By Bart Jansen, Washington D.C. Correspondent Portland Press Herald news story WASHINGTON — The Senate will vote today on oil drilling legislation that critics contend could open the door to drilling off the Maine coast. Maine Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both said Tuesday that they oppose drilling in the Gulf of Maine, 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.
Oil Drilling Ban Still Makes Sense
Kennebec Journal editorial A quarter of a century ago, Congress moved decisively to protect the majority of this country’s coastline, fishing grounds, marine life and beaches from potentially damaging effects of oil and gas development such as oil spills. Legislators prevented the leasing of most coastal waters for fossil fuel development by adopting the Outer Read More
House Favors Drilling Closer to Coastlines
By Bart Jansen, Washington D.C. Correspondent Portland Press Herald news story WASHINGTON — Drilling for oil and natural gas would be allowed 50 miles off Maine’s coast for the first time in nearly a quarter-century under legislation approved Thursday in the House. The bill’s prospects remain uncertain, however, because of a threatened filibuster in the Read More
Driving Misinformation
Bangor Daily News editorial 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 Read More
Mainers Rally for Arctic Protection
Statement of Matt Prindiville, NRCM Outreach Coordinator Welcome everybody. It’s wonderful to see so many of you out here today. My name is Matt Prindiville and I’m an organizer with the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I’m here with representatives from the Sierra Club, Maine Audubon, Environment Maine, the Maine Council of Churches, the Alaska Read More
NRCM Applauds Sen. Collins’ Leadership Efforts to Force Senate Vote on EPA Power Plant Mercury Pollution Rule:
Rule Triples Allowable Mercury Levels, Harms Children Statement by Brownie Carson, NRCM executive director “Today, Senator Collins is joining with Senator Patrick Leahy to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution disapproving of the Bush administration rule that exempts mercury from power plants from being treated as a hazardous air pollutant. Thirty senators have signed the Read More
NRCM Files Suit Challenging U.S. EPA Air Toxics Rule
NRCM news release Washington, D.C. – Today the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) filed suit in the federal Court of Appeals challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to remove power plants from the list of industrial pollution sources requiring strict controls for mercury and other toxic air pollutant emissions. “Merely declaring that Read More
Response to the Votes on the Budget Resolution that Open the Arctic to Oil Drilling and Cuts Environmental Protection
Statement by Brownie Carson, NRCM executive director We are deeply disappointed in the votes of the US Congress and of Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in support of a budget that opens up the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. This will do nothing to address the nation’s energy independence and will Read More
Fate of the Arctic to Be Decided
Senators Urged to Continue Their Support of Sound Energy Solutions PORTLAND – On the eve of a historic vote, Maine’s leading conservation organizations are urging Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins to vote against any budget resolution that would lead to drilling in the Arctic Refuge, one of America’s last unspoiled wild places. The vote Read More
