Pray that our congressional delegation recognizes and values the importance of this landmark law. By Macauley Lord, resident of Brunswick, an Episcopal chaplain and a fly-fishing guide Portland Press Herald op-ed BRUNSWICK — When a Republican president signed the Endangered Species Act into law in 1973, he probably could not have dreamed how effective it Read More
Federal Issues
Our advocates, members, supporters, and partners work to defend our hard-earned environmental safeguards and to ensure Maine’s elected officials in Washington, DC, stand up for Maine’s environment. Decisions made there have lasting effects on Maine’s clean water, fresh air, healthy forests, thriving wildlife, and on the health of Maine people, our economy, and our way of life.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine identifies and addresses the issues at play in our nation’s capital that have the largest impacts here at home.
Find out the latest on federal issues affecting our state's land, air, water, and wildlife.
Mainers Call for Removal of Scott Pruitt as EPA Administrator
NRCM news release Bangor, Maine – Today, health experts, elected officials, businesspeople, affected citizens, conservation leaders, and others called for the removal of Scott Pruitt as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The group released a letter signed by more than 1,000 people to President Trump saying that Administrator Pruitt is “unfit to Read More
It is Time for Scott Pruitt to Go as Head of the EPA
Bangor Daily News editorial President Donald Trump has fired numerous Cabinet members, some for good reason, some for no particular reason at all. There is a growing list of reasons why he should fire Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Pruitt’s outright hostility to environmental regulations and his deference to corporate polluters were Read More
Interior Secretary: Maine Will be “Very Happy” with Report on Oil and Gas Drilling
Secretary Ryan Zinke made the comments during a back-and-forth exchange with U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who pointed out the strong bipartisan opposition to drilling off coastal Maine. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Wednesday that he believes Maine will be “very happy” with a revised proposal Read More
Climate Change Panel Outlines National Security Threats Posed by Rising Sea Levels
Even the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery could be affected by the end of the century, according to a member of the panel moderated by Sen. Angus King. by Dennis Hoey, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Members of a climate change panel told an audience of about 500 Thursday night that U.S. military Read More
Retired Marine General Sees Climate Change as National Security Threat
By Susan Sharon Maine Public news story A retired Marine general and expert on national security is in Maine Thursday to discuss what he sees as one of the biggest threats to stability: climate change. General John Castellaw says there are currently 32 locations around the world where conflict, aggravated by climate change, is affecting Read More
EPA Administrator’s Reversal of Clean Car Standards Harms Health of Maine Air, People
Augusta – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt has indicated his intent to deem America’s cleaner car standards “inappropriate,” reversing the agency’s previous determination that they should continue as planned. The standards require increasingly less-polluting cars for model years 2022-2025 and were adopted with support of automakers and after intensive analysis. “With this cleaner Read More
The End of Maple Syrup? Climate Change Threatens Maine’s Iconic Maple Sugar Industry
NRCM news release Windham, Maine – Today, at a news conference at Cooper’s Maple Products, maple producers, a forest expert, a representative from Senator King’s office, and a conservationist described the effects climate change may have on maple syrup production in Maine. In advance of the 35th annual Maine Maple Sunday (coming up March 25), Read More
Whistleblower Denounces Trump’s Failure to Tackle Climate Change
by Steve Collins, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story As the climate policy chief for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Falmouth native Joel Clement had his work cut out for him. For almost seven years, his job required him to come up with ways to deal with fast-changing conditions that threaten everything from national Read More
