is approved by the commissioners and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, it would be the second county to establish a TIF for a wind farm in Maine's Unorganized Territory.The first one approved was for a 38-turbine project on Stetson Mountain in Washington County. In that deal, the county keeps about $3.75 million of the $9.4 million in tax revenues to be generated over the next 20 years.The next informational meeting on the TransCanada project will be April 8 with a time and location to be announced. A public hearing will be held April 15 and commissioners could potentially vote on the proposal in May.Commissioners stressed they were still exploring the idea and no decisions have been made.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`EPA Says Contractors Must Limit Lead Hazard` post created successfully

`Federal Wildlife Officials Seeking Input on Habitat for Canada Lynx` post created successfully

`Energy Company Urges Lawmakers to Approve Redington Wind Project` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 2283, An Act to Implement Recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force on Wind Power Development` post created successfully

`Simple Fixes to Live Green` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency, Business Competitiveness, and Untapped Economic Potential in Maine` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency Report Released` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Tux Turkel, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Maine businesses could save more than $450 million a year in energy costs by adopting cost-effective efficiency measures, according to a report being released this morning by university researchers.These measures could help create between 1,500 and 2,500 jobs by 2020, the report said, and boost the state’s gross domestic product between $170 million and $260 million, depending on energy prices.The report was prepared for the Governor’s Energy Efficiency Summit, which currently is under way at the Augusta Civic Center. It was compiled by professors at the Muskie School for Public Service at the University of Southern Maine and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine.Underscoring the rising energy prices and economic stresses being experienced today in Maine, the report said increased energy efficiency is perhaps the single more effective action that businesses could take to be more competitive. That’s because Maine’s economy is more energy-intensive than economies in the other New England states, and that Maine pays more for energy than many other states.Energy efficiency isn’t a new idea for Maine businesses. But the report noted several barriers that stand in the way of making greater progress. Among them, the report said, is that many businesses aren’t aware of opportunities to improve efficiency, the costs and benefits of doing so, and how to finance the upgrades. Volatile energy prices also have made efficiency appear to be a risky investment.To overcome these obstacles, the report suggested a comprehensive assessment of the economic potential for energy efficiency in Maine, and more money for public-private partnerships, such as the state’s Efficiency Maine program, to offer technical assistance.Raising awareness and suggesting solutions is one of the motivations behind today’s energy summit. The event will feature experts talking about how to carry out and finance efficiency projects in a range of business settings. An exposition staged by vendors will display available technologies and services.The report defines efficiency as a measure of output per unit input; a compact fluorescent bulb can produce the same light for less energy than an incandescent bulb, for example. Conservation is defined as decreased energy use; installing programmable thermostats that automatically turn down heat at night.Other strategies include installing new boilers, water heaters and pipe insulation, engineering heat recovery, adding insulation and new windows and upgrading motors and computers.Energy prices are a national concern, but the report highlighted the added impact on Maine’s economy and the case for greater efficiency and conservation in the business community. It noted, for instance, that the commercial and industrial sectors account for half the state’s energy use. And while industry has diversified its energy supply with hydro and biomass, other sectors, notably transportation and commercial, are heavily dependent on petroleum.In calculating the benefits of efficiency and conservation to the Maine economy, university researchers looked at past studies in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut and Florida, and used an economic model to compute the potential.To see the energy efficiency report, <a href="http://www.maine.gov/governor/baldacci/policy/EnergySummit.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`States Hoping to Force Action on Emissions` post created successfully

`Businesses Discuss Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Report Calls For Boosting Maine's Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency Could Save Maine Millions` post created successfully

`Report: Boosting Energy Efficiency Good For Maine Business` post created successfully

`Bowdoin to Offset Carbon Emissions with Wind Power` post created successfully

`Legislation Would Establish State Building Code` post created successfully

`Oakhurst to Add Solar Energy Panels` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Plans Brewing in Aroostook County` post created successfully

`Best-selling Author Shows Plum Creek Problems` post created successfully

`Environment Their Key Concern` post created successfully

`Compelling Reasons to Limit Vehicle Idling` post created successfully

`Lawmakers OK Alewives Bill` post created successfully

`Toy Test Shows High Levels of Phthalate` post created successfully

`Parents Want Chemicals Controlled In Children's Products` post created successfully

`TIF Boundary, Investment Options Discussed` post created successfully

`Maine Lab Finds Toxins in Toys` post created successfully

`Forward Thinking` post created successfully

`Mainer Tackles a Tricky Turbine Challenge on Galapagos` post created successfully

`Act Now, For the Sake of Our Earth` post created successfully

`Wind Tower Proposal on Table in Addison` post created successfully

`Chemical Regulation: Pick Your Poison` post created successfully

`Wind Power Gets Big Boost in Maine` post created successfully

`Mapping A Promising Future For Kennebec` post created successfully

`Law Bars Coal Gasification in Maine, For Now` post created successfully

`Climate Change Side Effect` post created successfully

`Maine Legislature Passes Law that Sets Energy Efficient Building Standards for New Homes` post created successfully

`Legislators OK Energy-efficient Building Bill` post created successfully

`King Pushes for Offshore Wind Turbines` post created successfully

`Maine Nails Down Building Code` post created successfully

`Environmental Protection Takes Big Step Forward in 2008 Legislative Session` post created successfully

`Winslow: Seizure of Dam is Urged` post created successfully

`Allagash among America’s Most Endangered Rivers` post created successfully

`Green Coalition Exults in New Laws` post created successfully

`Gulf of Maine Wind Farm More Than Just Hot Air` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">There are lots of reasons to be skeptical of this idea, but plenty of benefits to consider as well.</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> What is Angus King tilting at now?The former governor has a way of latching on to big ideas. As a result, most kids in Maine public middle schools have access to a laptop computer. Now, King thinks the state should look offshore for the energy it needs.During a lecture at Bowdoin College in Brunswick Tuesday evening, King proposed that the state work with private developers to create a network of wind-power turbines in the Gulf of Maine.King is already working on a pair of proposals to build land-based wind farms in Maine, but this is far more ambitious. The technology for generating electricity using windmills on floating platforms has not been developed. And then there's the cost, which King put at a whopping $15 billion.But the benefit would also be extraordinary. King envisions enough power not only to supply electricity for traditional uses, but also enough to replace fuel oil as the primary means for heating homes in Maine as well as power for electric cars.It sounds utopian, and the obstacles to building such a wind farm would be great both in terms of technology and funding. But that there's wind in the Gulf of Maine is not in question. Nor is it likely that the cost of home heating oil and gasoline will do anything but go up in coming years.Maine state government is strapped these days, and finding public money to pursue King's big idea would be difficult. But that doesn't mean it should be dismissed, especially if there are private investors willing to explore it.Like the rest of the world, Maine faces an uncertain energy future. No idea for addressing that should be considered fanciful.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Group Names Allagash One of the Most Endangered Waterways` post created successfully

`Maine's Electronic Waste Recycling Law Huge Success` post created successfully

`Maine Environmentalists Tout E-waste Law` post created successfully

`More Churches Going Green` post created successfully

`Earth Day Ideal Must Translate to Problem Solving` post created successfully

`Don't Waste Earth Day` post created successfully

`Earth Day '08` post created successfully

`Town Awaits Alewives` post created successfully

`Input Sought on Statewide Growth Plan` post created successfully

`Day Designated for Threatened Wildlife` post created successfully

`Rebuilding EPA's Eroded Reputation` post updated successfully

`Stop CFL Giveaways From Turning Into Mass Throwaways, Say Groups` post updated successfully

`At UM, Ecovillage Idea Gains Allies` post updated successfully

`Making Every Day Earth Day` post updated successfully

`Plastic or Paper? It's Time to Start Saying, "I Brought My Own"` post updated successfully

`Bangor Area Seeks Ideas on Open Space` post updated successfully

`Sugarloaf Getting Greener` post updated successfully

`LURC Gathering Public Comments on Its Vision for Maine's North Woods` post updated successfully

`Presque Isle: UMPI Chief to Present Eco-friendly Message` post updated successfully

`Partners in Penobscot River Restoration Project Receive National Cooperative Conservation Award` post updated successfully

`Development Decisions` post created successfully

`Department of Interior Awards Restoration Work` post created successfully

`Environmental Promotions Agency?` post created successfully

`Energy Expert: Earth Can Avert Catastrophe` post created successfully

`Watching Financial Winds` post created successfully

`Saco Considers Rules For Home Windmills` post created successfully

`Allagash Named Eighth Most Endangered River In U.S.` post created successfully

`Maine's Allagash River Named One of the Nation's Most Endangered` post created successfully

`LURC Plan or Else` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Alan Crowell</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- The future of half of Maine is up for discussion at a series of workshops being held from Millinocket to Portland.The Land Use Regulation Commission, which serves as the planning board for the unorganized territories, is gathering public feedback as it prepares to revise its comprehensive land-use plan.Feedback from the workshops will be used to revise the draft plan. Once those revisions are made, the plan will go back before the public in a series of hearings before the finished plan goes to the governor sometime next year. Comprising 10.5 million acres -- slightly more than half of the state -- the unorganized territories have long been both a working forest and a mecca for sportsmen and nature lovers who traditionally have had access to the privately owned land.In recent decades, however, the unorganized territories have come under increasing pressure from developers large and small.The most galvanizing proposal has come from timber company Plum Creek, which sees two resorts and more than 900 house lots in the Moosehead Lake region. But even development on a smaller scale is putting homes into parts of the unorganized territories that have always been untouched by development.A draft comprehensive plan that highlights wilderness sprawl as a chief concern is already proving controversial with foresters and other landowners who fear it will put new restrictions on how land is used and developed.Other issues the new plan will address include new commercial uses of the unorganized territories, from wind farms to large resorts.Eliza Townsend, deputy commissioner of the Department of Conservation, told the editorial board of the Kennebec Journal Monday that it is important that the new comprehensive land-use plan recognize the changes happening in the unorganized territories.It is also important, she said, that a public dialogue take place about those changes and how they affect the unorganized territories."The question that we have to ask ourselves is what is it about it that we value and what do we want it to look like in the future?" said Townsend.One issue is the dispersion of new development, she said.Since the Land Use Regulation Commission was created in 1971, more than 70 percent of all new dwellings in the unorganized territories have been built on lots not reviewed through the commission's subdivision process.Those lots bypassed the subdivision process because they were created before 1971, or because of exemptions to the review process.Without some change to those exemptions, to a large degree, the commission will not be able to control further growth in the unorganized territories, said Townsend.Other issues that the new plan will face include more demand for commercial or industrial uses in the unorganized territory, including wind farms and commercial water extraction, and balancing motorized and nonmotorized recreational use.James Cote, communication director for the Maine Forest Products Council, said his hope is the new plan will accommodate a variety of uses in the unorganized territories, as did the previous comprehensive plan, adopted in 1997.All-terrain vehicle users, snowmobilers and hunters contribute a great deal to the economy of northern Maine, as does the forest products industry, said Cote. "Our fear is that this plan will focus so much on primitive recreation and limiting development that it won't encourage development in appropriate areas," Cote said.The language in the draft of the new comprehensive plan is worrisome for landowners and the forest products industry in general, Cote said.Unnecessary restrictions could hurt the local economy and also upset a balance that is working for both landowners and recreational users."You can't make 100 percent of the people happy 100 percent of the time, but I think that the people who use that land routinely are happy with the access that they are provided and they are happy with the resources that are there," he said.Diano Circo, north woods policy advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said however that this new plan incorporates findings based on new data that better defines exactly where development is taking place.It is not just the number of homes and camps that are being built, it is where they are located, said Circo.Many of the new camps are also much larger than traditional hunting or fishing camps and they are located in very remote areas that are far from important services like fire or ambulance services.The development of those homes threatens to cause an economic drain to towns or counties that will have to provide them with services.The other major issue is the threat of a death by a million cuts of the character of a unique place, said Circo.With the encroachment of development, unique remote areas are becoming more urbanized and that threatens traditional uses including hunting and fishing, as well as the livelihoods of guides who take people to unspoiled areas.The north woods is a place where long backpacking trips and canoe trips through remote areas are possible, said Circo. It is also one of the last strongholds of native brook trout in the eastern United States."All these things are combined to create what is really a unique place," he said.As new pressures mount from residential development and commercial development, the commission needs to address these issues, he said."The tools don't really exist in the current (comprehensive land use plan) to grapple with these things in a good way," said Circo.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Plotting a Course for the North Woods` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal editorial</a> You have a chance to help shape the future of almost half the state of Maine.Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission, or LURC, is writing a new plan for guiding and managing development in the 10.4 million acres known as the state's Unorganized Territories. That plan will direct where development can happen, how it can happen and where it shouldn't happen. And as part of the process of devising that plan, LURC needs to hear from Mainers about their vision for the future of this vast and largely undeveloped part of the state.The Unorganized Territories contain almost 3,000 lakes and ponds, many of them remote and wild; hundreds of mountain peaks; the highest concentration of free-flowing, undeveloped rivers in the East; dozens of coastal islands and ledges; miles upon miles of ATV and snowmobile trails; and countless opportunities for camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, paddling and whitewater rafting. The largest segment is the huge tract of land known as the Great North Woods. If the 300-year history of America's east has been dominated by urban and suburban development stretching from New England down to the Florida coast, Maine's Great North Woods have been the exception. Today, those woods comprise the largest contiguous block of undeveloped forestland east of the Mississippi, home to abundant and in some cases unique populations of flora as well as fish and wildlife. Yet this landscape is neither pristine nor unpeopled. For centuries, Maine's woods have been a working forest. That forest provided -- and still provides -- trees for human use, from the fabled King's Pines turned into masts and spars on British Crown ships to lumber for latter-day homebuilding and fiber destined to be milled into phone books, catalogs and magazines. With the exception of a handful of communities, there is almost no local government in the state's Unorganized Territories -- thus the "unorganized" part of the name. What government there is in scattered communities may choose not to administer land use rules locally. So, the Land Use Regulation Commission was established in 1971 after an unexpected boom in land development and recreational building in the north woods during the 1960s which threatened the region's remote and wild character as well as traditional and industrial uses of the land. "Who is to come forward to say that this resource must not be squandered?" asked a 1968 report on Maine's wildlands commissioned by the state. The answer was LURC. In the decades since LURC's creation by the Maine Legislature, the ownership of its jurisdiction has been transformed from the "paper plantation" forest owned by a handful of large paper companies to a landscape increasingly owned by real estate developers and private individuals. And with that ownership change, it has become evident that land once used for forestry and recreation may be more valuable not for those uses, but for homes. In a recent study, LURC found that despite the reams of rules and regulations on its books, two-thirds of the residential development in its jurisdiction "is dispersing in a manner that is not compatible with maintenance of the principal values of the Commission's jurisdiction." In other words, sprawl has come to the north woods.LURC staff have produced a draft plan to stimulate comment at the public input sessions. You can find that plan online at the agency's website, along with a schedule of public workshops. You can expect to find the usual suspects at the sessions, from industrial forestry groups to environmental advocates, who have already begun their respective organizing and attack on the draft plan. But this is a process that belongs to all the people of Maine, because the mountains, streams, lakes, forest and fields in question belong to all of us. Get out there and tell the good folks at LURC how you want them to manage your land.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`New Devices Help Measure Potential for Wind Projects` post created successfully

`"Wilderness" May Be Gone, But We Must Protect Northern "Wildness"` post created successfully

`Clean Air Flim Flam From the Bush Administration` post created successfully

`The Dam That Wouldn't Leave` post created successfully

`New Maine Law Restricts Lead in Toys` post created successfully

`Student Teacher Launches Recycling` post created successfully

`Green Lawn Care Tips Offered` post created successfully

`Saying "No" to Junk Mail` post created successfully

`A Field Trip With a Ripple Effect` post created successfully

`Who's the Greenest? Colleges Vie for Title` post created successfully

`Find Another Way to Get to Work` post created successfully

`Fighting Climate Change Yields Big Results` post created successfully

`A New Plan for the North Woods Long Overdue` post created successfully

`We Need Alternative Forms of Energy` post created successfully

`Revival of Defunct Orono Hydropower Plant to Restore Fish Passage on Penobscot River` post created successfully

`Restoring Fish, Preserving Culture` post created successfully

`King's Wind Farm Idea: It's Time to Start Hopping` post created successfully

`Is Fire Retardant A Harmful Toxin?` post created successfully

`Maine Congressional Delegation Urged to Work for Safer Chemicals in Everyday Products` post created successfully

`Civilization May Not Survive This Time` post created successfully

`State Agency: Plum Creek Plan Needs Work` post created successfully

`Groups Raise $35 million to Save Down East Forest` post created successfully

`$34.8M Raised to Protect 342,000 Acres Down East` post created successfully

`Maine’s Leading Environmental Organizations Respond to LURC Staff Recommendations: Plum Creek Development Still Massive Threat` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Revisions Panned` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Alan Crowell, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA -- Better, but still too big and in the wrong places.That was the reaction of Maine environmental groups Wednesday to Land Use Regulation Commission recommendations that would shrink the footprint of Plum Creek's Moosehead Lake development plan but allow roughly the same number of housing units."They are sort of nibbling away at what the development might look like but they are not addressing the fundamental question of whether all this development belongs there," said Jody Jones, wildlife ecologist at Maine Audubon.Plum Creek Timber Co. has proposed putting 975 house lots and two resorts in the heart of Maine's iconic Moosehead Lake area. In return for zoning changes that would allow development of about 20,000 acres, Plum Creek would permanently conserve more than 400,000 acres in the North Woods.The largest land-use plan ever proposed in Maine, the proposal would affect a region that is at the heart of Maine's brand -- the Moosehead Lake region has been a mecca for sportsmen and tourists for centuries.Proponents say it would allow for controlled growth in an area that is desperately in need of an economic boost, while environmentalists and others argue it would forever change a place with special value for both people and animals. Since the first version of Plum Creek's plan was submitted in 2005, the plan has been through three major revisions during a marathon review process that could end later this year.Tuesday, the Land Use Regulation Commission, which serves as the planning board for the unorganized territories, released a series of proposed changes to the plan.The commission's seven member citizen board, will consider those changes during deliberative sessions scheduled next week.Catherine Carroll, director of LURC, said the commission staff is not recommending denial or approval of the plan.The proposed changes include the removal of development from the north shore of Long Pond and a significant reduction in the footprint of development proposed at Lily Bay, said Carroll.The recommendations also call for guarantees to ensure the 400,000 acres of land Plum Creek has pledged to conserve is managed in a way that protects ecologically sensitive habitat.Carroll said the recommendations are designed to prevent sprawl but would allow for virtually the same number of housing units.In addition, new zoning standards would prevent any unnecessary impacts to scenic vistas or sensitive habitat.About 130 pages long, the recommendations were eagerly awaited by members of the environmental community.Biologist Jody Jones said she spent much of Tuesday night reading the recommendations and talked them over Wednesday morning with fellow staff members."We have a lot of respect for the (LURC) staff and we wanted to make sure that we responded in a thoughtful way," said Jones.LURC did a great job of closing loopholes but even with the recommendations, the plan would still put too much development in sensitive areas, she said.The area is not only a core habitat for the Canada lynx, listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, it is place where people from throughout Maine and the North East can go and enjoy a remote undeveloped area of great natural beauty, said Jones."Unique is an overused word, but in this case, there is nothing like the Moosehead Lake region east of the Mississippi," said Jones.Cathy Johnson, of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said that while the development footprint would shrink under the LURC proposal, it is still far too big."The issue is much more the amount and location of development as opposed to the configuration of any particular development zone," said Johnson.Lily Bay State Park, on Moosehead Lake, offers Maine people of all incomes a place where they can go and enjoy the remote peace and beauty of the North Woods, said Johnson.That experience would be degraded by the motorboats, lawnmowers, traffic and lights from 400 homes across the bay from the park, said Johnson.<a href="http://www.nrcm.org/evaluation_lurc_recommendations.asp">Read NRCM's evaluation of the LURC staff recommendation for changes to Plum Creek's plan.</a> `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`N.H. Joins Greenhouse Gas Plan` post created successfully

`LURC Urges Plum Creek Changes` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Staff at the Land Use Regulation Commission are recommending that Plum Creek change the scope of several proposed subdivisions near Moosehead Lake and be required to complete several large conservation deals before any houses go up.But critics of Plum Creek’s plan say they are disappointed that LURC staff did not recommend reducing the total number of house lots or removing plans for a controversial resort near Lily Bay.Plum Creek officials, meanwhile, said they were still analyzing the impact of what they called "significant" potential changes to their plan."We’re pretty surprised to see numerous recommended changes to the plan," said Luke Muzzy, a key architect of the proposal.The staff recommendation, a 127-page document released late Tuesday, will be the subject of detailed discussions next week when state regulators begin debating the merits of the largest development proposal in Maine history. A final vote is not expected until late summer or early fall, at the soonest.Plum Creek is seeking LURC authorization for 975 house lots and 1,050 "accommodations" at two resorts, one on Big Moose Mountain and the other on Lily Bay. A resort accommodation could be anything from a hotel room to a single-family house on the resort grounds.LURC staff and consultants recommended no changes to those figures. They did, however, suggest reducing the number of house lots on Long Pond west of Moosehead from 110 to 55. Wilderness guides and some outdoor enthusiasts had urged the commission to eliminate or scale back development on Long Pond.The recommendation also calls for removing nearly 3,000 acres from the 4,358-acre Lily Bay development zone and adding it to the conservation lands that Plum Creek is donating to offset development. Several hundred acres elsewhere in the development plan also would be added to the conservation offset under the staff proposal.Arguably the biggest suggested changes deal with the proposal’s massive conservation component, which would prohibit development and protect public access on more than 420,000 acres of forestland in the region. Much of that land would remain in commercial forestry.In addition to the 91,000 acres Plum Creek would donate as an offset, the company has negotiated a $35 million deal with conservation groups to sell land or easements on another 340,000 acres in the region. Each of those conservation pieces is contingent on LURC approval of a development plan.LURC staff and consultants appear to argue that the conservation deals on nearly 390,000 acres should be signed and delivered before Plum Creek can proceed with its development plans. The recommendation also calls for strengthening protections for some sensitive shorelines and wildlife habitats.But in another passage, LURC staff suggest that Plum Creek’s conservation plan could limit economic growth.Plum Creek has proposed converting any undeveloped acreage within the development zones to conservation land at the end of the 30-year plan to help prevent future sprawl.LURC staff agreed with the proposal, but in only four areas: Lily Bay, Indian Pond, Upper Wilson Pond and the southeast portion of Long Pond. Doing so in other areas, LURC staff wrote, would prevent communities such as Rockwood from growing."In fact, if staff/consultants’ recommendations regarding the locations and configurations of development areas and conservation easements are accepted, future development potential in the Moosehead Lake region would already be significantly constrained, even without Plum Creek’s proposal to perpetually eliminate any remaining development rights in proposed development areas," staff wrote in their 127-page recommendation.Leaders of Maine Audubon and the Natural Resources Council of Maine — two groups heavily involved in the regulatory review — complimented the staff for wanting to strengthen the conservation deals. They also praised the recommendation to cut in half the number of lots on Long Pond.But the groups were critical that staff did not slash the amount of development or eliminate the resort and subdivisions around Lily Bay. The groups’ leaders said the recommendations "nibble away" at aspects of the development without addressing the bigger question of whether the houses and resorts will harm the natural beauty that makes the Moosehead region unique."We hope very much that there will be vigorous discussion among the commissioners about whether the scope of this development makes sense and is consistent with LURC values," said NRCM executive director Brownie Carson.Muzzy with Plum Creek declined to respond to specific recommendations, saying he and others were still trying to understand their impact. But Muzzy reiterated that the final plan has to make financial sense to the company."We’ve made so many compromises within the last three to 3½ years," Muzzy said. "And now to look at some of the compromises [LURC staff] are recommending, these are really significant."Other proposed changes are intended to minimize the impact of development on the landscape and wildlife.LURC’s seven-member commission will hold two deliberative sessions next week. The sessions, which are open to the public, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27-28, at the St. Paul Center, at 136 State St. in Augusta.Public comments will not be accepted at next week’s meetings. The commission will invite public feedback once a final staff recommendation on the plan has been presented later this year.<a href="http://www.nrcm.org/evaluation_lurc_recommendations.asp">Read NRCM's evaluation of the LURC staff recommendation for changes to Plum Creek's plan.</a> `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`LURC Staff Recommends Changes To Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Should Consider More Changes` post created successfully

`Hannaford Seeks to Recycle 99 Percent of Materials` post created successfully

`Maine's Parks Anticipate Busy Season` post created successfully

`Moosehead's Natural Beauty, Lily Bay At Stake` post created successfully

`Considering Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Public Deliberations Set for This Week on Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Maine's Message to Toymakers is Clear: Get the Lead Out` post created successfully

`Benefits of Kennebec River Dam Removal Cited in Studies, But Sebasticook Fears Persist` post created successfully

`Two Recently Created "Green" Cemeteries in Maine Reject Embalming, Waterproof Caskets and Vaults` post created successfully

`Home Energy Audits Available` post created successfully

`Electric Car? It's Not Unthinkable Any Longer` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Gains at LURC Meeting` post created successfully

`Partnerships That Protect Land and Jobs` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Fate in State's Hands` post created successfully

`Panel Weighs Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`LURC Opens Plum Creek Deliberation` post created successfully

`Critics Not Happy With Recommendations For Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Hearings Underway On Moosehead Lake Development Plan` post created successfully

`Commissioners Hint at Few Changes to Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Deal Hangs on Conservation` post created successfully

`Group Threatens to Sue State Over Canada Lynx` post created successfully

`Running Festival Coming to Augusta` post created successfully

`LURC Deliberations Reveal Taxpayers Would Subsidize Conservation Required to Compensate for Plum Creek’s Massive Developments` post created successfully

`North Woods Debate Heats Up` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Victoria Wallack</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record news story</a> LURC reviews of Plum Creek proposal and new land-use plan likely to have far-reaching impact.AUGUSTA — The staff of the Land Use Regulation Commission, which is essentially the planning board for the 10 million acres in the state's unorganized territory, has just completed its first round of public meetings on a draft land-use plan that timberland owners are calling a "confiscation" of their property rights.Advocates for a more restrictive plan, including the Natural Resources Council of Maine, say the plan recognizes there are residential development pressures that need to be controlled on the largest block of undeveloped forestland in the Northeast.Their argument is being bolstered by a coincidence of timing.The Land Use Regulation Commission, or LURC for short, is beginning its formal public review this week of Plum Creek Timber Co.'s proposal to rezone 20,000 acres around Moosehead Lake to build at least 975 homes and two resorts. It is the largest subdivision ever proposed for the North Woods.While the Moosehead Lake development is getting most of the headlines, the review of LURC's Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which under law is supposed to be updated every 10 years, could have more far-reaching effects on the area. The territory, which serves as the "wood basket" for Maine's pulp, paper and timber industry, stretches over half the state and encompasses what people refer to as the North Woods and wildlands of Maine. The unorganized territory touches 12 different counties, but is largely contained in eight — Aroostook, Penobscot, Somerset, Piscataquis, Washington, Franklin, Oxford and Hancock.Pros and cons Don White, president of Prentiss and Carlisle in Bangor, a forestland management company that represents timberland investors and land owners in the unorganized territory, said his problem with the proposed Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) is it devalues the land his clients own by essentially blocking future development.He points to the first section of the plan that outlines a vision for the area to make his point."The commission's jurisdiction will forever retain its unique principal values and will exemplify a sustainable pattern of land uses," the vision reads. "Look at terms like 'forever,'" he says. "Give me a break."White argues that the desire to keep the area exactly as it is today, highlighting values like "remoteness" and "primitive" recreational pursuits, blocks his clients from any development or even selling conservation easements, because a development ban would make them worthless."Most of our landowners have not developed our land. That's a hell of long way to giving up the right to develop it. You've eliminated value," White said."It's saying, 'Let's paint that picture in permanent colors.' They're penalizing the guys who have been the best and most responsible stewards of the land," he said."The CLUP really should be the economic development engine for the unorganized territory. They've turned it into a confiscation easement," said White, who refers to the plan as "a blueprint for a national park."Diano Circo, the North Woods policy advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, says landowners are using exemptions in the current land use rules to try to push through large-scale residential developments like the one proposed for Moosehead Lake."No one is saying there shouldn't be any development," Circo said, but the current rules limit the commission's ability to say where development should happen.He cites statistics in the current draft plan that say 72 percent of dwellings permitted by the commission since 1971 — when the LURC essentially came into existence — were built on lots that did not have to go through the subdivision review process. The lots either existed before LURC came into being or were created through an exemption to the zoning law.Circo would like to see the plan go even further and prospectively zone some areas completely off-limits to development and restrict or eliminate some exemptions."This is a region that is of national importance. It is the last, largely undeveloped forest in the Eastern United States," he said. When the Legislature created LURC to oversee development in the area, he said, it recognized the territory's future was a concern for the entire state.Two-in-five rule The most talked-about exemption and the one landowners say the draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan appears to want to modify, if not do away with altogether, is the so-called two-in-five rule. It is a statewide statute allowing landowners to split off one lot from an existing parcel once every five years, thus creating two lots over five years' time.The rule allows building lots to be created without subdivision review.Catherine Carroll, executive director of the Land Use Regulation Commission, says timberland owners are blowing up the issue."We have no intention of doing away with two-in-five, and we can't. It would take an act of the Legislature, which the commission is not," Carroll said.Nor is it the commission's intention to ban development in the region in other ways, Carroll said."It wasn't our intent to close the door and lock the jurisdiction up for development. They (commissioners) were created by the legislature in the late 1960s and their purpose is to allow guided development," she said.Patrick Strauch, executive director of the Maine Forest Products Council, doesn't buy the argument that the commission staff is being misinterpreted. Instead, he believes, the plan is laying the groundwork for the Legislature to make changes, including eliminating the two-in-five rule."What we understand the CLUP to be and what we see it doing is kind of cuing up the next legislative issues that need to be resolved," Strauch said. And the draft plan, he says, speaks for itself.Strauch's group has put together a long list of examples of language in the report that show what he believes is a bias against landowner's rights.One example says: "Gone are the days when industrial owners, whose primary focus was on supplying timber to their mills, were the dominant landowners in the jurisdiction. Financial investors … have replaced industrial owners as the dominant landowners in the jurisdiction. Financial investors focus on maximizing the asset value of timberlands. Given rising land values and steady demand for recreational property, financial investors are increasingly likely to seek revenue from non-timber sources, if they will generate a higher return. "If left unchecked, these pressures will continue to drive a pattern of dispersing residential development and lead to a day when the jurisdiction is no different from many other parts of Maine."Carroll said she knows some have interpreted the report to mean the commission wants to block development, but that isn't the case."Some people have reacted, 'Oh you just want to do away with two-and five. You want to lock up the jurisdiction to development.' We need to ease that anxiety," she said.Written comments on the draft report are due June 6, and the plan will then be rewritten where necessary. It will then go out for a formal public review process, before it is ultimately presented to Gov. John Baldacci."We realize we have a lot of work to do. There's a lot of misunderstanding in our message," Carroll said. `, assigning current date

`Plum Creek` post updated successfully

`Hall-Dale Senior Capstone Projects: Can You Say "Automosextacycle?"` post created successfully

`Foes Line Up Against Wind Farm Tax Break` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plans to Cut Down 200-year-old Trees` post created successfully

`Senate to Debate Bill to Fight Global Warming` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Confusion` post created successfully

`Wind Farm TIF Approved` post created successfully

`Land Deals Stand in Stark Contrast` post created successfully

`LURC to Open New Plum Creek Comments` post created successfully

`Public to Revisit Plum Creek Plans` post created successfully

`Going Green Can Mean Starting Small` post created successfully

`Protect Your Pup: Veterinarian Warns of Lead in Toys` post created successfully

`Wind Instead of Oil` post created successfully

`Neil Young Driven to Work on Electric Car Conversion` post created successfully

`Lawyer Wins National Award` post created successfully

`Seal Leaks, Save A Bundle` post created successfully

`Lincoln: Wind Power Firm Eyes Town for Expansion` post created successfully

`Kennebec Commuter: Pooling to Start in City` post created successfully

`A National Energy Policy Would Help Mainers Cope` post created successfully

`It's Time to Get Serious About Carpooling` post created successfully

`Many Fear Old Growth Forest Jeopardized By Development` post created successfully

`Changes Big and Small Can Save Gas` post created successfully

`Eliot Voters OK Wind, Solar Energy Systems` post created successfully

`Tribe's Tidal Study Wins Energy Grant` post created successfully

`New Maine Law Keeps Poisons at Bay` post created successfully

`Conservation Groups Call on LURC to Save Lily Bay` post created successfully

`A Way to Save Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Protect Critical Wildlife Habitat on Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Foes Call For Saving Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Groups Call For Plum Creek to Drop Key Piece of Project` post created successfully

`Conservation Groups Urge Protection of Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Call for Cutback in Plum Creek Development Plans` post created successfully

`Groups Aim to Protect Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Maine Conservation Groups Fight Development at Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Groups Say Lily Bay Should Be Completely Off-Limits` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Compromise` post created successfully

`Gas-sipping Cars, Not Gas Guzzlers, More Popular` post created successfully

`Group on Track to Protect More Down East Acreage` post created successfully

`Preserving Maine’s North Woods` post created successfully

`Wind Power Freedom` post created successfully

`Survey: Attitude on Androscoggin More Positive` post created successfully

`Androscoggin Recreation Plans Have FPL, River Advocates at Odds` post created successfully

`University of Maine Launches Energy Web Site` post created successfully

`E-waste Recycling at Risk` post created successfully

`Two Guys with Pep to Save Energy` post created successfully

`State Seeks Wind Farm Comments` post created successfully

`Protecting Maine's Quality of Place` post created successfully

`Dam is Closer to Removal` post created successfully

`Embracing Energy Alternatives` post created successfully

`Federal Help Critical for Maine's Forests` post created successfully

`Baldacci: Energy Solutions "Crucial"` post created successfully

`FPL Energy Hydro Moving Forward with Dam Removal` post created successfully

`Greening Maine Grows Jobs, Saves Money` post created successfully

`Unspoiled, Scenic Maine a Salve to the Soul` post created successfully

`Portland to Invest in Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Industry Challenge Threatens Maine's Model E-waste Law` post created successfully

`Researcher Seeks to Document Wolves in Maine Woods` post created successfully

`This Cathedral is Colored "Green"` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Mechele Cooper, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> WHITEFIELD -- Humidity didn't slow down the crew that showed up on Monday to paint the sanctuary of the new Cathedral Church of The Twelve Holy Apostles.Too humid and it takes a bit longer for the drywall mud to set.Members of the congregation want to have the sanctuary done in time for a dedication of their new "green," solar-powered, earth-sheltered church.The dedication is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday and will celebrate the Feast of the Holy Apostles, which normally is celebrated Monday, according to the Rev. Douglas Wright.The first service in the new church will be held Sunday."The humidity isn't cooperating," Wright said as he pointed out the drywall compound to volunteers.This simple, beautiful, country cathedral sanctuary is a masterpiece of post-and-beam construction built by members of the parish and a neighbor, master builder Robert Lear.Once the sanctuary is completed, large icons of the 12 apostles will be hung, each in its own bay on either side of the church. The east wall will be adorned with icons of the Four Evangelists, Wright said.Herb and Judy Nixon, of Bristol, were among the volunteers helping to build the church at 625 Head Tide Road. Construction began last August."We're very excited about the church and happy for the opportunity to work on it," Herb Nixon said as he prepared to install some doors. "Not many people have the opportunity to build a church."Wright said the land on the Sheepscot River had been in his family since 1938. He donated 18 acres with a 300-foot frontage on the river to the American Orthodox Community church in 1988.He said the church is three-quarters finished.Set on a hill overlooking the Sheepscot River at the end of a long gravel driveway that winds between a green pasture and a stand of pine trees, the view from the cathedral doors is a panorama of Sheepscot Valley fields, woods and river.The walls are insulated with reflective foil bubble wrap as well as Styrofoam panels.The exterior is plain cedar shingles with simple windows and the insulating earthen berms. Lower roofs of the church will be covered by sand and dirt, then seeded over."All the post-and-beam work was quite complicated, but strong enough to carry the heavy load," Wright said. "It's being done all over Europe. I've been living in an earth-sheltered monastery for 20 years with a wood cook stove that heats domestic water."He said radiant-floor heating will keep the church warm, and electricity will be generated by 16 solar panels. The system, he said, was designed and supplied by New England Solar Electric in Worthington, Mass."I have a conviction that it is immoral to waste energy, especially today," Wright added.The unfinished portion of the church includes the vestment closet, laundry, kitchen, Wright's office, dining room and Sunday school area.When completed, the 47-foot-by-64-foot church will cost about $130,000, excluding volunteer labor.Wright planted flower beds encircled by large rocks before the roof was finished, hoping they will bloom in time for the celebration.He said people of all faiths are invited to join the church, which has eight members.Toni Hinds, of Alna, another volunteer, came Monday to paint, and was busy stirring a gallon of off-white to brighten the walls of the sanctuary.According to Hinds, the new church is the best thing that has happened since she joined the congregation 12 years ago."It's a wonderful family group of people who come to this little church," Hinds said. "It's more than just being a parishioner."`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,More News You Can Use` post created successfully

`Maine to Hold 2009 EnergyOcean Conference` post created successfully

`Government Understates Ozone Threat` post created successfully

`Decreasing CO2 Now Will Pay Dividends Later` post created successfully

`Wildlife, Noise Studies Discussed at Roxbury Wind-power Meeting` post created successfully

`Generation Gap in River Perceptions` post created successfully

`Congress Can't Even Take Simple Energy Step` post created successfully

`50 States in 50 Days: Denver Man Hikes Mount Katahdin in Effort to Engage Kids` post created successfully

`Developing Moosehead Will Destroy Its Character` post created successfully

`Free Bus Rides Offered` post created successfully

`Go Inside Their Homes` post created successfully

`Moosehead Area Deserves a Break` post created successfully

`Renovation Program Seeks Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Schools Take Crash Courses in Energy Savings` post created successfully

`Newport: For Couple, Windmill a "Good Idea"` post created successfully

`State Plover Population Plummets to New Low` post created successfully

`Support Builds for Energy Session` post created successfully

`LURC Set to OK Wind Power Project` post created successfully

`Credits Available for Energy Upgrades` post created successfully

`Closed-Door Deal Could Open Land In Montana` post created successfully

`Hybrid Tax Credit Program Needs to be Re-engineered` post created successfully

`Experts: Renewable Energy Crucial for Maine` post created successfully

`Elliotsville: Group Hopes to Save Old-growth Stand` post created successfully

`LURC to Take Up Final Wind Farm Plan` post created successfully

`Vernal Pools Fuel Maine Woods` post created successfully

`Paving Paradise For a Better Future, Donald Trump Style?` post created successfully

`State Funding Boosts Efforts to Preserve Land` post created successfully

`Group Seeks to Hold Off Winter Heating Crisis` post created successfully

`Plum Creek: A Fair Deal for Maine?` post created successfully

`Moosehead's "Natural Character" Ignored` post created successfully

`State Approves Kibby Wind Farm Project` post created successfully

`$18M Awarded for Conservation` post created successfully

`High Ozone Levels Prompt Call for Tougher Limits` post created successfully

`Film at Unity Tells Saga of Solar Panels` post created successfully

`"Urgent Fix Needed" For Flawed EPA Power Plant Cleanup Plan, Says NRCM, Lung Association` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Mostly OK With Changes` post created successfully

`30-year-old Bottle Law Part of State Ethic` post created successfully

`Time's Right for a Plunge into Car Pool` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Agrees to Some, Not All, Changes` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Gives Some Ground, But Not Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Ft. Halifax Dam Breach Starts` post created successfully

`Judge Approves Second Phase of Penobscot Pollution Study` post created successfully

`It's Not the Answers That Are Biased, It's the Questions` post created successfully

`Winslow Breach Set for Today` post created successfully

`Overwhelming Numbers Urge LURC to "Save Lily Bay" from Plum Creek Moosehead Lake Development` post created successfully

`Opponents "Beg" LURC to Save Lily Bay` post created successfully

`Bottle Bill Update` post created successfully

`Pittston Farm Looks to Go "Green"` post created successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam Removal Raises Tempers` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Suggestions Overwhelm LURC` post created successfully

`Fish, Economics, Law Secured Dam's Undoing` post created successfully

`Fort Halifax Dam Breached` post created successfully

`Officials Want Lake Auburn Wind Power Tests` post created successfully

`FPL Energy Hydro Begins Removal of Fort Halifax Dam` post created successfully

`Lily Bay Deserves Special Treatment` post created successfully

`Growing By the Rules in the North Woods` post created successfully

`Maine Lawmakers Urged to Strengthen Chemical Safety System` post created successfully

`Ecology Center Releases 2nd Annual Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars and Children's Car Seats at www.HealthyCar.org` post created successfully

`UM Researcher Tells Congress Offshore Wind Power Holds Great Potential` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Could Learn a Lesson from Canadians` post created successfully

`Augusta: City OKs Windmill Rules` post created successfully

`No Ambiguity: Lobster is Safe, Green Stuff Isn't` post created successfully

`Report: Maine Must Lessen Energy Appetite` post created successfully

`CMP Seeks Approval for $1.4B Power Lines` post created successfully

`Baldacci "Concerned" About Plum Creek Plans for Lily Bay` post created successfully

`The Rush to Wood` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Delays Tree Harvest` post created successfully

`Mussel-ing Up` post created successfully

`Community-supported Farming Grows More Than Food` post created successfully

`Nothing to Love About That Dirty Water` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Focus of Celebration: Revival Bash on Waterfront Draws Hundreds` post created successfully

`U.S. State Wages Fight Against Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Keeping Kennebec Land Trust Growing for Generations` post created successfully

`Ecologists Say Plum Creek Forest Is Old; Not Old Growth` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Agree to Ban Toxins in Children's Items` post created successfully

`Island Co-op to Erect Wind Turbines` post created successfully

`Review Rates COA, Bates Among "Greenest" Colleges` post created successfully

`Protecting the Littlest Consumers` post created successfully

`Maine Preservation Touts Green Projects` post created successfully

`Plan to Power Islands with Wind OK'd` post created successfully

`Ogunquit Keen on Going Green` post created successfully

`Meeting Angers River Group` post created successfully

`Approve Plum Creek's Development Plan in Pieces` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan for Moosehead Should Be Stopped Cold` post created successfully

`DEP Androscoggin Meeting Date Set` post created successfully

`A Green Leader, In Our Backyard` post created successfully

`Hydrogen Vehicles Fuel Curiosity` post created successfully

`Wind Power Firm Eyes Maine` post created successfully

`Where Did One of Maine's Most Significant Conservation Victories Just Happen?` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Push Tougher Fuel Standard` post created successfully

`Groups Going to Court, Pressing Further Protection of Lynx` post created successfully

`Collection Set for Home Toxics` post created successfully

`DEP to Broaden Scope of Milfoil Survey` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Sought in Norway` post created successfully

`Lincoln Announces Wind Farm Hearing` post created successfully

`Officials of Texas-based Company Negotiating with Landowners` post created successfully

`Scary-sounding Ingredients in Your Cleaning Supplies May Make You Ask: What Would Vinegar Do?` post created successfully

`Two Island Groups Pursuing Wind Power to Combat Escalating Costs` post created successfully

`Project to Remove Two Dams Along Penobscot` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Enters New Phase` post created successfully

`Citizens Ask DEP for Cleaner River` post created successfully

`Penobscot Project is Halfway to $50M Goal` post created successfully

`Maine Conservationists Reach Milestone in Plan to Buy 3 Dams` post created successfully

`Undamming the Penobscot` post created successfully

`Maine Joins New Global Warming Lawsuit` post created successfully

`Penobscot Agreement is Breakthrough` post created successfully

`Open Waters Run Deeper` post created successfully

`Work Begins on Kibby Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Many Entities Behind Atlantic Salmon Restoration` post created successfully

`Work Begins on Maine's Largest Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Endangered Salmon Proposal Covers 3 Rivers` post created successfully

`Feds Propose Salmon Protection in Major Maine Rivers` post created successfully

`Maine Doesn't Need Another Salmon War` post created successfully

`Wanted: Energy Auditors` post created successfully

`COA Opens New Energy-efficient Dorms` post created successfully

`Salmon Listing, Round 2` post created successfully

`Androscoggin River Salmon Habitat Proposal Gets Mixed Reviews` post created successfully

`Twin Cities Seek to Trim Energy Costs` post created successfully

`Cape to Allow Residents to Generate Wind Power` post created successfully

`Farmers Eye State's Windy Coast` post created successfully

`Panel to Address Feedback on Land-use Plan for UT` post created successfully

`Maine Could Gain More Than 9,000 Jobs by Investing in Global Warming Solutions` post created successfully

`Report Calls for "Green Energy" Job Stimulus` post created successfully

`Augusta: Windmill Proposal for Cony to be Aired` post created successfully

`Green Jobs Promoted` post created successfully

`Going Green Could Help Mainers Make Green` post created successfully

`Report: Green Economy Will Create Jobs` post created successfully

`LURC Debates Land Use Update` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Process a "Dangerous Precedent"` post created successfully

`City Gets Gauge for Wind Test` post created successfully

`Energy Forum Generates Ideas for Warming Up` post created successfully

`Turbine Adds to Mt. Abram's Greening` post created successfully

`Lee Hires Firm for Talks on $120M Wind Project` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Deliberations Set in Bangor` post created successfully

`Message In A Bottle Containing Bisphenol` post created successfully

`River Doing Better in Class` post created successfully

`LURC Nears Choices on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Developer Expects Answers This Week` post created successfully

`Benefits of a Dam at Scribner's Mill Not Sufficient` post created successfully

`Carbon Auction a Step Toward Clearing the Air` post created successfully

`Auction to Mark Milestone for RGGI` post created successfully

`Energy Auditors in High Demand` post created successfully

`Toxicologist: Dismissal was Unfair` post created successfully

`Tracking Thoreau Through Maine's "Grim and Wild" Land` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Project Progresses` post created successfully

`Energy Forum Set for Oct. 1` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Susan M. Cover</h3> <a href="http://www.mainetoday.com" target="_blank">MaineToday.com news update</a> AUGUSTA -- Gov. John Baldacci will host an energy savings program that is open to the public at 6:30 p.m. on October 1, according to his office. The governor and energy experts will be at the Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, which will be linked up live to the other six community colleges across the state.The seminar is designed for homeowners and businesses who want to learn more about a number of low-cost, do-it-yourself projects that they can accomplish to help save energy - and money - this winter season. Tips include basic home improvement repairs to stop cold air from leaking into buildings, such as filling holes around foundations and attics; sealing gaps in windows and doors; and finding trouble areas to add insulation to.The one-hour program will be available after Oct. 1 on the State's energy assistance Web site, and instructional DVDs will be included in the Keep ME Warm kits that will be available mid-October.To register for the program, call 629-4000, or e-mail <a href="mailto:winter@mccs.me.edu">winter@mccs.me.edu</a> with:•Your Name•Your E-mail Address•Your Contact Telephone #•The LOCATION you plan to attend (listed below)Central Maine Community College, Auburn Kirk Hall - Lecture Room 103Eastern Maine Community College, Bangor Rangeley Hall - Room 501AKennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield Carter Hall - Lecture HallNorthern Maine Community College, Presque Isle Christie Building - Lecture HallSouthern Maine Community College, South Portland Hildreth Hall - Room 101Washington County Community College, Calais Administration Building - Assembly RoomYork County Community College, Wells Administration Building - Function RoomMaine Community College System, Augusta Board Room - 1st Floor`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Coalition Makes an Emissions Statement` post created successfully

`Fate of Moosehead Lake in LURC's Hands` post created successfully

`Plum Creek’s Lily Bay Development Throws Entire Plan out of Balance` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Goes To Land Use Commissioners` post created successfully

`Fans, Foes of Moosehead Plan Air Arguments` post created successfully

`LURC Begins Deliberations on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`LURC Endorses Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Maine Regulators Deliberating Moosehead Project` post created successfully

`NMCC Announces Program for Wind Power Technicians` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Development a Step Closer Toward Approval` post created successfully

`Northeast CO2 on Auction Block` post created successfully

`Emission Rights for Sale in Auction` post created successfully

`Northeast Makes History with First U.S. Auction of Carbon Credits` post created successfully

`Maine Solar Power Backers Plan Biggest Site Tour Ever` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Offered Workable Deal by LURC` post created successfully

`A Greener Future` post created successfully

`Officials: Carbon Cap-and-trade Off to Good Start` post created successfully

`Both Congressional Candidates Call Environmental Issues a Top Priority` post created successfully

`Panel Backs Careful Shift to Wood Heat` post created successfully

`Emission Credits Raise $39 Million` post created successfully

`Wilton: Forum Gives Advice on Energy Savings` post created successfully

`Environment, Business and Government Representatives Urge Businesses to Tap Efficiency to Control Energy Costs` post created successfully

`Statement by Brownie Carson at Energy Efficiency Press Conference` post created successfully

`State to Award iPod for Kids' Energy-saving Ideas` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Opponents Meet with State Regulators` post created successfully

`As a Tax and Regulation Plan, RGGI Works` post created successfully

`Salmon's Future a Gauge of Our Humanity` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Process Defended` post created successfully

`Grant Grows a Green Grocery` post created successfully

`Lewiston Joins Effort to get River Water Quality Elevated` post created successfully

`Free Juice Could be in the Wind` post created successfully

`Maine Woods Face Condos on Thoreau's "Gleaming Silver Platter"` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Told: Take It or Leave It` post created successfully

`Our Strength of Character` post created successfully

`Renewable Energy Draws Fryeburg Fairgoers' Interest` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Session Planned` post created successfully

`Maine Plan Has Whitefish Wondering` post created successfully

`Conservation Double Dip` post created successfully

`Deal Protects Counties' Mountains` post created successfully

`Chamber Offers Energy Workshop` post created successfully

`Energy Programs Receive First Wave of CO2 Money` post created successfully

`Green-Collar Jobs` post created successfully

`It All Starts at Home` post created successfully

`Living Off-grid` post created successfully

`A Spectacular Gift Overwhelmed by Greed` post created successfully

`Chamber Hosts Talk on Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`UMaine Climate Conference to be Streamed Online` post created successfully

`Pro Wind-power Message Blows Through Forum` post created successfully

`Schools Wise to Energy Savings` post created successfully

`Wind Firm Eyes Oakfield, Rumford` post created successfully

`Program on Wind Energy Set at Library` post created successfully

`Researcher Calls for Focus on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Clock is Ticking` post created successfully

`UMaine Gets More Work for Its Watts` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Accepts LURC Conditions` post created successfully

`UMaine to Tackle Human Impact on Environment` post created successfully

`NRCM Award Goes to Scarborough Mom for Her Work to Stop Toxic Pollution` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives Award to Hampden Middle Schooler` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives “People’s Choice” Award to Wiscasset Coal Plant Activist` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives Award to Law Firms in Portland, D.C. for River Restoration Efforts` post created successfully

`Exemption Sought in Wildlife Case` post created successfully

`Lincoln Planning Board Decides Against Wind Moratorium` post created successfully

`Warming Warning to Maine: Adapt` post created successfully

`Governor to Name Task Force to Shape State Energy Strategy` post created successfully

`Wind Expert: Don't Blow It` post created successfully

`BINGHAM/MOSCOW: Student Enrolls in New Wind Power Program` post created successfully

`Community Center Gets New Windows to Boost Efficiency` post created successfully

`Fireworks Over, Observers Await Plum Creek Fallout` post created successfully

`State Rejects Plan for Rebuilt Dam` post created successfully

`States Team Up vs. Mercury` post created successfully

`Salmon, Hydro Proposal Collide on Crooked River` post created successfully

`Workshop Offers Ideas On Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Maine Joins Effort to Force Stricter Mercury Rules` post created successfully

`Energy Challenge Aims to Benefit NMCC, Students` post created successfully

`Scribner's Mill Dam Issue Headed Toward Proper Ruling` post created successfully

`Contest Promotes Use of Recycled Materials for Halloween Costumes` post created successfully

`Salmon Proposal Affects State’s Major Rivers` post created successfully

`Hearing Looks at New Atlantic Salmon Protections` post created successfully

`Saving Salmon` post created successfully

`Senior Housing Developer Gets LEED Certification` post created successfully

`Salmon-listing Proposal Sparks Lively Debate` post created successfully

`Tests Begin on Lake Auburn Wind` post created successfully

`Expanding Salmon River List Triggers a Range of Reviews` post created successfully

`Gov. Baldacci to Volunteer with Keep ME Warm` post created successfully

`Governor Aids Weatherization Efforts` post created successfully

`Keep ME Warm` post created successfully

`Money in the Wind` post created successfully

`Forum to Tackle Energy Issues` post created successfully

`Retail Stores to Pay $5 for Old Thermostats` post created successfully

`Augusta "Green" Store to Open in 2009` post created successfully

`Wind Turbines Proposed for Woodstock Hill` post created successfully

`Wind Developer, State Plan Info Meeting Nov. 20` post created successfully

`Wind Turbine Law Suggested for Norway` post created successfully

`2 Maine Wind Projects Proposed` post created successfully

`Hampden Pupils Take Recycling Efforts to Heart` post created successfully

`Movement Wants Kids to "Experience Life, Not Watch"` post created successfully

`Farm Energy Audit Workshop Offered` post created successfully

`Efficiency, Not Oil, is Energy's Future` post created successfully

`Waterville to Host Energy Conference` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> WATERVILLE -- Finding ways to conserve energy and promote sustainability will be the subject of a three-day community forum.The Community Catalyst for Energy Conservation and Sustainability is being hosted Jan. 17-19 at the Waterville Opera House by the city and its Sustainability Committee.It will include 60 invited participants from the city and local towns, who will take the Opera House stage for three days to discuss the issue and develop an action plan. The public may observe the process."We very much want to make this a regional thing, so we're inviting people from Oakland, Winslow, Fairfield and surrounding towns," City Manager Michael Roy said.Invitations to the 60 stage participants will be mailed out this week, starting Wednesday, and will include people from various age and ethnic groups, municipal officials, those considered energy experts and ordinary citizens, according to Roy and Sally Harwood, a member of the Sustainability Committee.Roy and Harwood said the group hopes to create a guide including strategies and practical ways for municipalities and individuals to conserve energy in everyday life."It's for the community at large," Harwood said.A local donor who wished to remain anonymous is providing funding for forum facilitators Larry Lemmel, Michael Kelly and Jessica Tracy of Running Start Institute, a nonprofit group located in Brunswick.Running Start operates forums all over the state, including in communities and school districts. It also help develop a strategic homeland security plan for the state.Lemmel and Kelly also ran a forum at the Opera House in 1996, hosted by the community group REM, that explored what the city and mid-Maine wanted to look like in the future. That forum resulted in a Newsweek magazine story that featured REM executive director Faye Nicholson.Lemmel said Friday he looks forward to returning to Waterville for the energy forum, which he said is unique."It's great to know the city is taking the lead in this, and as far as I know, it's the only city in the United States that's facilitating an energy conservation and sustainability forum in a communitywide way," he said. "I don't know of any other examples of that. It's a wonderful thing, and I hope other communities follow the example."Lemmel said inviting the public to observe is a plus, and that does not happen in a lot of other cases."I think there's a great advantage to doing this publicly," he said.The Sustainability Committee started as a city panel and branched out to include people from other communities. Henry Beck, a city councilor recently elected to the Maine House of Representatives from District 76, is the committee's chairman. Other members, besides Roy and Harwood, include City Planner Ann Beverage; Waterville schools business manager James Reny; Public Works Director Mark Turner; City Assessor Paul Castonguay; W. Elery Keene, a Winslow Planning Board member; Alice Elliott, assistant director of community outreach for Colby College's Goldfarb Center; and Colby student Steve Erario.The forum will address questions such as: * What do we want our community to be like in the future?* What are our local options for improving energy conservation and sustainability?* Which of these are most important to work on now?* What are the community's priorities for working on these goals?* How much progress have we made already in addressing them?* What specific tasks and projects will help us make progress?* Who will coordinate and who will participate in this work?* What kinds of immediate progress do we expect to make?* How do we organize citizen participation in order to do the work required of us?`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`UMPI Windmill Project A "Go"` post created successfully

`Raising the Wind` post created successfully

`Roxbury Wind Project Draws Questions` post created successfully

`Woodstock Discusses Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Teaches Mainers Lessons to Remember` post created successfully

`Lincoln Volunteers Help Insulate Homes` post created successfully

`Bush Aides Rush to Enact a Rule Obama Opposes` post created successfully

`Save the Economy, and the Planet` post created successfully

`Plans for the World's Biggest Wind Farm` post created successfully

`LURC Staff Urge More Talks on Unorganized Territory` post created successfully

`Lewiston's New Energy Czar Starts Job` post created successfully

`Lots of Energy Efficiency Cash – So Who Gets It?` post created successfully

`Development Debate Postpones Land Use Plan` post created successfully

`State Makes 1st Foray Into Carbon-trading Auctions` post created successfully

`SAD 17 Sees Big Savings on Energy` post created successfully

`Maine Forest Practices Examined` post created successfully

`E-waste to Be Accepted Today at Bangor Mall Lot` post created successfully

`Zoning Should Not Stop East End Wind-power Study` post created successfully

`Gift Shopping? Beward Hazardous Toys` post created successfully

`UM Eyes Offshore Wind Farms` post created successfully

`Judge Won’t Block HoltraChem Cleanup` post created successfully

`Probe Finds Air Toxins Around Maine Schools` post created successfully

`Species battles back on Penobscot` post created successfully

`Wind Developer Proposes Redington Annexation` post created successfully

`Kids Will Play Ball as Windmill Provides Light` post created successfully

`An Energy Answer Blowing in the Wind` post created successfully

`PITTSFIELD: Town Hopes to Power Recycling Center with Wind` post created successfully

`State Disputes Air Quality Report` post created successfully

`Bush Administration Throws Environment Parting Punch` post created successfully

`Green Building Economic Opportunity in the Wings` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Sue EPA Over Mercury` post created successfully

`Maine Emission Law May Get Teeth` post created successfully

`Board Gets Update on Wind Project` post created successfully

`Agency Planning to Wring Out $300M in Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Board Backs Wind Turbine` post created successfully

`F.D.A. to Reconsider Plastic Bottle Risk` post created successfully

`NRCM and Other Conservation Groups Sue EPA Over Power Plant Air Toxic Pollution` post created successfully

`Popularity Puts Chill on "Polar Dips"` post created successfully

`Allagash Wilderness Waterway Eroding` post created successfully

`Agricultural Trades Show to Focus on Energy` post created successfully

`NRCM at 50` post created successfully

`Chemicals: Our Champions, Our Killers` post created successfully

`Pollution At Home Often Lurks Unrecognized` post created successfully

`What's the Dam Point?` post created successfully

`Forest Industry Speaks Out on Cutbacks` post created successfully

`Forest Service Cuts Under Fire` post created successfully

`State Blocks Crooked River Dam` post created successfully

`NMCC Kicks Off Wind Tech Program` post created successfully

`Hybrids Start to Catch On` post created successfully

`Maine DEP Denies Scribner's Mill Permit` post created successfully

`Group Seeks to Encourage Wind Power Development` post created successfully

`Bill Could Scrap Gas Guzzlers` post created successfully

`State Needs Parks Plan` post created successfully

`Close Votes Give Windmills OK` post created successfully

`Mercury Recycling Program Has Silver Lining: Store Credit of $5` post created successfully

`Federal Reimbursement Program Promotes Concept of Bicycle Commuting` post created successfully

`Maine’s 2nd Big Wind Farm Set to Launch` post created successfully

`Another Attempt: Gently-used Wind Power Plan Resurfaces in Redington` post created successfully

`Former HoltraChem Owners Appeal EPA’s Cleanup Order for Toxic Soil` post created successfully

`Mercury Program Makes It Pay to Do the Right Thing` post created successfully

`E. Maine Wind Farm Dedicated` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.newstimes.com" target="_blank">Danbury (CT) News-Times news story</a> DANFORTH, Maine—Gov. John Baldacci joined First Wind officials and builders Thursday to mark the start of commercial energy generation at the Stetson Wind project, which becomes the largest wind-power facility in New England. First Wind said the 38 General Electric turbines on Stetson Mountain in eastern Maine's Washington County will generate about 167 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity every year, the equivalent power needs of 23,500 homes. With Thursday's dedication, the project officially began generating power for delivery to the New England electrical grid, said the Newton, Mass.-based First Wind. Stetson surpasses the 28-turbine Mars Hill wind project in northern Maine as New England's largest. Both projects are First Wind's. During Thursday's dedication, Baldacci said power from Stetson Wind displaces traditional energy production that contributes to global warming and pollution. "It also reduces our dependence on foreign, unstable energy sources," the governor said. First Wind says a traditional fossil fuel facility producing the same amount of electric energy as Stetson Wind would consume more than 331,000 barrels of oil per year. Baldacci said First Wind spent approximately $50 million with Maine businesses to complete the construction, which began about a year ago. About 350 jobs were created in development and construction of the project, located in a remote area southwest of Danforth. With the Stetson Wind project operational, six full-time jobs have been created at the site. First Wind President Paul Gaynor said Mars Hill and Stetson together are generating nearly 100 megawatts of clean wind energy. He said the company is making renewable wind power in Maine a reality and has other projects already in development in the state. Even as the Stetson project goes on line, First Wind is seeking permitting for an extension known as Stetson II. It also plans a project near the town of Lincoln. In western Maine, Alberta-based TransCanada's 44-turbine project on Kibby Mountain is under construction. After completion in 2010, it is expected to generate the equivalent power needs of 50,000 homes. Several other Maine projects are also in planning stages. "In Maine, we're not just talking about the need for clean energy, we're doing it," said Pete Didisheim of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, an environmental advocacy group. "The companies and subcontractors who have brought this project to completion are helping to create a new energy future not just for Maine, but for our nation." The general contractor for Stetson Wind, Reed & Reed, said his company is committed to building wind energy farms in the future. "We are very fortunate here in Maine because the wind blows strong and on a regular basis," said the construction firm's president, Jack Parker.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Wind Farm Starts Up` post created successfully

`State Emissions Fight: Obama Clears the Air` post created successfully

`Emissions Rules Get Champion` post created successfully

`Expert: Building Green Maine’s Best Bet to Save Cash` post created successfully

`Maine and Other States Given Go Ahead for Emission Standards` post created successfully

`Here Comes the Green` post created successfully

`States Ought to Pursue Next-generation Vehicles` post created successfully

`Energy Audit Could Cut City's Costs` post created successfully

`New Way to Recycle Computers` post created successfully

`Maine May Yet Be Able to Set Fuel-use Rules` post created successfully

`Emissions Reconsidered` post created successfully

`Forum to Address Wind Energy` post created successfully

`Bills Encourage Wind Power, Small-scale Energy Production` post created successfully

`Environmental Coalition Stakes Out Priorities for Lawmakers` post created successfully

`Environmental, Health Groups Urge Action at State House` post created successfully

`Raft of Environmental Bills in Legislative Hopper` post created successfully

`Environmental Coalition Lists Legislative Priorities` post created successfully

`Maine Environmentalists List Priorities` post created successfully

`If Eagles are to Keep Soaring, We Must Keep Vigil` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council of Maine Celebrates 50 Years Protecting the Nature of Maine` post created successfully

`Flying High?` post created successfully

`Progress Center, HOPE Plan Solar Workshop` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Unite on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Remarks by Brownie Carson Regarding Maine Businesses Call for Leadership to Address Climate Change` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Urge Snowe, Collins, Michaud and Pingree to Lead Fight to Help Stop Climate Change` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Focus on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Want Global Warming Addressed` post created successfully

`Panel: Remove Eagle From List` post created successfully

`Consumers Keep Focus on Saving Cash, Energy` post created successfully

`Children’s Illnesses from Pollutants Cost Mainers $380 Million` post created successfully

`Study: Contaminant-caused Diseases Costly` post created successfully

`Birds Wintering Farther North, Audubon Says` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Admits Mistakenly Logging in Deer Wintering Area` post created successfully

`Islanders Eye Potential for Wind Power` post created successfully

`Wind Power Fight Goes to Court` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Violates Deer Habitat Agreement` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Violates Erosion Regulations` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Critical Of Plum Creek And Maine Regulators` post created successfully

`Wind Company Opening Oakfield Office` post created successfully

`Restoring the Penobscot` post created successfully

`Critic Says Plum Creek Logging Caused Mudslide` post created successfully

`Pike in Perspective` post created successfully

`Rumford Mountain Eyed for Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Apologizes for Incident of Erosion` post created successfully

`Small Charge Defends Against Huge Risk` post created successfully

`Schools in Augusta, Chelsea to Get Wind Power` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Hearing Set` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 347, “An Act to Reduce Regulatory Costs for Maine Businesses”` post created successfully

`A Spark for Energy Sector` post created successfully

`Going Green` post created successfully

`Group Pushes for Androscoggin Upgrade` post created successfully

`Bush EPA Power Plant Mercury Rule Dead` post created successfully

`Maine Environmentalists Applaud Supreme Court Mercury Decision` post created successfully

`Bangor School’s Recycling Draws State’s Attention` post created successfully

`Program Explores Energy Alternatives` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 367 “An Act to Reduce the Amount of Plastic Introduced into the Waste Stream”` post created successfully

`Portland Developer Plans Solar Village` post created successfully

`Maine Gets Lynx Habitat Protection` post created successfully

`Plastic Bag Charge Proposed In Maine` post created successfully

`Legislators Weigh 10-cent Shopping-Bag Tax` post created successfully

`Lynx-protection Zone Approved for North Woods` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Advance on Emissions` post created successfully

`Addressing Tar Sands Impact` post created successfully

`Warmer Climate Changing Maine` post created successfully

`Maine Focus of Climate Change Study` post created successfully

`Town Exploring Wind Development Options` post created successfully

`Trash-collecting Girls Spiff Up the Town` post created successfully

`Canadian Lynx To Benefit From Habitat in Maine` post created successfully

`Canada Lynx Habitat Now Better Protected` post created successfully

`Maine Must Be Prepared for Climate Changes` post created successfully

`Farmington Forum to Help Save Energy at Home, Farm` post created successfully

`EPA to Monitor Air Near Some Schools` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Expansion Supported` post created successfully

`Experts on Climate to Speak at Bates` post created successfully

`Commission OKs Stetson II Wind Farm` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Urged to Expand Energy Programs` post created successfully

`A 10-cent Fee on Plastic Bags Would Greatly Help Environment` post created successfully

`LURC Taking Comments on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Global Warming Influences Cold Weather Industry` post created successfully

`Maine's Land Debate Starting` post created successfully

`Bipartisan Elected Leaders Rally for Land for Maine’s Future` post created successfully

`Energy, Jobs Plan` post created successfully

`State Lawmakers Support Land Bonds` post created successfully

`Maine Land Program Fights for Survival` post created successfully

`Bill Would Mandate Canoe, Kayak Licenses` post created successfully

`Can We Force Plum Creek Accountability?` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 536, “An Act to Enhance Maine’s Electronic Waste Law”` post created successfully

`Testimony Neither For Nor Against LD 622, “An Act to Promote the Accessability and Use of Reusable Bags”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 886, "An Act to Secure Maine’s Energy Future"` post created successfully

`Island’s Energy Independence Touted as a Model for Maine` post created successfully

`Baldacci Unveils More Energy Plan Details` post created successfully

`State Gets Surprise Bottle Deposit Check` post created successfully

`UMA Forum Sees Eco-Energy Future` post created successfully

`$69M to Help Mainers Realize Energy Projects` post created successfully

`Coal Consequences` post created successfully

`Maine To Receive $69 Million In Energy Efficiency Funds` post created successfully

`Another View: Land Bonds Always Popular, and They're Always Needed` post created successfully

`Vinalhaven Wind Power Project Touted` post created successfully

`Maker of Cleaners to Scrub Some Chemicals from Products` post created successfully

`Legislation Targets Chemical Linked to Disease` post created successfully

`Environmental Economics` post created successfully

`Eternal Sunshine is Maine's Power Answer` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 891 – An Act to Amend the Site Location of Development Laws` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by the Natural Resources Council of Maine</h3> The Natural Resources Council of Maine supports enactment of L.D. 891. This legislation could help Maine achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by as much as 75-80% over the long term. These goals were established by in an agreement by the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, and codified in Maine statue in 2003 with passage of An Act to Provide Leadership in Addressing the Threat of Climate Change. Despite leadership initiatives taken by the Maine Legislature, voluntary approaches such as the Governor’s Climate Challenge, and regional strategies including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Maine and the region are not currently on track to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction goals.At the same time, scientists increasingly are cataloguing how climate change could have major impacts on Maine’s economy, environment, and quality of life. The recently completed Maine’s Climate Future report, prepared by researchers at the University of Maine, paints a worrisome picture of how Maine could change if actions are not taken now, aggressively, to deeply cut greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors – including electricity, transportation, and the built environment. L.D. 891 could serve as a useful tool to ensure that new construction in Maine not have unreasonable emissions of greenhouse gases. It makes sense for DEP to evaluate the greenhouse gas profile of proposed construction projects as site law permits are being evaluated, so that developers and the State have a clear understanding of whether particular projects may help or hinder our efforts to achieve Maine’s climate goals. L.D. 891 will help encourage energy efficient building design, and planned approaches for transportation, solid waste, and land use. We encourage you to support this legislation. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Bill Would Regulate Land Use to Help Slow Climate Change` post created successfully

`Help Sought to Find Blue Heron Colonies` post created successfully

`Green Fair to Feature Turbine` post created successfully

`UMF Hosts Maine Climate Summit Next Month` post created successfully

`Acadia Closes Trails to Protect Peregrine Falcons` post created successfully

`AUGUSTA: Washington Sends $100K to City for Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Pollution on the Rise in Maine` post created successfully

`Envisioning A Future of Green Energy` post created successfully

`Releases Put Sappi on EPA List` post created successfully

`Portland to Consider Lights-out Proposal` post created successfully

`UMF Seeks to Reduce Computer Energy Use` post created successfully

`Protect Kids from Effects of Pesticides` post created successfully

`Chemicals Collecting Along U.S. Coastlines` post created successfully

`Cost, Benefit at Issue in Bulb Recycling Debate` post created successfully

`Expert Touts Renewable Energy` post created successfully

`Get Toxic Chemicals Out of Products Used by Children` post created successfully

`Wind Power Generates Interest in Sumner` post created successfully

`Bill Targets Mercury in Fluorescent Bulbs` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Air Mercury Bills` post created successfully

`Maine Must Fund Real Energy Progress Itself` post created successfully

`Planetary Emergency is Summit's Focus` post created successfully

`Portland City Council Votes to Go Green` post created successfully

`Contractors Get a Spark from Efficiency Incentive` post created successfully

`Grocery Bag Tax? Not Quite Yet` post created successfully

`Salon Goes Solar to Heat Shop Water` post created successfully

`Wind Developer Eyes Maine Project` post created successfully

`Wind Power Developer Seeks to Build in Oakfield` post created successfully

`Large-scale Conservation Project Moves Forward In Grand Lake` post created successfully

`Maine — the Largest Producer of Wind Energy in New England` post created successfully

`Household Hazardous Waste Depot Opening` post created successfully

`NMCC Wind Power Tech Program "a Hit"` post created successfully

`Another View: Years of Delay on Global Warming Make Wind Power Imperative Now` post created successfully

`Sides Debate Climate Measure's Timing` post created successfully

`Town Sponsors Regional Energy Forum` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 821 “An Act to Support Collection and Proper Disposal of Unwanted Drugs”` post created successfully

`Energy Bill Pits Businesses Against Environmentalists` post created successfully

`UMPI Windmill Nearing Completion` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1333, An Act To Establish Climate and Energy Planning in Maine` post created successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to LD 741, An Act To Authorize the Annexation of a Portion of Redington Township in Franklin County to the Town of Carrabassett Valley` post created successfully

`Cleaning Green Costs Less Money` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Plan Clears "Major" Hurdle’: DEP` post created successfully

`Regulating Carbon` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 1370, An Act To Reform the Land Use Regulation and Planning Authority within the Unorganized Territories of the State` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 413, An Act To Clarify Land Use Regulation in Unorganized and Deorganized Townships` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 516, An Act To Require That a Majority of the Members of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission Reside in the Commission’s Jurisdiction` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 558, An Act To Amend Notification Procedures of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 474, An Act To Clarify Land Planning in the Unorganized and Deorganized Townships` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 1047, An Act To Amend the Review and Approval Process of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan` post created successfully

`UMFK Holds Trade Show to Mark Earth Day` post created successfully

`Firm Hopes to Install 40 More Turbines` post created successfully

`Earth Day: 39 years and Much to Do` post created successfully

`Celebrating Rachel Carson's Legacy` post created successfully

`BIW Explores Future in Wind Power` post created successfully

`Winthrop Meeting Eyes Energy Costs` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Betty Adams, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> WINTHROP -- A town councilor hopes residents interested in saving energy in Winthrop will come to an organizing meet Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the small conference room at the Town Office. Priscilla Jenkins won approval in March from fellow councilors to form a Green Committee."Minimally we will look at all our buildings and see whether we can make them energy efficient and think into the future about what we can do," Jenkins said.Jenkins said she had been asked to look at ways the town -- and maybe residents -- can trim energy costs. Two fellow councilors, Patricia Engdahl and Sarah Fuller, already told Jenkins they're interested in the committee.Jenkins said she's preparing for where the committee might look to save and she expects the organizing meeting will focus on a mission statement."We'd like a tour of transfer station and discuss what we're doing with recycling and whether we're doing everything we can," she said.She also said she would like to explore solar, wind and geothermal energy possibilities and perhaps take another look at a dam downtown formerly used to power the mill.The early start for the meeting might attract more residents, she said. "I'm hoping people will stop on their way home," Jenkins said.More information is available by calling Jenkins at 377-9011.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`E-waste Recycling a Hit in Bangor` post created successfully

`New HOPE Festival Location a Rousing Success` post created successfully

`Forum: Saving Climate Starts with Us` post created successfully

`Pill-disposal Idea Hard for Drug Companies to Swallow` post created successfully

`Clean Energy an Economic Necessity for Maine, Nation` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 621, “An Act Allowing Workers' Compensation Benefits for Firefighters Who Contract Cancer”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 973, “An Act to Provide for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Mercury Containing Light Bulbs”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1032, “An Act to Ensure that Maine’s Electronic Waste Collection and Recycling System is Self Funded”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1042, “An Act to Continue to Reduce Mercury Use and Emissions”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 986 “An Act to Protect Public Health and the Environment by Prohibiting the Sale of Lead and Mercury Wheel Weights”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 759, “An Act to Require State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities to Demonstrate a Public Benefit”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 871, “An Act to Facilitate Compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1156, “An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Recycling of Televisions”` post created successfully

`EPA Says Emissions Are Threat To Public` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Juliet Eilperin, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com" target="_blank">Washington Post news story</a> The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday officially adopted the position that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to the public's health and welfare, a move that could trigger a series of federal regulations affecting polluters from vehicles to coal-fired power plants. The EPA's action marks a major shift in the federal government's approach to global warming. The Bush administration opposed putting mandatory limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, on the grounds that they would hurt business, and the EPA had resisted identifying such emissions as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. What happens next is unclear. The agency's proposed finding is likely to intensify pressure on Congress to pass legislation that would limit greenhouse gases, as President Obama, many lawmakers and some industry leaders prefer. But cap-and-trade legislation, which would limit emissions and allow emitters to trade pollution allowances, is fiercely opposed by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats from fossil-fuel-dependent Midwestern states who fear that such a system would raise energy prices and hurt the nation's economy. If Congress doesn't act, the Obama administration is likely to press ahead with at least some curbs on carbon dioxide and other pollutants blamed for global warming. While White House spokesman Ben LaBolt emphasized yesterday that "the president has made clear his strong preference that Congress act to pass comprehensive legislation," he indicated that the new scientific finding may leave regulators little choice. "It is now no longer a choice between doing a bill or doing nothing," said Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-author of the main House bill establishing federal limits on greenhouse gases. "It is now a choice between legislation and regulation. The EPA will have to act if Congress does not act." Officials from the industries that stand to be most affected indicated yesterday that they would rather help shape standards through the legislative process than defer to federal regulators. "It does provide a certain degree of incentive, if not leverage, to pass a legislative agenda on climate," said Dave McCurdy, president and chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and a former House member. He added that while administration officials are hoping Congress takes the lead, "they are assembling tools in their toolbox, and it should be taken seriously." The EPA's proposed finding -- which is subject to a 60-day comment period -- comes almost exactly two years after the Supreme Court ordered the agency to examine whether emissions linked to climate change should be curbed under the Clean Air Act. The finding makes clear that the agency views these pollutants as threats to public health, the environment and national security. "In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem," reads the finding, which identifies carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride as contributing to global warming. "The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act." In her statement releasing the finding, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said that while global warming pollution is "a serious problem now and for future generations," Americans can combat it without making a major economic sacrifice. "This pollution problem has a solution -- one that will create millions of green jobs and end our country's dependence on foreign oil." A slew of business groups and Republican lawmakers were critical, saying Congress is better equipped to determine how best to limit greenhouse gases. Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.), the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, suggested that "this administration is playing a game of chicken with Congress over regulations and our economy: Either pass legislation or force economically damaging new regulations on businesses." But activists such as Emily Figdor, federal global warming director for Environment America, said the administration is simply recognizing its obligations under the law. " 'Duh' may not be a scientific term, but it applies here," she said. "EPA has embraced the basic facts on global warming that scientists around the world have acknowledged for years." While the White House took pains to play down the implications of the proposed finding -- declining to say whether the EPA would be legally obligated to regulate greenhouse gas emissions if it became final -- legal experts said the agency would have no choice but to do so under Section 202 of the Clean Air Act. "Once they finalize the endangerment finding, they have a mandatory duty to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks," said Roger Martella Jr., who served as EPA general counsel under President George W. Bush and is now a partner with Sidley Austin in Washington. "They have discretion regarding the timing of that regulation." Markey's panel will begin hearings on climate legislation next week, and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) has pledged to pass the bill, which he co-authored with Markey, by Memorial Day. While the Senate has not released a timeline for passing a cap-and-trade bill, a senior Senate aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity said it would move soon after the House began to act. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who handles climate legislation as chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said yesterday, "If Congress does not act to pass legislation, then I will call on EPA to take all steps authorized by law to protect our families." For the past few years, auto manufacturers have fought regulations adopted by California and more than a dozen other states limiting greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, arguing instead for a single, national standard. McCurdy, who said yesterday that his industry has already acted to reduce its carbon footprint, said he hopes the administration can broker "an aggressive, national, fuel economy/greenhouse gas emissions program administered by the federal government." Dan Riedinger, a spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute, said the utilities his group represents could not predict how new and existing power plants would be affected if the EPA regulated greenhouse gas emissions under existing law. "This is a road we'd rather not go down, but only Congress can steer things in a better direction," he said. Environmental advocates indicated yesterday that while they support congressional action, they see the EPA as a critical backstop in addressing climate change. "EPA should initiate its regulatory process now because we've got to get this nation moving," said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund. `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`There's Money in "Them Thar" Trees; It Comes from Bird Tourists` post created successfully

`Stimulus Funds May Help Save Energy` post created successfully

`AUGUSTA: Students Install Windmills in City` post created successfully

`A Ray of Hope for the Sunrise County` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Fish Plans to be Aired` post created successfully

`A Rising Tide` post created successfully

`Loophole or Lifeline? Tax Credit for Paper Industry Sparks Congressional Debate` post created successfully

`Not Settling for Less Than Total Cleanup in Orrington` post created successfully

`Telstar Teens to Clean Trash from River` post created successfully

`Fix, Don't Dump, LURC, Officials Say` post created successfully

`CFL Recycling` post created successfully

`UMF to Host Meeting for Climate Action Day` post created successfully

`Scientist: Harsh Winter Not from Global Warming` post created successfully

`State to Unveil New Birding Trail Map` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Terry Karkos, Staff Writer</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal news story</a> AUGUSTA - Maine is about to venture into the fastest-growing nature-based tourism activity in the nation: birding.At 11 a.m. Monday, May 11, the state will debut its first Maine Birding Trail Map and Brochure during a presentation at the Pine Tree State Arboretum on 112 Hospital St. in Augusta.According to the Maine Department of Conservation, the map and brochure are the first result of the Maine Nature-Based Tourism Initiative. The brochure is designed to inform resident and out-of-state casual and serious birders of the best areas for bird watching in the state, department spokeswoman Jeanne Curran said in a Wednesday report."It is expected to encourage visitors to rural areas of the state and to enhance local economies through nature-based businesses," Curran said.The presentation will include speakers from the department, Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the arboretum, and Rep. Bob Duchesne, D-Hudson, a well-known Maine birder.After the presentation, Duchesne will lead a bird walk through the arboretum.Nature-based tourism ranges from hunting and fishing to birdwatching; flower, tree and rock identification; hiking; rock climbing; or just being with nature, according to James A. Maetzold of both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service.Avitourism or birdwatching, he said in a Future Farms 2002 report, is fast becoming a leading nature-based tourism activity in the nation.For more information about Monday's event or the map or brochure, contact Curran at 287-3156.`, assigning current date

`More News You Can Use` post created successfully

`Sale of Button-cell Batteries Banned` post created successfully

`Restoring Penobscot Will Have Economic Benefits` post created successfully

`Who Will Protect the Forests?` post created successfully

`Mother and Daughter Lawmakers Share Mother’s Day Gift` post created successfully

`The Climate Debate Heats Up` post created successfully

`Pingrees Tout Bill to Promote Kid-safe Products` post created successfully

`The Smart Choice on Energy` post created successfully

`Collins Urges Unity Grads to Fight Climate Change` post created successfully

`Pesticide Drift` post created successfully

`Weatherizing Homes Vital to Maine` post created successfully

`Pingrees Tout Bill to Promote Kid-safe Products` post created successfully

`Prepare for the Weather` post created successfully

`Church Hosts "E-waste" Recycling Event for Electronics, Donations` post created successfully

`Superagency Proposal Hits Rough Water` post created successfully

`Annexation Bill is an End Run Around LURC` post created successfully

`Panel to Forward Pesticide Recommendations` post created successfully

`Commuting on the Cheap` post created successfully

`Makers Can Spare Copper to Stop Mercury` post created successfully

`State Committee Backs Sweeping Energy Bill` post created successfully

`Wind Turbine Dedicated in Presque Isle` post created successfully

`Maine May Get Cease-fire in Pesticides War` post created successfully

`Eschew Fertilizer, Grow Some Nice Dandelions` post created successfully

`Bill Seeks Big Push to Reduce Oil Usage` post created successfully

`Penobscot Dam Removal Will Provide Big Benefits` post created successfully

`Power Potential Off Maine's Coast Whips Up Interest` post created successfully

`Eastport’s Bright Future` post created successfully

`Obama Plan Puts Cars, Trucks on a Greener Road` post created successfully

`Obama: Mileage Plan a Pollution Solution` post created successfully

`Emissions Standards: "This is a Giant Victory for Maine"` post created successfully

`Festival Marks Alewives' Journey` post created successfully

`Tips for Improving Your Vehicle's Fuel Economy` post created successfully

`Clunkers Trade-in Plan Picks Up Speed` post created successfully

`Higher Mileage Standard a Historic Achievement` post created successfully

`Here's a Toast to ... Recycling!` post created successfully

`Comments by NRCM Regarding Application by Record Hill Wind LLC` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Project Director</h3> The Natural Resources Council of Maine supports the proposed 55 megawatt (MW) Record Hill wind project and urges the Department to approve it, with some suggested conditions spelled out in these comments. We have reviewed the application and conclude that the project is consistent with the appropriate state permitting criteria.NRCM shares Maine’s strong interest in the development of clean forms of electricity generation that will help reduce the environmental and public health harm caused by existing forms of power production. Of special concern are the potentially destructive impacts from climate change on Maine—including a series of current and anticipated impacts most recently described by scientists and economists from the University of Maine, such as an increase in the number of the state’s threatened and endangered species (Jacobson, G.L. et al, Maine’s Climate Future, 2009, p 30). Maine has made a commitment to reducing its contribution to the problem of global warming, and has a set of strategies and policies that call for additional wind power (38 MRSA §576.) The development of wind power projects like the proposed Record Hill Wind Farm is necessary if Maine hopes to achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals. In 2008, Maine adopted ambitious statutory goals for wind power development in order to significantly decrease our state’s dependence on expensive, volatile and polluting fossil fuels. If Record Hill is approved and built, then Maine would be nearly 20 percent of the way to achieving the goal of 2,000 megawatts (MW) by 2015 (1). No individual project can solve our need for cleaner generation, but together they will make a substantial difference.Evaluating a wind power project such as Record Hill requires a balancing of policy goals, potential impacts, and anticipated benefits. Because of the project’s location in Maine’s Western Mountains, a region with many sensitive and important natural, scenic and recreational resources, NRCM’s comments focus on impacts that may occur in relation to these resources and uses. Our comments also address the avoided emission benefits of the project and potential sound-related impacts.Avoided emissionsThe Record Hill project will provide important clean energy benefits. This single facility will supply enough clean power annually for 18,000 average Maine homes—roughly the number in all of Oxford county—making a significant contribution to the reduction of global warming pollution. When we consider Record Hill in the context of the regional power grid, it is clear that every kilowatt-hour from wind power will replace a kilowatt-hour from another source of electricity. In almost every instance, wind power will displace power from a fossil-fuel burning facility. The applicant uses ISO-NE marginal emission rates to estimate avoided emissions. This is a common methodology, which was used in prior permit applications for wind power projects in Maine, including the Mars Hill, Stetson and Kibby Mountain wind farms. NRCM believes that this methodology for estimated avoided emissions is appropriate.The applicant’s estimation of emission benefits is based on undisputed elements of the regional power grid and how different power plants are “dispatched” to provide enough power to meet demand at all times. Maine’s Public Utilities Commission has testified repeatedly in wind power hearings about the makeup of our grid and the generation resources which are generally displaced by the addition of wind power. Estimates based on avoided emissions at the marginal emission rate have been tested against—and validated by—more detailed and expensive analysis for individual projects in the past. (For example, see attached report by Resource Systems Group.) We are confident that this method of estimation yields reasonably accurate results.Site specific environmental impactsAll wind power projects carry a mix of adverse impacts and energy and environmental benefits. Determining whether anticipated adverse impacts might be undue is a challenging task. Environmental impacts from wind farms on wildlife are increasingly well understood, although many specific questions remain. While Partridge Peak, Flathead Mountain and Record Hill are obviously habitat to an array of wildlife, we are not aware of any rare, threatened or sensitive species that might be significantly impacted by the project.The New York Energy Research and Development Authority recently published the results of a comprehensive look at the wildlife impacts from six common types of electricity generation (coal, oil, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, and wind) in the New York/New England region. As summarized in the report, “The focus of the literature review was peer-reviewed literature and scientifically accepted and published reports or documents regarding effects of electricity generation on wildlife. Results were used to construct a Comparative Ecological Risk Assessment in order to make objective comparisons among the six types of electricity generation.” The full report is attached to these comments, but a few conclusions can be highlighted:• “The most commonly cited effect from wind power generation is injury and mortality to birds and bats from collision with wind turbines. For birds, these risks are considered Moderate Potential, and they are limited to the site. Local mortality to individuals is likely to occur with no population-level effects and a high degree of species recovery. Biodiversity declines are unlikely for birds. Endangered or threatened bird species in the NY/NE region may be exposed to potential injury or mortality, although they are at no more risk than other species.” (p 3-33) • “Wind has Lowest to Moderate Potential risks during operation (i.e., bird and bat collisions with wind turbines). No population-level risks to birds have been noted. Population-level risks to bats are uncertain at this time.” (p 5-3) • “…Coal as an electricity generation source is by far the largest contributor to these risks to wildlife in the NY/NE region.” (p 5-2) Because the area is well utilized for timber and contains many logging roads, the impact from habitat fragmentation will be minimal. Given the character of the landscape (including current use, elevation and habitat types), the amount of proposed clearing for the project is not undue and appears to be minimized to the extent practical. The most important impacts likely to be associated with the project would be erosion effects, both during and after construction. NRCM believes that as Maine accelerates its development of wind power it is increasingly important that wind projects be constructed with the greatest environmental sensitivity possible. Given the potential for erosion problems of ridge top wind projects, we strongly recommend that the Department require all clearing for Record Hill to be carried out by loggers who have received independent, third-party harvest certification. We also recommend that a third-party inspector be given the authority to stop work if he or she believes environmental damage from any clearing and construction activities is imminent. With “stop-work” authority in place, we believe the project can provide its significant energy, environmental and economic benefits while strictly minimizing site specific impacts. The application from Record Hill Wind LLC does not include significant transmission line construction—only a short stretch of line which descends the mountain to connect to the existing line running parallel to Route 17. It is our understanding that Central Maine Power, which owns that existing line, may apply separately for permission to upgrade the line to a higher capacity to serve this project, as well as other system needs. NRCM strongly supports locating energy generation projects near existing transmission infrastructure, and maximum utilization of existing lines and corridors. State energy corridor law also includes this policy preference, at 35-A MRSA §122 (2)(D). However, we also note that transmission line construction, even upgrades of existing lines, can bring additional adverse impacts. Our preference would be to evaluate this project with the application for any transmission upgrade which is necessary to the normal functioning of the project. We concluded our evaluation of the Record Hill permit application based on our general expectations about the type and scope of transmission development that might be associated with the project.Visual and scenic impacts on recreational resourcesThe visual impact of the project on homes and camps in the area has been a topic of considerable discussion regarding this proposal. Modern wind farms involve large structures that will be visible in the Roxbury area. However, it is not possible to achieve Maine’s ambitious wind power goals without wind farms being built, and visible from some nearby communities. The Governor’s Task Force on Wind Power Development in Maine concluded that locating wind power projects near existing development is preferable—in terms of prudent planning, proximity to transmission, and resource protection—than the alternative of placing projects in remote regions of LURC jurisdiction. Visual impacts are not the same as scenic impacts. Wind farms have an undeniable visual presence on the landscape, but are legally considered to have scenic impacts only in relation to scenic resources of statewide significance. State law helps define the range of specific scenic resources that are of highest concern with regard to impacts from wind power facilities. This project will create an impact on two recreational resources of statewide significance of particular concern to NRCM and the State: the Appalachian Trail and the summit and trails around Tumbledown and Little Jackson Mountains. Because the applicant did not create a visual simulation from the Old Blue lookout on the Appalachian Trail, NRCM was not able to evaluate the possible impact from that location. The following comments focus on the Tumbledown and Little Jackson impacts. However, we expect impacts to be similar for individuals observing the project from Old Blue.Despite the advancement of wind-power specific laws guiding the evaluation of visual impacts, there is still no distinct dividing line between acceptable and undue impacts. People have differing perspectives on the attractiveness of wind turbines, which adds complexity to any evaluation. Given the nature of the two resources at issue (Tumbledown and Little Jackson), this project requires a particularly careful look at the impacts and a particularly challenging evaluation of tradeoffs. The project also brings the additional challenge of considering visual impacts on a resource not within the state’s expedited wind permitting area from a project located “across the border” within the expedited area. State law (35-A MRSA §3452, subsection 3) lists six evaluation criteria for determining visual impact:A. The significance of the potentially affected scenic resource of state or national significance; B. The existing character of the surrounding area; C. The expectations of the typical viewer; D. The expedited wind energy development's purpose and the context of the proposed activity; E. The extent, nature and duration of potentially affected public uses of the scenic resource of state or national significance and the potential effect of the generating facilities' presence on the public's continued use and enjoyment of the scenic resource of state or national significance; and F. The scope and scale of the potential effect of views of the generating facilities on the scenic resource of state or national significance, including but not limited to issues related to the number and extent of turbines visible from the scenic resource of state or national significance, the distance from the scenic resource of state or national significance and the effect of prominent features of the development on the landscape.Tumbledown is clearly one of Maine’s very significant scenic resources, a resource of statewide and arguably even national significance. It is an extraordinarily popular day hike. Many visitors to and residents of southern Maine, particularly children, take their first “major” mountain hike on Tumbledown, due to the beauty, convenience and interesting layout of its trails (it includes a natural “chimney” up which the hiker ascends), its spectacular summit, and the alpine pond just below the summit. Due to the popularity of these hikes, efforts were made in the last decade to permanently protect the area. At this point 6,246 acres have been purchased and another 12,030 acres have been protected by a conservation easement. If built, the project would be a highly noticeable development within a panorama from the summit which is largely undeveloped.Our conclusion that this would not constitute an undue adverse impact comes from two considerations. First, while recreational users of Tumbledown clearly come with high expectations of scenic views, we believe that this development will not unduly impede overall public use and enjoyment. In particular, some of the key views on Tumbledown will not be affected, especially views of and from the pond below the summit, which is often the primary destination of many recreationalists. Some, of course, will come to look west from the summit toward the mountains of New Hampshire, and be troubled by signs of civilization marring the view between Tumbledown and the Presidentials. But, as noted above, others will not be offended by the sight of wind turbines and may enjoy seeing them. However, the second consideration is equally important. The scale of the turbines, at a distance of roughly six miles, diminishes the scope and nature of the impact. We do not believe it was the intent of policymakers to completely preclude wind development in a wide swath around all scenic resources; indeed, doing so could make it difficult or impossible for the state to meet its wind power objectives. Maine law directs regulators to “consider insignificant” any visual impacts greater than eight miles away (35-A MRSA §3452, subsection 3.) We believe this presents a high threshold for deeming visual impacts which approach this distance to be undue adverse impacts. Although Tumbledown is a jewel of the state’s scenic resources, NRCM believes that the specific anticipated impacts on the resource from this project will not violate the standard for protection established in our permitting system.Sound-related impactsSound-related impacts must be considered carefully in the permitting of wind farms in Maine. Public concern over a wide array of sound-related impacts can be high in communities that host a wind power project, making it very important to approach this issue with strong standards and attention to the best existing scientific knowledge on the subject.We believe it is important for the Department to differentiate between audible sound and ultra-low frequency sound. Even relatively quiet audible sound can and does have impacts on individuals. Living too close to a wind farm can cause sleep disturbance and irritability, which in turn can lead to an array of health issues. Ultra-low frequency sounds are different: they cannot be heard, but they can have negative health impacts in specific circumstances. Based on our preliminary review of some scientific literature, we believe that wind farms do not present the kind of exposures to ultra-low frequency sound necessary to make them analogous to other documented harmful environments (such as piloting airplanes or operating heavy machinery). Therefore we believe it is appropriate for the Department to continue to use standards for dba sound levels, and to be strict and conservative when evaluating expected impacts. The sound modeling included in the application shows that setback distances at this project are sufficient to ensure that dba standards will be met. We note that the turbines are significantly further away from dwellings than in Mars Hill or Freedom. We also note that the sound modeling was quite conservative, including by treating the entire landscape as bare ground—which would predict higher than actual reflectivity and noise levels.Conclusion Permitting wind farms and accepting them in our communities requires a careful balancing of broad benefits and acute impacts. NRCM has reviewed the application for the Record Hill Wind Farm and concludes that it is proposed for an appropriate location; will not have undue adverse impacts; will generate a meaningful amount of renewable electricity; and, thus, it will contribute to Maine’s goal of becoming a leader in clean power production in the region. We encourage the Department to approve the permit application.__________[1] Projects approved in Maine are: Mars Hill (42 MW), Stetson (57 MW); Stetson II (25.5 MW), Kibby (132 MW), Rollins (60 MW), and Beaver Ridge (4.5 MW), for a total of 321 MW. Adding the 55 MW Record Hill project would bring the total to 376, or 19% of the 2,000 MW goal for 2015. <a href="http://www.nrcm.org/wind_recordhill.asp">Learn more about the Record Hill wind project.</a> <a href="/uploads/NYSERDA Wind Wildlife report.pdf">Wind-wildlife report for New York and New England region</a> <a href="/uploads/east_haven_avoided_emissions_report.pdf">CLF's report on emissions avoided by Vermont wind project.</a> `, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post created successfully

`NRCM Supports Record Hill Wind Power Project` post created successfully

`Captains Group Backs Penobscot Restoration Project` post created successfully

`Finding the Cash to Save Energy` post created successfully

`Maine House OKs Mercury Recycling Program` post created successfully

`Bald Eagle Taken Off Threatened List` post created successfully

`Oakland Assessing New Wind Turbine` post created successfully

`Celebrating Rachel Carson this Saturday` post created successfully

`Maine Ranks High for Pollution` post created successfully

`Eagles' Comeback Proof That Conservation Programs Work` post created successfully

`Gas Mileage Gains` post created successfully

`Greenpeace Calls Attention To Maine's Energy Emissions` post created successfully

`Solar Village Hopes To Make Sustainability Affordable` post created successfully

`Maine Adopts First-in-the-nation Law to Recycle Mercurcy-containing Light Bulbs` post created successfully

`Maine Takes Aim at Dangers of "Green" Lightbulbs` post created successfully

`State in Front on Bulb Recycling` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">State House: A new law will require manufacturers to set up a system for safe disposal of mercury in the lamps.</h2> <h3 class="author">by John Richardson, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> Maine is about to become the first state in the nation to require the makers of fluorescent lighting to recycle burned-out bulbs and keep mercury out of the environment.The Maine House and Senate both voted overwhelmingly for the bill and are expected to give it final approval as soon as today. Gov. John Baldacci, whose administration supported the proposal, is expected to sign it into law soon after.Under the bill, Maine would require manufacturers to submit plans for a recycling program by 2010 and begin collecting the fluorescent bulbs by 2011. Burned-out bulbs can now be returned to hardware stores and other retailers through a program financed by electricity surcharges.The Maine bill overcame opposition from manufacturers, who argued it could raise prices and discourage use of the energy-efficient lamps.A similar bill is pending in Massachusetts, and the idea has been debated, but not yet adopted, in Vermont, California and other states."Maine is really the first state to comprehensively address the issue," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project, a Vermont-based group promoting bulb recycling around the country."I think this is going to send a message out nationally and perhaps globally. (Manufacturers) need to be involved with the total life-cycle management of the product, and they need to factor that into the cost of doing business."Compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, which can be released into the environment when the bulbs are crushed in landfills or burned in waste incinerators. The neurotoxin can poison waterways, fish and people.Mercury pollution is the reason Maine's children and pregnant women are advised to limit their consumption of freshwater fish.The state has banned the sale of other mercury-containing products, such as old-fashioned fever thermometers, in an effort to keep the pollutant out of the waste stream and the environment.Compact fluorescent bulbs, on the other hand, have been heavily promoted by state and federal agencies because of their benefits. The energy-efficient bulbs reduce electricity demand, with just one saving a household around $10 worth of electricity a year, advocates say.Now the problem is capturing and recycling the mercury when the millions of bulbs purchased by Mainers burn out. Although it is illegal to put them in the trash, Maine officials estimate that only about 5 percent of the bulbs are getting recycled.Maine's bill requires manufacturers to set up and pay for a recycling program, although consumers and retailers will continue to have a role in dropping off and collecting the bulbs."The Maine Legislature has once again demonstrated national leadership to prevent toxic pollution," Matt Prindiville, a lobbyist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said in a news release Thursday. "This bill gives consumers a quick, easy and free way to recycle energy-efficient light bulbs, and it will reduce mercury pollution."The Senate endorsed the bill in a 35-0 preliminary vote Wednesday, and the House endorsed the bill in an initial vote last week.Both houses had yet to cast a final vote as of Thursday night.The bill covers only compact household fluorescent bulbs and tubes. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection intends to study options for recycling bulbs used in commercial buildings.Maine's DEP also will submit a report to lawmakers by the end of the year estimating what the new recycling program will cost manufacturers. Lawmakers could then revisit the law.Potential cost was a contentious issue during the Natural Resources Committee debates about the bill.Advocates of the proposal say a large-scale recycling program could cost as little as 15 cents per bulb, but manufacturers argue that the recycling program could add $1 or more to the cost of a $2 to $3 bulb.Manufacturers will continue to oppose similar bills in other states, a representative said Thursday."The approach that Maine chose in this bill is the least efficient, highest cost approach to a management system that you could choose," said Mark Kohorst of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, an industry group.The state's current recycling program, using money from electricity surcharges, spreads the costs out and limits the impact on consumers, he said, and costs are important because the bulbs are an important way to reduce energy use and lessen pollution."The last thing you want to do is discourage people from buying products that would help the situation," he said.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Mercury Pollution,Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Former Market Being Turned into Green Offices` post created successfully

`Maine Passes Landmark Law on Bulb Recycling` post created successfully

`The Eagle Has Landed` post created successfully

`LURC Plans Meeting on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Rockport Birding Circle Area’s First` post created successfully

`We Must Maintain and Protect Bald Eagles’ Habitat` post created successfully

`One of the Great Planetary Migrations` post created successfully

`Alewives Signal Rivers' Renaissance` post created successfully

`Wind Turbines Move to Kibby Project` post created successfully

`Senate Halts Annexation Plan` post created successfully

`Remarks on LURC's Deliberations on Plum Creek's Moosehead Lake Development Proposal` post created successfully

`LURC Holds Final Hearing on Moosehead Project` post created successfully

`LURC Discusses Moosehead Lake Project` post created successfully

`Opponents of Plum Creek Plan Cite Economic Woes` post created successfully

`LURC Tweaks Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`LURC Holds Final Deliberations on Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Portland May Seek Leader for All Things "Green"` post created successfully

`Can Maine Be a Leader in Offshore Wind Power?` post created successfully

`City Should Explore Sustainability Staff` post created successfully

`Turbine Transport to Hit Capital Area` post created successfully

`May a Good Month for the Environment` post created successfully

`PCB Levels Lead to Warning on Bluefish, Striped Bass` post created successfully

`PCB Levels Lead to Advisories on Striped Bass and Bluefish Back` post created successfully

`Maine Moms Demand End to Toxic Chemical BPA on Store Shelves` post created successfully

`Baldacci Signs Bill for Ocean Energy` post created successfully

`First Blades for Kibby Wind Power Project Pass Through Belfast` post created successfully

`Meeting to Focus on Offshore Wind Research` post created successfully

`Maine House Unanimously Passes "An Act Regarding Maine's Energy Future" 137-0` post created successfully

`Maine House OKs Energy Efficiency Bill` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Questions` post created successfully

`Wind Turbine Parts Turn Heads` post created successfully

`House OKs Energy Bill` post created successfully

`Maine Makes Pitch for U.S. Funding of Wind Energy Center` post created successfully

`Another View: Land for Maine's Future Bond Important Option for Voters` post created successfully

`Historic Removal of Dam Uncorked Flood of Benefits` post created successfully

`Green Collar Jobs in Maine Growing at Fast Pace, Study Claims` post created successfully

`Students Pursue Charged Careers` post created successfully

`Kennebec Shad Runs Positive for Penobscot` post created successfully

`Wild Atlantic Salmon Put on Endangered List` post created successfully

`Portland to Spend Stimulus for Energy Uses` post created successfully

`Endangered Atlantic Salmon` post created successfully

`Endangered Species Protections Extended to Atlantic Salmon on Three Major Maine Rivers` post created successfully

`US Expands Laws Protecting Atlantic Salmon` post created successfully

`Biologist: Planning Can Help Birds, Wind Farms Co-exist` post created successfully

`Oakfield Wind Farm Review Starts Today` post created successfully

`Synergy of Wind, Tides in Full Sail` post created successfully

`Bangor Protest Targets Unsafe Baby Products, Chemical Bisphenol-A` post created successfully

`Reward for Reuse` post created successfully

`Strong Words on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Groups Call For Action To Open St. Croix River To Alewives` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">50 U.S. and Canadian Groups Petition International Body</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> McAdam, New Brunswick, Canada—Fifty organizations from the United States and Canada have called upon the International Joint Commission (IJC) to require that the St. Croix river be opened up for passage of alewives (river herring). The lead groups in this effort are the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) (based in St. Andrews, NB, Canada), Maine Rivers (MR), and the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM).This action is being taken because Maine state law since 1995 has blocked upstream passage of alewives past the Grand Falls dam, and efforts to amend the prohibition have been blocked by Maine lawmakers – even though alewife passage in the St. Croix is supported by the Maine Department of Marine Resources; Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife; Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans; U.S. Department of Interior; U.S. Department of Commerce; many conservation organizations and commercial fisherman; and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and Alewife Harvesters of Maine. The IJC, the US-Canadian governmental body with jurisdiction over the St. Croix River, and its International St. Croix River Watershed Board, heard a presentation about the petition and about the ecology and history of alewives in the St. Croix watershed during a public meeting held in McAdam, New Brunswick on Wednesday, June 17th. The vast majority of those attending Wednesday night’s meeting supported opening up the river to alewives. Attendees in support included representatives of tribes, and conservation, sportsman and commercial fishing groups from the U.S. and Canada.Alewives are a critical fish species to river ecosystems, serving as a source of food for striped bass and many other fish species, birds, and wildlife. In 1987, more than 2.6 million alewives swam up the St. Croix to their ancestral breeding grounds. With the closure of the river to alewives, however, this year’s alewife run has dropped to less than 4,000. The St. Croix has one of the largest spawning habitats for alewives in the entire U.S., but the unilateral action by Maine prevents alewives from reaching 98% of their traditional spawning habitat. Alewife passage has been blocked because a group of inland fishing guides believe that alewives pose a threat to smallmouth bass, a non-native fish. In a letter to the IJC, the three lead organizations (ASF, Maine Rivers, and NRCM) state: “Opponents of alewife passage have mistakenly relied on hunches in the face of solid scientific research showing that alewives pose no threat to the bass population.” “The St. Croix is an international waterway; therefore, citizens on both sides of the border have the right to benefit from its resources, including alewives. Maine should not be allowed to prevent alewife restoration in this river. Doing so harms the environment, the marine fishing industry, and Canadian citizens in the region,” said Tom Benjamin, President of the New Brunswick Salmon Council, one of ASF’s seven regional councils.“Alewives, a keystone species, play an essential role in maintaining the health of the St. Croix River and fisheries off the coast of Maine,” said Brownie Carson, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “We used to be able to feed the people of Maine with the bounty of our near-shore ground fisheries. Now those fisheries are almost gone, and they won’t come back unless the St. Croix alewife run is restored.” The St. Croix is potentially the most productive river in Maine for alewives. The Maine Department of Marine Resources says that if alewife passage were restored, the St. Croix would produce nearly as many alewives as the Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers combined.“The St. Croix was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1991, placing it in an elite group of Canada’s most historic and beautiful rivers,” said Bill Taylor, President of the Atlantic Salmon Federation. “Preventing alewives from accessing their native habitat throughout the watershed mars the river’s heritage designation and threatens efforts to reestablish Atlantic salmon in this internationally significant river.”“Scientific studies show that alewives and smallmouth bass coexist in bodies of water from Canada to North Carolina,” said Bill Townsend, President Emeritus of Maine Rivers. “In fact, smallmouth bass seem to do better in lakes with alewives. Blocking alewives, a resource that commercial fishermen in both Maine and Canada need to get back on their feet, is misguided, and the IJC should stop Maine from doing this.”ASF, MR, NRCM, and 48 other groups in Canada and the US are petitioning the IJC to initiate a review of this issue, with the objective of opening fishways at St. Croix River dams to alewife passage. Some of the other groups that have already signed on in support of this appeal include: the Maine Lobsterman’s Association, National Wildlife Federation, Alewife Harvesters of Maine, Fort Folly First Nation, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited and its Maine Council, Trout Unlimited Canada, the Penobscot East Resource Center, the Maliseet Nation Conservation Council, the Downeast Lobsterman’s Association, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. <a href="/uploads/IJC_filing.pdf">Petition to the International Joint Commission</a> `, assigning current date

`Clean & Free-flowing Waters,Alewives` post created successfully

`Maine Must Let Alewives Swim Free in St. Croix River` post created successfully

`New Agency to Handle Offshore Energy` post created successfully

`River Maps Made Available` post created successfully

`State Launches Effort to Boost Woods Tourism` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Seek End to Alewife Ban on St. Croix` post created successfully

`A Decade Later, Life Has Returned Along the River` post created successfully

`Are Wind Turbines Health Hazards?` post created successfully

`To Save the Salmon: Endangered Listing Conserves Species and Its Habitat` post created successfully

`Salmon's Drastic Decline Calls for Drastic Solution` post created successfully

`Salmon Listing Creating Uneasiness` post created successfully

`Maine Bulb Recycling Law to be Nation's First` post created successfully

`Maine Governor Signs First-in-the-nation Law to Require Manufacturers to Recycle Mercury-containing Light Bulbs` post created successfully

`Maine Bulb Law First in Country` post created successfully

`Gov. Baldacci Signs 2 Ecofriendly Bills` post created successfully

`New Restrictions on Aerial Pesticide Spraying Signed Into Law` post created successfully

`Green Group Celebrates 50 Years` post created successfully

`Green Greatness: Group to Mark 50 Years of Protecting Environment` post created successfully

`Portland Board OKs Rezoning for Wind-testing Towers` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Council Marks 50th` post created successfully

`Don’t Stall Climate Change Bill` post created successfully

`Some Bangor Streetlights to be LED` post created successfully

`Baldacci Signs Bill for Energy Program` post created successfully

`NRCM Turns 50` post created successfully

`NRCM Celebrates 50 Years of Service` post created successfully

`Fifty Years of Speaking for Maine` post created successfully

`Anti-pollution Bills Now Law` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Chris Cousins</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record news story</a> AUGUSTA — Two bills designed to improve Maine’s environment and protect public health became law Monday with the signature of Gov. John Baldacci.One law requires manufacturers of mercury-containing compact fluorescent light bulbs to take responsibility for their disposal by developing a program for recycling them by 2011.The other law requires land managers to notify abutters when they intend to use pesticides and creates a registry for citizens who want to receive information on pesticide application.“These bills advance Maine’s reputation for being at the forefront of environmentally conscious policies,” said Baldacci during the ceremonial signing Monday. “Together these initiatives continue to ensure the health and safety of our people and our vibrant natural resource.”Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, who is also the assistant House majority leader, sponsored both bills because of “a personal interest.” Berry’s father, David Berry, is the director of the recycling center in Bowdoinham, which led to Rep. Berry’s interest in the proper disposal of compact florescent light bulbs.In addition, the Berry family is involved in vegetable farming, making the use of pesticides a relevant issue.Third, Berry is a longtime teacher who knows the devastating effects mercury can have on childhood development.“Maine has officially established itself as a leader in toxics reduction,” said Berry. “We’ve really shown that when it comes to the safety of our children and families, that no precaution isn’t worth at least considering. Those who are involved in either using products that might be toxic or producing products that contain toxins can and should be part of the solution.”Russell Libby, executive director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, hailed the state’s efforts to regulate pesticides.“It’s so important to be having this conversation because ultimately the solution about pesticides and many of these other issues is communication,” said Libby. “I think the outcome will be really good for all of Maine.”Matt Prindiville, toxics project director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said the light bulb bill adds to “a long track record” of the state’s commitment to preventing mercury pollution.“It’s one of the reasons why we are able as a state to look to our neighbors who are upwind of us to say it is time to stop the mercury pollution that is coming from coal-fired power plants,” said Prindiville. “Because (compact florescent light bulbs) contain mercury, the last think we want is for them to end up on the trash. This law provides the solution.”Berry said he’s pleased that the Legislature supports efforts to hold the sources of pollution responsible when trying to prevent that pollution. Doing so will lead to a more healthy citizenry, particularly children who are more sensitive to chemicals and mercury.“When a little developing mind is damaged, you don’t get it back,” said Berry, who brought two sons to Monday’s ceremony. “You don’t get a second chance.”Both bills enjoyed vast bipartisan support in the Legislature.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Clean Energy & Efficiency,Mercury Pollution` post created successfully

`House Passes Sweeping Climate Bill` post created successfully

`State Better for Having 50 Years of NRCM` post created successfully

`Imagine Maine Without Natural Resources Council` post created successfully

`Michaud, Pingree Vote for Sweeping House Energy Bill` post created successfully

`Wind Project May Knock Island Electric Rates Down` post created successfully

`Edwards Dam Breaching: River's Rebound Quite Evident; Economic Boost Harder to Gauge` post created successfully

`Dam Removal Both Unique, Precedent Setting` post created successfully

`River is Alive in Ways Not Seen for Almost 200 Years` post created successfully

`Ten Years After Dam Removal Kennebec River Fish are Jumping Back` post created successfully

`More Tricks or a Murre Treat? Time Will Tell` post created successfully

`River Advocates Hail Westbrook Fish Passage Decision` post created successfully

`Mainers in House had Right Position on Climate Bill` post created successfully

`Islanders Celebrate Wind Power` post created successfully

`10 Years After Dam Removal, Fish Return To River` post created successfully

`Kennebec River Reborn 10 Years After Dam Removal` post created successfully

`Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Removing the Edwards Dam` post created successfully

`Maine to Get $7.7M for Salmon Restoration` post created successfully

`MPUC Reopens Solar Rebate Program` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Project to Boost Maine Economy, Restore Fish` post created successfully

`Benefits of Wind Outweigh Health Concerns` post created successfully

`Betraying the Planet` post created successfully

`Sappi Will Not Appeal Ruling on Dam` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Dennis Hoey, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news update</a> WESTBROOK -- A spokeswoman for Sappi Fine Paper North America said today the company, which owns the former S.D. Warren paper mill in downtown Westbrook, will not appeal a decision by the state ordering Sappi to install a fish passage at its Cumberland Mills Dam on the Presumpscot River.Roland D. Martin, commissioner for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, ruled Monday that a fish passage would help restore several species of anadromous fish to the river.Martin said alewives, shad, salmon, and sturgeon could migrate upriver from the ocean in Falmouth to Sebago Lake, if Sappi installed fishways at Cumberland Mills Dam and five other hyrdoelectric dams it operates on the Presumpscot.Attempts to reach Sappi on Monday for a reaction were unsuccessful, but today spokeswoman Amy Olson said the company does not plan to appeal Martin's decision."Sappi Fine Paper North America is looking forward to working with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on the next stage of the process, which will determine the requirements to build a fishway at the Cumberland Mills Dam. Once those details have been determined, Sappi will proceed accordingly," Donna Cassese, managing director at the Westbrook Mill, said in a prepared statement.Martin said the administrative proceeding, which led to Monday's ruling, is being held in two phases. The next step will be to determine the fish passage's design as well as the appropriate number of fishways to be located at the Cumberland Mills Dam. `, assigning current date

`Clean & Free-flowing Waters,Protecting Wildlife` post created successfully

`Marking a Rebirth` post created successfully

`Endangered Listing for Salmon Now Includes Kennebec` post created successfully

`States' Rights Prevail in Vehicle Emissions Rules` post created successfully

`Success on Kennebec Bodes Well for Dam Removal on Penobscot` post created successfully

`50 Years of Advocating for Maine’s Environment` post created successfully

`Six Dams in Maine to be Sold for $95M` post created successfully

`Hannaford Offers Free Totes to Encourage Bring-your-own-bag` post created successfully

`Happy 50th, NRCM` post created successfully

`Climate Progress` post created successfully

`Beach Conference to Focus on Rising Sea Threat` post created successfully

`River Flows, Fish Flourish with Maine Dam's Demise` post created successfully

`A Decade without a Dam Breathes Life in to a Maine River` post created successfully

`Legislators Make Real Strides on Tax Reform, Energy` post created successfully

`10 Years, 430 Dams` post created successfully

`Maine, Baldacci Praised for "Green Economy" Effort` post created successfully

`Climate Bill Makes a Start Against Global Warming` post created successfully

`House Passage of Energy Bill: ‘Momentous’` post created successfully

`Cap-and-trade Shouldn't be Feared or Praised, but Used Correctly` post created successfully

`Clunky Clean Car Program` post created successfully

`Climate Choice: Will the U.S. Lead?` post created successfully

`Wind Farm Up for Discussion at Town Meeting` post created successfully

`Maine Gets $27 Million to Help State Weatherize` post created successfully

`Climate Bill Faces More Challenges in Senate` post created successfully

`Protecting Sebago Lake Should Become Top State Priority` post created successfully

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Most common in southern and coastal Maine, Lyme is gradually moving up the state, health officials say.</h2> <h3 class="author">by the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> AUGUSTA — Maine health officials report back-to-back increases in confirmed or probable cases of Lyme disease in 2007 and 2008.The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said there were more than 900 cases of the tick-borne illness in humans last year, an increase of 72 percent. In 2007, there was a 57 percent increase.Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that's transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected deer tick. Most common in southern and coastal Maine, Lyme is gradually moving up the state.The disease often causes symptoms such as joint pain and fatigue. But for some people, it brings more serious fevers and meningitis-type symptoms."When we're fortunate and people show up and tell us that they've had a tick, and then they get the rash and the rash is an expanding red rash at the site of the bite, that's an easy diagnosis. The problem is, most people don't remember a tick attachment and not everyone gets a rash," said Dr. Bea Szantyr, a Lincoln-based physician who specializes in educating people about Lyme disease.Doctors had difficulty diagnosing what was wrong with Brunswick teenager Katonya Casterlin after she suffered an ear infection, 105.4-degree fever and meningitis-type symptoms, loss of the use of the left side of her body, and swelling on the right side.Katonya's family could be considered a high-risk for two reasons: They live in Cumberland County, which along with York County has the most cases of Lyme disease in Maine, and they spend a lot of time outside on their 40-acre farm."We really don't want to move. We love Maine. We just know that our choices to be outside people, farming and landscaping, means we're always going to have to keep a full-length mirror in our bathroom and be like the primates and chimpanzees and pick each other for ticks," said Katonya's mother, Debbie Casterlin.`, assigning current date

`Federal Toxic Chemicals Policy` post created successfully

`Universities Win Big Grant for "Green" Research` post created successfully

`Baldacci Nominates Seven for Energy Board` post created successfully

`Back U.S. Clean Energy and Security Act` post created successfully

`Climate Plan's Backers Have Tougher Audience in Senate` post created successfully

`Climate Change Threatens Maine's Beaches, Experts Say` post created successfully

`Cape Elizabeth Makes Recycling Mandatory` post created successfully

`Hannaford Ready to Open "Green" Supermarket` post created successfully

`Energy Bill that Passed House Should Also be Approved by Senate` post created successfully

`UM, USM Receive $20 Million to Develop Resource-sustainability Solutions` post created successfully

`Maine Lists 1,700 Chemicals of High Concern to Children's Health` post created successfully

`Supermarket Earns Environmental Honors` post created successfully

`NRCM Comments at the Dedication of Hannaford Brothers LEED Platinum Grocery Store in Augusta, Maine` post created successfully

`State Identifies Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`State Takes First Step in Removing Dangerous Chemicals from Consumer Products` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Trust to Buy Three Dams from PPL Corporation` post created successfully

`Energy and ME: Terrestrial Wind. Deep-water Wind. Tidal. Solar. Maine's Got Power and Everyone Wants a Piece.` post created successfully

`Program to Relieve Maine of "Clunkers"` post created successfully

`Fish Blockade Between N.B., Maine Faces Stormier Waters` post created successfully

`Interior Chief Touts Funding at Acadia National Park` post created successfully

`MDI Bus System Passes 3 Million Passenger Mark` post created successfully

`Close to Home: Cameras Watch for Plover Predators` post created successfully

`Library Summer Reading Program Centers on "Growing Green"` post created successfully

`Weatherization Pros Join Forces` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Chris Cousins</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record news story</a> AUGUSTA — A new association of weatherization and construction professionals was born last week with 100 dues-paying members signed on before the first meeting.The Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professionals conducted its first official business Thursday when it enacted bylaws and elected a board of directors. Conceived just a few months ago over a lobbyist’s kitchen table, the association hopes to ride a wave of activity associated with efforts to transform the state’s reliance on foreign oil into a robust industry that will buoy environmentalists, businesses and homeowners.Bob Howe, a longtime Augusta lobbyist who has served interests ranging from construction contractors to counties, had an energy audit done on his home in March. Discussions about the audit at Howe’s kitchen table triggered what in retrospect was a fateful question.“I asked them, ‘Do you guys have a trade organization?’” said Howe, who recalled the conversation recently. “They said ‘no,’ and I responded that we ought to fix that. We realized that there were things going on at the State House that these folks ought to be involved in.”At the time, lawmakers and government agencies were addressing new energy-related initiatives on multiple fronts. Numerous bills were working their way through the Legislature, some aimed at accomplishing an ambitious energy agenda announced by Gov. John Baldacci during his State of the State address in March. State agencies were learning the extent to which federal stimulus dollars would be designated for weatherizing homes in a state where some 80 percent of households rely on heating oil.Government-level discussions about energy initiatives intensified in 2008 with a massive spike in crude oil prices, but more importantly, according to members and supporters of the new association, public opinions began to shift.“This is really an indication of the times,” said Pete Didisheim, director of advocacy for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “When gas gets up to $4.70 a gallon, that’s a wake-up call. People also are becoming aware that we’ve got a climate problem. Part of the way to address the challenge of greenhouse gas warming is to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. There’s a win-win situation here that more and more people are becoming aware of.”Aside from environmental factors, Maine’s energy plan has the potential to become an economic driver, said Fortunat Mueller, a principal partner at Portland- and Liberty-based ReVision Energy.“This is going to become a prime industry, like it should be,” said Mueller. “We were expecting 20 or 30 members at this first meeting and here we have more than 100.”Heather Rae, a project manager for Maine Home Performance, which helps people weatherize their homes, agreed.“It’s great that we finally have people coming together to talk about building science and sharing experiences,” she said. “It really is a profession that is budding in Maine.” The Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professionals filed nonprofit incorporation papers in March, and Howe registered as its principal lobbyist on April 28.On July 23, the group approved bylaws which define the board of directors as four building efficiency professionals; a manufacturer or supplier; in the “allied” seat, an energy professional who doesn’t fit either of those categories; and the organization’s chief executive officer, who has not been named.The board members elected last week include Douglas Baston of North Atlantic Energy Advisors in Alna for the allied seat and the following building efficiency professionals: Curry Caputo of Sustainable Structures in Whitefield; Richard Burbank of Evergreen Home Performance LLC of Rockland; William Childs of Horizon Builders Inc. of Portland; and Charlie Huntington of I&S Insulation in Wiscasset. There were no candidates in the manufacturer/supplier category, said Howe.Monitoring the Legislature will be an important part of the organization’s mission, but some members say a more valuable function will be educating consumers about the virtues of efficient buildings and each other about the latest technology.“We’ve come a really long way since the 1980s when people ran around with a caulk gun saying your house is leaky, let’s caulk up some windows and doors,” said Rae. “This really is a science.”Others joined for more practical reasons.Michael Burke is the executive director of Community Concepts in Paris, which administers some of the state and federal programs that improve people’s homes.“I’m here to identify some more talent,” said Burke. “We can always use more talent to do this work.”`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Pre-race Favorite: Protecting the Planet` post created successfully

`Cash for Clunkers Helps Dealers - and Many More People as Well` post created successfully

`Baldacci May Propose Opening St. Croix to Alewives` post created successfully

`UM Wind Project Advances in Senate Measure` post created successfully

`Climate Change Needs Solution Now` post created successfully

`Expert Says Investing in Parks an Economic Benefit to Communities` post created successfully

`Orono Land Trust to Hold August Geocaching Workshop` post created successfully

`A Clunker Tuneup` post created successfully

`Old Materials to Get New Life` post created successfully

`Ken Burns Promotes Park Series at Acadia` post created successfully

`Trucks Ship Wind Blades on Coastal Route` post created successfully

`Roxbury Wind Project Gets Green Light` post created successfully

`Maine's Windkeepers: From Ship Masts to Windmills` post created successfully

`Maine is Growing Its Own When It Comes to Green Jobs` post created successfully

`Survey Finds Coastal Maine Residents Wary of Climate Change` post created successfully

`Atlantic Salmon Listing an Opportunity, Not Liability` post created successfully

`State to Collect Unwanted Pesticides` post created successfully

`After Plum Creek: A Provocation` post created successfully

`Tidal Power Off Maine Waved Onto Fast Track` post created successfully

`USDA Guarantees Loans for Wind Power` post created successfully

`Lead Dust in Vehicles Threatens Children` post created successfully

`Think Green Bus and Crew Offer Fuel for Thought in Portland` post created successfully

`Belfast Pushes for Wind Energy Test Site Approval` post created successfully

`World’s Oceans Warmest on Record` post created successfully

`River Restoration Proposal Ready for Public Comments` post created successfully

`Climate-change Law Needed to Protect Nation's Flora and Fauna` post created successfully

`BPA Industry Fights Back` post created successfully

`Paying a Premium: Maine Insurers Try to Stay One Step Ahead of Rate Hikes Related to Weather and Climate Change` post created successfully

`Global Warming Bringing More Extreme Heat Waves` post created successfully

`Birders' Nirvana Among Gems Bought for Us by Conservationists` post created successfully

`New Climate Reports Indicate Hot Days Ahead for Maine` post created successfully

`Vote for Clean Energy is Vote for National Security` post created successfully

`Maine Regulators Approve 22-turbine Wind Farm` post created successfully

`State Regulators Approve Permit for Maine's Fourth Major Wind Project` post created successfully

`A Clunky Success` post created successfully

`Removal of Dam Expected to Boost Salmon Runs` post created successfully

`Chemicals Get Ratings for Danger` post created successfully

`Marina Gets on with "Clean" Program` post created successfully

`Maine Wind Farm Gets Stimulus Funds` post created successfully

`Coupons Aimed at Encouraging Consumers to Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances` post created successfully

`Expect Federal Laws to Fuel Energy Boon for Maine` post created successfully

`Groups Ask Senate to Act on Clean Energy` post created successfully

`Towns Seek Bond Approval to Conserve Land` post created successfully

`Energy Audit Finds Ways City Can Save` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Proposal Focus of Bangor Forum` post created successfully

`Snowe, Collins Urged to Support Clean Energy` post created successfully

`Back Clean Energy Initiatives` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Rally for Clean Energy Legislation` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Development Wins Recommendation of LURC Staff` post created successfully

`At Truck Stop, Get Set to Stop Your Engines` post created successfully

`Whales Appearing in Droves Off Down East Coast` post created successfully

`Diving for Milfoil: Western Maine Group Says It Had a Successful Summer` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal news story</a> The plants didn't always cooperate. Ditto the water, the weather and a motor that operated the suction hose dangling from their pontoon boat. But by the end of summer, success. Dan Bishop and his three-person crew from the Lakes Environmental Association spent half of June, July and August in wet suits pulling up milfoil at the bottom of the Songo River and Brandy Pond in Western Maine. They bagged close to 10,000 pounds of plants. "It's surprisingly physically demanding," said Bishop, 25. "Sometimes I can just stick my hand in and it pulls right out." Sometimes, it's harder, like weeding underwater. "Sometimes it gets so sedimented you really can't see," Bishop said. "We've gotten so we can identify a plant by touch." Three years ago when he and others first went out on the 24-foot boat with a special hose to "suction harvest," Brandy Pond and the Songo Lock (upper Songo) had several acres of visible milfoil. Now, at least on the water's surface, no patches. "We don't want to get cocky and think we've licked this thing. It's a tough plant to eradicate," LEA Executive Director Peter Lowell said Friday. "It feels like we're making progress." Based in Bridgton, LEA watches over 37 lakes in Western Maine. Of those, only those two and Sebago Lake have milfoil, an invasive plant that can take over water beds and spread, choking off native life. Bishop, who started volunteering with the nonprofit as a teenager at Lake Region High School, grew up in Bridgton a few hundred yards from a beach. He's visited friends in other states and seen and heard milfoil horror stories. "They actually will mow paths on the lake so the boats can go through," Bishop said. "We're trying to stay ahead of that." The water is important for tourists and recreation; he said he couldn't imagine that changing. He wrote his thesis at the University of Maine on the pros and cons of different removal approaches for the plant. The pontoon boat set out three mornings a week all summer. Typically, two divers went in the water, at depths up to 20 feet, to pull milfoil up by its roots and feed the plant into a 4-inch-wide hose. On top of the boat, where that hose drained into onion bags, two crew members watched for other boats and stayed in touch with the divers, Bishop said. At noon, everyone switched jobs. "Some of the plants will regrow; what we're trying to do is knock them back during the boating season," Lowell said. In the past, the group laid down in-water barriers — tarps up to 40- by 60-feet wide — to prevent growth. The milfoil likely spread between those three bodies of water by boat, Lowell said. A goal is to keep it from spreading into Long Lake, a busy lake that connects to Brandy Pond. Twenty-eight lakes and ponds in Maine have been identified as having invasive plants, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. That's out of thousands. "(The public) might not have understood it, but they've heard about it, what it does to a lake and a town's economy," Lowell said. "It's amazing that it's limited to those few number of lakes. I think it's because everybody's been on their toes." `, assigning current date

`Clean & Free-flowing Waters` post updated successfully

`Acadia Night Sky Festival to Feature Art, Talks and Stars` post created successfully

`Purple Loosestrife: Colorful, Extremely Attractive - and a Menace` post created successfully

`Clean Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost in Suffering` post created successfully

`Foundation Honors Mainer for Research on Toxins, Health` post created successfully

`Maine, Quebec Aim to Save Forests Amid Fiscal Pressure` post created successfully

`A New Vision for America's Forests` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.denverpost.com" target="_blank">Denver Post op-ed</a> Most people do not realize the impact our nation's forests have upon their daily lives. Forests provide countless recreational activities, alternative energy possibilities, local economic benefits, and wildlife habitats all across our country on public and private lands.Most people also don't realize that when you turn on your faucet, a forest may have helped the water get to your home. Eighty-seven percent of our country's fresh water supply originates from forest or agricultural watersheds. Our national forests alone are the source of fresh water for more than 900 cities and 3,200 public water systems serving more than 66 million people from coast to coast.And yet, our nation's forestlands are threatened like they've never been before. Climate change, catastrophic fires, disease and pests have led to declining forest health. We are losing our privately owned working forest lands to development and fragmentation at an alarming pace. All of these changes have enormous potential impact on drinking water, greenhouse gas emissions and the climate, local economies, wildlife and recreation.It is time to reverse the trend of declining forest health and set forth a new direction for conservation, management and restoration of these natural treasures.My vision for the future of our nation's forests sets a new direction for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service. We will emphasize a collaborative and cross-boundary forest management approach with a heavy focus on restoration. It will make our forests more resilient to climate change while protecting water resources, improving forest health and creating new jobs.In Colorado, millions of dollars from President Barack Obama's Recovery Act are already funding projects that will improve forest conditions. For example, the U.S. Forest Service has partnered with the Colorado Youth Corps Association to remove dead trees that were killed by bark beetles from campgrounds, picnic areas and trails. Several other projects have begun to remove hazardous fuels to reduce wildfire dangers in communities near wildlands.And in southwest Colorado, a unique project is underway that puts returning armed forces veterans to work reducing wildfire danger. The Veterans Jobs Project in Dolores County is a partnership of the U.S. Forest Service, the Southwest Conservation Corps and the Veterans Green Jobs Academy that trains and employs vets to become leaders in emerging green jobs industries.Although the U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of land nationwide, the majority of our country's forests are not within the National Forest System. And so, our new vision for forest restoration seeks to take an all-lands approach and increase the cooperation between public and private forest stakeholders.We also want to provide landowners with economic incentives to maintain and restore their forest land, which is why the U.S. Forest Service will play a leading role in building a restoration economy through the development of new markets for carbon storage and biomass energy. The wildfire that has burned across Southern California and threatened Los Angeles illustrates the importance of focusing our efforts on restoration and prescribed burns that can help prevent costly and damaging fires like these.A legacy of fire suppression has resulted in forests that are overstocked and much more susceptible to catastrophic fire. Over the last 20 years, the U.S. Forest Service has diverted more and more funds from forest management efforts to suppress wildfires, the cost of which currently consumes nearly 50 percent of their total budget, up from just 13 percent in the early 1990s.The Obama administration is committed to ending this Band-Aid approach, which is why we have asked Congress for the funds we need to fight fires and to manage forests.A healthy and prosperous America relies on the health of our nation's forests — and the health of our nation's forests depends on the efforts of the Forest Service and Americans working together to help tackle complex forest health issues.The path ahead is challenging but full of opportunity. I am excited that the U.S. Forest Service will be leading these efforts in partnership with citizens in Colorado and across the nation.Tom Vilsack is U.S. secretary of agriculture. `, assigning current date

`North Woods` post created successfully

`Fish Count Paves Way For Dam Removals on the Penobscot` post created successfully

`Maine Nature Documentary Premieres in Portland` post created successfully

`Baldacci Leads Wind Trade Mission` post created successfully

`Maine Landfill Will Produce Power` post created successfully

`New Study Finds New Energy Efficient Light Bulb Recycling Remains Low` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Plan Approval Likely This Week` post created successfully

`Trade Mission Aims to Boost Maine Wind Energy Plans` post created successfully

`Final Approval for Plum Creek Expected Wednesday` post created successfully

`Maine Would Benefit Greatly from New Energy-efficiency Law` post created successfully

`LURC to Hold 3 Public Hearings on 10-year Comprehensive Plan` post created successfully

`Wind Power Giant Shows Interest in State` post created successfully

`More Than a Trade Mission` post created successfully

`It's One of Those Keystone Species` post created successfully

`Business, Energy Focus of Forum in Pittsfield` post created successfully

`Big Landowners Fret About New LURC Plan` post created successfully

`NRCM Response to Plum Creek Decision` post created successfully

`LURC Approves Plum Creek Plan; Protesters Arrested` post created successfully

`Energy Conservation Powers Bangor Winter Expo` post created successfully

`Moosehead Plan Gets OK` post created successfully

`Citizens Group Appeals State's Approval of Western Maine Wind Energy Project` post created successfully

`Firm Testing Wind Energy Near Eastbrook` post created successfully

`North Woods Planning` post created successfully

`It’s Easy Being Green` post created successfully

`New Risk in Schools: Caulking with PCBs` post created successfully

`LURC to Seek Public Ideas on Development` post created successfully

`Green Jobs Bill Would Help Environment, Economy` post created successfully

`Repower Maine Urges Passage of Strong Clean-energy Bill` post created successfully

`LURC Land-use Plan Needs More Public Input` post created successfully

`Low-energy Sites to Be on Display for Public` post created successfully

`Chester Man Installs Own Windmill` post created successfully

`Trip to Europe Could Do A Lot to Boost Maine's Wind-power Prospects` post created successfully

`AUGUSTA: Hearing Focuses on Northern Lands` post created successfully

`Bucksport to Test Potential Wind Power Site` post created successfully

`Google's Green Guru to Speak in Portland` post created successfully

`Many Still in the Dark on Recycling of Fluorescents` post created successfully

`Misgivings, Crowds Lower at LURC Hearings` post created successfully

`Climate Leadership` post created successfully

`Statement by Dylan Voorhees at Clean Energy Jobs News Conference` post created successfully

`Clean Energy Jobs Expanding in Maine: 2,500 Maine Businesses Involved in Wind Power, Solar, and Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Green Power Jobs Growing in Maine, Group Says` post created successfully

`Report: Clean Energy Business Big in Maine` post created successfully

`NRCM: Clean Energy Jobs To Expand In Maine` post created successfully

`Green Job Growth is a Reality in Maine, Group Says` post created successfully

`Clean Energy Jobs` post created successfully

`Two Festivals Showcasing Green Films` post created successfully

`It's Almost Too Late to Stop, Reverse Global Warming` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Touts "Clean" Energy` post created successfully

`Few Contest LURC Plan at Presque Isle Meeting` post created successfully

`House Retrofit Test Seeks Super-efficiency` post created successfully

`Action on Climate Change Needed Both Near and Far` post created successfully

`Eco-friendly Comes Home` post created successfully

`Northeast Emissions Project Plots Course for National Plan` post created successfully

`First "Cool Congress" Convenes` post created successfully

`Farmers Learn How to Milk Their Energy` post created successfully

`Time to Commit to Energy Independence` post created successfully

`“Momentum is Building for Clean Energy Future”` post created successfully

`Has Camera, Will Travel` post created successfully

`GARDINER: Neighbors Spooked` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Mechele Cooper, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> GARDINER -- The idea that a crematorium might operate near her home bothers Judith Skehan.Her property abuts Oak Grove Cemetery.The president of the Oak Grove Cemetery Association, Russell Greenleaf, is seeking approval from the Planning Board to move crematory equipment into an existing receiving tomb where bodies were once kept during winter months.As an abutter, Skehan, 74, of Pierce Street, said she received a letter from the city about a Planning Board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall to discuss the proposal."We got the letter and then started talking about it and thought, 'Oh no. This isn't so great,'" Skehan said. "I almost came to tears about it."It seems like someone always wants to disturb our neighborhood. This cemetery is abutted by houses. It's not like the one in Augusta that's out of the way and just affects a few. I have a friend whose house backs right up to the (proposed crematory) and I don't know what she's going to do. She's in Japan right now and doesn't know about this."Greenleaf said the proposal has been in the works since April and that a nonprofit holding corporation would run the operation.He said a crematorium will help the association come up with needed funds to maintain the 27-acre cemetery at 45 Danforth St."We have a number of acres left in that cemetery," Greenleaf said. "When that property is sold, there are no more lots, no more income, and we need a way to generate funds for upkeep, stone repair and tree removal. It costs thousands of dollars every year just for mowing."Lynn Gerard, who lives within 300 feet of the cemetery on Gary Street, said she wants to know more about the project. Even if the association installs the most modern technology in the crematorium, she said there are risks involved."I have read many articles where this is very much an issue," Gerard said. "I'm concern about traffic, odor, the ash, mercury coming from the smokestack, and the proposed entrance on Plummer Street. The bigger piece to my husband and I is the valuation of our property. Quite frankly, when you go online and read about crematories, you find a heck of a lot of negatives, not a lot of positives."She said another issue is proximity to schools. Laura E. Richards school is within a half mile on Brunswick Avenue, and a Head Start center for preschool children is located on Plummer Street, she said. The cemetery has two entrances, Plummer Street and Danforth Street.Mercury is released from some dental fillings when human remains are incinerated, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, said mercury can permanently damage the brain, kidneys and developing fetus. Very young children are more sensitive to mercury. They can develop problems in their nervous and digestive systems and kidney damage."I'd just like more detail about it so people around us know what's going on," Gerard said. "I haven't seen anything on it and I think this is kind of a big issue. The letter (from the city) doesn't really tell you the whole story."Gerard and Skehan said they both plan on attending Tuesday's Planning Board meeting.Jason Simcock, the city's director of planning and development, said the City Council revised a city ordinance to allow a crematorium in the High Density Residential Zoning District.He could not say whether the operation would affect property values."The thing that people will be concerned about is the air emissions," Simcock said. "It has to meet Environmental Protection Agency's standard for air emissions, but that's what the applicant will be talking more about at the Planning Board meeting."Emission from crematories is a health issue, according to Matt Prindiville of the Natural Resources Council of Maine."The basic problem with mercury emissions from cremation facilities is the fact that pollution control technology is incredibly expensive," Prindiville said. "Usually, you only see this technology in massive industries with significant mercury emissions. Even a small crematory causes environmental issues. At least with a large facility, you know the pollution control is capturing 90 to 95 percent of the mercury."Greenleaf said the association has all the safety and federal permits, including air emissions, needed to operate a crematorium and that the plan has met fire, police, water district and public works requirements.He said there would be no odor, traffic would be minimal, and only people transporting bodies in vans or limousines from funeral homes would come to the crematory by the Plummer Street entrance.A 1,000-gallon propane tank would be installed to fire up the crematory, he said. The city has already issued permits to renovate a small office space attached to the tomb and build a parking lot.He said cremation is becoming a trend in the burial industry.About 60 percent of the people who contact the association are asking to be cremated, Greeenleaf said."People should come with their questions and concerns to the meeting," he said. "We're not out to offend anybody. We've been working on this since April and spent a great deal of time working with the city and state. The cemetery can't exist on what it gets now and the city isn't receptive to taking it over."We just want to meet the demand of what people want and be able to pay our bills."He said the crematory is capable of incinerating seven bodies a day, but he doesn't expect it to operate at full capacity in the beginning.Melanie Loyzim, section manager for air toxics and emission inventory for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Air Quality, said statutory limits for mercury emissions established by Maine legislators beginning in 2010 would limit them to 25 pounds per year.Until then, the crematorium can emit 35 pounds per year.`, assigning current date

`Mercury Pollution` post updated successfully

`Green Job Growth` post created successfully

`Urge Snowe, Collins to Back Clean Energy and Security` post created successfully

`International Action Has Maine Events Scheduled` post created successfully

`Maine Needs North Woods National Park` post created successfully

`Tours of Wind Power Project Offered` post created successfully

`First Half of Kibby Wind Project Powers Up Today` post created successfully

`Windfall for Wind Power` post created successfully

`150-acre Land Preserve Dedicated in Jefferson` post created successfully

`UMPI Gets $800,000 for Solar Project` post created successfully

`Loss of a "Visionary" Environmentalist` post created successfully

`War Veterans Engage Climate Change` post created successfully

`Big Wind From Orono` post created successfully

`Climate Change Expert Urges Rich Nations to Do More to Combat Global Warming` post created successfully

`Maine in Top 10 States for Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Groups Promote "Clean" Energy` post created successfully

`NRCM Appeals Plum Creek Decision` post created successfully

`Another Group Appeals Plum Creek Decision` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Historic Zoning Appealed` post created successfully

`Counting on "350" to Save the Planet` post created successfully

`3rd Group Appeals Moosehead Plans` post created successfully

`Angus King Urges Business Owners to Conserve, Think Alternative Energy` post created successfully

`Bike Parade Part of 350.org Events Saturday` post created successfully

`Climate Activists Join Global "350" Rally` post created successfully

`Urge Senators to Support Clean Energy Initiatives` post created successfully

`Maine Environmentalists Hail New EPA Power Plant Rules` post created successfully

`Scientist: Study Impact of Water Power Projects` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives “People’s Choice” Award to West Bath Artist for North Woods Protection` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives Award for Effort to Protect Moosehead` post created successfully

`NRCM Gives Award for Historic Penobscot River Restoration` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council Event a Locavore’s Delight` post created successfully

`Mainers Need Help to Find Alternatives to Heating with Oil` post created successfully

`PPL Corp. Announces Sale of 6 Dams` post created successfully

`Award Recognizes the Visionary Behind the Brush` post created successfully

`Maine Colleges Collaboration a "Wind-wind"` post created successfully

`Got Your Bags, Maine?` post created successfully

`A Painter Who Helps Us See and Love` post created successfully

`Reductions Sought in Use of Shop Bags` post created successfully

`Land Purchase Connects Conservation Tracts` post created successfully

`Salmon Advocate Receives Conservation Award` post created successfully

`Maine Out Ahead in Race to Reduce Carbon Footprint` post created successfully

`Collins Bill Would Back Wind Power Technology` post created successfully

`Warmer Water Driving Fish Farther Off New England` post created successfully

`Wind on the Water` post created successfully

`Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Wind Power` post created successfully

`HEAVY METAL With Dental Fillings, It's a Question of Mercury Amalgam vs. Composite` post created successfully

`Island's Energy is Up` post created successfully

`New Spin for Those Ancient Electronics` post created successfully

`Attendance at Maine State Parks Up Over 2008` post created successfully

`Building Green for a Sustainable Future` post created successfully

`Honeybees are Modern-day Canaries in Coal Mines` post created successfully

`Maine Sportsmen Call on Senators Snowe and Collins to Lead Passage of Federal Climate Change Legislation` post created successfully

`Maine Gets Funding for Clean Energy` post created successfully

`Islanders Flock to Unveiling of Wind Turbines` post created successfully

`Offshore Wind Farm Developers Visit Brewer` post created successfully

`Sportsmen Weigh In on Climate` post created successfully

`WILTON Old School Could Become Biodiesel Site` post created successfully

`Action on Climate Bill Demanded` post created successfully

`Sportsmen in Brewer to Discuss Climate Change` post created successfully

`Bangor Land Trust Outlines Plan for Preserve` post created successfully

`Work Set to Begin on Danforth Wind Project` post created successfully

`Can Wind Power Lift Maine's Economy?` post created successfully

`Revised Land Use Guidelines Proposed` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">LURC mulls changes after public feedback</h2> <h3 class="author">by Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine — Staff at the Land Use Regulation Commission are recommending numerous minor alterations but no major substantive changes to the latest draft of the comprehensive plan that guides policy decisions within the Unorganized Territory.LURC staff made the changes in response to feedback received during the public comment period on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan earlier this fall. Roughly 50 people testified during public hearings and 450 submitted written comments.Commissioners will consider the recommendations during their meeting on Dec. 2 in Bangor. The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Ramada Inn on Odlin Road.A final vote on the revised comprehensive plan is not expected until spring at the earliest after a legislative committee that oversees LURC reviews the plan.Known informally as the CLUP, the comprehensive plan is the document that guides all aspects of LURC’s decision-making in the roughly 10.5 million-acre Unorganized Territory. The plan last was revised in 1997.Most of the changes proposed by LURC staff are new language clarifying the commission’s intent or seeking to address concerns raised about the tone of the document.For instance, critics have accused the staff of appearing to favor land conservation and preservation of natural resources over economic development and the commercial forestry that is the backbone of the region.In response, LURC staff recommend adding a sentence at the beginning of the opening chapter stressing that “the commission must constantly weigh and balance the various development and natural resource goals and policies against one another when making decisions,” according to a Nov. 21 memo to the commissioners.Staff also recommend rewriting a broad goal to read: “Support and promote the management of all the resources, based on the principles of sound planning and multiple use, to enhance the living and working conditions of the people of Maine, including property owners and residents of the unorganized and deorganized townships, to ensure the separation of incompatible uses, and to ensure the continued availability of outstanding quality water, air, forest, wildlife and other natural resources values of the jurisdiction.”But the staff memo advocates for retaining such words as “primitive pursuits” and “remoteness,” which have been a source of contention between landowners and the environmental community. The staff memo notes that such words have been included in all previous comprehensive plans.Throughout the latest revision process, there has been considerable debate about the threat that development poses to the jurisdiction.According to LURC figures, the commission permitted 8,136 new dwellings within the jurisdiction between 1971 and 2005. While the draft CLUP describes that rate of development as moderate, it also raises concerns about LURC’s ability to control the location of that development.LURC had no role in siting roughly two-thirds of those 8,100-plus dwellings because they were exempt from the subdivision review process under current state law.The latest draft continues to espouse a goal of guiding future development into areas with the infrastructure and community services to support it. LURC staff members also have said they believe there should be additional discussion about whether the commission needs new tools to help discourage development from fragmenting working forests and undeveloped areas.But because the CLUP is only a planning document, it cannot force any regulatory changes. Major changes would have to be brought about through rulemaking or through the Legislature.“The plan considers measures that would help the Commission guide development in the jurisdiction to places where it is most appropriate,” staff wrote. “However, at this time we do not know what measures would ultimately prove most effective, possible and appropriate. Consequently, the plan discusses possibilities to explore, but does not offer one ready solution or course of action.”Another criticism leveled by the Maine Forest Products Council and some landowners is that the draft plan spends too much time talking about development trends and not enough time discussing the large-scale land conservation that has taken place in the Unorganized Territory since 1997.In their recommendation, staff acknowledge the importance of land conservation but argue that those trends do not preclude “the need to identify and discuss issues surrounding forest management, recreational opportunities, or the location of development.”“To further emphasize this sentiment, we recommend adding language to the effect that the commission will consider information that is available about conserved lands when initiating planning and zoning activities,” the recommendation reads.Catherine Carroll, LURC’s staff director, said the commission will discuss the recommendations at Wednesday’s meeting but will not be taking comments because the public comment period has ended.If the commission does not make any major changes to the draft plan, staff likely will present the revised document to the commission in January. It then would be sent to the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee for review and comment.Carroll said she hoped the commission could vote to adopt the revised CLUP in March, although that timetable is dependent on the extent of the changes.A link to the staff memo on recommended changes to the CLUP is available online by going to the agenda for the Dec. 2 meeting <a href="http://www.maine.gov/doc/lurc" target="_blank">www.maine.gov/doc/lurc</a>. `, assigning current date

`North Woods` post updated successfully

`Trip Gives Lobbyist Global Warming Insights` post created successfully

`DEP Issues Environmental Laws Guide for Businesses` post created successfully

`Comment Period Ending for Maine Ocean Wind Sites` post created successfully

`Mainers Heading to Denmark to Add Their Voices to Worldwide Climate Debate` post created successfully

`Old Orchard Plans to Erect Anemometer` post created successfully

`Wasting Less to Save More: Energy Efficiency's Economic Benefits` post created successfully

`KVCC Gets $50K Grant for Wind-energy Turbine` post created successfully

`States: Feds Must Toughen Toxic Chemical Laws` post created successfully

`Federal Chemicals Policy a Gift That Would Keep On Giving` post created successfully

`Animal Rights Groups Appeal Trapping Rules` post created successfully

`The "Green" House Effect` post created successfully

`EPA Moves to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions` post created successfully

`Declaration by EPA Cheered at Start of Climate Conference` post created successfully

`Maine Has Collected $15M in Sale of Pollution Credits` post created successfully

`Board Stands Pat on Plum Creek` post created successfully

`Event in Winslow Places Toys Under Microscope for Toxins` post created successfully

`Bill Seeks to Cut Sulfur Content in Heating Oil` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Payments to Supporters Raising Questions` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Paid Legal Fees of Supporters` post created successfully

`Maine Has to Do More to Prevent Toxic Products from Harming Kids` post created successfully

`State Seeks Shore Wind` post created successfully

`Business Leaders Weigh in on Climate Legislation` post created successfully

`Waste Less to Save More` post created successfully

`Sites Picked for Pioneering Wind Test` post created successfully

`Three Offshore Wind-power Test Sites Unveiled for Maine` post created successfully

`Public Testimony Should Be Given Freely, Not Paid` post created successfully

`Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection Hears from Moms, Doctors, Scientists, and Activists` post created successfully

`Opinions Mixed at "Kid Safe" Hearing` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement at Rep. Chellie Pingree’s Event to Release Deca Elimination and Control Act of 2009` post created successfully

`Waldoboro Business Goes Solar` post created successfully

`Joint Comments of NRCM, Maine Audubon and AMC to LURC Regarding Expansion of Expedited Permitting Area` post created successfully

`Pingree To Push For Ban On Flame Retardant Chemical` post created successfully

`New Rules to Limit Exhaust by Big Ships Draw Praise` post created successfully

`LURC to Consider Comprehensive Plan` post created successfully

`Forest Plan Aims for Federal Funds "Initiative" to Protect Woods, Boost Industry` post created successfully

`Polar Dip Raising Funds, Awareness to Fight Global Warming` post created successfully

`Fast-Tracking of Wind Power Projects Generating Resistance` post created successfully

`Land Conservation Efforts Yield Year of Success Stories` post created successfully

`Maine Triples Conserved Land Since 2003` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Glenn Adams</h3> <a href="http://www.bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story/ Associated Press</a> BIGELOW PRESERVE, Maine — Clouds from a light snowfall shroud the peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range, which reigns over western Maine forest trails, luring snowshoers and cross-country skiers on a winter afternoon.Maine's vast backcountry backyard offers outdoors lovers 3.3 million acres set aside from development in recent years, roughly the size of Connecticut, nearly 18 percent of the entire state of Maine. Not everyone is thrilled about the conservation — foes say it takes lands off tax rolls and restricts use of snowmobiles — but others revel in the unspoiled playland.The mountains are pale blue backdrops to shimmering, pristine lakes. Forests of poplar, birch and fir form an almost unbroken canopy from the highlands more than 100 miles to the Down East marshlands.Snowmobilers take to their trails, and ice fishermen find their best spots. When the weather's warmer, hikers, kayakers, mountain bikers, campers and hunters enjoy the land, lakes and rivers within. It's theirs to use, and it's getting bigger.For generations, Maine residents and visitors took for granted their access to this land as guests of the paper companies and other big landowners who allowed recreational use. But that long-standing tradition was threatened as the land was sold, broken into smaller parcels and taken over by developers.Development inspired the creation in the late 1980s of the Land for Maine's Future program for buying and preserving those long-cherished open spaces. The lands set aside, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, now include state and national parks, public lots and preserves like the one surrounding the majestic Bigelow and privately owned areas protected by easements. The land was either bought outright by the state and private conservation groups or public access was granted by landowners who, in many cases, continue their traditional logging enterprises.Outdoors lover Chris Jordan is delighted with the backcountry access."We need more places where people can go outside and do things," Jordan, of Marshfield, Mass., said after a morning of snowshoeing along winding mountain trails. "People need to get access to the backcountry."If he's not running his insurance brokerage back home, Jordan, who's in his 40s, is probably in Maine's wildlands. He and his wife canoed the Allagash River two years ago. They snowshoe and climb mountains, like thousands of others who find the North Woods alluring.Surveys have repeatedly shown strong support among Maine residents for open-space preservation, and voters have approved bond issues to continue public purchases. But there is strong sentiment against the trend, especially in the northern part of the state.A leading critic, state Rep. Henry Joy, R-Crystal, said rural Maine residents have long considered "a way of life" their access to the huge open lands, including those owned by private individuals or companies. Now, with the acquisitions and set-asides, there are more restrictions, like those against using all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, Joy said.What's more, he said, the conservation efforts take some land off tax rolls entirely, putting more financial pressure on residents of the lightly populated unincorporated towns known collectively as the Unorganized Territory.But some conservationists envision going even further: creation of a sprawling national preserve encompassing the region, an idea they say is rooted in the dreams of author and poet Henry David Thoreau, who roamed the region a century and a half ago.While the idea of a national park with gates, rangers and picnic tables is far from reality, the amount of land that's been set aside for public recreational use has been quietly tripled in recent years.As of 2003, about 6 percent of Maine's total acreage was set aside from development. The protected acreage now totals just shy of 18 percent with the most recent transactions, according to the state Department of Conservation. Maine is still behind its neighboring states in percentage of conserved lands. New Hampshire, with its White Mountains National Forest, sets aside 30 percent of its land, though the total acreage is far less than Maine's. About 22 percent of Vermont land is conserved.Outdoors enthusiasts and the outfitters and other businesses that cater to them are excited about Maine's efforts.Anglers, snowshoers, cross-country skiers and those who just enjoy nature have been flocking to West Branch Pond Camps in the recently preserved Roach Ponds area east of Moosehead Lake, owner-operator Eric Stirling said. Word of the Roach Ponds purchase, about 100 miles north of Augusta, prompted customers to make reservations months in advance."It's really been fantastic for my business," Stirling said.Business is up 20 percent since the Roach Ponds purchase was finalized in 2009, he said.Maine state policy embraces efforts to protect natural landscapes that may be lost to development — an objective that's taken creativity in a state that's 95 percent privately owned, said Conservation Commissioner Patrick McGowan, who has worked on preservation since the 1980s, when he was a state legislator.One recent purchase covers 29,000 wild acres in the Roach Ponds area by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The acquisition fulfills conservationists' hopes of linking the Moosehead region, marked by the state's largest lake, with northern Maine's Baxter State Park, a spectacular preserve that grew from a former governor's land purchases and subsequent donations to the state.Another gem is the addition to Baxter State Park of 4,000 scenic acres that include the sparkling Katahdin Lake, silhouetted by Maine's tallest peak, accomplished through a deal with a private logging company.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`Offshore Wind Power: Can Maine Afford It?` post created successfully

`Cold, Hard Facts of Northern Maine's Case of the Disappearing Deer Herd` post created successfully

`Coyote Logic` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editoral</a> If anyone were looking for proof of the gulf between man and animals, the recent flap over a coyote hunting derby in Jackman is exhibit A. Driving the derby is the widely held belief that coyotes are “bad” animals, undesirable because they devastate the state’s deer herd. Another view is that coyotes and deer are neither good nor bad, but rather creatures trying to carve out a living in the same ecosystem.If this widely held prejudice about coyotes were reined in by state policy, it would be less worrisome. But hunters can shoot and kill as many coyotes as they want without registering those kills (unless they are exporting the hides out of state), which suggests deer are, in the words of George Orwell, more equal than other animals.Locals defended the tournament, saying they were protecting their economic interests by reducing the coyote population, which many blame for thinning an already sparse deer herd. The health of the deer herd has economic implications, so that is no small consideration. The Jackman area, like many rural areas in Maine, rakes in dollars when deer hunters come to stay in motels and lodges and eat in local restaurants.But the deer herd’s recent decline is much more likely to be linked to recent winters with heavy snows and the loss of habitat. Camilla Fox, director of the California-based Project Coyote, told Maine Public Radio that coyotes, in fact, keep deer populations healthier. “In a natural cycle of predator-prey, the predators like coyotes will keep down the sick, diseased, compromised animals and actually help to keep the herd genetically robust by keeping those weaker animals out of the gene pool.”John DePue of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said there is no estimate on Maine’s coyote population. Though 1,901 kills were tagged for export in the 2008-2009 season, it’s impossible to know how many were killed and left to rot.“Coyotes do kill deer,” he said, but bears are known to take fawns in the spring, and bobcats will kill deer in any season. The state is not oblivious to the coyote population, Mr. DePue said, noting that there were unlimited takes allowed on fisher and martens until several years ago, and when evidence suggested a dip in numbers, limits were set.But a policy that favors one animal over another, with purely commercial motives, is short sighted and probably is doomed to create unintended consequences. In the early 20th century, staff at some national parks routinely slaughtered wolves and birds of prey such as owls to encourage the species tourists wanted to see, such as elk, or catch, such as trout. Today, those policies are seen as primitive, wanton and wasteful.The state’s deer herd is indeed an economic driver for Maine, and state policymakers must pay attention to the factors that affect its health. But a more sophisticated understanding of the role coyotes play in the ecosystem is overdue.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife` post updated successfully

`Get Tough on Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Friends of Belfast Parks Recognized` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> Friends of Belfast Parks has been selected as national winner of the American Park and Recreation Society’s 2009 Citizen Initiative Award.The organization won for its leadership in organizing the Aug. 1 Maine Citizens’ Summit on Parks, which brought recreation professionals, advisory board members, political figures and citizen advocates together to share experiences and learn ways to serve as effective advocates for their programs.John L. Crompton, a world-renowned expert in parks advocacy and professor at Texas A&M, was the featured speaker.The award is presented annually to recognize the nation’s most outstanding citizen-initiated achievement in networking between people and parks and recreation professionals. The award includes a $1,000 prize.“We are extremely proud to have been recognized nationally for this effort, and especially that our event can serve as a model for other communities across the country,” said Friends member Debbie Hockensmith.“All of the organizations who collaborated to make the summit a success can share in the sense of pride for this award. It exemplifies what the citizens of Belfast can achieve when we work together for a common goal.”Friends of Belfast Parks was se0lected from a field of national finalists from across the United States.The Friends organization collaborated with the Maine Recreation and Park Association, Belfast parks and recreation commission, Senior College of Belfast, University of Maine Hutchinson Center and Waldo County Healthcare to create the one-day conference at the Hutchinson Center. `, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005` post updated successfully

`NRCM Comments on Maine's $8.9 Million Energy Efficiency Grants` post created successfully

`Combined Heat and Power Project Gets Boost from Maine PUC` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="" target="_blank">Bowdoin College news story http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/</a> The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has awarded the College a $400,000 grant in support of a combined heat and power (CHP) project on campus.The project consists of replacing a 46-year-old oil-fired steam boiler with a new 60,000 PPH boiler and backpressure steam turbine generator to create both heat (steam) and electric power (400kW) for the College's central utility plant, which provides heat to 75 percent of the campus.The CHP project would reduce campus energy consumption by nearly nine percent (1.749 million kWh), reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2,400 tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per year or more than 18 percent of the College's 2008 net emissions, and decrease overall consumption of BTUs by 6.25 billion BTUs or six percent of current plant BTU consumption. The CHP project is also a key component of Bowdoin's recently announced commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2020.Bowdoin was the only college among 16 recipients of the PUC's Large Energy Efficiency and Conservation Projects grants, which were formally announced January 6, 2010, at the Maine State House in Augusta.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Weighing Wind Against the Future` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com/" target="_blank">Sun Journal editorial</a> If Buckfield residents were to enact a moratorium on wind power projects, as they are now considering, they wouldn't be the first Mainers to do so.Thorndike enacted a moratorium in March. Rumford enacted one last month.The moratorium in Jackson was adopted, and then extended 180 days. Same thing happened in Dixmont.As in Thorndike, officials in each of these towns supported moratoriums to allow time to study wind power development, and its effect "on public health, safety and welfare, and the laws and experiences of other jurisdictions."In Rumford, townspeople felt they needed time to looks at the facts and consider options.Thoughtful consideration of anything this important is justified, but no one is inventing a new wheel here. Wind turbines enjoy widespread use in European nations, and have been spinning for years in Upstate New York, Vermont and northern Maine, among many other mountaintop regions in this country.Study after study has been conducted to consider public health needs, safety and welfare, and experiences of other jurisdictions, and it would be quite an astonishing development if hyper-local, town-specific studies uncovered radically new scientific or enjoyment-of-life evidence.In Buckfield, contemplation of a moratorium is a curious thing, especially for turbines to be sited on Streaked Mountain. The mountain is already home to a highly-visible and vast cluster of antenna and communications towers used by emergency service agencies and cell phone users.These towers and antenna were the subject of public meetings and hearings, but there was never a whisper of moratorium on construction because the elevated site is well-suited for communication equipment.Does that mean we need to communicate more than we need to create alternative energy sources in our towns? Hardly. The two needs are equally important, but aren't being equally welcomed.Before rushing headlong into a moratorium, residents in Buckfield and elsewhere in Maine where these moves are being considered might give equal thought to the cost of delaying or banning wind power in their communities.Wind power is a proven energy source, and taking advantage of an increasing number of available grants to launch construction of these projects offers a real boost to the local economy by increasing the property tax base and creating jobs.The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has regulations in place governing turbine noise and placement, based on years of review by experts, so we're not talking about rogue placement of towers in Maine's hamlets.If we can stomach the sight of a cell phone tower so we can chat with our neighbors, doesn't it make sense to do the same to foster renewable energy to power our homes and businesses?`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Energy-efficiency Grants Could Create 1,000 Jobs` post created successfully

`E.P.A. Seeks Stricter Rules to Curb Smog` post created successfully

`Emissions Review Stripped from Bill` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Ethan Wilensky-Lanford</h3> <a href="http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> A bill that would have allowed the Department of Environmental Protection to consider greenhouse gas emissions while reviewing site plans of major new construction projects has been changed to instead provide incentives for voluntary "green" development. A draft version of the edited bill, sponsored by Sen. Seth Goodall, D-Richmond, would waive certain site review processes the department requires for developments that disturb more than three acres of land, if developers comply with energy efficiency building requirements, preserve additional land or pay a conservation compensation fee. Officials said dozens of leading companies in the state were already meeting building efficiency standards voluntarily. David Littell, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, highlighted the new Hannaford grocery store in Augusta as an example of a project that met international standards for energy-efficient buildings. Under Goodall's proposal, the state would lead by example, as by 2012, all new state buildings would be built to more energy-efficient specifications, and major renovations of state buildings would be required to reduce energy costs by at least 20 percent.Darryl Brown, owner of Main-Land Development Consultants in Livermore Falls, said the developers he spoke for already feel Maine was far too regulated, but ready to compromise."When we read this initial proposal we were frankly scared to death," he told members of the Legislature's Natural Resources committee. "I do appreciate the proposal that Senator Goodall has brought forward."The Natural Resources Council of Maine, which supported the bill when the original provision came under consideration last spring, expressed disappointment."We do think that these times call for a standard," said Dylan Voorhees, energy project director for the organization. "We also think that if you are going to make a voluntary opt-in, you need to consider the incentives very carefully."The modified proposal was distributed for the first time at Thursday's work session, and was tabled for further discussion `, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`Industrial Grants a Good Use of Carbon Credit Funds` post created successfully

`My Maine Comes to Belfast` post created successfully

`Endangered Birds and Quirky Lists` post created successfully

`NRCM Testimony In Support of LD 1538, An Act To Close Loopholes in Environmental Laws` post created successfully

`Investing in Energy` post created successfully

`Program Offers Funds to Help Mainers Weatherize Homes` post created successfully

`Lee Heads Maine Energy Efficiency Board` post created successfully

`Go & Do: Polar Bear Plunge` post created successfully

`NRCM Film "Protecting the Nature of Maine" to Debut on MPBN-TV` post created successfully

`Collins: U.S. Should Back Wind Energy` post created successfully

`Businesses Discuss Opportunities in Wind Power` post created successfully

`House Warming` post created successfully

`Anglers, Lobstermen, Conservationists, and State Officials Highlight Need for Saltwater License` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Push for Saltwater License Bill` post created successfully

`Groups Call for Saltwater License` post created successfully

`Eastern Maine Development Corp. to Get $2.1M Grant for Green Construction Training` post created successfully

`State Investigates Possible Violation of Timberland Deal` post created successfully

`Report Faults Timber Harvest` post created successfully

`License for Saltwater Fishing is Reasonable` post created successfully

`Action Urged for Maine’s Energy Future` post created successfully

`A Saltwater Fishing License Would Aid Freshwater Fishery` post created successfully

`Keep Ocean Fishing Fees in Maine` post created successfully

`Efficiency Maine Trust` post created successfully

`Coalition Unveils Maine Environmental Agenda` post created successfully

`Making Wind Pay Localities` post created successfully

`Fishing for Data` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Map Out Priorities for Lawmakers` post created successfully

`Testimony of NRCM In Support of LD 1607, An Act to Regulate the Transportation of Firewood` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of Substitute Language for LD 1504` post created successfully

`Legislative Panel Deadlocks on License for Ocean Fishing` post created successfully

`Bills Target Firewood, Blight` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Debate Saltwater Fishing Licenses` post created successfully

`The Big and Small of Wind` post created successfully

`Saltwater Licenses are Entry Tickets to Magnificent Sport` post created successfully

`Verso Targets Efficiency, Savings with Help from DOE` post created successfully

`Baldacci: Maine can recover Energy, Natural Resources, Budget Cuts Focus of State of State` post created successfully

`Film Touts Record of Environmental Group` post created successfully

`Testimony of NRCM In Support of LD 1568, “An Act to Clarify Maine’s Phase-out of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers”` post created successfully

`Testimony of NRCM In Support of LD 1631, “An Act to Provide Leadership Regarding the Responsible Recycling of Consumer Products”` post created successfully

`Testimony by NRCM In Support of LD 1662, “An Act to Improve Maine’s Air Quality and Reduce Regional Haze at Acadia National Park and Other Class 1 Areas”` post created successfully

`Aroostook County Wind Farm Gets DEP Green Light` post created successfully

`Manufacturers Balk at Adding Recycling Items` post created successfully

`Bill Could Aid Towns Near Turbines` post created successfully

`Clean Energy Incentives Would Bring Good Jobs to Maine` post created successfully

`Need, Safety of Cleanup Questioned` post created successfully

`Don’t Allow Politics to Trump Science on Greenhouse Gases` post created successfully

`Panel Backs Maine Saltwater Fishing License` post created successfully

`Climate a Concern for Faith Communities` post created successfully

`Eastbrook Reviews Wind Power Options` post created successfully

`Still Work to be Done Siting Wind Power` post created successfully

`Global Warming Brings More Oddball Winter Weather to Maine` post created successfully

`Oil Dealers Support Haze Rules` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Take Issue With Obama on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Groups Link Maine Winter Changes to Global Warming` post created successfully

`Scientists Interested in Examining Elm’s Rings` post created successfully

`Wind Host Benefits` post created successfully

`Preserving North Woods Needs Bold New Thinking` post created successfully

`THUMBS UP — 50 Years of NRCM` post created successfully

`Whirlwind Tour Touts Offshore Wind` post created successfully

`Baldacci Off to D.C. to Discuss Energy` post created successfully

`First Wind Eyes Bower Mountain` post created successfully

`President's Biomass Proposals Get Mixed Response in Maine` post created successfully

`State, Industry Agree on Deca Phaseout` post created successfully

`Pros and Cons of Wind Energy Debated` post created successfully

`Bill Targeting Unused Drugs Moves Ahead` post created successfully

`Home Show Exhibitors Hear "Eco"` post created successfully

`High Levels of Contaminant Found in Osprey Eggs` post created successfully

`Friends Group Loses Rollins Mountain Appeal` post created successfully

`Residents Decry Narrow Scope of HoltraChem Site Cleanup` post created successfully

`Emissions Backtrack` post created successfully

`We Should Control Our Fisheries` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Committee Votes Unanimously to Ban Toxic Deca's Use in Plastic Shipping Pallets and Require Safer Alternatives` post created successfully

`NMCC Takes Steps to Research Wind Power` post created successfully

`Celebration of State Parks Begins Feb. 20` post created successfully

`Let's Preserve Muskie's Clean Air Legacy` post created successfully

`Legislative Proposal for Disposing of Drugs Makes Sense for Maine` post created successfully

`Couple Chooses to Conserve 126 Acres of Stetson Farmland` post created successfully

`Wind Power Myths Blow Away` post created successfully

`Maine Adopts Chemical-safety Rules` post created successfully

`Experts: Warming Will Bring Stronger but Fewer Hurricanes` post created successfully

`Women Push for Regulation of Cosmetic Chemicals` post created successfully

`PUC Funds Boost Energy Projects` post created successfully

`County to Receive Federal Funds for Energy Projects` post created successfully

`College Students Scrutinize Chemicals In Cosmetics` post created successfully

`Do Toxins Cause Autism?` post created successfully

`Hooking Up with Farms` post created successfully

`Agriculture Fair Brings Customers to Farmers` post created successfully

`Support Clean Water Restoration Act` post created successfully

`Wind Power has Already Created New Jobs, Revenues` post created successfully

`Resolution Would Benefit Big Polluters` post created successfully

`Efficiency Maine Trust Hires Executive Director` post created successfully

`Ban on Imported Campfire Wood Eyed` post created successfully

`Connecting Chemicals and Obesity` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Sharon Tisher</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal op-ed</a> I would agree with Michelle Obama that the problem of childhood obesity is solvable, and that we should address it on many fronts. One part of the solution, however, is so elusive that it is just reaching the radar screen of public health experts.Obesity rates have risen dramatically in the industrialized world over the last three decades. In the United States, we have an obesity epidemic. More than 20 percent of adults are clinically obese, and an additional 30 percent are overweight. The linkage between obesity and other devastating and costly health problems, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease, is well documented. An estimated $3,400 average annual health care spending for a normal-weight adult grows to $4,870 for an obese adult.Most perplexing to scientists and public health experts is the growth in obesity in a segment of the population that can't be explained by overindulgence in fast food or a more sedentary lifestyle: infants. In 2006, the Harvard School of Public Health reported that obesity in infants under six months had risen 73 percent since 1980.To explain this unexpected phenomenon, recent research has focused on the possibility that chemicals present in our environment, and especially prenatal exposures to those chemicals, up the ante for obesity risk. The regulation of weight, like all systems in our body, relies on a complex system of communication, activity, and feedback. In bodies evolutionarily designed to deliver relatively stable levels of energy and performance despite dramatically different daily caloric intakes, weight maintenance depends on delicate systems of self-regulation.Fat cells were once understood as simply a kind of bank, saving energy for later needs. Now we know that these cells actually communicate with the brain, which in turns affects behavior, regulating both appetite and basal metabolic rate. The messengers in this system are hormones secreted by the fat cells. The concern is that these and other messages regulating weight may be intercepted, and rewritten.What happens when chemicals never before present in human bodies, but bearing close resemblances to natural hormones, invade our tissues, our bloodstream, or pass through the placenta to act on developing fetal organs?What happens when those chemicals attach to the same receptors designed to control body weight, but send inaccurate messages about appropriate levels of appetite or metabolic rate?This is the theory behind emerging research into chemical "obesogens."Dr. Retha Newbold of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has given low doses of the hormone-mimicking chemical DES to newborn mice. In six months, the mice were 20 percent heavier and had 36 percent more body fat than unexposed mice. Even before increases in weight and body fat were detected, serum profiles indicated higher levels of weight-regulating hormones in the DES-fed mice.Dr. Bruce Blumberg at the University of California, Irvine, who coined the term "obesogen," has performed similar experiments with a class of chemicals called organotins, widely found in PVC plastics, in fungicides and pesticides, and as marine antifouling agents.Researchers at Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea, have exposed the common herbicide atrazine to rats, resulting in decreased basal metabolic rates, increased body weight, increased intro-abdominal fat and insulin resistance, without any changes in food intake or physical activity level.Those changes, often referred to as "metabolic syndrome," are considered harbingers of Type 2 diabetes. These researchers suggest there may be a causal relationship between high usage of atrazine in the MidWest Corn Belt, consequent drinking water contamination, and high concentrations of individuals with a body mass index over 30 kg/m2 in the same region.In a culture still bewitched by the slogan "Better living through chemistry," government has moved all too slowly to address the problem of chemicals and their impact on human hormonal systems.Nearly a half century ago, Rachel Carson called attention to this problem in her book about the risks of pesticides, "Silent Spring." It took more than 30 years for Congress to respond. In 1996, in the Food Quality Protection Act, Congress called for pesticides to be evaluated for their hormone disrupting potential. It took another 13 years for the EPA to implement this directive. In October 2009, the agency issued the first orders for testing the hormone effects of 67 common pesticides.As science converges from laboratories around the world, however, change may be imminent.This year, Congress will undertake the first effort in 30 years to re-examine and reform our bankrupt federal system of chemical safety regulation.The Congressional delegation from Maine should support strong and effective reform.The problem of obesity is unquestionably multifactorial. But given its high personal and societal costs, we can't afford to ignore the risk that silent chemical collaborators — "obesogens" — share responsibility for its rising incidence.Sharon S. Tisher, J.D. teaches environmental law at the University of Maine. `, assigning current date

`Other Toxic Pollution Work` post created successfully

`A Vision for the North Woods` post created successfully

`Officials Tout Programs for Weatherizing Maine Homes` post created successfully

`Add One More to Three R's: Recycling` post created successfully

`Pollution-free Power Sources Will Help All Maine Breathe Easier` post created successfully

`High Court Upholds State Wind Farm Law` post created successfully

`NRCM Has Record of Success in Maine` post created successfully

`Wind Power Has Benefits for Maine and Its Families` post created successfully

`40 Groups Call for Climate and Clean Energy Legislation` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: For Green Jobs, Should Graduates Stay or Go?` post created successfully

`Conservation Groups Offer Partial Support for Proposed Expansion of Kibby Mountain Wind Project` post created successfully

`Groups Call on Congress to Pass Energy and Climate Legislation` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Push for Earth Day Legislation` post created successfully

`Wind Power Expansion Pits Jobs Against Environmental Concerns` post created successfully

`House Strongly Endorses Drug "Take-Back" Bill` post created successfully

`Efficiency in Heating Homes Gets A in Maine` post created successfully

`Bill Puts Price on Turbines` post created successfully

`Wind Power Investment Will Grow a Domestic Industry` post created successfully

`Interest Rising to Revive Conservation Panels` post created successfully

`Community Colleges Get Green Energy Grants` post created successfully

`Another View: A National Park Would Share the Beauty of the North Woods` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1810, “An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Governor’s Ocean Energy Task Force”` post created successfully

`NRCM Testimony on LURC’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan` post created successfully

`500 Maine Businesses Call for Climate Action` post created successfully

`500 Maine Businesses Urge Snowe, Collins to Help Pass Federal Climate and Clean Energy Legislation` post created successfully

`Organic Farmers Push for Pesticide Notification` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Urge Climate Action` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Call For Clean Energy Legislation` post created successfully

`Economy, Conservation Coexist` post created successfully

`Environment Focus of Next Candidates' Forum` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement Regarding Governor Baldacci’s signing of “An Act to Provide for the Responsible Recycling of Consumer Products” (L.D. 1631)` post created successfully

`First-in-the-Nation Product Stewardship Bill Signed Into Law` post created successfully

`Manufacturers to Pay Disposal Tab` post created successfully

`New Maine Law Takes Aim at Hazardous Products` post created successfully

`Saltwater Anglers Will Need to Register` post created successfully

`Environmentalists, Business Interests Talk Up Wind Power` post created successfully

`State Licenses for Saltwater Fishing OK'd` post created successfully

`Acadia Closes Several Trails to Accommodate Falcons` post created successfully

`Windpower Right for Maine` post created successfully

`River Yields Revenue Stream` post created successfully

`Will Yarmouth Go with More Flow? Dialogue to Begin on Removing Dams` post created successfully

`Veterans Group Urges Energy Reforms` post created successfully

`Working Together Gets the Job Done` post created successfully

`Report: Cosmetic Products Contain High Levels of Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Maine DEP Hails New Federal Fuel Efficiency Rules` post created successfully

`Lyme Disease Could Soar This Year` post created successfully

`Ribbon-cutting Set for Stetson Wind Project` post created successfully

`Winthrop Committee Will Mark Earth Day` post created successfully

`Small-scale Windmills Generate Mixed Reviews` post created successfully

`Goodwin Goes "Green"` post created successfully

`Governor Baldacci Signs “An Act to Improve Maine’s Air Quality and Reduce Regional Haze” (LD 1662)` post created successfully

`Maine Putting Its Energy Behind Efficiency Project` post created successfully

`Study: Region Getting Heavy Rain More Often` post created successfully

`Maine Should Tap Best Energy Source: Efficiency` post created successfully

`Ribbon-cutting Launches Stetson II Wind Project` post created successfully

`More State Parks Open Early in Maine` post created successfully

`Trust Hopes to Save Land Parcel Owned by Plum Creek` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Terry Karkos, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal news story</a> BETHEL — Development and public access concerns continue to drive a public trust to conserve one of the largest remaining blocks of private forest in New England, including a nearly 1,000-acre wetland that is home to some of the best native trout fishing in the nation.Located in Errol, N.H., and mostly beside Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, which straddles the Maine-New Hampshire border, the 31,300-acre parcel is owned by Plum Creek Maine Timberlands LLC.The cost of securing a conservation easement on nearly 23,000 acres, and buying about 8,500 acres to give to the refuge and New Hampshire Fish and Game to protect and preserve public access, is in the $20 million range, said J. T. Horn, the Trust for Public Land project manager for New Hampshire and Vermont.“The goal is to do 23,000 acres as a Forest Legacy easement, so that would stay privately owned subject to an easement, and then about 7,500 acres would be added to the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, and just shy of 1,000 acres would go to New Hampshire Fish and Game, and that's around an area called the Greenough Ponds,” Horn said.“The way a Forest Legacy easement works is you can't ever develop the land, and you can't ever close it to public access, but it's still privately owned," he said. "It's still a commercial forest.”Additions proposed for the refuge include 2,920 acres bordering Route 16 and the northern half of the refuge; and 4,532 acres off Route 26 and the southern portion of the refuge. The trust will seek funding for the larger parcel in 2012, Horn said.Streams and ponds on the 31,300 acres flow into the Androscoggin River right after the river flows out of Lake Umbagog and heads toward Maine.“It's like the first tributaries to the Androscoggin after it leaves the lake,” Horn said. “It's 38 miles of streams and 12 ponds. The whole thing would be public access. There's a lot of snowmobile trails, it's popular for hunting, and the fishing access is really one of the primo places for brook trout fisheries in the eastern United States. It's that good.”“The Greenough Ponds are really significant because they're some of the best fishing in the state of New Hampshire,” he said. “It supports native, non-stocked wild brook trout populations, and we're trying to keep it from being developed.”Horn said the trust would seek private funding toward the end of 2011 for the Greenough Ponds parcel of 938 acres, because it includes 4 miles of frontage.“It's all waterfront,” he said, and expensive.Federal funding for the two southernmost parcels — totaling 17,169 acres — will be sought in 2012.Through New Hampshire's congressional delegation, the trust is trying to get $8.6 million in U. S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program money.The trust asked for $4.5 million to fund the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's acquisition of a 2,920-acre property to protect critical brook trout habitat and enhance multiuse recreational opportunities and access, and $4.1 million to conserve 10,208 acres through a Forest Legacy easement that would allow continued sustainable timber harvesting at the Androscoggin headwaters.The $4.1 million project is already fully funded in President Barack Obama's budget, but the same budget only set aside $2 million for the $4.5 million project, Horn said.`, assigning current date

`Land Bond Campaign 2005,Plum Creek` post created successfully

`County College Leaders to Talk at Wind Summit` post created successfully

`Old Fridge Program Could Cool Costly Energy Demand` post created successfully

`Seasonal Allergies in Maine to Get Worse from Climate Change` post created successfully

`Global Warming Likely to Worsen Allergies in Maine` post created successfully

`Allergens Getting Worse?` post created successfully

`Report Predicts Increasing Allergy Problem from Climate Change` post created successfully

`Early Spring is in the Air, Along with Lots of Pollen` post created successfully

`Study Finds Climate Change Will Increase Allergy Rates` post created successfully

`Allergies Worse? Climate Change Could Be Culprit, Study Finds` post created successfully

`Lautenberg Bill Seeks to Overhaul U.S. Chemical Laws` post created successfully

`Passing Clean-Energy Legislation is About Creating Jobs in Maine` post created successfully

`Maine Leads and the Country Follows on Clean Cars` post created successfully

`Alewives: Fish in Troubled Waters` post created successfully

`Climate Change the Most Important Issue of Our Time` post created successfully

`Earth Day at 40: Mainers Remember Birth of a Movement` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: Real Patriotism Involves Closing Door to Energy from Unfriendly Sources` post created successfully

`Unity College Continues Green Endeavors` post created successfully

`Curb Threat of Climate Change` post created successfully

`Maine Gets $30M for Energy Upgrades` post created successfully

`We've Come a Long Way Since the First Earth Day -- Let's Not Stop` post created successfully

`Stimulus Sets PACE for Financing Home Efficiency` post created successfully

`Mainers Celebrate Earth Day` post created successfully

`Maine Gets $30M for Energy Upgrades` post created successfully

`Earth Day 2010` post created successfully

`Earth Day: Mainers Get Good Grades But...` post created successfully

`Valuing Our Parks, Understanding Their History` post created successfully

`Pre-filed Testimony In the Matter of Development Permit, DP 4860 Kibby Expansion Wind Power Project` post created successfully

`Governor Lauds State Role in Protecting Environment` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: Energy Efficiency Gets $30 Million Boost` post created successfully

`Unity Serious About Energy Use` post created successfully

`Outlays Elusive on State's $42M Weatherizing Program` post created successfully

`A New Approach to Fighting Maine's Invisible Enemy` post created successfully

`Fish Ladder in Brunswick Needs to Go` post created successfully

`Obama Shelves New Offshore Drilling` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.msnbc.com" target="_blank">MSNBC news story</a> WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Friday directed that no new offshore oil drilling leases be issued unless rigs have new safeguards to prevent a repeat of the explosion that unleashed the massive spill threatening the Gulf Coast with major environmental damage.Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, meanwhile, declared a state of emergency in the state's Panhandle coastal counties because of the threat."The oil slick is generally moving in a northerly direction and threatens Florida's coast," Crist said in the order declaring the emergency in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, and Gulf counties.Obama ordered Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to report within 30 days on what new technologies are needed to tighten safeguards against oil spills from deepwater drilling rigs."We are making sure any leases going forward have those safeguards," said Obama at a White House Rose Garden event.Obama's declaration is not expected to have any immediate impact. Under the expanded leasing plan Obama announced a month ago, the first offshore leases would be issued off the Virginia coast in 2012 at the earliest.It is still unclear what caused the explosion on the BP rig more than 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. About 5,000 barrels of oil a day, 0r 210,000 gallons, are estimated to be spewing from three well leaks on the ocean floor. Obama said supports domestic drilling for oil and natural gas but that it "must be done responsibly for the safety of our workers and our environment."Senior adviser David Axelrod earlier defended the administration's response to the April 20 accident, saying "we had the Coast Guard in almost immediately." He deflected comparisons with the government's slow response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, telling ABC's "Good Morning America" that such speculation "is always the case in Washington whenever something like this happens." Axelrod said "no additional drilling has been authorized and none will until we find out what has happened here." Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O'Hara also faced questions on all three network television morning shows Friday about whether the government has done enough to push oil company BP PLC to plug the underwater leak and protect the coast. Brice-O'Hara said the federal response led by the Coast Guard has been rapid, sustained and has adapted as the threat grew since a drill rig exploded and sank last week, causing the spill. She said crews would be unable to skim oil from the surface or burn it off for the next couple of days because of the weather. Billions in damages possible BP, for its part, said Friday it would compensate all those affected by the leak."We are taking full responsibility for the spill and we will clean it up and where people can present legitimate claims for damages we will honor them. We are going to be very, very aggressive in all of that," BP CEO Tony Hayward told Reuters. The cost to the fishing industry in Louisiana could be $2.5 billion while the impact on tourism along Florida's Paradise coast could be $3 billion, Neil McMahon, analyst at investment firm Bernstein, said in a research note on Friday. The spill could also hit Obama's plans to open some offshore areas of the U.S. where oil exploration is currently barred, to drilling, Hayward acknowledged. "There may be an industry issue around what may or may not be opened," he said. However the CEO hopes an effective response to the spill, including a flotilla of around 80 vessels and several aircraft, would reassure people about the risks from drilling. "It would be bizarre to say it shouldn't influence the debate. How the debate will come out, I think ultimately will be judged by the success we have in dealing with this incident." Regulations on drilling safety will also come under scrutiny, Hayward predicted. "Rightly, there will be a reaction. Whenever you have something of this significance, it's right that regulators should look very hard at what they can do to further ensure that something like this never happens again," he said. He said possible changes could relate to testing of equipment like the blow-out preventer on the ocean floor which failed to operate correctly and shut off the flow of oil, although he added it would be impossible to say how testing could be improved until the cause of the accident was known. Failures of blow-out preventers are extremely rare and the equipment is regularly tested. The scale of the disaster could also lead to changes in the rules on who is allowed to operate licenses in the deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico, analysts said. The government could limit operating licenses to larger companies, like BP, which have the deep pockets and operational capability to mount large cleanup operations. The oil slick could become the nation's worst environmental disaster in decades, threatening to eclipse even the Exxon Valdez in scope. It imperils hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife along the Gulf Coast, one of the world's richest seafood grounds, teeming with shrimp, oysters and other marine life.The leak from the ocean floor proved to be far bigger than initially reported, contributing to a growing sense among some in Louisiana that the government failed them again, just as it did during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Obama dispatched Cabinet officials Thursday to deal with the crisis.Members of Congress on Thursday had also issued new calls for Obama to reconsider his plan to open vast stretches of U.S. coastline to oil and gas drilling. Cade Thomas, a fishing guide in Venice, worried that his livelihood will be destroyed. He said he did not know whether to blame the Coast Guard, the government or BP."They lied to us. They came out and said it was leaking 1,000 barrels when I think they knew it was more. And they weren't proactive," he said. "As soon as it blew up, they should have started wrapping it with booms."An emergency shrimping season was opened to allow shrimpers to scoop up their catch before it is fouled by oil.This murky water and the oysters in it have provided a livelihood for three generations of Frank and Mitch Jurisich's family in Empire, La.Now, on the open water just beyond the marshes, they can smell the oil that threatens everything they know and love."Just smelling it, it puts more of a sense of urgency, a sense of fear," Frank Jurisich said.The brothers hope to harvest all the oysters they can sell before the oil washes ashore. They filled more than 100 burlap sacks Thursday and stopped to eat some oysters. "This might be our last day," Mitch Jurisich said.Without the fishing industry, Frank Jurisich said the family "would be lost. This is who we are and what we do."In Buras, La., where Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, the owner of the Black Velvet Oyster Bar & Grill couldn't keep his eyes off the television. News and weather shows were making projections that oil would soon inundate the coastal wetlands where his family has "A hurricane is like closing your bank account for a few days, but this here has the capacity to destroy our bank accounts," said Byron Marinovitch, 47."We're really disgusted," he added. "We don't believe anything coming out of BP's mouth."Mike Brewer, 40, who lost his oil spill response company in the devastation of Hurricane Katrina nearly five years ago, said the area was accustomed to the occasional minor spill. But he feared the scale of the escaping oil was beyond the capacity of existing resources."You're pumping out a massive amount of oil. There is no way to stop it," he said.`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work,Global Warming Pollution` post created successfully

`Waste Knot: Toxic Threat on Banks of the Penobscot` post created successfully

`Lyme Disease Advancing in Maine` post created successfully

`Drilling, Disaster, Denial` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: Climate Bill Needed to Fix What Ails Us` post created successfully

`Maine’s Young Men Speak Out Against Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`A Freshening Wind` post created successfully

`Toxics Lurking in Men's Personal Care Products Too, Group Claims` post created successfully

`No Fooling Mother Nature` post created successfully

`MAINE COMPASS: That’s a Killer Look` post created successfully

`Americans "Bombarded" with Cancer Causes: Report` post created successfully

`New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer` post created successfully

`Offshore Project, Utility Reach a Deal` post created successfully

`CMP Signs Landmark Agreement Before PUC` post created successfully

`Book Review: Ecologist Fights Use of Harmful Chemicals` post created successfully

`Specter of Global Catastrophe Joy at Early Maine Spring` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: Disaster in Gulf Foretells the Future` post created successfully

`Federal Clean Energy and Climate Bill to Be Introduced Today: Support from Maine Senators Key to Clean Energy/Climate Solution` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="" target="_blank">NRCM press release</a> AUGUSTA, ME – This afternoon, the eyes of the world will be on the U.S. as the “American Power Act,” federal clean energy and climate legislation sponsored by Senators Kerry and Lieberman, will be introduced in Washington, DC. This morning, Mainers are delivering more than 1,500 letters to Senator Snowe and Collins’ Augusta offices, and Portland-based Critical Insights also will be releasing a new Tracking Survey with data showing that Maine people overwhelmingly (72% to 13%) want Senators Snowe and Collins to support federal climate and energy legislation.“The world will be watching to see if the United States is willing to take a serious leadership role in addressing the threat of climate change and moving deliberately toward a clean energy future by enacting serious legislation this year,” said Lisa Pohlmann, deputy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). “Needless to say, the votes and leadership of Maine Senators Snowe and Collins are critical to its passage.”“Though far from perfect, this proposal appears to represent the best and last chance to act constructively on climate and clean energy this year,” she said. A broad coalition of business, medical, sportsman, military, religious, conservation, legislative, and other leaders, have weighed in to urge Senators Snowe and Collins to support strong clean energy and climate legislation that will create clean American energy and jobs. In Maine, more than 500 businesses, 40 public interest and sportsman groups, 100 medical professionals, 111 legislators, and thousands of citizens have already weighed in urging Maine’s Senators to support strong clean energy and climate legislation. The introduction of a comprehensive climate and energy bill takes place against the backdrop of growing concerns about the real costs of dirty and dangerous fossil fuels, brought home by the enormous environmental oil disaster that continues to unfold on the nation’s Gulf Coast. A letter from NRCM that was submitted to Maine’s Senators today says:“This is a critical moment for leadership on one of the most important issues facing the future of our planet…Because of the accelerating pace of climate change, and the risks associated with America’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, we cannot afford to waste this opportunity…In the spirit of bipartisan political courage and environmental leadership that are hallmarks of Maine’s elected officials on both sides of the aisle, you can play an historic role in the days ahead in helping lead our nation toward action.” * Critical Insights poll question: Do you believe that Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins should vote for or against legislation aimed at both reducing the threat of climate change and promoting clean energy development?###Read the letter from NRCM Executive Director Brownie Carson to Senators Snowe and Collins here: <a href="/ClimateBillLettertoSenatorSnowe.asp">http://www.nrcm.org/ClimateBillLettertoSenatorSnowe.asp</a> Read the letter signed by more than 500 Maine businesses to Senators Snowe and Collins here: <a href="/documents/500_businesses_ltr_new.pdf">http://www.nrcm.org/documents/500_businesses_ltr_new.pdf</a>`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`Invest In Clean Energy Sources` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Urge Maine Senators to Support Kerry-Lieberman Climate Bill` post created successfully

`Be Aware of Pesticide Exposure` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Heather Spaulding and Meredith Small</h3> <a href="http://www.bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News op-ed</a> When land managers and neighbors have a simple system to communicate about pesticide spraying, they all benefit. Farmers have no interest in putting human health at risk, and neighbors aren’t trying to burden land managers with complicated and costly notification systems. Both want a system that is easy to understand and easy to use.To that end, Maine’s Board of Pesticides Control finds itself, once again, struggling to create effective and practical pesticide spray notification rules that work for everyone. Public participation in this process is essential.The board has scheduled four opportunities for the public to provide input on the development of a comprehensive notification registry for all outdoor pesticide spraying. The first hearing on the prospective comprehensive registry will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 14, at the Bangor Motor Inn. This is an excellent opportunity for the BPC to hear from residents who want access to information about all outdoor pesticide spraying in their neighborhoods.Friday’s hearing comes just a week after the President’s Cancer Panel acknowledged that the National Cancer Program has not adequately addressed the carcinogenic harm from environmental contaminants including pesticides. In a report to President Barack Obama, the panel of experts asserted that a large proportion of the 1.5 million American cancer cases diagnosed each year are attributable to chemical exposures. The panel urged that efforts to inform the public of such harmful exposures and how to prevent them must be increased, and that all levels of government, from federal to local, must work to protect every American from needless disease through rigorous regulation of environmental pollutants.For decades the BPC, which is housed in Maine’s Department of Agriculture, has tried to balance residents’ pesticide exposure worries with industry’s fears about regulation. Concern about pesticide contamination of organic farmland, pollinators such as bees, wildlife, water and air is rising. The public has become more aware of the dangerous health effects of pesticide exposure, even at low doses.And demand for organic produce is on the increase, as is interest in low-impact forestry practices that don’t rely on herbicides. At the same time, businesses reliant on toxic pesticides argue that additional regulation would bring an abrupt end to forestry operations, mosquito spraying, ornamental tree management and multi-generational farming activities throughout the state.The BPC has focused on the importance of notification as a way to reduce the conflict that arises when pesticide drift inevitably happens. Lively legislative debates have ensued for the past two years. The Legislature endorsed a free notification registry for people wishing to know about aerial and air-blast spraying in their neighborhoods, then watered it down to exclude nonagricultural applications, then, about two months ago, lobbed the detailed discussion work back to the BPC to figure out how the system actually would work and what would be the scope. And here we are today.Fortunately, there is widespread support for the establishment of a comprehensive notification registry. Trade associations such as the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission, the Small Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Maine Farm Bureau all have expressed support for the registry, as have 28 statewide environmental and public health organizations.The big challenge will be in the details. First, comprehensive must mean what it implies — all outdoor pesticide applications regardless of technology and business sector. Information must be easily available and free. People living on or owning property within a quarter-mile of the intended aerial or air-blast spray area must have access to detailed information about chemicals being used. The BPC must establish notification zones for other pesticide application technologies, ensuring that neighbors have access to information if there is any possibility of drift exposure.The BPC has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time and effort to this issue. It is time for residents who want strong pesticide regulations to speak out. Public participation in the scheduled hearings will help the BPC come out of the rulemaking process with a clear and unequivocal message for the next Legislature. Any resident, owner, or lessee of property in Maine is entitled to join the existing notification registry for aerial and air-blast spraying, free of charge. It takes about a minute to register. Enroll online at <a href="http://www.thinkfirstspraylast.org/">www.thinkfirstspraylast.org</a>, or call the BPC at 287-2731.Heather Spalding is the associate director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Meredith Small is the executive director of Toxics Action Center. `, assigning current date

`Other Toxic Pollution Work` post updated successfully

`Maine's Transmission Settlement is a Better Path Toward More Efficiency, Clean Energy, and Reliability` post created successfully

`The Word is Out – Our Environment Can Cause Cancer` post created successfully

`Farmers Cope With Roundup-Resistant Weeds` post created successfully

`Rite of Spring: Join Effort to Rid Waterways of Litter` post created successfully

`Study Links ADHD with Pesticides` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: Car-less Commuting is Worth It` post created successfully

`UMPI Windmill "a Great Decision"` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">By Jen Lynds</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The process of installing a wind turbine at the University of Maine at Presque Isle was a lot like navigating a traffic jam.There were lots of starts and stops, periods where the process flowed continually, and times when officials did not think they were going to get anywhere at all.But they did get somewhere, and this month marks the first anniversary of the official commissioning of the university’s 600-kilowatt windmill.More than 70 people attended a ceremony on May 14, 2009, to officially dedicate the windmill, which is 90 meters tall.The university became the first university campus in the state — and one of only a handful in New England — to install a midsize wind turbine to generate power.The project was financed by UMPI’s internal savings, together with a $50,000 grant from the Maine Public Utilities Commission.While there have been some minor glitches with the windmill in the past year, Don Zillman, the president of UMPI, and David St. Peter, the director of the physical plant at UMPI, said recently that the turbine is living up to its expectations.“We had four objectives for this project,” Zillman said during a recent interview. “We wanted to make the campus more green, we wanted to save on power, we wanted to make the windmill a part of our educational program and we wanted this project to serve as a community resource.“By that, I mean that we wanted others who were thinking about doing the same thing to come and see what we’d done and hear about the process and get information about how to go about it if they wanted to,” he added.“We feel we have accomplished all four of those objectives,” he said. “The process from thinking of getting the windmill to actually getting it operating was difficult at times, but I believe we made a great decision.”Jared Monahan of Brownville just completed his junior year at UMPI. The biology and environmental science major said Sunday that there was a small group of students who did not like the idea of a windmill on campus when the news was first announced, because they thought it would mess up the aesthetics of the campus.“But since the windmill went up, I haven’t heard anyone complain about it,” Monahan said. “Lots of students on campus are ecofriendly, so this is a huge benefit.”Jessica Littlefield, a recreation and leisure student from Presque Isle who just completed her sophomore year, agreed.“I haven’t heard any complaints,” she said Sunday. “I don’t think its too loud or anything. I think its pretty cool. I was worried at first about birds, but it hasn’t been a problem. I think that a lot of students like it and the school is saving money, which is a good thing for all of us.”The processUniversity officials originally explored the idea of wind power in 2004, and the project kicked into high gear after Zillman assumed the presidency two years later. Before Zillman’s arrival on campus, a study of wind resources on campus had begun, but a decision on whether to move forward with a wind project had not been solidified.Zillman came to campus with 30 years of study and teaching in the field of energy law and policy, and a portion of that work involved renewable energy resources. With Zillman at the helm, the university announced plans in May 2007 to install a wind turbine on campus for the generation of clean electricity.Before the announcement, campus officials talked with faculty, staff and students about the project.“We were regularly checking in with students, faculty and staff during this whole process, and they pushed us to go ahead with it,” said Zillman. “The community was the same way, as well as city officials.”Campus officials said they anticipated that the turbine they were considering would produce about 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and save the institution more than $100,000 annually in electricity charges. Once fully operational, the turbine was expected to save an estimated 572 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year.At the time of the announcement, the campus already had broken ground on the project and a road leading to the planned site.After the announcement came the “dirty work,” Zillman said.“If you are easily frustrated, you probably would not want to go through the process of installing one of these types of windmills,” he acknowledged. “It was not a smooth, easy process. To do this, you have to be patient and kind of roll with the punches until you see it through.”There were several daunting challenges in the beginning, Zillman recalled, including the contracting and permitting process.“One of our biggest challenges was finding a place where we could order the turbine and also finding someone to install it,” he said, adding that even major general contractors in the state did not have significant experience conducting such a project. “I like to say that you can’t just go into Wal-Mart, grab a cart and walk out with a wind turbine and power. We really had to search for a contractor that could do the job for us at the price that we were authorized to spend.”Zillman said the search for a contractor began in the fall of 2007, and the university ran into problems. Some bidders could not fulfill all of the needs of the project, and bidders intimated the work might cost UMPI more than the $2 million allocated for the project.University officials worked through the problems, however, including securing all of the necessary permits from state, federal and local agencies. In November 2008, the campus reached an agreement with general contractor Lumus Construction Inc. They agreed to move forward on the $2 million project to install the wind turbine approximately 30 yards from the UMPI baseball fields.The blades and nacelle, which is the gearbox to facilitate blade movement, were manufactured in Chennai, India. The turbine tower was made in the U.S.Just before Christmas of that year, UMPI officials received word that the wind turbine was ready to be shipped to campus.Vision becomes realityBy mid-March 2009, all three tower sections arrived and were lying close to the tower base. On April 14, the blades and other equipment were rolling up U.S. Route 1 toward campus. By April 19, the installation of the tower was complete.On May 15, a whipping wind welcomed more than 70 guests to the university as UMPI officially commissioned its new windmill. The ceremony took place on a day in which a high-wind warning was in effect across several parts of the state. Officials decided to hold the bulk of the ceremony inside, fearing the wind would drown out any words spoken about the momentous occasion. Guests hunched over, bracing themselves against the gusts, and clutched hats and sunglasses to keep them from being blown away when the ceremony briefly moved outside.“We were actually kind of nervous about the wind that day,” Zillman recalled. “But we were told that the turbine can sustain winds of at least 60 mph.”After speeches and a ribbon cutting at the turbine site, Zillman walked into the tower control room of the windmill, pressed a button, and the blades began to turn.The audience burst into cheers, clapping enthusiastically and offering hoots and squeals of delight.“That was a great day,” St. Peter said.The first yearAlthough the turbine began spinning in mid-May, Zillman said officials “really view July 1, 2009, as the power bill comparison measure.”From July 1, 2009, to the end of March 2010, the university has seen $85,000 in savings because of the windmill, according to the president.“We are close to saving the $100,000 annually in electricity charges that we initially projected,” he said. “We feel we might even do better than that as time goes on.”Still, Zillman said UMPI really wants to wait five years to get an accurate reading of how the project is working.The data gathered by the university are collected by a box in the turbine, which St. Peter called “the brains of the machine.”“The box gives us its output, wind speed and direction, temperature and more,” he said. “This really has been a wonderful machine. It has been functional 96 percent of the time, and we’ve had no major mechanical problems.”Zillman said the college initially was worried about how the turbine would do in cold weather.“We shouldn’t have,” he acknowledged. “It has been working on even the bitterest days.”The college has a two-year warranty on the windmill and officials from Lumus are always available if a problem arises, Zillman said.The only time the windmill is not running is if there is not enough wind or if it is undergoing routine maintenance. St. Peter said he has seen it generate power even when the wind is as low as 10 mph. Both Zillman and St. Peter said they’ve heard “few complaints” about the turbine.“The students haven’t complained, and the community has been the same way,” said Zillman. “We’ve had no complaints about noise or shadow flicker.”Zillman acknowledged that some community members were concerned that birds might be harmed or killed if they ran into the windmill.“That hasn’t been a problem,” he said. “I believe they have found one bat who may have been a casualty of the turbine, but no birds or other flying creatures have been injured or killed.”“This is not to say that we are complaint free, because I know that people talk amongst themselves about it and I’ve seen some concerned letters to the editor [in newspapers],” Zillman said. “But we try as much as we can to keep the community abreast of this project and its effect on our campus and the environment.”Zillman and St. Peter say the windmill not only has served the college, it also has become an educational tool for students at UMPI, Northern Maine Community College and local schools.In September 2008, NMCC launched a first-of-its-kind program in New England geared toward training wind power technicians to operate, maintain and repair wind turbine generators. Zillman said NMCC students in the wind power technology program regularly come to the UMPI campus to study the turbine and learn from its data.This January, two meteorological towers were set up in SAD 1 in Presque Isle. One of the towers is in the northeast corner of the ball fields at Presque Isle Middle School. Another is on farmland near Mapleton Elementary School.The towers will stay up for a year. If the data they provide are favorable, the district could consider using windmills to power Mapleton Elementary School and Presque Isle Middle School.Zillman said the college has no intention of keeping data about its windmill a secret. In order to be as transparent as possible, the university’s website features a first-of-its-kind online program that displays up-to-the-minute data points about UMPI’s turbine. College officials worked with the turbine manufacturer, turbine contractor and Honeywell Corp. to secure and operate the instrumentation that allows detailed measurements to be transmitted online.The data include the latest wind speed figures and power generation in kilowatt-hours. All of that information and more is accessible at <a href="http://www.umpi.edu/wind" target="_blank">www.umpi.edu/wind</a> and clicking on “Live Turbine Data.”This spring, the university began offering the first of what is says will be many energy courses to students and community members. The first three courses being offered are energy law and public policy, sustainability management, and energy fuels. The classes marked the beginning of an Energy and Sustainability Concentration in UMPI’s academic programming. This fall, several more energy-related courses, including classes focusing on climate change and renewable energy, will be offered up for students and community members interested in the subjects.Students from area schools also come often for tours, according to St. Peter.The futureThe windmill, Zillman said, is just the first of many projects UMPI will undertake to be as “green” as possible.The campus has formed a Green Committee made up of UMPI professionals looking at ways to make the university more environmentally friendly.Last October, campus officials learned the college had secured $800,000 in federal funding for a solar energy initiative. The money will fund the design and installation of photovoltaic solar panel arrays that help convert solar energy into electricity. The university also will establish an automated weather station to collect information on solar radiation levels. The station will provide baseline data for future use of solar energy, while also promoting undergraduate research.The overall project will reduce electrical energy costs to the university, eliminate or reduce the need for additional air conditioning and provide a research and educational focus for the campus.The project is still in the planning stages, but Zillman said the combination of the windmill and the solar panels on campus “will allow us to see a fantastic combination of energy efficiency and energy savings.”The campus also has taken additional smaller steps to decrease energy use, such as using an energy-efficient system to heat the swimming pool in Gentile Hall and planting more flowers on campus to decrease the amount of lawn that needs to be mowed to save gas and reduce emissions.Zillman said he hopes that the success of one rural campus in the University of Maine System will have a systemwide ripple effect.“I would hope that others see what we have done and take a look at what they can do along the same vein, no matter how big or small,” he said. “Maybe it’s a tidal project, or a solar project.“Maybe it’s just recycling more and urging students to do the same. That could lead to the students teaching their friends, their parents, their children, to do the same,” he said. “Reducing your carbon footprint is something that everyone should be concerned about.”`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Report: New England's Forests Declining` post created successfully

`Report: New England Forest Cover in Decline` post created successfully

`Walmart Pulls Miley Cyrus Jewelry from Shelves` post created successfully

`Audit: City Would Save $1 Million on Energy` post created successfully

`Development Reversing Years of Forest Regrowth` post created successfully

`Report Finds New England's Forests Dwindling for Decades` post created successfully

`A Driving Wind` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Mechele Cooper, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.kjonline.com" target="_blank">Kennebec Journal news story</a> Between now and the third week in July, state police will occasionally escort a series of oversized tractor-trailers carrying giant wind turbine parts from Searsport to Eustis."We want to alert the motoring public that we have started the windmill escorts," Maine State Police Sgt. David Tripp said. "They'll run from Searsport to Kibby Mountain, which is in Eustis."The Kibby Mountain wind power project is being built by TransCanada in remote Franklin County.Locally, the tractor-trailers will travel Route 3 to the Augusta bypass, then onto Route 104 to Drummond Road, then to Middle Road, where the trucks will pick up Route 23 to Route 11 through Oakland. The route continues back onto Route 23 to Route 139 to U.S. Route 2 in Norridgewock, then onto Route 27.Tripp said loads are expected to pass through Augusta between 9 and 11 a.m."If motorists see a cruiser with blue lights, we're advising them to stay as far right as they safely can," Tripp said. "Our goal as an agency is to provide these escorts safely. They won't run on a daily basis, but they will run several times a week."This is the second year state police have provided an escort to ATS Wind Energy Services, a Minnesota trucking company transporting parts on fleets of customized wind tower tractor trailers. The company is paying state police for the escorts.`, assigning current date

`Wind Power` post updated successfully

`Region's Sputtering Recycling Rate Bedevils Panel` post created successfully

`Canadian Companies, Environmentalists Reach Conservation Deal` post created successfully

`Forest Cover Declining Across New England` post created successfully

`Study: Harmful Additives Found in Canned Food` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Savior Set Environmentalist Standard` post created successfully

`Report: More Conservation Needed to Halt Decline in New England Forests` post created successfully

`Our View: Shrinking Forest Should Be Cause for Concern` post created successfully

`Maine Doctors Sound Alarm about Climate Change` post created successfully

`Study: 40 Chemicals that Could Harm Children in Maine` post created successfully

`Activists Push for Ban on 40 Chemicals in Maine` post created successfully

`Our View: Portland Should Spend` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">An audit indicates that investments in efficiency would more than pay for themselves.</h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald editorial</a> Portland finds itself in a position to save money if it is willing to spend it.If the figures in a draft energy audit are correct, a $13.3 million investment would lower the city's energy costs by $1 million a year. That would be more than enough to pay off the loan, while still giving the city savings of about $252,000, which could be used to reduce taxes or support programs.Some could argue that a city that has just cut jobs and services while raising taxes is not in any position to borrow and spend. But imagine what better position Portland would have been in if it were not already spending so much on managing its buildings.If the money that would be projected to be saved over and above the debt payments had been available this year, the city budget would have looked much different.The City Council could have kept the Munjoy and Reiche branch libraries open. Or it could have kept two police officers at Peaks Island or reduced the impact of fee increases.It could have reduced the number of school personnel that were laid off, or cut the tax increase in half.It would have paid for the Fourth of July fireworks show five times over.No one of any political stripe thinks wasting energy is a good idea. That's why this investment in conservation should get unanimous support from the city's leaders, if the consultants' figures check out.Among the recommendations are the kinds of projects that many home- owners are considering themselves. The report recommends changing the wattage on fluorescent lights and converting oil heating systems to natural gas.Other improvements include new roofs and windows, solar water heaters, insulation and generally tightening up buildings.What's different is the scale. The city owns 51 buildings and spends $8 million a year to heat and light them. The biggest energy hogs include City Hall itself, which is 101 years old.The payback on the projects would start as soon as they are accomplished. The gas conversion alone would cost about $700,000, but would pay for itself in three years. The savings could be more pronounced if oil prices were to spike.This audit puts the city on the right track when it comes to energy use, and this is the kind of expenditure Portland can't afford to miss.`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Chemicals and Cancer` post created successfully

`Are They Paying Attention?` post created successfully

`Natural Advocate` post created successfully

`Old is the New Green — To Retrofit or Rebuild` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Grapple with State’s Waste Complexities` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Fined for Logging Violations` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Apology for Timber Violations Leaves Critics Skeptical` post created successfully

`League Pushes for Action on Climate Change` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency Plan for Maine Questioned` post created successfully

`Pesticide-spray Alerts Offered` post created successfully

`Domestic Detox: Extreme Home Cleaning` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Apology Gets Mixed Responses` post created successfully

`Salmon Return in Record Numbers` post created successfully

`Ads Highlight Maine’s Support for` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">Natural Resources Council of Maine - Maine Audubon - The Nature Conservancy</h3> Augusta, Maine — Three of Maine’s leading conservation organizations today announced that they are running ads in Maine newspapers to support efforts by Maine’s Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to pass comprehensive federal climate and clean energy legislation this year. “With the nation’s worst oil spill unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Congress should be working overtime to pass legislation that will help reduce our dependence on oil, address the threat of climate change, and stimulate America’s green energy economy,” said NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim. “Mainer’s overwhelmingly support action,” said Didisheim, “and these ads show the common ground that citizens, businesses, scientists, and our Senators share on these issues.” A full-page print ad sponsored by the three organizations appeared today in newspapers across Maine. The ad features the results of a recent opinion survey conducted by Portland-based Critical Insights. In the Critical Insights on Maine™ Tracking Survey, Maine people were asked: “Do you believe that Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins should vote for or against legislation aimed at both reducing the threat of climate change and promoting clean energy development?”>73% said that they want Maine’s senators to vote “For” such legislation; 13% said that the senators should vote “Against,” and 14% were undecided. “This poll is consistent with the strong level of support that we see from Maine business leaders, faith-based groups, non-profit organizations, and individuals who support a clean energy future for Maine,” said Jenn Burns Gray, Staff Attorney and Advocate for Maine Audubon. The organizations also released today a set of graphs that reveal the broad-based support from Maine people for action by Senators Snowe and Collins to reduce the threat of climate change and promote clean energy. Specifically, the charts show that 76% of female respondents and 68% of male respondents support such legislation; as do Mainers in all age groups, with the highest support (74%) from those between 18 and 44 years old. Support extends across Democrats (88%), Republicans (58%), and Independents (70%), and all regions of the state: South (79%), Central (77%), North (66%), and Coast (65%). The print ad notes that more than 540 Maine businesses have signed a letter to Senators Snowe and Collins urging them to help pass federal climate and energy legislation. The ad also refers to a new study by the National Academy of Sciences, the nation’s leading scientific body, which urges strong and immediate action to limit carbon pollution (<a href="http://americasclimatechoices.org/">http://americasclimatechoices.org/</a>). “We know that Maine’s coast, forests, and ecosystems are vulnerable to a changing climate. Our senators understand this as well, and have demonstrated leadership in encouraging research funding for Maine,” said Kate Dempsey, Senior Policy Advisor for The Nature Conservancy in Maine. “Maine people support efforts by our senators to get a bill on climate and clean energy enacted this year.” The final line of the print ad says: “The Time To Act Has Arrived: Maine people support our Senators in working to create a bipartisan bill that can pass this year that will be good for Maine, for America, and for future generations.” The Critical Insights on Maine™ Spring 2010 Tracking Survey involved 600 interviews with registered voters across Maine. The final data was statistically weighted according to relevant demographics to reflect the Maine voter base, and the results have a margin of error of +/- 3.4%.<a href="/uploads/june2010_climatead.pdf">View the full-page climate ad here.</a> <a href="/uploads/CI_2010_climate_poll.pdf">View spring 2010 climate poll results.</a> `, assigning current date

`Global Warming Pollution,Federal Climate and Energy Work` post created successfully

`5 Toxics That are Everywhere: Protect Yourself` post created successfully

`California Assembly OKs Plastic Bag Ban` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council of Maine's Brownie Carson to Step Down` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council of Maine Chief Stepping Down` post created successfully

`Carson to Step Down from Helm of Natural Resource Council of Maine` post created successfully

`Head Of Maine Environmental Group To Step Down` post created successfully

`Head of Natural Resources Council of Maine Stepping Down` post created successfully

`Environmental Leader Carson to Step Down` post created successfully

`Carson Steps Down as Director of NRCM` post created successfully

`Carson Retires After 26 Years` post created successfully

`Brownie Carson Stepping Down` post created successfully

`McDonald's Recalls 12 Million Shrek Glasses` post created successfully

`Freeing a River` post created successfully

`Public Meeting in Kingsbury Plantation on Wind Turbines` post created successfully

`UMaine Students Study Fish on Pushaw Stream` post created successfully

`Maine, Nine Others Join Wind Energy Consortium` post created successfully

`Climate Leadership Needed` post created successfully

`Will Disaster in Gulf Change Our Attitudes about Fossil Fuels?` post created successfully

`National Event to Link Hands Against Spills` post created successfully

`Maine's Two Senators Pressured to Reject Murkowski Resolution` post created successfully

`Maine's Senators Vote to Undermine the Clean Air Act, Strip EPA of Authority to Address Climate Change Pollution` post created successfully

`Snowe, Collins Vote in Favor of Controversial Murkowski Resolution` post created successfully

`Senate Democrats Stymie GOP Effort on Clean Air Rules` post created successfully

`Snowe, Collins Vote Against EPA Authority` post created successfully

`Deadline for Pesticide Spraying Notification is Tuesday` post created successfully

`Mass. Study: Wood Power Worse Polluter than Coal` post created successfully

`Effort to Block EPA Fails, Revealing Murky Path for Carbon Bill` post created successfully

`Inefficient Builders about to Hit a Wall` post created successfully

`Efficiency Maine Offering $1,000 Incentive` post created successfully

`Our View: Oil Spill a Reminder that Our Energy Policy is Unbalanced` post created successfully

`UMaine Offshore Wind Project Lauded` post created successfully

`Congress v. EPA` post created successfully

`U.S. Addiction to Oil Threatens Security` post created successfully

`Our View: Mainers Will Benefit from New Building Code` post created successfully

`No More "Business as Usual"` post created successfully

`Time to Grow Up and Take Action on Climate` post created successfully

`Maine Voices: State Forests Can Help Climate, Economy` post created successfully

`Pay Attention to the Pelican` post created successfully

`Energy Bill Looms as Next Big Debate` post created successfully

`Longtime Defender of Maine's Environment Stepping Down` post created successfully

`Study Seeks to Unlock Mysteries of Alewives` post created successfully

`Carbon Tax Needed, But Too Many Leaders Shy Away` post created successfully

`Mainers, with High Demand for Oil, Equally Culpable in Gulf Disaster` post created successfully

`Dam Removal Plan Progresses` post created successfully

`Chemical Warfare` post created successfully

`Mainers Full of Gusto for Wind Power, Survey Finds` post created successfully

`Commissioners Stand Pat on Forest Proposal` post created successfully

`Natural Shift` post created successfully

`Maine Leads, Nation Follows on Clean Cars` post created successfully

`Town Panel Lauds Solar Panels` post created successfully

`Collins, Snowe Roles Key in Jobs, Energy Bills` post created successfully

`Maine's Two Senators Seen as Key to Breaking Clean Energy Impasse` post created successfully

`Defense Site Eyed for Wind Project` post created successfully

`Groups Outline "Green" Vision` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Conservation, prosperity key aims</h2> <h3 class="author">by Kevin Miller</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine — A coalition of environmental, conservation and civic organizations on Thursday outlined their five-year vision for improving the health of Maine’s economy and people while protecting the state’s natural resources.The “Trail Map to Prosperity,” released by the Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund and the Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition, urges state policymakers to invest in land conservation and green energy, adopt “smart growth” policies and encourage local agriculture.“Taking smart, well-planned steps on this trail to prosperity will position Maine to lead and benefit from a quickly changing world while maintaining our solid roots in the beautiful environment we call home,” said Maureen Drouin, executive director of the Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund.“We are counting on Maine lawmakers to act with vision, vigilance and forward-thinking approaches that make wise use of our extraordinary environment so Maine people and Maine’s economy can thrive.”In many cases, the report espouses support for policies already on the books in Maine or for programs that are already in place. These include development of offshore wind farms while protecting fisheries and coastal resources; use of the state’s Kid-Safe Products law to ban products containing harmful chemicals; and a wood stove replacement program to encourage homeowners to use cleaner technology.The report also lays out specific priorities, including:• Invest at least $20 million annually in the Land for Maine’s Future program, which works with willing landowners to permanently preserve working forests, farms and waterfronts as well as other areas of special significance.• Protect an additional 100,000 acres of farmland — or 10 percent of the state’s total — through easements and other tools and invest in research and support programs for sustainable agriculture.• Remove “antiquated and unsafe dams.”• Support stronger air quality standards and invest at least $3 million in protecting drinking water programs.• Significantly increase funding for Maine’s fish and wildlife programs.• Enact policies to encourage “smart growth” of communities, such as ensuring that new schools are constructed only within growth areas and in locations that will encourage students to safely walk or bike to school.“Today’s trail map is a much-needed prescription for healthy Maine people,” said Heather Spalding, associate director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.Coalition members include roughly two dozen environmental, conservation, agriculture and health organizations. `, assigning current date

`More News You Can Use,State House Watch` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Offer State a "Trail Map"` post created successfully

`Report Creates Green Checklist for Next Governor` post created successfully

`Most Mainers Seem Convinced by Wind Power` post created successfully

`Carbon Credits Could Help Fund Maine's Home Weatherization Efforts` post created successfully

`Green Living Guide Expands to Midcoast` post created successfully

`Considerations for Factoring Biomass into Clean Energy` post created successfully

`Think-tank Official Pushes Energy Independence` post created successfully

`Maine Hopes to Sell Carbon Credits to Finance Energy Projects` post created successfully

`Energy Security a Vital National Interest` post created successfully

`USM Energy Program Positions Region Well` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Revival Promotes "Connection"` post created successfully

`Boosting Alewives` post created successfully

`Proposal Looks to Re-establish Alewife Run` post created successfully

`Tightening Maine` post created successfully

`Four Environmental Groups Seek To Defend Greenhouse Gas Rule in Court` post created successfully

`Gulf Residents Make Passionate Case in Maine for Climate Change Legislation` post created successfully

`DEP Approves Decommissioning of Veazie Dam` post created successfully

`Salmon Lawsuit Possible` post created successfully

`Business Leaders Focus on State Energy Policies` post created successfully

`Roundtable Discussion Focuses on Financial Aspect to Alternative Energy` post created successfully

`Disposing of Drugs` post created successfully

`Hearing on Pesticide Notification Scheduled for Portland` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Dam Removal, Fish Restoration Project Approved` post created successfully

`Comments Sought on Baxter State Park` post created successfully

`Lack of Climate Change Bill Disappoints Maine Senators` post created successfully

`NRCM Responds to U.S. Senate Failure to Address Clean Energy and Climate Legislation` post created successfully

`Maine Wind Project Gets $10 Million Boost in Senate` post created successfully

`Energy Business as Usual is Not an Option` post created successfully

`Climate Legislation Must Protect the Vulnerable` post created successfully

`Baxter Park Fans Air Views on Management` post created successfully

`Energy Failures` post created successfully

`Maine's Parks Belong to Us. Make a Visit` post created successfully

`Shenanigans on St. Croix : Alewives Get Smoked Again` post created successfully

`Island Schools to Study Energy Use` post created successfully

`NOAA: "Unmistakable" Evidence Shows World Getting Warmer` post created successfully

`Safe Chemicals Act Worth Supporting to Keep Kids, Families Protected` post created successfully

`Protection of Lynx Falls Short, Court Says` post created successfully

`Dam Plan Up Against Landlocked Salmon` post created successfully

`Don't Beg Off the Energy Bill` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Doug Rooks</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal op-ed</a> Save In 1989 and 1990, two of the hottest summers in Washington on record finally broke a congressional logjam and led to passage of a new Clean Air Act. Maine’s Sen. George Mitchell, who was the principal author, later observed that the heat had helped win over a number of reluctant colleagues.Twenty years later, we have had not only a mammoth oil spill, but what looks to be the hottest summer yet in Washington – but the Senate announced last week it is shutting down discussion of a comprehensive energy bill to combat global warming.True, Mitchell was a more skilled leader that his counterpart today, Harry Reid, but there’s more to this impasse than parliamentary tactics. A largely passive public – and a president who’s remained too quiet -- will have to start speaking out more forcefully if the Senate is to do its job and vote out the toughest energy bill it can muster.Mainers should be leading the charge. There’s a reason why Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both criticized Reid’s announcement. They know that not only is Maine poised to become a leader in renewable energy design and construction – but that it also is paying a stiff price for being more environmentally responsible than other states.That second point needs particular emphasis.Maine has high electric rates – not the “highest in the country,” as often alleged, but well above average. New England, as a region, has the highest rates, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Maine’s residential average, at 15.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, is actually lower than its neighbors; New England averages 17.1 cents with Connecticut topping the list at 19.7 cents. The region is far above the national average of 11.7 cents, and way above the plains states, which have the cheapest rates, at 9.4 cents.There’s a clear and overwhelming reason for this. Aside from a few low-cost states like Oregon and Washington that enjoy massive amounts of hydropower, cheap electricity is produced by a single source: coal.There is nothing Maine could do to lower its electric rates faster – something business groups are always calling for – than to build a coal-fired generating plant.It’s to our credit that it’s politically impossible to license a coal plant in Maine – the last proposal, in Bucksport, was made by a company called AES back in the 1980s. But other states are, unfortunately, not as responsible.Georgia has licensed a dozen coal plants, with trains running direct from the Powder Mill Basin in Wyoming, and driven down its electric rates to 9.8 cents. Texas licensed 18 coal plants in a single year.This is what we know about coal: It is by far the most polluting large-scale source of electricity generation, and produces mammoth amounts of carbon dioxide not offset by regrowth, as with wood burning. Coal plants are regulated by the 1990 Clean Air Act, but primarily to reduce sulfur content. That means Wyoming coal has begun replacing coal from Kentucky and West Virginia, which has helped reduce acid rain but has no effect on carbon dioxide.Not only does Maine get most of the pollution from coal-burning plants in the South and Midwest, thanks to prevailing winds, but we pay far more for electricity because we’ve been too responsible and far-sighted to join the renewed coal-burning binge of the 1990s.The most effective way to quickly reduce coal-burning by making it more expensive is a form of the privately managed “cap-and-trade” system adopted by the House in a bill passed last year. An alternative approach, proposed by Sen. Richard Lugar(R-Ind.) , is a rule-based system that would specify efficiency standards for power plants and everything else that burns fossil fuels.The irony is that “cap and trade” was developed by Republicans as part of the 1990 debate, when it was opposed by Democrats who preferred direct regulation. Snowe and Collins are cap-and-traders, with their own ideas, and there are other Republicans whose states are in the same fix as Maine – environmentally responsible, but at a price disadvantage because of it. Any revenue from cap and trade or regulations should be recycled to further long-term energy solutions.Despite Reid’s timeout, there’s still plenty of time to get a bill in the current session that at least deals with power plants. States that want to burn coal will still be able to do. But they ought to pay a price. `, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work,Global Warming Pollution` post updated successfully

`Maine Towns Restrict Lawn Chemicals` post created successfully

`Senate Energy Drain` post created successfully

`Energy Efficiency Right Way for Portland to Invest` post created successfully

`Study: Most Mainers Believe Earth Becoming Warmer` post created successfully

`Canadian Firm to Scale Back Kibby Mountain Wind Project` post created successfully

`State Renews Weatherization "Bonus"` post created successfully

`Advocates Call for Action on Clean Air` post created successfully

`Maine BEP Backs Compromise HoltraChem Cleanup Plan` post created successfully

`Alewives: Should the Fish be Restored to the St. Croix River?` post created successfully

`Energy Rebates Need Towns' OK of Loan Plan First` post created successfully

`No Energy Bill Leaves US Addicted to Oil` post created successfully

`BPA Ban Hearing Next Week` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Beth Quimby, staff writer</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> The Maine Board of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on whether to ban bisphenol A in baby bottles and other reusable food and beverage containers at 1 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Holiday Inn and Ground Round, 110 Community Drive, Augusta.The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has proposed banning the chemical, also known as BPA, from polycarbonate plastics products such as sippy cups. The chemical has been shown to disrupt hormone flows in animal studies and has been banned in other states.Environmental groups in Maine have been urging their members to attend the hearing. Maine’s Toxics Center has scheduled an event about the dangers of exposure to BPA at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Lobsterman’s Park at the corner of Middle and Temple streets, Portland.More information about the possible ban is available on the DEP website. `, assigning current date

`Safer Products` post updated successfully

`State Invites Input on Plan to Ban BPA` post created successfully

`Global Warming Bringing More Extreme Heat Waves` post created successfully

`Nature Can Soon Take Its Course in Brook` post created successfully

`Fires, Floods, Heat Waves Were All Predicted` post created successfully

`State Can Stop Use of Chemical that is Linked to Many Diseases` post created successfully

`National Wildlife Federation Calls Attention to Health Risks When Temperatures Climb` post created successfully

`Incentives Drive Up Energy Audits` post created successfully

`Plum Creek Harvest Too Close to Rare Species of Wintergreen` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Calls For Statewide Ban on BPA` post created successfully

`Clean Energy Can Drive New England's Recovery, Economist Says` post created successfully

`Jetport Project Tapping Into Earth's Energy` post created successfully

`LURC's Work on Wind Power Deserves Support` post created successfully

`New England Grid Chief: Cooperate on Wind Power` post created successfully

`Brace for Big Changes, Climate Change Activist Warns` post created successfully

`Maine Considers Ban of Widely Used Chemical for Bottles` post created successfully

`Maine Getting More Weatherization Money` post created successfully

`Crowd Supports Proposed BPA Ban in Baby Bottles, Sippy Cups` post created successfully

`Mothers Speak Out Against Controversial Chemical` post created successfully

`Maine BEP OKs Landfill Cleanup Plan` post created successfully

`Bangor’s Energy Audit Paying Off` post created successfully

`State Agencies Get $7M for Weatherization` post created successfully

`Energy in Context` post created successfully

`Maine Regulators Consider Bisphenol-A Ban` post created successfully

`Small Business Should Lead ‘Going Green’ Charge` post created successfully

`Cold War Radar Station Eyed as Wind Power Site` post created successfully

`Weather or Not` post created successfully

`Maine Opts for Voluntary Effort to Cut Plastic Bag Use` post created successfully

`Mill Restoration Proposal Pits History Buffs Against Environmentalists` post created successfully

`Sound Science: Replacing BPA with Safer Alternatives` post created successfully

`Evidence Mounts Linking BPA to Damage of Embryos` post created successfully

`EPA Warns Against Using Hazardous Chemicals to Fight Bedbugs` post created successfully

`Back to the White House: Solar Power Traveling from Maine to Washington` post created successfully

`You Can Protect Acadia` post created successfully

`Non-Maine Firewood Banned to Stop Pests` post created successfully

`'Great Outdoors' Officials to Hold Public Meeting in Bangor` post created successfully

`Testimony on Draft Proposed Chapter 882 Rules to Designate Bisphenol-A as a Priority Chemical Under Maine’s Safer Chemicals Law` post created successfully

`NRCM Comments Regarding the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative Listening Session` post created successfully

`Mainers Protest Senate Inaction on Climate Bill` post created successfully

`Banning BPA a Wise Decision for Maine` post created successfully

`While We Weren’t Looking, Food Became Big Part of State Economy` post created successfully

`There's A Lot Maine Can Do to Meet Its Environmental Challenges` post created successfully

`Maine to Collect Old Pesticides` post created successfully

`Weatherizing Program on Dover-Foxcroft Ballot` post created successfully

`River Rally Will Focus on Shad` post created successfully

`New Report Details Maine Deaths and Health Impacts from Coal-fired Power Plants` post created successfully

`Maine Habitat for Lynx to Stay, Judge Rules` post created successfully

`Report: Coal Plant Pollution Cutting Maine Lives Short` post created successfully

`Ninth RGGI Auction Nets Maine $1.7 Million` post created successfully

`Maine Bureau Can Fill Crack in Federal Chemical Policy on BPA` post created successfully

`Back Clean Energy Made Here in Maine` post created successfully

`Androscoggin Fish Passage Might Affect More Maine Rivers` post created successfully

`Proposed New Rules Concern Maine's Biomass Industry` post created successfully

`Efficiency Volunteers Taking to Streets Oct. 2` post created successfully

`Citizens Affected by Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Visit Maine to Tell Story of Destroyed Mountains, Communities` post created successfully

`Wind Turbine Proposal Finding Support in Bingham` post created successfully

`Group Decries Mountaintop Removal` post created successfully

`Coal Country Activists Urge Maine Senators to Curb Mountaintop Mining` post created successfully

`Mountaintop Removal for Coal Mining` post created successfully

`Climate Change is an Emergency` post created successfully

`Supporting Conservation Fund Helps Maine Tourism` post created successfully

`State Should Continue to Move Forward on Green Jobs, Savings` post created successfully

`Hazardous Waste Collection Day Planned` post created successfully

`New Report Says Maine Misses Out on 12,000 New Jobs Due to Failure to Pass Federal Climate Legislation` post created successfully

`Failure to Enact Climate Change Bill Costly for Maine, Group Says` post created successfully

`Mountaintop Removal Mining Protested` post created successfully

`Study: Atlantic Wind Power Can Eclipse Offshore Drilling` post created successfully

`New Building Code Hits Home` post created successfully

`Fuel Economy Progress` post created successfully

`Winterport Dam Removal Celebrated` post created successfully

`White House to Add Green – with Solar` post created successfully

`New, Solar-powered Residence Hall Planned` post created successfully

`Gulf of Maine Sturgeon May Be Listed as Threatened` post created successfully

`Chemical Caution` post created successfully

`BEP Delays Vote on Proposed BPA Ban Extension` post created successfully

`Land for Maine's Future a Lifeline for Natural Resource Workers` post created successfully

`Our View: Energy-efficiency Group Finds Good Work in Maine` post created successfully

`Fish Passageway Plan for Presumpscot River Dam Approved` post created successfully

`Bisphenol A is a Public Health Threat` post created successfully

`Retrofit to Help Business Compete` post created successfully

`40-turbine Wind Project Under Way` post created successfully

`Man Recognized for Energy-efficient Home` post created successfully

`Question No.3 Supports State Parks, Historic Sites` post created successfully

`Hannah Pingree to Receive 2010 Environmental Award from NRCM` post created successfully

`House Speaker Pingree Receives Environmental Award` post created successfully

`Yes on Question 3` post created successfully

`Downeast-Area LNG Activist Wins NRCM’s 2010 “People’s Choice” Award` post created successfully

`Enviro Groups Press for Expanded EPA Oversight of Household Toxins` post created successfully

`Fish Passage is the Next Step for Presumpscot` post created successfully

`Vote 'Yes' on Question 3 to Preserve Natural Resources` post created successfully

`Down East Woman Awarded for Anti-LNG Activism` post created successfully

`After 276 Years, Presumpscot Fish Finally Can Start Swim Home` post created successfully

`Orrington, Mallinckrodt Sign Cleanup Agreement` post created successfully

`‘Yes’ on Question 3` post created successfully

`Unity College Students Work Toward Non-toxic Food Packaging` post created successfully

`LePage Vision Worries Environmentalists` post created successfully

`Climate Report Predicts Economic Impact for Acadia` post created successfully

`In Maine, Resources Are For All` post created successfully

`Stonyfield CEO: 'Green' is Great for Businesses` post created successfully

`We Need to Keep "Green" Momentum Going` post created successfully

`Report: Climate Change Imperils Acadia` post created successfully

`Mainers Are Ready for Environmental Reform` post created successfully

`Electronic Waste Piles Up for Recyclers` post created successfully

`Maine Health Professionals Call on Washington Today to Combat Climate Change` post created successfully

`Board Should Back Retailers’ Move Away from BPA` post created successfully

`As Glaciers Melt, Science Seeks Data on Rising Seas` post created successfully

`New Governor Should Clear the Air on Wind` post created successfully

`Tests Show Lead Found In Reusable Grocery Bags` post created successfully

`Alewives Hold Key to Rebirth of Fishing` post created successfully

`Marine Matters: River Obstacles to Meet Their Demise` post created successfully

`'Upcycling,' Composting Take Hold at Readfield Elementary School` post created successfully

`Saving the Clean Air Act Will Save Lives` post created successfully

`Building a Better Maine` post created successfully

`Build Fuel-efficient Cars to Cope with Higher Gas Prices` post created successfully

`Cutler Joins Coalition to Protect Clean Air Act` post created successfully

`Bangor Health Professionals Urge Senators to Protect Clean Air Act on 40th Anniversary` post created successfully

`40th Anniversary of the Clean Air Act` post created successfully

`Health Groups Support Clean Air Act Protection` post created successfully

`Cutler Joins Effort to Thwart Changes to Clean Air Act` post created successfully

`Clean Air Act 40th Anniversary` post created successfully

`REPORT: Offshore Wind is Next Clean Energy Wave for Maine` post created successfully

`Maine May Join Other States in Carbon Market Trading System` post created successfully

`Gov.-elect Paul LePage Asks Maine Businesses to Help Him Reduce Rules` post created successfully

`Report: Enormous Wind Potential Off Atlantic Shores Remains Untapped` post created successfully

`Report: US Has Untapped Offshore Wind Potential` post created successfully

`New Study Touts Offshore Wind Power Potential` post created successfully

`Conservationists Push for Ocean Wind Power` post created successfully

`LURC Grants Initial Approval to Kibby Wind Expansion` post created successfully

`SMCC Puts Focus on "Green" Practices` post created successfully

`Baldacci Praises Cooperation on Clean Energy` post created successfully

`Kennebec County Warming Up With Efficiency` post created successfully

`Energy Program to Expire` post created successfully

`Maine Implements First Statewide Building Code` post created successfully

`Legislature Will Have a Chance to Control Controversial Chemical` post created successfully

`Wetlands Key to Great Pond's Health, Say Colby Students` post created successfully

`KVCC Hires Expert for Solar Program` post created successfully

`NRCM'S Polar Bear Plunge to Help Fight Global Warming!` post created successfully

`Maine BEP Adopts Toxic BPA Rule` post created successfully

`Landmark Purchase of Dams Opens New Chapter for Penobscot River Fisheries` post created successfully

`EPA Must Have All the Tools Available to Deal with Climate Change` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Trust Takes Possession of Three Dams` post created successfully

`Two Penobscot River Dams to be Removed` post created successfully

`Release the Chokehold on the Nation’s Clean Air Act` post created successfully

`Maine BEP Opens Door to Phasing Out BPA` post created successfully

`Maine Takes Aim at Toxic Chemicals` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Effort Takes Giant Leap Forward` post created successfully

`Protect the Clean Air Act — Fully` post created successfully

`Winds of Change Loom in Somerset County` post created successfully

`New Legislative Committee Targets Maine's Regulatory Process` post created successfully

`Bird Migration Study Could Impact Windpower Siting Off Maine Coast` post created successfully

`Wind Power's Benefits Outweigh Its Downside` post created successfully

`States, EPA Settle Lawsuits Over Emissions` post created successfully

`Polar Plungers Enjoy New Year's Eve Beach Day` post created successfully

`DEP Targets Manufacturers of Paint, Drugs` post created successfully

`A Day at the Park` post created successfully

`LURC’s Commitment to Economic Prosperity` post created successfully

`Conservation: Removing Dams, Building Fishway Will Improve Access to Salmon` post created successfully

`Guide to Public Lands Offered` post created successfully

`Fish and Hydro Power` post created successfully

`Girl Scout Troop Gets Sun Chips Maker’s Attention` post created successfully

`Penobscot Restoration Benefits All` post created successfully

`Legislature Should Not Gut Efficiency Fund to Balance the Budget` post created successfully

`Lisa Pohlmann to Head Natural Resources Council of Maine` post created successfully

`Pohlmann New Head of NRC of Maine` post created successfully

`Bill Targets State Land Use Agency` post created successfully

`Maine Lawmaker Moves to Abolish LURC` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Leader to Battle Rollback of Protections` post created successfully

`New NRCM Director Opens Up About Challenges Ahead` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Group Gets New Leader` post created successfully

`LePage: Ease Regulations That Protect Vernal Pools` post created successfully

`Energy Conservation Industry May Be Losing Steam in Maine` post created successfully

`Piscataquis Panel Has Concerns about Proposed LURC Changes` post created successfully

`Vernal Pools an Obstacle but Can't Be Ignored` post created successfully

`LePage Talks Environment & Regulations` post created successfully

`LePage Hears Case for Protecting Maine's Environment` post created successfully

`Forum: Clean Environment Helps Maine Economy` post created successfully

`Environmental Advocates Defend State Safeguards` post created successfully

`LePage and Environmental Groups Focus on Maine’s Natural Resources` post created successfully

`Governor Hears Environmental Pitch at Augusta Roundtable` post created successfully

`Governor Hears Environmental Pitch` post created successfully

`Registry Notifies Public of Pesticide Spraying` post created successfully

`Environmental Regulations on Maine Legislature's Front Burner` post created successfully

`Prices Decline, But RGGI Impact Solid` post created successfully

`Critics: LePage's Proposed Regulatory Reforms "Extreme"` post created successfully

`Maine Gov. LePage: Loosen Rules on Environment` post created successfully

`Media Mogul to Buy Huge Swath of Maine Forestland` post created successfully

`LePage Listens to Environmentalists` post created successfully

`Testimony on Nominee for DEP Commissioner Darryl Brown - Neither For Nor Against` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Calls LePage's Regulation Plan "Reckless"` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Nominee OKd` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.wgme.com" target="_blank">WGME Channel 13 news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Gov. Paul LePage's nominee for Maine's top environmental enforcer, Darryl Brown, has cleared a critical hurdle toward confirmation.The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources voted 9-4 Tuesday to support Brown's nomination for Department of Environmental Protection commissioner. It would take a two-thirds Senate vote to overturn that endorsement, action rarely seen in the State House.Brown assured the committee he would cut ties with his land development company if confirmed and have no involvement in any company related projects that go before the DEP to avoid conflicts of interest.Environmental activists were cool to Brown's nomination. The Natural Resources Council of Maine said that with LePage's proposals to scale back Maine's environmental regulations on the table, it could not support Brown.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Billionaire Media Mogul to Buy Nearly a Million Acres of Maine Land` post created successfully

`Panel OKs LePage Department of Environmental Protection Nominee` post created successfully

`Moving Maine Backward` post created successfully

`Statement to the Joint Select Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform` post created successfully

`Environmental Reform Worries Usurp Hearing` post created successfully

`LePage Focuses Talk on Cutting Regulation` post created successfully

`Legislative Panel Splits on LePage's DEP Nominee` post created successfully

`Chevrolet to Help Insulate Low-income Homes in Maine` post created successfully

`Environmental Coalition Urges Legislature to Reject LePage Roll Back Proposals` post created successfully

`Not So Fast, Gov. LePage!` post created successfully

`For Land Baron, Acres by the Millions` post created successfully

`Groups Upset Over LePage Proposals` post created successfully

`Gov. LePage’s ‘Vision’ for Maine?` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Douglas Rooks</h3> <a href="http://www.timesrecord.com" target="_blank">Times Record op-ed</a> At least we can now get over any talk about “streamlining regulations.” Gov. Paul LePage issued his recommendations for altering state environmental laws to the Joint Select Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform late Monday afternoon. Veteran observer/lobbyist George Smith called the proposals “stunning,” and it’s hard to argue.Taken literally, the plan amounts to a huge rollback of environmental legislation passed over the past three decades. According to the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the plan would repeal or substantially weaken 18 environmental laws, including several that received unanimous support from the Legislature. It would also gut land-use controls over the vast unorganized territories — the Maine woods — which at 10.4 million acres is nearly half the state’s land area.It’s hard to say just where this list came from. As it happened, LePage’s nominee for commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, Darryl Brown, was testifying the day after the plan was released. Several legislators on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee said they were relieved when Brown said he wasn’t involved in preparing the list.But if the prospective DEP commissioner didn’t know about LePage’s plan to roll back environmental rules almost across the board, that’s almost as troubling as if he did know. The governor told environmental groups only last week that “I believe in real, strong environmental laws,” but he might want to specify which ones. There are plenty he obviously doesn’t support.To be sure, some items could arguably be considered streamlining to make permitting more consistent and business-friendly, LePage’s announced objective.It proposes, for instance, to relocate functions of other state departments to the DEP, including above-ground storage tanks (now with the state fire marshal), site law wildlife impact (Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) and drinking water systems (Health and Human Services.) Another could be added: The Department of Health and Human Services also regulates septic systems, in large part because it’s been doing so since before DEP was created.But that’s not the tenor of most proposals. Many legislators, including Republicans, who voted for bills to ban suspected cancer-causing chemicals in wood, automobiles and baby cups will wonder why these laws need scuttling.Perhaps the most staggering proposal is the decimation of the Land Use Regulatory Commission, which since 1970 has overseen development in the unorganized territory — all of Maine’s land without local government.LURC is a small and, most would say, understaffed agency with just 25 employees. It does take a long time for homeowners to get building permits, but that’s primarily because there are too few staff members for the workload. It’s clear LePage won’t increase LURC’s staff, so instead he wants to eliminate much of its mission.Under his plan, LURC would have to open to unfettered development 30 percent of this land base. That’s 3 million acres, an area the size of Connecticut, and about one-seventh of Maine. It would also repeal the “adjacency” rule, which means that new development should take place primarily near existing development. To most Mainers, this is common sense. To LePage, it’s a millstone around commercial development.The administration plans many more regulatory proposals to the select committee, but perhaps it should slow down and better define what it’s trying to do. Taking excessive burdens off business development is one thing; wholesale removal of environmental laws quite another.Beneath the rhetoric lies a fundamental disagreement about the nature of Maine, and what makes it attractive both to those who live here and those who might.The North Woods — LURC’s jurisdiction — means many different things. To hikers and campers, it’s the last remaining wilderness in the Northeast. To forest products companies, it’s a huge and vital source of wood fiber, the reason why Maine still has a vigorous forest economy while other states are losing theirs. To the world, places like northern Maine are vital repositories of medicinal plants, and a buffer against global warming.LePage assumes Maine is just like any other state ... that its environmental rules should be exactly the same as federal rules — even when those rules are approved by lawmakers from states with far less concern for the environment, and fewer valuable natural resources than Maine.Maine passed a law that reduces sulfur content of commercial heating oil to improve visibility in Acadia National Park, Maine’s biggest visitor attraction. State law would clear the air by 2018. LePage believes the federal deadline of 2068 is better. Perhaps our grandchildren will see some benefit.In a word, LePage assumes business will thrive if we throw open our landscape to anyone who wants to build anything.He’s selling Maine short.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Bill Nemitz: Environmentalist's Retirement 'Not the Exit I Anticipated'` post created successfully

`Mogul's Land Buy Prompts Questions` post created successfully

`Baxter Still a Wildlife Sanctuary` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Charlie Jacobi</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News op-ed</a> A new bill introduced in the state Legislature threatens the independence of Baxter State Park. LD 55, “An Act To Restore Hunting Rights in the Katahdin Lake Region,” would reverse an agreement reached five years ago when the Katahdin Lake lands were added to the park as sanctuary. Baxter State Park supporters should oppose this bill.“While I am living I fear no encroachments on the Park, but as time passes and new men appear on the scene, there may be a tendency to overlook these restrictions and break the spirit of these gifts.”These were the prescient words of Gov. Percival Baxter about the gifts of land he made to the people of Maine to create his unique vision of wilderness in Baxter State Park, which is legally held in trust for the people of Maine through various deeds. His words resonate today.LD 55 is a blatant attempt to “overlook the restrictions” and “break the spirit” of Gov. Baxter’s gifts and that of the most recent gift, the gift of the Katahdin Lake lands from the people of Maine to Baxter State Park. A carefully crafted, complex and somewhat controversial deal was struck in 2006 to bring the Katahdin Lake lands into Baxter State Park as sanctuary. Most Maine people agreed and so did their Legislature.The Baxter State Park Authority accepted the lands unencumbered. Mainers and Baxter Park lovers everywhere responded with their wallets based on that understanding. LD 55 undoes all of that, breaking the trust of every single donor, large and small.Percival Baxter had a great love of animals, including wildlife. The Deeds of Trust, which transferred lands to the state of Maine, consistently stated that the lands:“… shall forever be used for public park and recreational purposes, shall forever be left in the natural wild state, shall forever be kept as a sanctuary for the wild beasts and birds ….” Maine people have embraced this concept of wilderness and sanctuary. There are millions of acres in Maine available for hunting, and that’s terrific. The protection of 4,000 acres at Katahdin Lake, land that is remote, relatively inaccessible, and of marginal hunting value, was seen as a reasonable trade-off by most fair-minded people. In fact, the compromise arrived at by the Legislature carved out 2,000 acres as state land for hunting.Yes, there are lands open to hunting in Baxter State Park. They simply reflect the practical realities facing Gov. Baxter as he pieced together the park. Let there be no doubt he preferred sanctuary, and the bulk of park lands are managed as such today.In yet another example of amazing foresight, Gov. Baxter also understood that his wilderness park would only stand the test of time if it were completely independent from meddling by state park officials or the Maine Legislature. He set up the Baxter State Park Authority expressly for this purpose in 1939, and the park has been managed independently since then under the guidance of the Deeds of Trust.LD 55 seeks to undermine the autonomy of the Baxter State Park Authority. It has an arguable legal foundation and sets the stage for further conflict if approved.Gov. Baxter also once said: “Katahdin stands above the surrounding plain unique in grandeur and glory.” Katahdin and Baxter State Park also stand above as iconic symbols of our values, especially independence. And here is one final quote: “He would be a rash individual who … would seek to take these lands from the State and would attempt to break these Trusts created not by one Governor or one Legislature but by several. While I live I can successfully oppose any such action; I seek to prevent it after I have gone.” Gov. Baxter is gone, but the spirit of his gifts lives on and the spirit of our gift of Katahdin Lake should live on as well. I urge you to oppose this bill at the hearing in Augusta Feb. 3. For information about how to do this visit <a href="http://www.friendsofbaxter.org/" target="_blank">www.friendsofbaxter.org</a>.The deal and the Deeds of Trust must stand.Charlie Jacobi of Bar Harbor is a member of the Friends of Baxter State Park board of directors.<a href="http://www.nrcm.org/2011_Legislature_katahdinlake.asp">Learn more about this bill and how to take action to protect Baxter State Park.</a> `, assigning current date

`North Woods,Land Bond Campaign 2005,State House Watch` post created successfully

`Out-of-State Companies Behind LePage Push for Regulatory Reform` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Looking for 'Get It Done' Regulators` post created successfully

`Vernal Pools Need Protection Because Their Destruction Harms All of Us` post created successfully

`Maine GOP Lawmaker Proposes Major DEP Changes` post created successfully

`Maine Oceanographers Study Climate Change in the South Atlantic` post created successfully

`LePage Proposals Would Dismantle Maine’s Environmental Legacy` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Unveil Agenda` post created successfully

`Regulatory Reform or Environmental Rollback?` post created successfully

`Don’t Shirk Environment to Save Money` post created successfully

`Code Raises Housing Bar` post created successfully

`Business, Conservation Leaders Say They Need to Work Together on Regulations` post created successfully

`Environmental Regulations and Business Interests May Place Maine at a Crossroads` post created successfully

`Environmental Group Concerned About Governor's Regulatory Reforms` post created successfully

`LePage Effort on BPA Law Draws Criticism` post created successfully

`Spotlight on the DEP` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Question Source of LePage Reforms` post created successfully

`Maine May Dump E-waste Statute` post created successfully

`NRCM Deeply Concerned About LePage’s Environmental Proposals` post created successfully

`Repeal of Kid-Safe Products Act a Dangerous Step Backward` post created successfully

`Governor's Proposal Draws Concerns` post created successfully

`Testimony in front of the Legislature's Regulatory Fairness and Reform Committee` post created successfully

`Help Maine Businesses, But Don't Hurt Environment` post created successfully

`Maine Enviros Create a Smart Legislative Agenda` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">George Smith</h3> <a href="http://www.downeast.com/georges-outdoor-news/2011/february/maine-enviros-legisla" target="_blank">DownEast.com blog post</a> Environmentalists may be swimming upstream against a strong current in the River LePage, but they’re still in the water, finning as fast as they can.Fresh off their extreme disappointment with the governor’s proposed environmental reforms, The Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition hosted a legislative breakfast and press conference last Thursday to present its 2011 Common Environmental Agenda.The Coalition is a partnership of twenty-five environmental, conservation, and public health organizations including the American Lung Association of Maine, Maine Council of Churches, Maine Audubon, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.The previous week Maureen Drouin, Executive Director of the Maine League of Conservation Voters and leader of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, told Maine Public Radio’s Susan Sharon that LePage’s list of environmental reforms “is reckless and appalling. It puts our health at risk, it puts our environment at risk, our clean air, our clean drinking water at risk.”And Drouin and her allies seem to have driven a wedge deep into the LePage agenda by focusing on issues where prominent Republican legislators differ with their new governor.They took their first shot immediately after the governor issued his list, when Dana Dow, a conservative Republican House member and former Senator, spoke forcefully at a press conference about the importance of Maine’s ban of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). The governor’s list includes a call to repeal the ban.Dow volunteered a few years ago to be tested for certain chemicals in his blood and was shocked to discover that he had the highest level of any of the other volunteers of perflourinated compounds (PFCs). The fabric protector that Dow used in his furniture business was the culprit. It wasn’t a difficult vote for Dow when he supported the Maine’s Kid Safe Products Act that was enacted in the Senate unanimously.That’s right. Every Republican Senator voted for the Act that requires Maine to adopt a list of priority chemicals of high concern, forces manufacturers to disclose the toxic chemicals they add to products, and authorizes the state to require safer alternatives whenever they are available.Under this Act, BPA is the first chemical that the Maine Board of Environmental Protection decided should be phased out in reusable food and beverage containers including baby bottles and sippy cups. Governor LePage may be drinking from the wrong cup on this one.Defense of the ban on BPA was the first of five issues that were unveiled last week as the 2011 Common Environmental Agenda. These folks aren’t stupid. Take an issue that every Maine Senator supported, mix in conservative House members like Dana Dow, and what have you got? A big defeat for the governor.Well, maybe their other four issues are losers. Let’s look at issue number two.Oh, oh. Second issue up is a proposed Act to Reduce Maine’s Oil Dependence and Build a Clean Energy Future for Maine. And guess who is sponsoring this Act for the Environmental Priorities Coalition?The sponsor is Republican Representative Stacy Fitts of Pittsfield, an avid sportsman and good fellow who would never be mistaken for a liberal. His bill would commit Maine to reduce oil use by 30 percent by 2030 and by 50 percent by 2050. “We’re all out of balance,” said Fitts. He was probably talking about our use of oil and not the Governor’s list of environmental reforms.Ok, so the rest of the 2011 Common Environmental Agenda is probably a bunch of outrageous left wing attacks on business.Well, not so fast. Issue number three on the list is a Land for Maine’s Future bond. Front and center at the Environmental Priorities Coalition was Republican Senator David Trahan of Waldoboro, who is sponsoring a $48 million bond issue including $28 million for the Land for Maine’s Future Program. Trahan wants some of that LMF money to purchase and protect key deer wintering areas in northern and eastern Maine – part of a new Deer Action Plan that the Senator and I have been working on for two months – and something the governor has already expressed support for and spoken publicly about, including at his January 20 meeting with 500 environmentalists.The two other issues in the Environmental Agenda call for expansion of recycling and no weakening of Maine laws and rules that protect water, land, and wildlife.The Environmental Priorities Coalition has wisely created a focused agenda of issues that appeal to both Republicans and Democrats and in some cases, even the governor. If they can stay on message with these five issues, they may have a very successful legislative session.The danger comes in trying to serve as the anti-LePage, fighting the governor on each and every issue, defending every inch of the battlefield. My suggestion to them is simple: make your fight in the center, where you have the advantage. You’re off to a good start.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`LePage's Secret Puppeteers` post created successfully

`Business Leaders Note Import of Environment` post created successfully

`If There is Nothing to Hide...` post created successfully

`Regulatory Panel Gets Earful at Bangor Hearing` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">Dawn Gagnon</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> BANGOR, Maine — Nearly 100 Mainers turned up at Eastern Maine Community College on Thursday to weigh in on a series of proposed regulatory reforms aimed at improving the state’s business climate and economy and creating jobs.While no one opposed either of those concepts, proposals from Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to rewrite or roll back dozens of environmental laws drew fire from many of those who spoke.Among the most unpopular call for replacing many of Maine’s air and water pollution standards with less stringent federal standards, and repealing new rules that require the chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA, to be phased out of children’s products sold in Maine.Opponents of relaxing Maine’s strict environmental rules said doing so would hurt Maine’s reputation as a clean, healthful place to live and work.“I’ve read through the governor’s reform proposal and I don’t see a single thing that’s going to help my business,” said Suzanne Kelly, who with her husband, Bob, owns two Bangor businesses, House Revivers and Kelly Realty Management.“We choose to live and run our business in Maine because of our quality of life,” she said.Lucy Quimby, also of Bangor, noted that her husband, Geoff Gratwick, is a rheumatologist who is approaching retirement, as is his partner.Now actively recruiting successors for their practice, the partners are finding that two factors are proving key. One is financial assistance for medical professionals working in underserved regions. The other, she said, is Maine’s natural environment.Michael Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center in Bangor, said states with the strongest environmental protections have been shown to have better economic growth than those that don’t.Belliveau cited several examples of Maine businesses that are benefiting from the manufacturing of environmentally safe products, some of them made from recycled corn, wood and potato waste.Thursday’s hearing was the last of seven held around Maine over the last three weeks by the Legislature’s Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform.The 15-member committee, which consists of nine Republicans and six Democrats, was formed by the Legislature as a vehicle for LD 1, a bill submitted by Senate President Kevin Raye and Speaker of the House Robert Nutting, to improve Maine’s business climate and facilitate job creation.The group’s mission is to write an omnibus regulatory reform bill.Sen. Jonathan Courtney, R-Springvale, and committee co-chairman, said the group has heard some intriguing ideas while on the road.“We believe that the best ideas come from Main Street, not Augusta,” he said, adding that the committee’s role will involve balancing environmental and economic considerations.Nate Libby, spokesman for the Maine Small Business Coalition, said that members submitted 120 letters in opposition to the governor’s environmental proposals.“I remember when our rivers were filthy and our air was not healthy. I remember cement dust covering everything from the plant in Thomaston,” wrote Sharon O’Brien, a coalition member who owns Jess’s Seafood Market in Rockland.“My father died from mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos. I remember when a lot more clam flats were closed due to pollution. Please do not go backward,” she wrote, adding, “We need to keep our seafood healthy to eat. Allowing pollution at the expense of our very valuable lobster and shellfish supplies would be very shortsighted economically. Many people make their living from the sea.”Aside from the environmental concerns, however, the panel did hear about some regulations that some Mainers do think are onerous.These included an increasingly cumbersome processes for accessing unemployment benefits and child care.Information on the committee is available at <a href="http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/jtcom/rfr.htm">www.maine.gov/legis/house/jtcom/rfr.htm</a>.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Muskie Casts Long Shadow on DEP's Man` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">Bill Nemitz</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald columnist</a> Leave it to Ed Muskie, almost 15 years after his death, to toss a monkey wrench into Gov. Paul LePage's environmental policy."Ed Muskie wrote the Clean Water Act," said Steve Hinchman, an attorney for the Androscoggin River Alliance, in an interview this week. "And when he did, he understood that procedural limits are every bit as important as the limits on pollution."In other words, the legendary Maine senator had more than just the serial polluters on his mind when he wrote the landmark Clean Water Act way back in 1972. He also was worried about the regulators responsible for stopping them.Regulators like Darryl Brown, installed by LePage just last week as commissioner of Maine's Department of Environmental Protection.Late Monday, the Androscoggin River Alliance petitioned the federal Environmental Protection Agency to investigate whether Brown, the owner of Maine-Land Development Consultants Inc., is now running the DEP in violation of the Clean Water Act's conflict-of-interest clause.It's a straightforward requirement: Anyone who has derived more than 10 percent of his or her annual income from EPA water-permit holders or applicants within the prior two years cannot direct a state agency responsible for issuing those permits.It's not just a federal matter: Virtually the same language can be found in a Maine statute describing who "may not serve as commissioner" of the DEP.Now, we already know that Maine's DEP, under a longstanding letter of understanding with the EPA, handles all Clean Water Act permitting in this state.We also know, based on his own testimony at a legislative confirmation hearing last month, that Brown's development company brings an average of eight projects each year to the DEP and that, as Brown put it, "25 to 35 percent of Maine-Land's work is DEP-related."Hence, Hinchman and others have good reason to ask whether Brown, who has put his company in a blind trust but is still its sole shareholder, received at least 10 percent of his income in either of the last two years from Clean Water Act permit holders or permit applicants."We hope that you do not exceed the (10 percent) limit, but please note that if you do Maine could forfeit its authority to administer the (permits) under the Clean Water Act," Hinchman wrote in a letter to Brown. "To prevent that occurrence, we would respectfully request that you resign the post of Commissioner."We'd best not hold our breath on that one.Contacted this week, Brown said he is "absolutely confident" that his and his company's finances, if they in fact are dissected by the EPA, will pass muster.Maine-Land Development Consultants is a "tiny" company of 11 employees, Brown noted. And while its workload is heavy on things like land surveying, he added, the firm's involvement in issues pertaining to Clean Water Act permits is "not terribly significant."None of that matters, Hinchman argues.Take, for example, the Oxford resort casino, approved last fall in a statewide referendum and now in the early stages of development.According to a letter Dec. 9 "to whom it may concern" from Oxford resort casino President Robert Lally, Maine-Land Development Consultants "is authorized to pursue local, state and federal permitting (for the $165 million project), including signing application forms."That would include a Clean Water Act "general permit" issued by the DEP, Hinchman said. And while Brown has put Maine-Land Development Consultants into a blind trust under the control of its new president, Robert Berry III, Hinchman maintains that the new commissioner is by no means out of the ethical woods.Even if Brown were to fully divest himself of his ownership of Maine-Land Development Consultants (which he hasn't), Hinchman maintains that "you cannot cure the conflict by divestiture. The rule looks at the current year and the two prior years -- clearly an attempt to stop the revolving door between regulated industries and government."And while Brown may maintain that Clean Water Act compliance is "a pretty small piece" of the Oxford casino project, Hinchman said that's not the point."A conflict occurs based on the economic relationship between the commissioner and the regulated companies," Hinchman said. "Thus, it does not matter why they are paying him, only that he receives income from the very companies he is supposed to regulate."Which brings us back to a couple of yet-to-be-answered questions: How much of Brown's personal income over the past two years came from clients -- including but not limited to the Oxford resort casino -- who either hold or have applied for Clean Water Act permits?And if more than 10 percent of that income came "directly or indirectly" (as the law states) from those clients, what's he doing in the corner office of the DEP?And while we're on the subject, was Brown even aware of the Clean Water Act provision before raising his hand and swearing to protect Maine's environment?"I was aware of a lot of things," Brown replied. "This particular piece, I wasn't."So now we wait -- with every Clean Water Act permit issued henceforth by the DEP hanging in the balance.David Deegan, a spokesman for the EPA's regional office in Boston, confirmed in an e-mail this week that the agency has received the Androscoggin River Alliance's petition and "will carefully and expeditiously review the best available information regarding the concerns raised in the petition."Hinchman, who until recently was a staff attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation, now has a private practice in environmental and energy law and volunteers his services for the seven-year-old alliance.Contrary to claims by Dan Demeritt, LePage's communications director, and other LePage loyalists, Hinchman said this is not a case of playing "gotcha" on the heels of the Maine Senate's 29-6 vote to confirm Brown.Rather, he said, Brown's own testimony to the Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee about Maine-Land Development Consultants' recent dealings with the DEP sent Hinchman diving into the law books he keeps on his desk."After I heard that, I said to myself, 'That's got to be illegal,'" Hinchman said. "I just picked up (the Clean Water Act) and started flipping through it, reading section by section. And I was about 40 pages into it and, bingo, there it was."Truth be told, Hinchman said, he wishes he hadn't stumbled across the easy-to-find federal and state laws that others should have noticed weeks if not months ago. He now has a client with business before the DEP -- and the last thing he needs is to poke the new comish in the eye as he tries to get that project approved."I did not welcome finding this out," he said. "Because now I have to stand up to the emperor and ask, 'Are those clothes you're wearing?'"But Brown's new role as Maine's top environmental cop, following LePage's 57 "regulatory reform proposals" aimed at the heart of Maine's precious environment, left Hinchman no choice but to speak up.Just like Ed Muskie, who grew up in Rumford on the banks of the then-polluted Androscoggin River, would have done?"A small citizens group from (Muskie's) very river is the one in this whole process that stands up and points this out," Hinchman said. "It is very ironic."It's also better late than never.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post updated successfully

`State House Notebook: Groups Profess Their Love for Environment` post created successfully

`Kid-Safe Law Under Attack` post created successfully

`Critics Ask: Regulatory Reform for Whom?` post created successfully

`Maine Beverage Industry Targets State's Groundbreaking Bottle Bill` post created successfully

`Public Weighs in on LePage Proposals to Ease Maine Environmental Regs` post created successfully

`Crowd Turns Out for Regulatory Hearing` post created successfully

`Red Tape or Green` post created successfully

`Business Leaders Unveil Criteria for Evaluating LD 1 Proposals` post created successfully

`Hearing on LePage’s Environmental Proposals Draws Hundreds to Augusta` post created successfully

`Maine Regulatory Reform Hearing Draws Overflow Crowd` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Take Up Governor's Regulatory Reforms` post created successfully

`LePage Cuts List of Regulatory Reforms for State` post created successfully

`Bottle Bill Latest Target in Maine's Moment of Change` post created successfully

`Guiding Principles for LD 1?` post created successfully

`Anti-regulation Bill Draws Large Crowds` post created successfully

`We Are the Voice for the Smallest of Creatures` post created successfully

`Strengthen Maine's Product Stewardship Laws` post created successfully

`LePage Dismisses BPA Dangers; ‘Worst Case is Some Women May Have Little Beards’` post created successfully

`Big Mandate on Campus: College Becoming Carbon Neutral` post created successfully

`Laws Protecting Health and Environment Face Risk from ‘Reform’` post created successfully

`NRCM Responds to Gov. LePage's "Callous Disregard for the Health of Women and Children"` post created successfully

`LePage Remarks Anger Environmentalists` post created successfully

`Maine Governor's Bisphenol-A Remark Draws Rebukes` post created successfully

`LePage: 'The Worst Case Is Some Women May Have Little Beards'` post created successfully

`We Can't Return to the Past` post created successfully

`Headed for Last Place` post created successfully

`Penobscot River Restoration Is a Once-In-a-Lifetime Opportunity For Maine` post created successfully

`Governor's BPA Statements 'Outrageous'` post created successfully

`Repeal of BPA Rule Could Be Tough Fight for LePage` post created successfully

`Conservation Groups to Vie for $9.7 Million` post created successfully

`LePage Using 'Junk Science' Not 'Sound Science'` post created successfully

`LePage Motives on BPA Policy, Mills Firing Questioned` post created successfully

`Republicans Show Split with LePage on BPA` post created successfully

`Court Hears Challenge to Plum Creek Development Project OK` post created successfully

`LePage's "Flexibility" Comments Leave Some Baffled` post created successfully

`Record Number of Rollback Bills Proposed to Weaken Environmental Safeguards` post created successfully

`Sweeping Anti-Environment Agenda Emerges at State House` post created successfully

`Maine Group Blasts "Anti-Environmental" Agenda` post created successfully

`Environmentalists Unveil ‘50 Worst Bills’ in Maine` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Group Lists 50 Worst Bills` post created successfully

`Group Decries "Assault" on Maine's Environmental Laws` post created successfully

`Testimony of NRCM Neither for Nor Against L.D. 480 "Resolve: To Allow Service Stations in Maine To Use Their Inventory of Lead Wheel Weights”` post created successfully

`GOP Proposals are an 'Assault' on Maine's Environment, Advocates Say` post created successfully

`Environmental Advocates Push Back Against 'Assault' by GOP Legislature` post created successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to LD 333: Resolve, Directing DEP to Amend Its Rules Regarding Snow Dumps` post created successfully

`Maine Green Lobby Lists '50 Worst' Bills` post created successfully

`BPA: What’s All the Flap?` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Group Releases Its List of 50 Bills It Says Will Harm the Environment` post created successfully

`Environmental Groups Fear Consequences of Changes to Snow-dump Law` post created successfully

`Effort to Relax Maine's Snow Dump Rules Meets Opposition` post created successfully

`"If It Ain't Broke, Don't Try to Fix It"` post created successfully

`Divisions Appear in DEP over Bill to Limit Pollution Enforcement` post created successfully

`Beverage Industry to Test State's 35-year-old Bottle Law` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 431, “An Act To Require the Efficiency Maine Trust to More Effectively Administer Funds”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 425, “An Act to Stimulate Demand for Renewable Resources”` post created successfully

`Report Says Wind Power Has Given Jobs Boost` post created successfully

`Statement in Opposition to LD 281, An Act to Create a 5-year Statute of Limitations for Environmental Violations` post created successfully

`Bottle Bill Changes Proposed` post created successfully

`The Universal Notebook: LePage is Too Outrageous to Ignore` post created successfully

`NRCM’s ‘50 Worst Bills’` post created successfully

`Nature Strikes Back: Climate Change is Beginning in Earnest` post created successfully

`Harnessing the Wind Provides Energy, Helps Sustain Community` post created successfully

`Statement in Opposition to LD 614, An Act to Expedite the Review of Certain Maine LURC and DEP Applications` post created successfully

`Flame Retardant Heats Up` post created successfully

`Bottle Bill Faces Multiple Tweaks by Lawmakers` post created successfully

`Climate Change: We're Running Out of Time` post created successfully

`The Renewable Argument` post created successfully

`Maine Governor Defends FOAA Exemption for Advisory Committees` post created successfully

`Bottle Deposits Work, So Leave Them Alone` post created successfully

`It's Time to Reduce Maine's Dependence on Oil` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle">Two lawmakers want to alter the ways we heat our homes, ship goods and travel.</h2> <h3 class="author">by Rep. Stacey Fitts and Sen. Philip Bartlett</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald op-ed</a> By STACEY FITTS and PHILIP BARTLETTAUGUSTA — It's time for Mainers of all stripes to come together to start to get our state off oil.According to the Maine Sunday Telegram's analysis, the recent surge in oil prices has increased energy costs for a typical Maine family that lives in an oil-heated home and has two cars by more than $1,400 a year -- and the price surge just started in early September.Oil prices are only expected to continue to rise in the coming months, with gasoline prices projected to be more than $4 per gallon this summer.We've ridden the unpredictable roller coaster of oil prices for long enough.Rather than forever being at the whim of a world oil market over which we have no control, Maine should finally commit to reducing our state's oil dependence.Maine is the fourth most oil-dependent state in the country, thanks to our heavy reliance on oil to both heat our homes and buildings and power our cars and trucks.In fact, more than half of Maine's energy comes from oil, leaving us extremely vulnerable to volatile oil prices.For decades, Maine's oil use has closely followed trends in the price of petroleum, meaning we cut back when prices start to sting but increase oil use when prices dip.Maine's dependence on oil is a huge drain on the state's economy.Collectively, Mainers spend nearly $15 million on oil every single day -- the vast majority of which we ship out of state and overseas.On the flip side, many of the solutions that would enable us to reduce our oil dependence -- such as switching to high-efficiency pellet boilers, improving energy efficiency so we need less energy in the first place, and shifting freight transported in Maine from trucks to rail and marine transportation -- would keep our dollars right here at home, building Maine's economy in the process.If having control over our energy future and building our state's economy aren't reasons enough for you to want to break free of our oil dependence, consider the impact our oil use has on our health and environment.Our oil use is the leading source of air pollution in Maine. And, while large ads welcoming people at the Portland jetport and elsewhere claim that you can "Breathe Easy, You're in Maine," that's not the reality.Every county in Maine except Oxford County received a grade of C or worse for high levels of smog pollution in the American Lung Association's 2010 State of the Air Report, and Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Knox, and York counties all received Ds or Fs.High levels of air pollution contribute to serious health problems, such as asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.Indeed, Maine has some of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. And air pollution creates haze and acid rain, obscuring views and eroding the health of ecosystems from Kittery to Calais.The bottom line is that there are many reasons why we should finally get control of our energy future.That's why we're sponsoring "An Act to Reduce Maine's Dependence on Oil" (LD 553) to set clear goals to start to get Maine off oil. These goals are needed to finally make the transition away from oil a reality.The bill would charge the state with developing a plan and making initial recommendations to the Legislature to help Maine's entrepreneurs, investors and people of all stripes come together to achieve the goals.We hope you'll join with us to reduce Maine's oil dependence and improve our economy, security, health and environment in the process.- Special to the Press HeraldABOUT THE AUTHORS Rep. Stacey Fitts, R-Pittsfield, and Sen. Philip Bartlett, D-Cumberland, are the sponsors of “An Act to Reduce Maine’s Dependence on Oil.”`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Clean Energy & Efficiency` post updated successfully

`New EPA Rules Would Clean Up Toxic Pollution from Power Plants` post created successfully

`Maine Kid Safe Products Act Under Attack` post created successfully

`Maine Environmentalists Hail New Pollution Restrictions` post created successfully

`Manufacturing Fear: Is the Chamber Trying to “Scare Up" Business Testimony?` post created successfully

`Look to the Sky for New Energy Sources` post created successfully

`18 Months After Green Light, Plum Creek Remains Just a Concept Plan` post created successfully

`Legislature Should Tweak, Not Gut, Chemical Law` post created successfully

`Comments by NRCM In Opposition to` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Pete Didisheim, NRCM Senior Director, Advocacy</h3> Senators Rosen and Thomas, Representatives Flood and Cotta, and members of the Appropriations Committee and the Committee on State and Local Government. My name is Pete Didisheim. I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to the proposed dismantlement of the State Planning Office – as called for by Part FF of the Governor’s budget. NRCM is not opposed to a review and discussion of SPO’s responsibilities, and we might be supportive of transferring or consolidating some SPO functions with other agencies, but we are concerned that the Governor’s budget has already concluded that SPO should be abolished and that the proposed working group’s sole purpose is to manage the dismemberment. A convincing case has not yet been made in support of dismantling SPO. We believe that a careful review of the State Planning Office will reveal that the office has important functions, and that distributing those functions to other agencies may not be a good idea. Housed elsewhere in state government, those functions may atrophy or become captive to single agency perspectives to the detriment of the public purpose behind those programs. The State Planning Office has a number of important programs and responsibilities, including: the Land for Maine’s Future Program, Maine Coastal Program, Floodplain Management program, code enforcement and training, and economic and demographic assessments. SPO also has been used by one Administration after another to provide valuable interagency coordination and planning on a broad range of issues, including education reform, government reorganization, the cost of sprawl, economic analyses, and natural resource conservation.For example, the Land and Water Resources Council, managed by SPO, has provided a coordinated approach to issues as diverse as reducing mercury pollution and evaluating ground water extraction. Eliminating this coordination function may make it more difficult to achieve coordinated, efficient policy development across the state’s natural resource agencies. Unless Maine creates a single consolidated Department of Natural Resources – which seems unlikely – then the State Planning Office is the primary entity that can help integrate policies and programs across the DEP, Dept. of Conservation, Dept. of Marine Resources, Dept. of Agriculture, and IF&W. Our fundamental concern with the proposed death sentence for the State Planning Office is the implication that “planning” has suddenly become a bad idea. We disagree. Maine needs both a clean and healthy environment and economic prosperity, and careful planning at the local, regional and state levels can help advance both of those goals. Eliminating the State’s cross-cutting planning functions could well lead to an increase in scattered, random, and poorly designed development in Maine that puts more natural resources at risk and puts the character of our service centers and traditional villages at risk. Like many states, Maine has struggled over the past 40 years to establish concepts of growth management. But SPO has helped ensure that Maine is at least engaged in that challenging dialogue, by helping foster conversations and analysis that facilitate well-considered decisions about resource conservation and patterns of development. Cooperative regional planning efforts are a good idea, and SPO has been a catalyst for such efforts. The Gateway 1 Project, recently terminated by the Governor, is a prime example of how regional discussions about land use and transportation planning across the mid-coast region could have helped result in the best use of our transportation investments. The state will be spending tens of millions of dollars over the next ten years on transportation infrastructure in the Route 1 corridor between Bath and Belfast. In the absence of good regional planning, much of that investment could be wasted if sprawling development occurs completely out of synch with the upgrades. The proposal to dismantle SPO raises many questions, including:Will the state maintain its essential role in controlling solid waste management and disposal? State ownership of landfill capacity provides Maine with its only constitutionally-secure way of controlling imports of solid waste from out-of-state.What will happen to Maine’s award winning Coastal Program? This initiative, funded overwhelmingly with federal dollars, provides the state with its only enforceable role in a wide range of federal licensing decisions in the state.What will happen to the statewide economic analysis functions at the SPO? SPO has four economists who provide a neutral analysis of Maine’s economy for both the Governor and the Legislature. They help comprise the Consensus Economic Forecasting Committee that is the foundation of Maine’s economic budgeting process. Eliminating this capacity, or putting it in an agency with a more narrow mission, likely will eliminate its objectivity and big picture perspective. In closing, let me re-iterate that NRCM is not opposed to reviewing SPO’s programs. Such a review may reach the conclusion that some pieces of SPO might best be served if housed elsewhere. We do oppose, however, the death warrant for the entire office that’s been dictated by the Governor’s budget. We also believe that any review that’s conducted should include a broader range of stakeholders, and not be developed exclusively by agency heads – as spelled out in the Part FF. Many diverse perspectives should be considered as part of any review of the State Planning Office. Thank you for this opportunity to provide comments to the Committee. `, assigning current date

`State House Watch` post created successfully

`Sportsmen, Scientists, Clammers, and Others Speak Out Against Attacks on Water Quality Safeguards` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 761, “An Act to Provide Rebates for the Purchase of Certain Solar and Wind Power Equipment”` post created successfully

`BPA is Modern Day Lead` post created successfully

`Vernal Pools at Center of Maine Environmental Regulation Debate` post created successfully

`Groups Decry Legislative "Assault" on Maine's Waterways` post created successfully

`Environmental Rollback Legislation Comes Under Attack` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of the Department of Conservation Budget` post created successfully

`Jefferson Resident Named Executive Director of NRCM` post created successfully

`Little Beards and the Marketplace` post created successfully

`LePage Administration Drops BPA Opposition` post created successfully

`Lawmakers to Hear Arguments Over BPA` post created successfully

`Legislative Committee Votes UNANIMOUSLY to Protect Children from Toxic BPA` post created successfully

`BPA Ban Approved by Legislative Committee` post created successfully

`Panel Backs State Ban on Products with BPA` post created successfully

`BPA Ban Endorsed by Legislative Committee` post created successfully

`LePage Drops Opposition to BPA Ban` post created successfully

`Different Stance on BPA from Governor` post created successfully

`Maine Committee Endorses Bisphenol-A Ban` post created successfully

`Public Hearings Begin on BPA` post created successfully

`Nature Watchers Sought to Track Climate Change` post created successfully

`Woods and Water Should Be Priority for LePage, Lawmakers` post created successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to LD 671 An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Ground Water Oil Clean-up Fund` post created successfully

`Kid Safe Product Act Works` post created successfully

`Major Natural Gas Pipeline Upgrade Coming to Portland Area` post created successfully

`Monday Meter` post created successfully

`Testimony Regarding Bills Related to Maine's Kid-Safe Products Law` post created successfully

`Maine Bills Refine Kid Safe Product Act` post created successfully

`Critics: Law Targeting Chemicals Too Broad` post created successfully

`Chemical Industry Drafted Bill to Modify Maine's Kids Safe Act` post created successfully

`Business Groups Clash with Parents, Environmental Groups Over Kid-Safe Law` post created successfully

`Debate Continues Over Child Chemicals Law` post created successfully

`Kid Safe Product Act Debated` post created successfully

`Kids Safe Product Act Takes Center Stage` post created successfully

`Environmental Bills Under Fire` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of LD 412: Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 882: Designation of Bisphenol-A as a Priority Chemical and Regulation of Bisphenol-A in Children's Products, a Major Substantive Rule of DEP` post created successfully

`Maine ZOOM Bus Expansion Bill Rejected` post created successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to LD 159, An Act To Foster Economic Development by Improving Administration of the Laws Governing Site Location of Development and Storm Water Management` post created successfully

`Challenges to Maine’s Bottle Redemption Law Afoot` post created successfully

`Clearing Up the Mud: Some Facts about Maine's Significant Vernal Pools` post created successfully

`LePage Should Show Leadership on Energy` post created successfully

`Global Warming — the Truth Must Be Spread` post created successfully

`Panel Rejects Limit on Environmental Prosecutions` post created successfully

`Contractors Protest Proposed Repeal of Maine's Uniform Building Code` post created successfully

`Builders Protest Attempts to Undo Uniform Code` post created successfully

`Maine Voters Oppose Environmental Rollbacks` post created successfully

`Statement by Lisa Pohlmann, NRCM Executive Director` post created successfully

`Maine's Embattled DEP Chief Promotes Environmentally-Friendly Businesses` post created successfully

`Maine Lawmaker Proposes to Withdraw State from RGGI` post created successfully

`Poll Indicates Support for Maine's Environmental Regulations` post created successfully

`New Poll Shows Mainers Support Environment` post created successfully

`Leave the Bottle Bill Alone` post created successfully

`Maine's New Building Code Worth Saving` post created successfully

`Court Strikes Down Plum Creek Plan` post created successfully

`Judge Puts Plum Creek on Hold` post created successfully

`Court Vacates LURC Approval of Plum Creek Development Plan` post created successfully

`House Votes Overwhelmingly to Ban BPA from Child Products` post created successfully

`Maine Judge Throws Out LURC's Approval of Plum Creek Development` post created successfully

`Plum Creek's Maine Development Set Aside by Judge` post created successfully

`Judge Stops Development of 17,000 Acres in Northern Maine` post created successfully

`Bill Would Repeal Uniform Statewide Building Code` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 492: An Act to Ensure Children’s Products are Free of Cadmium` post created successfully

`Record Hopeful in Medomak River Aalewife Count` post created successfully

`Court Strikes Down Plum Creek Plan, Saying LURC Violated Its Own Rules` post created successfully

`State Official Opposes GOP Bid to Roll Back Shoreland Protections` post created successfully

`A Better Plum Creek Project` post created successfully

`LePage's Controversial Proposals Left Out of Regulatory Package` post created successfully

`BPA Vote a Defeat for Outside Money` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal editorial</a> After weeks of storm and fury, the effort to overturn Maine’s ban on bisphenol-A is likely to end in a whimper.The Maine House voted overwhelmingly Thursday — and we mean overwhelmingly — to phase out BPA when used in children’s products. The final tally: 145-3.A similarly lopsided vote is expected in the Maine Senate next week. The veto-proof size of the margin marks a setback for Gov. Paul LePage, who included killing the BPA regulations in his original regulatory reform package. Perhaps sensing a losing cause, the administration testified neither for nor against the ban during a March 25 public hearing. The vote marks a victory for the Republican Legislature, which showed it was not only willing to ignore the governor, but the U.S. chemical industry and its lobbyists, as well.The companies had spent hundreds of thousands on the last election in Maine, and they have had highly paid lobbyists working the issue for several years. The vote is also a positive sign for bipartisanship in this state. The last Legislature did its committee homework and, after seeing the facts, voted in a bipartisan fashion to phase out BPA, 129-9 in the House and 35-0 in the Senate.Just because the legislative majority switched from one side to the other didn’t mean legislators were willing to undo what they had done, especially not based upon instructions from Washington. The short history of this issue is interesting and instructive. Nobody was even talking about BPA until it emerged on a list of red-tape regulations targeted for repeal by the governor’s office.The list, the governor’s office said, had emerged from listening sessions conducted by businesspeople around the state.But nobody had even raised the BPA issue during those sessions. Some Maine companies had even supported the BPA ban when it was introduced last year.Nobody could identify any Maine jobs threatened by the BPA ban or clearly identify how lifting the ban would create any.So, where did this idea come from? From far, far away, apparently.The governor’s office had inadvertently presented its red-tape hit list with something called a tracking number. This is a number in the margin of a document that can be used to identify its source.The number was eventually linked to a computer at the politically connected Maine law firm of Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios.The governor’s communications director later explained that the document was compiled by Ann Robinson, a Preti Flaherty lawyer who lobbies on behalf of big drug companies and the Toy Industry Association of America. Robinson also served on the governor’s transition team.As it turns out, the industry’s lobbyist had compiled the regulatory hit list for the governor’s office.Nothing illegal about that, but it shows the extraordinary access to power the chemical industry now has.The BPA fight may already be history, but attention in the Legislature quickly will turn to a proposal sponsored by Rep. James Hamper, R-Oxford, which may more evenly divide the Legislature along traditional lines.Manufacturers and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce are lined up against environmental groups that say Hamper’s act will gut the state’s Kid-Safe Products Act. It will be a challenge, but we hope legislators can find a middle ground that will encourage manufacturing in the state, yet ensure products used by children are safe.Whatever happens, it should be a law that best serves Maine, not outside interests.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Safer Products` post created successfully

`Maine's BPA Phaseout Imminent Following Senate Vote` post created successfully

`Maine Senate Unanimously Approves BPA Ban` post created successfully

`BPA Ban Gets Unanimous Senate Approval` post created successfully

`Protecting the Nature of Maine wins New England Emmy Nomination` post created successfully

`It’s Open Season Again on Pesticide Laws in Augusta` post created successfully

`Comments In Support of LD 1 – An Act to Ensure Regulatory Fairness and Reform` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1320, “An Act to Increase the Recycling Rate in Maine”` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Discuss Regulatory Reform Bill` post created successfully

`Pesticides Under Fire on Airwaves and in Legislature` post created successfully

`Ban on BPA is Good for Maine, Good for Business` post created successfully

`Testimony Neither for nor Against LD 1255` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Matt Prindiville, NRCM Clean Production Project Director</h3> Good afternoon Senator Saviello, Representative Hamper and members of the Committee. My name is Matt Prindiville, and I’m the Clean Production Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and while NRCM certainly supports the concept of increasing recycling rates in Maine, we are testifying Neither For Nor Against the proposal that’s before you today.We believe that it’s constructive to have an ongoing dialogue on how to increase recycling. We also support initiatives to transform the waste stream into a sustainable flow of materials, essentially turning today’s trash into tomorrow’s products, which is what product stewardship is all about. The bottle bill was our state’s first product stewardship initiative, and it has been a huge success.As a result of Maine’s bottle bill, 85 to 90% of the beverage containers sold into Maine each year are collected and clean streams of glass, aluminum and plastic are sent to processors. The glass bottles become new glass bottles. The aluminum cans become new aluminum cans. And the redeemed plastic is turned into a wide variety of products. This impressive recycling initiative – Maine’s most effective overall recycling program - is accomplished with virtually no involvement by government, either at the municipal or state level. The data shows that bottle bills are the most successful recycling programs in the country. If we could get people to recycle other products and packaging at the same rate that we collect bottles, we would have a much more sustainable economy. Is it perfect? No. Improvements can be made, and some tweaks to the system may require legislation, but we are not convinced that substantial legislative action is needed to make implementation of Maine’s bottle bill even more efficient and effective. Improvements can be implemented as a result of ongoing conversations among interested parties.Some of those discussions already are well underway, including in the Maine Product Stewardship Working Group. This group was formed last year to provide a forum for municipal government, industry, policy-makers, solid waste experts, academics and NGOs to dialogue on product stewardship issues. It is a completely open group – anyone can participate and join the list serve. It is focused on learning, collaboration and furthering mutual understanding – not advocacy – and is currently chaired by Representative Melissa Innes. I’ve attached our governance document for your information.NRCM believes that the discussion that has been proposed in this resolve could be accomplished by an extended and ongoing series of discussions through the Maine Product Stewardship Working Group. In fact, the bottle bill is on the agenda for the Group’s upcoming April 27th meeting. This forum could move the issue forward, without costs to government, or to the beverage industry, as proposed in LD 1255.We also have concerns about the stakeholders listed in LD 1255 are heavily drawn from the beverage container side of the issue. If the bill’s aim is to look at increasing the rate of recycling as a whole, then this study process needs a lot more stakeholders and a much broader scope. To really do this well, you would need to have representation from all of the major stakeholders involved in the waste stream including many more consumer product trade associations who’s product packaging is currently left to towns and taxpayers to deal with. You would also need to be looking at the broad range of policy options for increasing recycling in Maine, including issues that have already been addressed by the framework product stewardship bill last year.Finally, while we appreciate the beverage industry bringing forth a proposal to have this discussion, we’re concerned about their motives. It has come to our attention that several of the nation’s largest beverage corporations are working to replace bottle bills across the nation with grant programs to municipalities for recycling. It’s a dollars and cents game – if they can spend less money by doling out grants for towns to collect their containers, and relieve themselves of that responsibility, then they end up significantly ahead of the game. They have introduced bills in Vermont and Iowa this year to do this, and a similar bill was about to be introduced in Maine, but was pulled by the sponsor due to heavy opposition to the concept. This strategy would result in a decline in recycling rates, increased trash to Maine’s landfills, and a transfer of costs to taxpayers. While we support ideas to make Maine’s bottle bill system more efficient and effective and to increase recycling in Maine, we are concerned that LD 1255 may be part of a larger effort by the beverage industry aimed at undermining Maine’s most successful recycling and product stewardship program. Thank you and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. `, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Product Stewardship` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 1324 “An Act to Create Consistency and Fairness in Maine’s Bottle Bill” And LD 1417 “An Act To Exempt Wine Bottles from Maine's Container Redemption System”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 837, An Act To Protect Children's Health and Promote Safe Schools and Child Care Centers by Limiting the Use of Pesticides` post created successfully

`A Better Plan for Moosehead Lake is Possible` post created successfully

`The Great Rollback` post created successfully

`School Custodians Gather in Gardiner to Get It ‘Greener’` post created successfully

`A New Class for the Androscoggin?` post created successfully

`Legislature Considers Repealing Sections Of The Bottle Bill` post created successfully

`A Primer on Maine’s Environmental Laws and Regulations` post created successfully

`Bills Would Let Billboards Pop Up Again in Maine` post created successfully

`Kids' Health: Doctors Seek Tighter Regulation of Toxins` post created successfully

`62 MPG? Now That Would Make a Dent` post created successfully

`'Bottle Bill' May Lose Bite` post created successfully

`NRCM Testimony for Wind Power Related Legislation: LDs 711, 865, 1042, 1234, 1362, 1411, 1443, 1479` post created successfully

`Testimony in Opposition to LD 341, An Act To Exempt Artificial Wetlands and Artificial Significant Vernal Pool Habitats from State Regulation` post created successfully

`Scenery vs. Billboards is No Contest` post created successfully

`Vernal Pools Bill Input Follows Script` post created successfully

`Money Spent on Energy Efficiency is Money Spent Wisely` post created successfully

`Statement in Opposition to LD 1367, Which Would Remove Maine's Billboard Ban` post created successfully

`Statement in Opposition to LD 1405, An Act to Amend the Laws Restricting Advertising on Public Ways` post created successfully

`Proposal to Lift Maine's Billboard Ban Sparks Opposition` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Consider Changes to Maine's Billboard Law` post created successfully

`At Issue: Are Billboards an Unmet Need, or 'Visual Litter'?` post created successfully

`Should Maine Be "Open for Billboards?"` post created successfully

`Undoing Maine’s 34-year-old Ban on Billboards` post created successfully

`NRCM Statement Regarding the Resignation of Darryl Brown as DEP Commissioner` post created successfully

`Bottle Bill Changes Will Lead to Littering` post created successfully

`Roadside Signs Banned in Maine for Good Reason` post created successfully

`Billboards Head Down the Road to Defeat` post created successfully

`State Should Stick with the Science on Vernal Pools` post created successfully

`A Message from Maine's Wood Frogs` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Lynne Lewis</h3> <a href="http://www.sunjournal.com" target="_blank">Sun Journal op-ed</a> It is that time of year again. The snow has melted, the air is warmer, and the spring peepers and wood frogs have begun their raucous calling.These boisterous frogs and the vernal pools they inhabit are a sure sign of spring, and part of what makes Maine’s wildlife, woods and waters so special and beloved by all of us.Maine’s environment is central to our economy and our way of life. Protecting it is an investment in our families, our communities, and our future prosperity. That’s why it is so distressing and disappointing to see the many short-sighted proposals being considered by the Legislature that would threaten our natural resources and the core values we hold so dear.There is a lesson to be learned from those little frogs and the places they call home. Vernal pools are a nursery, a food source, and a resting area for many important species. From salamanders to deer and frogs to bear, vernal pools play a critical role in the circle of woodland life. These pools come and go throughout the year, but they are some of the most important aquatic habitats in Maine.Yet lawmakers are debating several proposals that would put Maine’s vernal pools, the frogs that live there, and the circle of life they support at great risk.Like many other bills that are threatening Maine’s natural resources this year, the opposition to vernal pool protection seems to rely on old-school logic that says we have to choose between a clean and healthy environment and good jobs.It is time to put that false choice to rest once and for all.We know from economic data, and from the experiences we all have living and working here in Maine, that nothing could be further from the truth.In fact, Maine’s current policies that protect our water, land and wildlife offer a balanced, common-sense approach forged by Maine lawmakers, scientists and stakeholders during the course of several decades.In the late 1980s, the Maine Legislature designated a wide range of important natural resources as being particularly important to our quality of life and our economic prosperity. They designated these special places as “significant wildlife habitat” and developed policies that would most efficiently identify and protect these key areas, including vernal pools, without overburdening landowners.The laws in place passed overwhelmingly and they are working. Harm has been minimized and not one permit to build near a significant vernal pool has been denied since the protections went into effect.Since 2007, research has shown that only 20 percent of vernal pools meet the biological threshold to require permits. In this same four years there have been more than 13,500 housing starts statewide, but less than 1 percent have needed a permit. And of the 75 permits that have been issued, 63 were issued in 14 days — a speedy turnaround by any standard.The governor has stated that he wants environmental standards that are based on sound-science, support our economy, and are administered fairly and efficiently. Clearly, Maine’s efforts to protect our very best wildlife habitat, including our most significant vernal pools, are an excellent example of environmental standards at their best. Basing decisions on good science and good economics is reasonable, responsible and smart, and it’s the foundation for building good jobs and a high quality of life for our children and grandchildren.It’s time to end the scare tactics, the misinformation, and the fretting and fussing over mud puddles and skidder tracks. No one would disagree that we need to create more good jobs and opportunities for Maine businesses to grow and prosper. But eliminating protections for our best vernal pools will do nothing to get us there.Maine’s environment is what sets the state apart — it’s our biggest competitive advantage. Let’s keep our eye on the ball and our ears open to the rowdy little frogs that are sending us a message loud and clear from Maine’s woods and waters: a clean environment, healthy people and wildlife, vibrant communities, and a strong and growing economy all go hand in hand — we don’t have to choose one over the other.Lynne Lewis is a professor of economics at Bates College.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife,Safer Products,Clean & Free-flowing Waters` post created successfully

`A Stronger and Clearer Clean Water Act` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1253, “An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the Enforcement of Statewide Uniform Building Codes”` post created successfully

`Legislature's Environment Committee Votes Down Attacks on Bottle Bill` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="" target="_blank">NRCM press release</a> Today, the Maine Legislature’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously in opposition to provisions in bills that would have rolled back Maine’s bottle bill. Committee members voted unanimously against a bill (LD 1417), that would have exempted wine bottles from the deposit system. They also voted to oppose provisions of another bill (LD 1324) that would have rolled back all deposits to 5 cents and exempted all bottles larger than 28 oz. “We are pleased that the Environment Committee voted to uphold Maine’s most successful recycling program: the bottle bill,” said NRCM Clean Production Director Matt Prindiville. “The committee did the right thing by voting to preserve Maine’s bottle bill, which saves Maine taxpayers money, keeps litter from our roadsides, and encourages high recycling rates for our beverage containers.”*Maine’s bottle bill is our state’s most successful recycling program, with a consistent recycling rate of between 85 and 95 percent. In non-bottle bill states, the average is just 24 percent. *It has helped to create and support hundreds of small business all around the state, and is currently responsible for more than 1,300 Maine jobs. *It relieves towns and taxpayers of the physical and financial burdens and costs of paying to collect and recycle these containers. *It has also served as a great tool for local fundraising efforts, including for sports teams, boy scouts, and other youth programs statewide. *Before the bottle bill was adopted, Maine’s roadsides littered with beverage containers. After the law was enacted and implemented, our roadsides were dramatically cleaned up. *The bottle bill also helped spur the idea of a recycling ethic for Maine citizens. *The law is so popular that when the beverage industry attempted to repeal it by referendum in 1979, 85 percent of Maine people voted against the repeal. *Unfortunately, the same corporate beverage interests that opposed Maine’s bottle bill in 1976, and attempted to repeal it in 1979, are still interested in weakening and eventually eliminating the bottle bill. Read the testimony of Matt Prindiville here: <a title="http://www.nrcm.org/news_detail.asp?news=4170" href="/news_detail.asp?news=4170">http://www.nrcm.org/news_detail.asp?news=4170</a>Read NRCM's position memo here: <a title="http://www.nrcm.org/documents/LD1324_bottle_billl.pdf" href="/documents/LD1324_bottle_billl.pdf">http://www.nrcm.org/documents/LD1324_bottle_billl.pdf</a>`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Product Stewardship` post created successfully

`Changes to Bottle Deposit Rules Rejected in Committee` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">AP news story</h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine legislative committee is tossing out proposed changes in deposits charged under the state’s bottle law.Instead, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee decided Monday to focus on stopping fraud in the bottle redemption system and giving smaller businesses more flexibility in how to package containers they collect.The committee voted to kill a bill that would have removed containers larger than 28 ounces from Maine’s bottle law and establish a uniform 5 cent deposit.The panel also brushed aside other changes and voted unanimously for a bill aimed at improving the existing system.A bill calling for an out-and-out repeal of the bottle law had already been withdrawn.Environmentalists praised the committee’s action, saying the bottle law keeps a lot of plastic and glass out of landfills.`, assigning current date

`State House Watch,Product Stewardship` post updated successfully

`Panel Scraps Controversial Changes to Bottle Bill` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 981: "An Act to Increase Recycling Jobs in Maine and Lower Costs for Maine Businesses Concerning Recycled Electronics.”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1433, “An Act To Provide for the Recycling or Proper Disposal of Architectural Paint”` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 1477, An Act to Protect Owners of Real Property` post created successfully

`Testimony In Opposition to LD 1135, "An Act to Protect the Rights of Property Owners"` post created successfully

`Testimony In Support of LD 1412, “An Act To Promote the Proper Disposal of Used Medical Sharps”` post created successfully

`LD 1 Gets Scaled Back` post created successfully

`Maine Citizens Receive Prestigious Regional EPA Environmental Awards` post created successfully

`Brownie Carson Earns EPA Lifetime Achievement Award and USM Distinguished Achievement Award` post created successfully

`'Kids Safe' Bill Finds Bipartisan Solution` post created successfully

`North Woods Supporters Denounce Bills to Abolish LURC & Weaken Protections` post created successfully

`Statement on by Buzz Lamb, North Woods camp owner` post created successfully

`Statement by Beth Della Valle, Maine Association of Planners, against LDs 17, 1258, and 1534` post created successfully

`Statement by Gordon Mott, North Woods landowner and forester` post created successfully

`LURC’s Future Uncertain as Bills Move Forward in the Legislature` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.bangornews.com" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News editorial</a> AUGUSTA, Maine — The future of the state’s Land Use Regulation Commission hangs in the balance as the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee prepares for the introduction of three bills that would eliminate or drastically alter the 40-year-old agency. This won’t be the first time LURC has been challenged in its history, though this time the three Republican-sponsored bills have the backing of the state’s chief executive, Gov. Paul LePage. The elimination of LURC was a consistent talking point during LePage’s campaign. LURC, which is responsible for land development in the state’s 10 million acres of Unorganized Territory, has been painted by LePage and others as an impediment to development, though the agency’s supporters contend that it plays a critical role in protecting Maine’s natural resources and north woods environment. “The bottom line is that the state’s natural resources are inextricably linked to the economy of all of Maine and must be protected for all of Maine,” said Beth Della Valle, president of the Maine Association of Planners. “We are in opposition to the bills that would dismantle the Land Use Regulatory Commission.” Rep. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville, who sponsored one of the LURC bills, said he believes the role of stewarding development in the Unorganized Territory is better left to county governments. “It certainly isn’t anyone’s desire to turn our part of the state into wall-to-wall asphalt,” said Davis. “We don’t want overdevelopment, but I also don’t want to see the population continue to drop and the young people continue to leave. The big thing we need to do is use the natural resources we have to create manufacturing jobs, and since 1971, when LURC went into effect, we have not had a major infrastructure investment in this part of the state. Because of all the complications and rules that are laid down by LURC, people just go somewhere else.” Davis’ bill, “An Act to Reform the Land Use and Planning Authority Within the Unorganized Territories of the State,” would eliminate LURC as of July 15, 2012, but not before it develops a plan to transfer land use planning responsibilities to the counties. A second bill, “An Act to Improve Land Use Planning and Permitting in Unorganized Territories,” is sponsored by Sen. Roger Sherman, R-Houlton. Sherman’s bill, which so far exists only as a concept draft, would make economic development LURC’s primary mission and transfer oversight of the agency to the Department of Economic and Community Development. Other functions that traditionally have been handled by LURC, such as forestry regulation, would be transferred to other agencies. Sherman’s bill also would create three regional planning and permitting commissions that would be responsible for specific areas of Maine. A third bill, “An Act to Reform the Land Use and Planning Authority in the Unorganized Territories,” is sponsored by Rep. Jeffery Gifford, R-Lincoln. Like Davis’ bill, it would eliminate LURC in July 2012 and create the Land Use Planning in the Unorganized Territory Transition advisory board, which would usher the transition of LURC’s functions to county governments. A coalition of opponents to the bills, which includes landowners, foresters and planners, is scheduled to gather Monday at the State House to assail the bills, claiming that the abolishment of LURC would “destroy Maine’s North Woods and roll back 40 years of protections,” according to a press release circulated this week. “LURC has served as an important guardian of Maine’s unorganized territories and helped guide development to appropriate locations, protect ecologically important areas, support Maine’s forest industry and safeguard remote recreational opportunities on Maine’s many prized lakes, rivers, mountains and forests,” states the release. Della Valle, who is one of the people who will participate in Monday’s press conference, said Friday that she sees room for improvement within LURC’s process, but that abolishing the agency would create a near-impossible situation for county governments. “The counties don’t have the history, don’t have the staff and don’t have the funds to do the regulation that’s being talked about,” she said. “Never before has the state shifted planning and regulatory authority to a different level of government without including a significant level of funds.” Davis said that various forms of funding are being considered, including dedicating fees paid to registries of deeds when a land parcel is purchased — money that now goes mostly to the Maine Housing Authority — for county land-use functions. Bob Howe, executive director of the Maine County Commissioners Association, agreed with Della Valle that the money needs to follow the responsibility. “The point is that if the counties are going to accept this responsibility, the expense can’t fall on property tax payers,” said Howe. The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee is scheduled to hear the bills beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday. `, assigning current date

`North Woods` post updated successfully

`Bills Would Alter Maine’s Land Use Commission` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://new.bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers are considering bills that would abolish or drastically change the mission of the agency that oversees development in the state’s 10-million-acre Unorganized Territory.Two of the bills scheduled for hearings Tuesday would abolish the Land Use Regulation Commission, and a third would alter its mission to serve residents and property owners within the jurisdiction of LURC .Supporters say overseeing development in the Unorganized Territory is better left to county governments.Opponents of the three bills, including landowners, foresters, a logger and others, planned a news conference at the State House on Monday. They say the legislation would roll back 40 years of protections in Maine’s North Woods `, assigning current date

`North Woods,State House Watch` post created successfully

`Bills Propose to Eliminate or Change Maine's Land Regulation Panel` post created successfully

`Improve LURC, Don’t Kill It` post created successfully

`Testimony in Support of LD 819, Resolve, To Improve the Predictability of Land Use Regulation in the Unorganized Territories` post created successfully

`Senate Blocks Repeal of Oil Tax Breaks` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by the Associated Press</h3> <a href="http://www.pressherald.com/" target="_blank">Portland Press Herald news story</a> The Senate blocked a bill Tuesday that would repeal about $2 billion a year in tax breaks for the five biggest oil companies, a Democratic response to $4-a-gallon gasoline that might fare better when Congress and the White House negotiate a deal later this year to increase the government's ability to borrow.The bill was defeated on a procedural vote. But Democrats hope to build their case to include the measure in a deficit-reduction package being negotiated by key lawmakers and the Obama administration."This bill says that even the most rich and powerful among us must do their fair share to help us reduce the deficit," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., the bill's sponsor.Republicans and some Democrats opposed the tax increase, saying it would hurt domestic drilling while doing nothing to reduce gas prices. The vote was 52-48 in favor of the measure, short of the 60 votes needed to advance it. Three Democrats – Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mark Begich of Alaska – joined with nearly all Republicans in opposing the measure. Two Republicans, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, voted for it.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called the tax increases "misguided, unwarranted and ultimately counterproductive."The measure would have affected Shell Oil Co., ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP America and Chevron Corp."This is not an energy strategy, this is a public relations strategy, this is a 'how do I get re-elected' strategy," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "It does not solve the problem or the pain that Americans are feeling at the pump."Some GOP lawmakers argued that the bill would increase gas prices further. However, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service concluded that eliminating the tax breaks would be unlikely to result in higher gasoline prices, which are influenced by a host of factors. The report said the bill would raise about $1.2 billion in 2012. By comparison, the five oil companies had combined revenues of $1.5 trillion last year.A GOP measure to increase offshore drilling is scheduled for a Senate vote today.Sidebar: REPUBLICANS SNOWE, COLLINS JOIN DEMOCRATS IN VOTING FOR REPEALWASHINGTON — Both of Maine's Republican senators sided with a Democratic-authored proposal to eliminate $21 billion worth of tax breaks over 10 years for the five largest oil companies.Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe were the only two GOP senators to vote for the measure, which failed.Snowe said that soaring gas prices reflect a "collective failure that encompasses multiples congresses and multiple presidential administrations" to develop a comprehensive energy policy.Still, "It is difficult to justify oil development incentives, given the current level of crude oil prices, and the fact that the U.S. government has to borrow money to pay for these incentives," Snowe said in a statement after the vote."It is unconscionable we are not viewing this issue in the larger context of our overall energy policy," Snowe said. "We should not be reviewing individual aspects of our energy policies on a selective basis -- it is imperative that we move forward with a complete overhaul."Collins told reporters before the vote that she was weighing arguments for and against the proposal as late as the policy lunches that each party holds on Tuesdays, and wanted to hear the final arguments by GOP leaders against eliminating the tax breaks.Collins noted that the legislation wouldn't lower gas prices. But she previewed her eventual "yes" vote when she noted that she had worked with Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan to scale back oil company subsidies and use the money for weatherization and alternative energy research.She also was amendable to what Democrats wanted to do with the bill: devote the $21 billion over 10 years in tax breaks for the oil companies to reduce the deficit.In a statement after the vote, Collins said, "Reducing or eliminating unnecessary subsidies and outdated tax breaks is a commonsense step toward deficit reduction. That is why I have also long called for the elimination of wasteful and expensive subsidies for ethanol producers."Collins noted that she is a co-sponsor of legislation seeking to repeal the 45-cent per gallon subsidy for corn ethanol, for a savings to taxpayers of about $6 billion a year.`, assigning current date

`Federal Climate and Energy Work` post updated successfully

`LURC Comes Under Legislative Crosshairs` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Rob Poindexter</h3> <a href="http://www.wabi.tv/" target="_blank">WABI TV news story</a> Augusta - Lawmakers in Augusta are considering 3 bills that would make drastic changes to the Land Use Regulation Commission.One of those bills would abolish LURC and turn its duties over to the counties that have unorganized territories.Representative Paul Davis of Sangerville sponsored that bill. He says he would fund his plan using money collected throught he transfer tax that's paid on land transfers within those counties.Davis says right now only 10% of that money stays in the counties while 90% goes to the state.Opponents say the bills would roll back environmental protections and much of Maine's north woods would be rezoned for development. "I think it's the reason why our state doesn't look like any other. With the sprawl and the strip malls, and the billboards, generics USA," says Lisa DeHart, a Registered maine guide. "I am exceedingly proud that our state doesn't look like any other." The committee room was packed as lawmakers held public hearings Tuesday on all three LURC-targeted bills. Representative Davis says LURC has been adversarial and has been a roadblock to economic growth in Maine. "We need to do something. Something needs to change," Davis said. "The rules and regulations and the implementation of these lack sorely a home rule and a home effect. Local people need to bring things back home and have them control it." `, assigning current date

`North Woods,State House Watch` post updated successfully

`Legislature Debates Getting Rid of LURC` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="http://www.wcsh6.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">WCSH TV news story</a> AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The Legislature is beginning one more major environmental debate: should the state get rid of LURC -the Land Use Regulation Commission -the appointed board that controls development in ten million acres of the state? It's an issue that conservation groups say is critical to the future of wilderness areas, and people in rural parts of Maine say is critical to controlling their future. Critics of LURC point to the Plum Creek proposal, which took five years to reach a decision. Senate President Kevin Raye called that process "shameful". He told the Legislature's Agriculture and Forestry Committee that LURC is a "paternalistic anachronism" that allows people in other parts of Maine to dictate what can be done in the state's unorganized territories. Raye and others are supporting a plan that would eliminate LURC, and shift its responsibilities to the counties. They say county commissioners are elected by the people, unlike the appointed members of the LURC board. They also say that would make the decision-makers accountable to the people in a way they aren't accountable now. But LURC supporters say the panel is needed to properly manage development in the unorganized areas, They say eliminating LURC would create a patchwork of inconsistent regulation, and would likely result in too much development in the state's undeveloped areas. Conservation and Environmental groups have said preserving LURC is one of their top priorities. And no one on either side of the issue is ready to predict how the committee or the full legislature will come down on the issue.Counties, meanwhile, are divided. Bob Howe, Executive director of the Maine County Commissioners Association, says several of the northern counties want to take control of development in the unorganized territory. But Piscatiquis County, at least, is said to not want that responsibility. Piscatiquis is home to Moosehead Lake, the focus of the controversial Plum Creek proposal.`, assigning current date

`North Woods` post updated successfully

`LURC Draws Fire, Support During Legislative Hearing` post created successfully

`Governor's Bill Would Scale Back Renewable Energy Requirement` post created successfully

`LePage Administration Proposes Maine Energy Policy Overhaul` post created successfully

`Canada Lynx Threatened by Rising Temperatures in Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">by Zach Howard</h3> <a href="http://www.reuters.com" target="_blank">Reuters news story</a> (Reuters) - The rare Canada lynx, whose range has shrunk considerably in recent decades, faces a grave threat from rising temperatures in Maine, federal wildlife experts said on Tuesday.The shaggy wild feline whose principal eastern U.S. habitat is Maine, preys on snowshoe hare but may lose out to competing hunters if snowfall decreases in coming years as predicted, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Lynx, bobcats and fishers stalk the same primary food source.The historic range of the cat, which was listed as a threatened species in 13 states in 2000, once extended throughout the northern United States and Rocky Mountains.Although its eastern habitat extended as far south as Pennsylvania 100 years ago, today northern Maine supports the only viable U.S. population of Canada lynx east of the Mississippi River, said Bill Butcher, a USFWS spokesman.The cat's preferred habitat requires at least 2.7 meters of average annual snowfall.Predictions of warming temperatures, which would result in less snowfall, threaten the lynx, a crafty hunter atop snowpack who is "like a cat on snowshoes" with its furry coat, long legs and huge paws, said John Organ, chief of wildlife and sport fish restoration for USFWS's Northeast Region."In 20 or 30 years, there may not be any habitat in Maine for Canada lynx to exist, unless we're able to provide suitable habitats that can support not just lynx but also snowshoe hares," Butcher said.A warming trend would force the lynx out of Maine and north into Canada, possibly into Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula, a confined area south of the Saint Lawrence River, said Butcher.The river and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence are kept free of ice in the winter for ship-borne commerce, making them impassable for a land bound cat.Federal and state agencies are moving to be sure the lynx remains in Maine, including planning to provide ample habitat for the snowshoe hare as well as conserving and managing large blocks of forests with diverse habitat.`, assigning current date

`Protecting Wildlife` post updated successfully

`Environmental Coalition Condemns Repeal of Maine’s Pesticide Spraying Right-To-Know Law` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format ``, assigning current date

: by empty title

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> <a href="" target="_blank">Maine Environmental News</a> Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition condemned today’s vote in the Maine House of Representatives to repeal the state’s public right-to-know pesticide spraying law. The repeal of the pesticide notification registry means that pesticide sprayers will no longer be required to inform Maine citizens about pesticide aerial and air blaster spraying in their neighborhoods.“Today’s vote to repeal the pesticide spraying notification registry is a serious blow to the public’s basic right to know when potentially dangerous pesticides are being sprayed in their neighborhood,” said Maureen Drouin, Executive Director of the Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund. “The immediate impact is that the nearly 2,000 Mainers who already signed up for the registry won’t learn important information that could protect their health.”“Repealing the notification registry will result in less information, more conflict, more off-target spraying,” said Heather Spalding, Associate Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. “We are hoping to work out a bi-partisan amendment that will preserve the registry, making it easy for pesticide applicators to notify concerned citizens.”Maine’s pesticide notification registry provided a way for the public to learn when all aerial and air-carrier spraying occurred within a quarter mile of their properties. Pesticide spray can drift off-target and impact the health and property of neighboring families and businesses. Pesticides can cause serious health effects and contaminate organically grown produce. They can cause birth defects, cancer, asthma, developmental disabilities, and even death. ###Maine’s Environmental Priorities Coalition is a partnership of 25 environmental, conservation, and public health organizations representing over 100,000 members who want to protect the good health, good jobs and quality of life that our environmental provides for all of us. Members include: American Lung Association of Maine, Appalachian Mountain Club, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Health Strategy Center, Environment Maine, Environment Northeast, Friends of Casco Bay, Maine Audubon, Maine Center for Economic Policy, Maine Congress of Lake Associations, Maine Council of Churches, Maine Council of Trout Unlimited, Maine Conservation Voters Education Fund, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Maine People’s Alliance, Maine Rivers, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Maine Chapter, RESTORE: The North Woods, Sierra Club, Maine Chapter, The Ocean Conservancy, The Wilderness Society, Toxics Action Center.`, assigning current date

`Other Toxic Pollution Work` post updated successfully

`Lawmakers Advance Bill to Repeal Maine's Pesticides Registry` post created successfully

`Energy Logic Lacking` post created successfully

`Our View: LePage Has Not Made Case for Energy Overhaul` post created successfully

`Helping Business Cut Electricity Consumption Boosts Profits` post created successfully

`NRCM's Brownie Carson Earns EPA's Lifetime Achievement Award` post created successfully

`Midcoast Couple Stays in Their Home with Help of Winterizing Loan` post created successfully

`Maine Environmental Group Calls for More Fuel Efficient Cars` post created successfully

`Auburn 3rd Graders' Environmental Work Honored` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Work Together to Craft Good Changes to Vernal Pool Law` post created successfully

`Legislative Panel Sets Aside Plan to Cap Target for Renewable Energy` post created successfully

`Legislature Should Take More Time on LURC` post created successfully

`Abolishing LURC Won’t Solve Anything` post created successfully

`Maine GOP Backs Away from Proposal to Abolish LURC` post created successfully

`Lawmakers Spar Over Fate of LURC` post created successfully

`GOP Lawmakers Retreat From Bid to Abolish LURC` post created successfully

`Increasing Investment in Energy Efficiency is a Must` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses Speak Out on Urgent Need for Energy Efficiency` post created successfully

`Maine Businesses for Energy Efficiency News Conference` post created successfully

`Report: Climate Change Likely to Worsen Maine's Asthma Problem` post created successfully

`DEP Memo Pulls Corps into Vernal Pool Dispute` post created successfully

`Seeking to Cut Vernal Pool Buffer, LePage Spurns Warning of Federal Scrutiny, Lawmaker Compromise` post created successfully

`Efficiency Maine: Is Bigger Better?` post created successfully

`LURC Can Be Reformed, But Shouldn't Be Eliminated` post created successfully

`Brunswick Man Turns Trash-running Hobby into T-shirts` post created successfully

`Push to Relax Maine's Vernal Pool Protections Continues` post created successfully

`Maine Champion of Banning Billboards Dies at 94` post created successfully

`Mainers Need Bipartisan Debate on LURC's Future` post created successfully

`Everyone Seems to Agree LURC Needs Fixing Before Deep-sixing` post created successfully

`Stacking the Deck to Kill LURC?` post created successfully

`Senate Holds the Line on Protecting Vernal Pools` post created successfully

`Metro Rolling Out Cleaner, Greener Buses` post created successfully

`Maine Senate Rejects Reducing Wetland Buffer` post created successfully

`State's Renewable Energy Policies Shouldn't Change` post created successfully

`Our Maine Man: Brownie Carson - A Force For Nature` post created successfully

`House Endorses Flawed Study Process for LURC` post created successfully

`Bill to Decide LURC’s Fate Moves Forward` post created successfully

`Maine Gets $769,000 in Greenhouse Gas Auction` post created successfully

`Maine Regulatory Reform: 'A Change in Attitude'` post created successfully

`Maine Sporting Groups Want Congressional Support for EPA Mercury Reduction Rule` post created successfully

`Legislature Rolls Back Maine’s Statewide Building Code, Despite Strong Opposition from Building Trades, Businesses and Others` post created successfully

`Portland Website Helps Firms Find Commuting Options` post created successfully

`Open for Business AND the Way Life Should Be` post created successfully

`Legislature Exempts More Towns from Building Code Law` post created successfully

`Maine's New Uniform Building Code Law Under Attack` post created successfully

`Legislature Drops Building Standards for Rural Mainers` post created successfully

`Environmental Coalition Has Praise, Criticism for Lawmakers` post created successfully

`Supreme Court Ruling Garners Mixed Reviews from Maine's Eco Groups` post created successfully

`A Mixed Bag for Environmental Groups in Maine Legislature` post created successfully

`Natural Resources Council of Maine` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author"></h3> AUGUSTA – The Natural Resources Council of Maine’s (NRCM) office in Augusta has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, which signifies that the building is a top energy performer, ranking in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide in terms of energy efficiency. Currently the EPA lists only nine office buildings in Maine, including NRCM, as having achieved the Energy Star label. Maine is one of five states that have the lowest level of Energy Star New Homes in the country. “NRCM is pleased to accept EPA’s Energy Star certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said executive director Lisa Pohlmann. “NRCM aims to ‘walk the talk’ and through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”Commercial buildings that earn Energy Star certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less climate-changing pollutants into the atmosphere. “We hope our attention to energy efficiency inspires others to focus more on improving their buildings,” said Pohlmann. “However we remain very concerned that, despite Maine’s well-known overdependence on heating oil, the state is not putting a great enough emphasis on energy efficiency.” NRCM improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its building. To earn the Energy Star certification, NRCM took the following actions: <ul><li>Increased roof insulation</li><li>Installed T-8 fluorescent lighting, delivering high quality lighting efficiently</li><li>Installed occupancy sensors throughout (the building also uses daylighting windows</li><li>Replaced electric heat with a high efficiency propane boiler</li><li>Purchased Energy Star flat screen computer monitors</li><li>Buys Green-e Energy certified power</li></ul>In addition to the items above, consulting for balancing and tuning up and NRCM’s heating and cooling system was made possible in part through a grant from Efficiency Maine.“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to protecting our environment,” said Jean Lupinacci, Chief of Energy Star’s Commercial & Industrial Branch. “From the boiler room to the board room, organizations are leading the way by making their buildings more efficient and earning EPA’s Energy Star certification.”EPA’s Energy Star energy performance scale helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a 75 or higher on EPA’s 1-100 scale may be eligible for Energy Star certification. Commercial buildings that can earn the Energy Star certification include offices, bank branches, data centers, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, houses of worship, and warehouses. Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $18 billion on their energy bills while reducing as much climate-changing pollution as is emitted by 34 million vehicles.For more information about Energy Star Certification for Commercial Buildings: <a href="http://www.energystar.gov/labeledbuildings" target="_blank">www.energystar.gov/labeledbuildings</a>`, assigning current date

`About NRCM,Clean Energy & Efficiency` post created successfully

`Maine Groups Join Forces to Fight Attacks on Clean Air Act` post created successfully

`Troubling Questions Indeed` post created successfully

`Katahdin-area Wind Project Generates Comments, Controversy at Public Hearing` post created successfully

`Regulatory Reform Worked for Maine` post created successfully

`UMaine Receives Prestigious Environmental Leadership Award` post created successfully

`Anti-Environment Agenda Largely Defeated at State House` post created successfully

`Pingree Pushes for Study of York River` post created successfully

`Why Blair Mountain Matters` post created successfully

`Finally, Maine Has a Chance to Breathe Freely` post created successfully

`EPA Announces New Power Plant Pollution Cuts That Will Save Lives and Help Mainers Breathe Easier` post created successfully

`EPA's New Emissions Rules Win Praise in Maine` post created successfully

`Land for Maine’s Future About to Exhaust Its $9M in Conservation Funds` post created successfully

`St. John River Healthier, Says Study` post created successfully

`Maine Caught in Environment vs. Border Portection Debate` post created successfully

`Maine Surpasses National Rate in Creation of ‘Clean’ Jobs` post created successfully

: unrecognized date format `<h2 class="subtitle"></h2> <h3 class="author">Matt Wickenheiser</h3> <a href="http://bangordailynews.com/" target="_blank">Bangor Daily News news story</a> A new report from the Brookings Institution seeks to get its arms around the nebulous “clean economy,” and finds that Maine’s growth in the sector has tracked national trends, surpassing U.S. rates over the past few years.<a href="http://www.brookings.edu/metro/Clean_Economy.aspx" target="_blank">“Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment</a>,” was released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Washington, D.C. think-tank and found Maine had 12,212 “clean jobs.” It defined “clean” in a broad way, in 39 low-carbon and environmentally oriented industry segments ranging from work done on wind turbines to ocean energy, development of sustainable building materials to mass-transit workers and wastewater treatment experts. Nationwide in 2010 there were 2.7 million clean jobs, Brookings found.From 2003 to 2010, Maine added 2,914 such jobs, growing by 4 percent annually. That job growth closely tracked the national rate until sometime between 2008 and 2009, when the state rate overtook the national growth rate, which was 3.4 percent from 2003 to 2010.Not surprisingly, taking into account Maine’s relatively small population of 1.3 million people, in terms of the overall size of the clean economy Maine ranked 44th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.Among the sample Maine employers Brookings pointed to were Cianbro Corp. of Pittsfield, for the firm’s green architecture and construction services; Casco-based Hancock Lumber Co., for providing sustainable forest products; Portland’s Ocean Renewable Power Co., which is working on tidal power Down East; Tom’s of Maine Inc. of Kennebunk, which provides green consumer products; and Portland’s Woodard & Curran Inc., a professional environmental services firm.For John Ferland, vice president of project development at Ocean Renewable, the numbers touted in the Brookings report and the impact of the green economy overall weren’t surprises.The company recently finished beta testing its tidal power technology in Cobscook Bay. It has said it has injected more than $8 million into the Maine economy developing the technology, creating or retaining more than 100 jobs, with a supply chain that extends into 13 of Maine’s 16 counties.“We’ve seen during our development that we do have an enormous impact on the economy, even prior to being in commercial operation,” said Ferland. “We’re bringing into ocean energy a lot of different industries and services; it becomes part of what they do.“We represent a new industry that not only is creating the types of jobs that didn’t exist before, but is providing opportunities for traditional jobs that are being applied in a different way.”Ferland has had a long career in the green sector. In the 1980s he worked in communications around environmental permitting and was president and CEO of Coastal Strategies Inc., a marine-use policy and planning firm. From 2001 to 2008, he was president and CEO of both the Environmental and Energy Technology Council of Maine and of the Maine Center for Enterprise Development, an environmentally focused incubator at the University of Southern Maine.“It’s all coming to the forefront now, [the growth] that those of us who have worked in it for years understood could happen,” said Ferland.The green economy, the Brookings report suggested, is growing because of increased concerns over environmental issues as well as a “sharpening need for resource security.”The U.S. consumes almost 19 million barrels of day, and half of this is imported, the report noted. With fluctuating oil prices, almost constant tension in the Middle East and other concerns, countries are seeking to diversify their energy portfolios, the report said.Thomas Francoeur, senior vice president and business center manager for consulting services at Woodard & Curran, said those global challenges play out locally. The challenging economy and increased environmental concerns have created an environment where developers, businesses and governments want to be green — for the planet and to save money.“There’s a general acknowledgement now that resources just aren’t limitless and they need to be managed — that’s just naturally working into the way we deliver our services,” said Francoeur.Woodard & Curran is a full-service engineering firm employing a total of 600; about 200 in Maine.Another reason for growth is the “worldwide aspiration toward economic transformation.”“The clean economy matters, in short, because it interacts with nearly every aspect of the rest of the economy and is emerging as a site of rapid technological and process innovation worldwide,” the authors wrote.There is a global race to develop these technologies, the report said. Between 2004 and 2010, roughly $1 trillion in investment capital globally went into clean energy segments alone. Yearly investment levels nearly quintupled from $52 billion to $243 billion.Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program and a co-author of the report, said in an accompanying release that America’s top economic competitors, including China and Germany, have lead the way in supporting clean economy development.“We risk giving away what should be a significant competitive advantage for the U.S.,” Muro said. “In 2004, for example, Chinese clean energy project financing trailed America’s. By 2010, China’s investment was more than double ours. Meanwhile, we are seeing U.S. companies losing market share at home and abroad.”In the United States, while the clean economy grew more slowly in raw numbers than the national economy between 2003 and 2010, newer “cleantech” segments produced “explosive job gains,” the report said. Brookings said those segments grew by 8.3 percent during this period, though from smaller bases.To put the overall size of the sector in perspective, while the clean economy encompasses 2.7 million jobs nationally, the information technology-producing sector employs 4.8 million. Fossil fuels are at 2.4 million and biosciences employ 1.4 million.The clean economy also has a strong manufacturing component, with about 26 percent of all clean economy jobs in that area compared to 9 percent in the broader economy, Brookings noted.In Maine, the average wage for jobs in the sector was $36,460 annually. About 70 percent of the jobs were “green collar” jobs, or environmental blue collar. That compares to 43 percent nationally.The majority of Maine’s clean jobs were in three main segments — conservation (2,287 jobs), waste management and treatment (2,224 jobs) and public mass transit (1,408). The fastest growing segments were biofuels-biomass, air and water purification technologies, professional energy services, sustainable forestry products and green architecture and construction services.Digging deeper into the numbers, 3,591 of the state’s clean jobs were based in the greater Portland area, which encompasses Portland, South Portland and the Biddeford area in the Brookings report. The Lewiston-Auburn area had 747 jobs total and Greater Bangor had 1,247. The rest of the jobs were in other areas throughout the state.The report also focused on the importance of developing regional clusters around an expertise. In Maine, one such cluster might be development of wind power expertise – especially in the nascent area of deep-water offshore wind. That’s an area where the University of Maine is working in partnership with Maine companies such as Cianbro, Bath Iron Works and others.Paul Williamson, director of the Maine Wind Industry Initiative, said Maine has focused on developing a domestic market for products and services. As that expertise and supply chain is developed here, it can also be exported. For instance, he said, Woolwich-based Reed & Reed, a construction firm, is now bidding on wind development projects across the nation.“This is a grand opportunity for our state, somewhat rare … to have this much potential from a central source of job creation,” said Williamson.The green collar jobs in the overall green industry require a degree of specialization and additional training, he noted. And a lot of the growth he’s seeing in Maine comes in the area of intellectual and technology jobs, such as engineering and environmental consulting.One of the important factors to consider, said Williamson, is that for the past few decades, most states concentrated on taking jobs from other states — it was a transfer of employment, not necessarily the creation of new jobs.“In this case, we’re creating new jobs,” he said.In suggesting what is needed to support the sector, Brookings urged “smart, strategic decisions and investments” from the public as well as the private sector.“The United States should be at the vanguard of developing and deploying new, clean technologies,” said Bruce Katz, Brookings’ vice president and director of the Metropolitan Policy Program, in the release. “The brutal truth is, unlike our global competitors, we have no strategic framework for expanding the clean economy. We have too few financing tools, and we provide too little support for necessary innovation. This is not an area where the public sector needs to get out of the way.“Government leaders, at all levels, need to get in the game.”`, assigning current date

`Clean Energy & Efficiency,Wind Power` post created successfully

`Two Washington County Projects Among 22 to Receive Land for Maine’s Future Funds` post created successfully

`Portland Lawyer to Work on Renewable Energy Curriculum at UMaine` post created successfully

Cleaning temporary data...

Done