A half century ago, I marked Earth Day by cleaning up trash around our small apartment in Illinois and putting up handmade signs at the local train station urging people to find a “solution” for the “pollution.” The public’s concern over what we called the “ecology” was largely punctuated by photos of oil-soaked sea birds Read More
chemicals
News & Noteworthy — May 2022
Read some highlights from May 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. May 24, 2022 We will start this week’s News & Noteworthy with some cool news from the Blue Hill area. Local Read More
Addressing PFAS Contamination on Maine Farms
Ben Whalen, Co-Owner of Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham and board member of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) recently delivered testimony to the Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (ACF) Committee in support of LD 2013, a bill that would provide sorely needed relief and research funding for commercial farmers whose land is contaminated Read More
Support of LD 1911, An Act to Prohibit the Contamination of Clean Soils with So-called Forever Chemicals
Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 1911, and we urge the Committee to continue its Read More
Support of LD 125, An Act To Prohibit the Aerial Spraying of Glyphosate and Other Synthetic Herbicides for the Purpose of Silviculture
Greetings, Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil and Members of the Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee. I am Melanie Sturm, the Forests and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I am providing testimony in support of LD 125. Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide. With increased use comes increased risk of Read More
Support of LD 155, Resolve, Directing the Board of Pesticides Control to Prohibit the Use of Certain Neonicotinoids for Outdoor Residential Use
Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, my name is Sarah Nichols, and I am the Sustainable Maine Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 155. NRCM is supporting this bill because we believe that Read More
Support of LD 164, An Act To Establish Maximum Contaminant Levels Under the State’s Drinking Water Rules for Certain Perflouroalkyl and Polyflouroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Senator Claxton, Representative Meyer, and distinguished members of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee: I am testifying on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in support of LD 164. NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group, with more than 25,000 members and supporters. PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid Read More
Opposition to LD 281, Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 692: Siting of Oil Storage Facilities, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Environmental Protection
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee: My name is Nick Bennett. I am the Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), which is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 20,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in opposition to LD 281 and the Read More
Two Maine Mayors Urge Congress to Reject Effort to Undo Local Pesticides Restrictions
The Portland and South Portland officials write that the provision in a House farm bill tramples on their right to protect their cities. by Randy Billings, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The mayors of Portland and South Portland are urging Congress to reject a provision in a wide-ranging farm bill that would nullify Read More
