Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Kristin Jackson. I am an outreach coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 955, which would prohibit offshore oil and natural gas drilling and Read More
air pollution
Mills Establishes a Strong Foundation for Action on Climate Change
Statement of Dylan Voorhees, NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Director “NRCM applauds and congratulates Governor Mills on the important commitments she made today on climate change and clean energy. “As the governor said, Maine people, communities, and businesses overwhelmingly recognize that climate change is a reality we must confront. Increasingly we also see the need Read More
Trump Dismantling Mercury Pollution Ban Exemplifies Embrace of Coal
By Former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Rev. Mitch Hescox The Hill op-ed The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the business of protecting public health and our environment — or at least it used to be. The agency and its acting administrator, a former coal lobbyist, have been waging an offensive on public health Read More
Acting EPA Administrator Puts Mainers’ Health at Risk
Sen. Collins should protect her constituents and vote against Andrew Wheeler’s confirmation as permanent agency chief. by Tony Owens of Cape Elizabeth, an emergency room doctor at Maine Medical Center Portland Press Herald op-ed CAPE ELIZABETH — Throughout my career, I have focused on ensuring that families and children, both here in Maine and across Read More
Trump Rollbacks for Fossil Fuel Industries Carry Steep Cost
by Matthew Brown AP news story BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — As the Trump administration rolls back environmental and safety rules for the energy sector, government projections show billions of dollars in savings reaped by companies will come at a steep cost: more premature deaths and illnesses from air pollution, a jump in climate-warming emissions and Read More
Collins Reintroduces Bill that Would Track Mercury Pollution
By Patty Wight Maine Public news story Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is reintroducing a bill that would track mercury pollution to better protect human health and fisheries. The American Lung Association supports the bill. The vice-chair of the Maine chapter, Dr. Marguerite Pennoyer, says better monitoring is important, paired with federal efforts Read More
Trump’s EPA Taking Its Most Harmful Step Yet, This Time on Mercury Emissions
A proposed policy would no longer count a regulation’s benefits, just its costs to polluters, in deciding the severity level of environmental protections. Los Angeles Times editorial Reprinted in Portland Press Herald President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency recently released a proposal that would undermine not only current regulations, but regulatory efforts in the future by disavowing Read More
Trump Administration’s Proposal to Dramatically Weaken Limits on Toxic Mercury Pollution from Coal Plants Threatens Mainers’ Health
Statement of Emmie Theberge, Federal Project Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The Trump Administration has taken the first step to dramatically roll back the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxic Standards, federal protections that limit toxic mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants nationwide. In its announcement he EPA says ‘that it is not appropriate and Read More
New England States Fear Increased Mercury Contamination as EPA Considers Weakening Rules
By Susan Sharon Maine Public news story Scientists are speaking out about what they say have been “remarkable improvements” in curbing mercury emissions under Obama-era regulations that are now under threat by the Trump administration. Mercury is a toxic chemical most commonly associated with coal-burning power plants. Because they are downwind from coal-burning states, Maine Read More
