But at a hearing in Augusta, opponents say removing larger containers from Maine’s bottle bill will only place additional financial burdens on municipal recycling programs. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — The beverage industry is lobbying to eliminate the 5-cent deposit on larger containers, but critics contend the proposal Read More
legislation
Approaching the Ecological Event Horizon
by Stephen Mulkey, PhD “If looking into the sun may cause blindness, then human insights into nature entail a terrible price.” – Andrew Glickson, Australian National University, 2014 “If we don’t act soon, there will only be tiny remnants of wilderness around the planet, and this is a disaster for conservation, for climate change, and Read More
Call to Action! The Importance of NRCM’s Citizen Action Day to College Students
To College Students across the State of Maine, On March 1st, the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) will be hosting their Citizen Action Day in Augusta. We are encouraging college students from across the state to participate in this event. Civic engagement is a critical aspect of everyday life in a democracy and contributes Read More
Will a Ban on Food in Landfills Finally Spur Maine to Boost Recycling?
by Christopher Burns, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story Maine needs to decide what it’s going to do about the food in its waste stream. Food and other organics comprise 43 percent of Maine’s residential waste, more than paper, plastic, glass and metal. Yet, only about 5 percent of organics are composted, leaving much Read More
NRCM Testimony Neither For Nor Against LD 1366, An Act to Promote Recycling Program Integration and Efficiencies
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify Neither For Nor Against LD 1366. NRCM was involved with passage of Maine’s Read More
Bill Would Eliminate Deposit Fee on Larger Bottles
WGME-TV news story AUGUSTA (WGME)—A bill in Augusta would eliminate bottle deposit fees on any bottle larger than 32 ounces, which includes 2-liter soda bottles and large wine bottles. Those against the change say it would seriously hurt the redemption center business in Maine and lead to more littering. “This would be a windfall for Read More
NRCM Testimony in Opposition to LD 1194, An Act to Allow Municipalities To Contract with and Dispose of Waste, including Residue, in State-owned Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, as Allowed under a Facility License, To Ensure Compliance with the Solid Waste Management Hierarchy
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to LD 1194. Maine’s solid waste management hierarchy (38 MRSA §2101) Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 947, An Act to Fund State Efforts to Reduce the Landfilling of Solid Waste
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, my name is Sarah Lakeman and I am the Sustainable Maine Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in support of LD 947. This Committee has an important and challenging task Read More
Changes to Wind Power Permitting Process Under Consideration in Augusta
by Tom Porter MPBN news story Listen to full news story. AUGUSTA, Maine – Wind power advocates squared off against opponents today as lawmakers heard testimony on two competing bills that could affect wind development projects in Maine’s unorganized territory. Maine’s unorganized territory, or UT, refers to that vast wilderness which has no local government. Read More
