Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and distinguished members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Pete Didisheim and I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to LD 595 NRCM opposes this legislation because Maine already has a Read More
Majority of Mainers Oppose Weakened Mining Rules
NRCM just completed an analysis showing that Maine people, particularly from Aroostook County, overwhelming spoke out in opposition to the mining rules that were considered during a legislative hearing last week. Those who testified or submitted comments in opposition to the proposed rules at last week’s public hearing outnumbered those in support by 129 to Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1744, An Act to Protect Maine Lakes
Senator Boyle, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. 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 support of LD 1744. Over the past 40 years, Maine people from both the Read More
Opposition to LD 483, An Act to Promote Small Businesses by Enhancing the Use of On-premises Signs
Senator Mazurek, Representative Theriault, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. 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 LD 483. LD 483 is similar to legislation that this Committee considered two years ago Read More
Clean Water Act – 40th Anniversary Today!
Forty years ago today, the U.S. Congress passed the Clean Water Act into law, and they did so in a remarkable fashion. In a powerful statement of bipartisan support for the environment, both the House and the Senate on October 18, 1972, voted to override President Nixon’s veto of this landmark bill. And it never would Read More
NRCM Testimony on State Planning Office Dismantlement
Senator Rosen, Representative Flood, Sen. Thomas, Representative Collins and distinguished members of the Joint Select Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs and the Joint 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 provide testimony on Read More
Opposition to LD 1405, An Act to Amend the Laws Restricting Advertising on Public Ways
Senator Collins, Representative Cebra, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. 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 LD 1405. This bill would dramatically increase the allowed size, height, width, and locations of “on-premises” Read More
Opposition to LD 1367, Which Would Remove Maine’s Billboard Ban
Senator Collins, Representative Cebra, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. My name is Pete Didisheim, I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I appreciate this opportunity to testify on LD 1367 – “An Act to Restore Maine’s Secondary Roads.” We oppose Section 7 and Section 13 of Read More
Moving Away From Coal and Toward Solar and Wind
Although the coal, oil, and utility lobby spent $500 million over the past two years to defeat comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, the shift to clean energy is underway and inevitable. Two big developments toward clean energy are worth noting. The New York Times reports that there is a growing movement in the Navajo Read More
