by Fred Bever Maine Public news story State environmental activists took to Scarborough Beach on Thursday to condemn President Donald Trump’s plan to slash the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by 30 percent. The Natural Resources Council of Maine staged the event to highlight the direct effects that it says Trump’s proposal would have on Maine: Read More
air quality
We Could All Breathe Easier by Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Karen A. D’Andrea, special to the Press Herald Portland Press Herald op-ed When my son was young, his asthma affected his ability to play, especially on hot and humid days. It always broke my heart to have to make him slow down and even to stop playing. Here in Maine, on the tailpipe of Read More
Overflow Crowd Prompts Delay of South Portland Tar Sands Discussion
The proposal aims to prevent the flow of the Canadian oil through the city. By Kelley Bouchard Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The City Council on Monday postponed action on a proposal that would block tar sands oil from coming into the city because City Hall couldn’t accommodate an overcapacity Read More
South Portland’s Anti-tar Sands Clear Skies Ordinance Trumps the Right of Kings
Residents, not corporations, should be setting development boundaries for the city. By Eben Rose Portland Press Herald op-ed SOUTH PORTLAND — The City Council conducted a workshop last week to formally introduce the Clear Skies Ordinance, which extends existing zoning restrictions to explicitly prohibit one possibility for future development: that of loading crude oil onto Read More
South Portland Moves a Step Closer to Banning Tar Sands
by Shelby Carignan The Forecaster news story SOUTH PORTLAND — City councilors suggested no significant alterations Wednesday to proposed ordinance changes that would keep unrefined tar sands oil out of the city. A special, three-member Draft Ordinance Committee recently drafted the changes, which would prohibit “the bulk loading of crude oil” in South Portland. The Read More
South Portland Considering New Effort to Ban Tar Sands
Council to consider Clear Skies Ordinance WMTW news story Watch full news video SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine —There’s a renewed push to protect the city of South Portland from tar sands oil. The issue has divided people in the city for months. In November, voters narrowly rejected an ordinance that would have banned oil companies from Read More
Proposed Tar Sands Ban Gets Standing Ovation in South Portland
But others say the plan would hurt the city’s marine terminals. The council is scheduled to vote July 7. By Kelley Bouchard Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The auditorium at Mahoney Middle School rocked Wednesday night with a standing ovation and cheers for a proposal that would block tar sands Read More
Testimony to the South Portland City Council Regarding the South Portland Clear Skies Ordinance
I am here today representing the members and supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, especially those who reside in South Portland. NRCM was founded by Maine people exactly 55 years ago today, and is the state’s leading environmental advocacy group, representing more than 16,000 members and supporters. I would like to commend Read More
EPA Wants Maine Power Plants to Cut Emissions 13.5 Percent by 2030
By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants Maine power plants to reduce emissions by 13.5 percent in 16 years, as part of a national plan to reduce emissions by 30 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2030. The proposed rule signed Monday by EPA Read More
