Addressing Climate Change Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 1708, An Act to Create the Pine Read More
Critter Chatter — Who You Gonna Call?
When Don and I talked about a topic for this month’s column, he suggested letting readers know what the differences are between an Animal Control Officer (ACO) and an Animal Damages Control Agent (ADC). Although the titles of “Animal Control” and “Animal Damage Control” are often used interchangeably, they represent two different areas of specialty. Read More
Support of LD 1702, An Act To Authorize General Fund Bond Issues To Improve Transportation and National Guard Infrastructure and To Promote the Conservation of Land, Working Waterfronts, Water Access and Outdoor Recreation
Senator Breen, Representative Pierce, and Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony in support of LD 1702 and its provisions pertaining to the Land for Maine’s Read More
Support of LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste
Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to testify in strong support of LD 1639. The time has come for Maine to Read More
My Maine This Week: Betsey Foster
NRCM member Betsey Foster of Greenwood, Maine, shares some beautiful photos she took in Western Maine last summer. Thank you, Betsey, for these photos and for sharing the beauty found in the woods in this part of the state. What plants are you seeing during your time outside in Maine this spring? We’d love to see Read More
Brookfield Faces Lawsuit for Violations of Endangered Species Act on Kennebec River
May 13, 2021 (Augusta, ME) — Three conservation groups have announced they intend to sue the international energy giant Brookfield Renewable Partners (Brookfield) for repeated violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Maine’s Kennebec River. Brookfield’s four dams located between Waterville and Skowhegan are threatening the survival of endangered Atlantic salmon, according to a Read More
Support of LD 1682, An Act to Require Consideration of Climate and Equity Impacts by the Public Utilities Commission
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 1682, An Act to Require Consideration of Climate and Equity Read More
The Power of Green Banking
Like many of you, on January 20, 2021, I took a very long exhale as I watched President Biden and VP Kamala Harris being sworn into office. I think the weight of four years of stress came out in that long exhale, and I felt a resurgence of hope seeing the flurry of executive orders Read More
Support of LD 1541, An Act to Support and Improve Municipal Recycling Programs and Save Taxpayer Money
Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to testify in strong support of LD 1541. The language is very similar to LD Read More
