Bangor Daily News editorial The state committee charged with recommending whether to let alewives back into the upper reaches of the St. Croix River should base its decision on science, not anecdotes or politics, and approve a bill to allow the river herring unfettered access to spawning ground. Standing before the Committee on Marine Resources Read More
Protecting Wildlife
Maine Bill Seeks to Restore Alewives to St. Croix River
by Susan Sharon MPBN news story Scientists, tribal leaders and fishermen turned out in Augusta today in support of a proposal to immediately restore alewives to their traditional spawning grounds in the St. Croix River, along the eastern border with Canada. Alewives, or river herring, have been blocked for nearly two decades by a state Read More
Bill Seeks to Lift Confidentiality from East-west Highway Partnership, but MDOT Says No Partnership Exists
By Robert Long, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Lingering suspicions about plans to build a 220-mile east-west highway through central and rural Maine drew a large crowd to a legislative hearing Friday on a bill to make documents related to projects like it public. Sponsored by Assistant House Democratic Leader Jeff McCabe of Read More
East-west Highway Foes Pursue Access to Information
Much of a hearing on confidentiality also serves as a forum for criticisms of the proposed $2 billion project. by Michael Shepherd, State House Bureau Portland Press Herald news story Opponents of a proposed east-west highway across Maine packed a legislative hearing Friday to lobby lawmakers for more access to information about the controversial project. Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 721, An Act to Provide Transparency in Public-private Partnerships for Transportation Projects
Good afternoon Sen. Mazurek, Rep. Theriault and Members of the Transportation Committee. My name is Lisa Pohlmann. I am a resident of Jefferson. I am the Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I am here today on behalf of the 12,000 members and supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Maine in Read More
Don’t Let This Legislation Get Away: Open the St. Croix to Alewives
by Dennis Damon Bangor Daily News op-ed The Marine Resources Committee and the Maine Legislature should act this session to pass legislation — LD 72, presented by Rep. Madonna Soctomah of the Passamaquoddy Tribe — that would remove the blockage it mandated in 1995 to stop native alewife from returning to the St. Croix River. Read More
Lack of Deer Yards are Cause of Low Deer Numbers
by Ron Joseph Bangor Daily News op-ed If bones from dead deer could talk, they would reveal compelling stories. In late March 1989, snowmobilers reported several dead and frozen deer in a Canada Falls deer yard near historic Pittston Farm, 50 miles northwest of Greenville. As the state’s regional wildlife biologist at the time, I Read More
NRCM Rebuttal Comments Regarding Chapter 12 of the LUPC Rules Regarding Land Use District Requirements for Metallic Mineral Mining
by Eliza Donoghue, NRCM North Woods Policy Advocate and Outreach Coordinator Thank you for the opportunity to respond to comments submitted on the proposed changes to Chapter 12 of the LUPC rules regarding land use district requirements for metallic mineral mining and Level C mineral exploration activities. NRCM has several rebuttal comments, all of which Read More
Report: Climate Change Already Harming Maine Wildlife
Urgent Action Needed to Protect Ecosystems AUGUSTA, ME — Climate change is already changing the playing field for wildlife and urgent action is needed to preserve America’s conservation legacy, according to a new report released today by the National Wildlife Federation. Wildlife in a Warming World: Confronting the Climate Crisis examines case studies from across Read More