LD 1814, a bill to phase out the sale of mercury-containing fluorescent bulbs in favor of more affordable, energy-efficient, and mercury-free lighting options, became law in Maine. A study by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project shows that the bill could lead to $216 million in utility bill savings statewide by 2050. Maine joins Vermont, Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Hawaii, and Oregon as states poised to phase out the sale of common fluorescent lighting.
Mercury Pollution
Why Limiting Pollution from Dirty Power Plants Helps Maine
Believe it or not, power plants in the U.S. are still polluting the air we breathe, hurting our health, and fueling climate change. Pollution from their smokestacks, particularly those fueled by coal, is one of the main sources of carbon emissions and other toxic pollution that makes our food sources unsafe and can also lead Read More
LD 1814, Reduce Mercury by Phasing Out Certain Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Testimony in Support of LD 1814, An Act To Reduce Mercury in the Environment by Phasing out Certain Fluorescent Light Bulbs Senator Brenner, Representative Gramlich, 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). Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1668, An Act To Implement Recommendations of DEP Regarding the State’s Mercury-added Lamp Law
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, 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 (NRCM). I appreciate this opportunity to support LD 1668, which would greatly enhance the performance of Maine’s existing mercury-added Read More
Maine Lawmakers Urge EPA to Drop Rollback of Mercury Pollution Protections
NRCM news release April 16, 2019 (Augusta, ME) – With final action today, the Maine Legislature has unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution calling on the President to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to drop its planned rollbacks of mercury pollution protections. EPA has proposed scaling back the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), Read More
Opposition to LD 1287, An Act To Protect the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay from Mercury Contamination
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and distinguished members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee: My name is Nick Bennett, I reside in Hallowell, and I am the staff scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 20,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in Read More
Moms Oppose Changes to EPA Mercury Rule
Maine has public-health advisories against eating fish from 14 bodies of water contaminated with mercury. By Andrea Sears Public News Service News Story March 20, 2019 AUGUSTA, Maine – Do your job, protect our kids. That’s the message dozens of mothers from 15 states took to Washington, D.C., this week. The Environmental Protection Agency has Read More
Former Coal Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler Poised to Take Over EPA
Nomination “a grave threat to the health of Maine’s people and environment” NRCM Statement Augusta – In response to an expected vote on Tuesday at the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to advance the nomination of former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 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 Program 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
