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
public health
Tank Farm Emissions Unseen Neighborhood Hazard
My quiet, tree-lined neighborhood in South Portland is called Pleasantdale. But the toxic stench from nearby petroleum tank farms frequently makes our neighborhood decidedly unpleasant. I can step out my door on a beautiful day – be it spring, summer, fall, or winter – and instead of fresh air, get a lungful of what smells Read More
Mainers Oppose Wolfden Mine Proposal
Dozens of local residents, sporting camp owners, and tribal representatives have raised concerns about Wolfden Resources’ proposed metal mine at Pickett Mountain, not far from Baxter State Park and the Katahdin Woods & Waters Monument. These Mainers have all joined the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in submitting comments to the Land Use Planning Read More
We All Need Clean Air and a Healthy Climate
As I sat down to write this post, I had other topics in mind, public lands, trail networks, or adventuring locally this summer, all things that I have more of a background in. Yet looking out at a sunset dimmed by the haze of the wildfires raging on the West Coast, it’s hard to not Read More
Climate Action Needs Bipartisan Spirit of Original Clean Air Act
Maine Senator Edmund Muskie helped redefine public health and the modern environmental movement through the passage of the Clean Air Act. This legislation passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate (73-0) on September 22, 1970, and nearly unanimously (374-1) in the U.S. House. Senator Mitchell guided the committee process on the Clean Air Act Amendments, which Read More
Environmental Health is Public Health
One would be hard pressed to find a topic or issue that is as interwoven in our lives and well-being as the environment. As a public health professional, I don’t treat people or provide direct services, but I do work to ensure policies, programs, and systems are in place to prevent people from getting sick Read More
Critter Chatter—Speaking of Quarantine…Part II
All wild animals are hosts to parasites: internal, such as tape, hook, pin, or round worms, or external, such as mites, ticks, and fleas. Some of these little buggers (literally!) are also zoonotic (as noted in May’s article about rabies) and can infect animals as well as people. Mange is an itchy skin disease caused Read More
The Trump Administration’s Giveaways to Polluters Must Stop!
Maine has a special leadership role we can all be proud of when it comes to protecting our country’s clean water and air. It was Maine’s Senator Edmund Muskie who led the efforts to pass the Clean Water Act of 1972 and Clean Air Act of 1970. In the past few years, as the Trump Read More
Fossil Fuel Companies and Plastic Industry Exploiting Health Crisis for Profit
There is a lot to worry about these days. The COVID-19 pandemic has made us rightfully worried about the health and economic well-being of ourselves and our loved ones. This new worry comes on top of our existing concerns about our environment and the challenges that future generations will face due to climate change, plastic Read More
