Good morning Senator Boyle, Representative Welsh, and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. My name is Nick Bennett, and I am the Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). I am testifying in support of LD 1302. NRCM supports LD 1302 because it would strengthen last year’s mining bill in Read More
Metal Mining Pollution
Maine cannot afford any mining disasters. NRCM works to ensure that Maine state government enforces Maine's metal mining law if any companies decide to develop mines here. If any mining companies move beyond exploration and apply for a mining permit, NRCM works hard to ensure compliance with Maine’s strict mining law and rules, the toughest protections against mining pollution in the U.S.
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
NRCM Rebuttal Comments Regarding Chapter 12 of the LUPC Rules Regarding Land Use District Requirements for Metallic Mineral Mining
by Nick Bennett, NRCM Staff Scientist and Watersheds Project Director Please accept the following comments on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) concerning the presentations of Robert Marvinney, Carol White, and George Kendrick. I would be happy to come speak to the Commission on the mining issue on behalf of NRCM. In Read More
The Battle for Bald Mountain
A potential conflict between badly needed jobs and protecting the environment takes shape as Maine revises its mining rules. by North Cairn, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story If it weren’t so hilly where he lives, Troy Jackson could look out the windows of his home in Allagash and see what has become the Read More
NRCM Comments to Proposed Changes to LUPC’s Rules Chapter 12, Land Use District Requirements for Metallic Mineral Mining and Level C Mineral Exploration Activities
Thank you for the opportunity to comment 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 eight comments on the proposed rule revisions, some of which are major comments regarding LUPC’s proposal to remove sections of Read More
DEP Mining Contractor Tightly Linked to Mining Industry
NRCM Calls on DEP to Change Process to Protect Public Interests NRCM News Release The Natural Resources Council of Maine today released documents showing that a contractor recently hired by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to help rewrite Maine’s mining regulations is deeply connected to some of the world’s largest mining corporations, including Read More
Cleanup of Toxins Continues as Brooksville Ponders Taking Ownership of Callahan Mine Site
By Mario Moretto, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story BROOKSVILLE, Maine — The first phase of cleanup at the defunct, toxic Callahan Mine site is nearly complete, an environmental official told concerned residents here Wednesday. The cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, at the former mine operations site has taken longer than expected, said Read More
Mining Bald Mountain for Precious Metals Not Worth the Environmental Risk, Portland Speaker Says
by Seth Koenig, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — A Canadian environmentalist and mining expert said Thursday there’s almost no way Bald Mountain can be mined without polluting nearby water, potentially for thousands of years. Ramsey Hart of MiningWatch Canada was tapped as the keynote speaker for the Natural Resources Council of Read More
The Plan for New Mining Rules in Maine Spark Protests from Environmental Groups
by Susan Sharon MPBN news story This spring the Maine Legislature adopted legislation to revise rules for mineral mining at the request of timberland owner J.D. Irving. The Canadian company, which is Maine’s largest landowner, has identified a potential open pit mining site on land it owns on Bald Mountain in Aroostook County. But the Read More
