Posted inLetters

L. Sproul: Take carbon-reducing measures now

Everyone should get up to speed on what is happening to the environment. There is a lot to read that is political, emotional, wrong or scary, but some that is right and it’s difficult to know who to listen to. Fundamentally, though, everyone needs to understand we face a pretty basic problem — that of […]

Posted inMaine

Independent Cutler announces his policy plans on environment and energy in Maine governor’s race

BANGOR — Independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler vowed to “rebuild” Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection and create a Maine Energy Finance Authority to provide capital for energy projects if elected in November. Cutler laid out his energy and environment policies during a Tuesday morning news conference at Gomez Park while touting his work with the […]

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Posted inMaine, sj-web

Michaud calls for Maine to cut heating oil usage

YARMOUTH, Maine (AP) — U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud on Tuesday called for Maine to cut its dependency on heating oil in half by implementing mandatory energy efficiency ratings for new homes and boosting the state’s use of renewable energy such as, wind and solar. Michaud, a Democratic candidate for governor, said his plan to help […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Study tracks chemical levels in Maine residents

AUGUSTA — The test results are in for 25 Mainers who recently volunteered to test their bodies for a battery of chemicals commonly found in consumer products. Every participant, from current and former lawmakers to mothers and an electrician, tested positive for phthalates, a group of chemicals used to soften plastics that studies have linked […]

Posted inLetters

M. Larson: Environment jeopardized

The Maine Legislature will soon vote on the Board of Environmental Protection’s final version of rules relating to open pit mining in Maine. In spite of last fall’s public testimony overwhelmingly in opposition to weakened rules, the BEP has offered final rules that make environmental degradation more likely and that ensure that Maine taxpayers will […]

Posted inRiver Valley

NewPage mill state’s top polluter, according to 2012 data

RUMFORD — The NewPage paper mill in Rumford was the state’s largest producer of toxic waste in 2012, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency’s Toxic Release Inventory analysis showed that 88 facilities in Maine released about about 11½ million pounds of toxic waste directly into the air, water and land in 2012, an […]

Posted inBusiness, sj-web

Irving denies forestry deal amounts to a ‘big loophole’

AUGUSTA — A deal Maine struck with Irving Woodlands, made public Friday, has sparked concern among environmental groups that the state has handed the company a “big loophole” to avoid state regulations on clearcutting. Forestry experts, though, believe those concerns are misplaced and that the deal allows Irving, Maine’s largest landowner, to be more efficient […]

Posted inOp-Eds

Megan Howes: Androscoggin Greenway Project benefits community

In light of the environmental problems the community faces today, such as habitat destruction, soil erosion and water and air pollution, conservation of land and natural resources is clearly important. The Androscoggin Land Trust’s plan to expand existing trails into a greenway with access to the river will act as a junction between the environment […]

Posted inMaine, sj-web

Helicopter spills large batteries on Ragged Mountain

ROCKPORT — A helicopter carrying six large lead acid batteries to a Verizon cellphone tower atop Ragged Mountain spilled its payload sometime Tuesday, causing most to explode and some to catch on fire on the slopes. A responder from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection went to the scene Tuesday and Wednesday, finally locating the […]