NRCM Blog

The Joys of a Maine Winter!

These cold January days have not deterred me from enjoying Maine’s outdoors. Those of us who love to fish in Maine can’t stay idle waiting for spring to wet our fly lines. Instead, we bundle up and explore Maine’s lakes and rivers—through the ice.

Last weekend, I finally got a chance to get out on the ice with my dad and some friends. Out on Cobbossee, we drilled our holes and baited our traps and hunkered down on the ice to enjoy the crisp, clear morning. With little action, we decided to fire up the grill for some lunch (the flags are sure to fly up once the grill is on). Sure enough, FLAG!! Eagerly, I looked up to see whose trap was the lucky one, and it was mine. Racing out to the trap, with my gang in tow, I got to the hole and saw the reel spinning fast. Fish on! Anxiously, I pulled the trap out of the water and set the hook. Hand over hand, I pulled in my fish. As its head filled the hole, I saw it was a pike. My disappointment that it wasn’t a trout was muted by the fact that it was my first fish of the year. Although the rest of the day was slow, being out on the ice with good company, and the excitement of the first catch of the year, tickled my fishing itch, which I hadn’t felt since I put away my fly rod in the fall. I just had to get out for more.

The following Friday night, with NRCM co-workers Steve Tatko and Nick Bennett, I made my way down to the Kennebec for some smelting. Feeling confident, I brought along some cornmeal and a frying pan to enjoy our catch for dinner on the frozen river. And I wasn’t disappointed. We barely had all our lines baited and we were catching smelts! As you may know, smelt fishing is a very social affair—and not just because you are in a six by eight foot shack with four other people for six hours. It is also an opportunity to listen to the chatter coming from your neighboring shacks. We had a great time (and the smelts were delicious!).

The following morning, I drove over to Livermore for more action. Once again, I happily settled in for a day of ice fishing with friends. Just as we were sitting down for some brunch on the ice (including the freshly caught smelts from the night before), I had a flag. Racing out to my trap, I was eager to meet my fish. As I set the hook, I had no idea that I would soon be pulling out a beautiful 20” brown trout!! Although I usually stick with catch and release, this was a fish worth keeping. While I enjoyed it for supper on Sunday with my parents, I couldn’t help but worry about the mercury content in the fish, which was being passed on to me. It is a shame that Maine sportsmen need to think twice about eating the fish coming from our own waters. It made me appreciate all the work NRCM has done to reduce air pollution and it made me eager to get back to work on Monday morning cleaning up Maine’s energy mix.

-Emmie Theberge, NRCM Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator

Share |

Maine People and the Environment: Report from the Roundtable

More than 500 citizens from across the state poured into the Augusta Civic Center on January 20th to participate in the first public meeting with Governor LePage about the importance of environmental protection to Maine's economic and public health. A panel of 28 businesses, sportsmen, health professionals, religious leaders, and youth discussed how the laws that have cleaned up once heavily polluted rivers, have kept Maine's woods and fish stocks intact, have kept our landscapes protected and relatively pristine, and have cleaned up our air - and saved us money -- by conserving energy, are necessary and welcome to those who have chosen to set up businesses in Maine, have worked the land for generations, or visit here to enjoy our quality of life.

NRCM is proud to have sponsored this event with numerous partner organizations and to have seen so many members from the NRCM family across the state in attendance. We have shown once again that the people of Maine are deeply committed to environmental protections and are willing to stand up and fight for them. Please see the extensive news coverage here: http://www.nrcm.org/news.asp

We will soon be posting the remarks of the panelists, as well as video of the event, but today's snow slowed us down a bit. Check our website next week (www.nrcm.org) for more from the Roundtable.

Here are some of the remarks from the panelists, who we thank so much for participating in this event:

William Bennett, Pres. & CEO, of Oakhurst: "After all the cows that produce Oakhurst milk literally eat drink and breathe the Maine environment so it's in everyone's best interest to keep Maine's environment clean, safe and healthy."

Unity College student Deirdre Birbeck also had a chance to speak directly to the Governor. "It seems to me that my generation's future jobs will depend on careful stewarding of our natural resources."
 
“If our coastal waters are not clean, it is impossible for all commercial fishermen, not just clammers, to market the Maine brand,” said Chad Coffin, president of the Maine Clammers Association.

“Regulations aren’t perfect, and some may need fixing,” said Harry Dwyer, a licensed forester and logger who owns Ghost Dance Forestry in Fayette. “But regulations are not the enemy. They are an important tool” to protect resources for future generations.

Horace “Hoddy” Hildreth, a former Republican state senator who is chairman of Diversified Communications, a company with 200 employees, said many of the laws protecting Maine’s air, land and water were enacted by Republican-controlled legislatures responding to the industrial abuses of the 1960s and 1970s.

“Their implementation has from time to time caused frustration and even outrage,” Hildreth said. “But I submit to you that working on the regulations to make sure they are responsive to the plain intent of the statutes is a better way to go than gutting or repealing the laws.”

Corky Ellis, founder and Chairman of Kepware, a software company in Portland, says they could have moved to North Carolina or Texas with lower taxes and minimal environmental regulations, but they wanted to live in Maine. "Please bear in mind that many businesses like ours are here in Maine precisely because of the protected beauty and the conservation efforts of the past."

And MPBN's news story quoted Ernie Hilton, former chair of the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (read and listen to the full MPBN news story here):

Ernie Hilton is a lifelong Republican, an attorney and civil engineer from Madison who previously chaired Maine's Board of Environmental Protection, and whose wife chairs the Land Use Regulation Commission, or LURC.

Hilton says he's worried Maine's quality of place may be threatened as the new administration and Legislature look to relax environmental permitting and reuglations and do away with agencies such as LURC, which governs zoning and planning in Maine's North Woods.

"I'm concerned when I see, as I did yesterday, a list of some of the statutes which are pending before the Legislature dealing with shoreland zoning and with LURC, and it strikes me as being a race to the bottom approach to our environment," Hilton said.

Hilton says it's not environmental rules or regulations that are the biggest impediments to job creation in Maine but rather the high cost of health care. He points out that over the last eight years more than 10,000 permits by rule were issued for small projects, and $5 billion dollars worth of major projects permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection alone.

 
 

Court tells EPA to move forward with rules to cut climate changing pollution

Here is some much needed good news this month related to global warming. Earlier this month, a U.S. Court of Appeals agreed that new Clean Air Act regulations on climate changing pollution from cars, trucks, power plants and factories can go forward as planned in January of 2011. Many industry groups, including the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, and others representing utilities, refiners, biomass fuel companies, and manufacturers, have filed a lawsuit to block these rules. Their initial effort was to attempt to “stay” (temporarily halt) the rules pending the outcome the full lawsuit.

But we beat them in this first round. While the full lawsuits will continue to play out, this ruling lets EPA do its job under the Clean Air Act to move forward to limit climate changing pollution that threatens our families, economy and environment. The ruling tells polluters who want to stall progress towards getting real climate change pollution reductions that EPA’s authority is real and that EPA is moving forward. NRCM (along with other groups) is represented in this case by Clean Air Task Force senior attorney, Ann Weeks. Many state agencies and other environmental groups have also joined in the defense of these rules.

The quick background: Because EPA found in 2009 that global warming pollutants endanger public health and welfare, EPA set emissions limits and fuel economy standards for new cars and trucks, to into effect on January 2, 2011. EPA also established rules to require permits for climate changing pollution from large power plants and factories – including those that burn biomass as fuel, to take effect at the same time. 

The big picture: Despite the best efforts of the oil and gas lobbies, which continue to pour money into fighting progress on clean energy and clean air, the Court’s decision means the implementation of these rules will not be delayed. Opponents continue to exaggerate the cost of cleaner, safer technologies (something that car makers and polluters are very good at), while ignoring the huge benefits to the air we breathe. But their stories of woe just didn’t stand up in court.

-Dylan Voorhees, NRCM Clean Energy Project Director

I said I would do what?!

Last year, I signed up to participate in NRCM's annual Polar Plunge. I distinctly remember saying to friends and family members, as I asked them to sponsor me, "Please donate to this worthy cause. I am only doing it this once, never again, so now's your chance to sponsor me."

Do you know the phrase, "older and wiser?" I am one of those two things a year later...I will let you decide which one it is.

That's right, I let peer pressure and the promise of glory and bragging rights - and the ability to help raise money to support NRCM's clean energy work - coerce me into taking the plunge again! I am not sure what happened, but before I knew it, my photo was on our website as one of the "polar bears," my name was written on the participant board in the office, and I was off and running...raising money again for a very worthwhile cause.

And then I woke up this morning to an unexpected snowstorm, cold temperatures, and thought..."What have I done?!"

So, before the polar plunge happens on New Year's Eve day, I wanted to write some things down. Here goes...

I, Elizabeth Dimond, being of sound mind and body...

Oh wait. I SHOULD write that down just in case the water sends me into shock. But those words, and who I leave my salt and pepper shaker collection to, aren't really of concern to you, I am sure.

What I do want to say is that it's not too late to join us. You can still sign up - even the day of the event, show up with your $50 or more in hand, pose for our group photo, and then at the sound of the whistle, run screaming into the Atlantic, knowing that you are doing this for a worthwhile cause. The cold only lasts for a minute (ok...maybe a few minutes), but the impact you make by participating will last for many years to come. Join us and take the plunge, or cheer, or bring warm blankets, or be ready to hand us a hot cup of coffee. There are lots of ways to participate. Won't you join us?

And a special thanks to everyone who has already signed up to participate - as well as our generous business sponsors. We hope to see you at East End Beach at noon on Friday, December 31st. See you there!

Beth Dimond, Public Affairs Coordinator and Polar Plunger

One final note: Last year, my coworker and I came up with our set of polar plunge rules. I think they are worth reviewing - especially if you are a first-time plunger.

Governor-elect Excludes Enviros from Recent Forum

Did you see this front-page story on 12/1/10’s Portland Press Herald and other newspapers?

“Business Leaders Target Red Tape: Advocates for the environment, consumers, public health take no part in meeting”

http://www.kjonline.com/news/businessleaderstargetred-tape_2010-11-30.html

The piece describes how Gov.-elect Paul LePage is asking businesses and industry groups to help him reduce the regulations they believe hinder economic development. Twenty-eight representatives of these groups met with LePage and listed regulations they described as burdensome—issues related to the environment, civil rights, public health, child labor laws and tax policy. Unfortunately, environmental groups, public health advocates, and consumer advocates were not invited to the forum. NRCM Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim was interviewed for the story. "There are many voices that need to be he heard," said Didisheim. "This is not a balanced and fair approach to the policy process."

It does, however, provide insight into the direction the LePage Administration is likely headed regarded his view of protections put in place to protect Maine families and the state’s natural resource-based economy. You can read the full article here.

To stay informed about issues like these that put Maine’s environment at risk, and to hear about ways you can help make a difference, join NRCM’s Action Network.

"Choosing Maine's Next Governor" - watch gubernatorial candidate forum video

On Thursday October 21st, more than 300 citizens flocked to the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus to hear four of Maine’s gubernatorial candidates discuss how they would approach issues like clean air and water, climate change and energy, land conservation and wildlife, and a sustainable economy. The forum was moderated by Susan Sharon of MPBN, hosted by NRCM and more than 20 other groups, and online at, media.usm.maine.edu/~itms/video/Panel/Panel.html.
 

Arctic Report Card Shows Big Climate Change Impacts

This important new video from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that climate change is having a dramatic impact on the Arctic, with record temperatures across the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, reduced summer sea ice, and record snow cover decreases. Every aspect of the Arctic environment is being impacted. “The Arctic is continuing to move into a new and different climate state,” according to this assessment of the scientific data. Glacial melting in Greenland this past summer was the greatest since data collection began in 1873. 

The Arctic Report Card was created by a team of 69 scientists and based on 176 published scientific references. The planet is warming and we will face major impacts unless society accelerates the transition toward energy systems that do not produce climate changing carbon pollution.  

-Pete Didisheim, NRCM advocacy director

A Clear Case for Climate Legislation

We are at a critical juncture when we need bold, bipartisan support to help ensure passage of a comprehensive climate and energy bill this year.

This article in Grist by Dave Roberts makes the case clearly. It should give our bloggers the incentive to turn on the political heat that Roberts calls for. Pick up the phone and call Senator Snowe and Senator Collins (in-district office numbers) this week to ask them to be our climate champions and work towards a bill that will pass the Senate. They could make the difference for the planet. The time for hand-wringing is over. We need this sea change towards a clean energy future for Maine's economy and environment and for our children's future. 

Read here:
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-05-17-leaning-forward-why-the-american-power-act-is-worth-fighting-for/PALL/print.

Lisa Pohlmann, NRCM Deputy Director

NRCM's Polar Plunge - Watch Our (short) Video!

On December 31, some two dozen NRCM staff and supporters plunged into the icy Atlantic off Portland, Maine, to raise awareness of and funds for global warming work. If you weren't there, you can still catch the excitement (sorta). Watch our fun, short Insider video. Thanks to all who joined us!

 

"Climate Change and Google's View of a Clean Energy Planet"- in Portland tomorrow night

 
Why should you plan to attend NRCM's October 7 event featuring Dan Reicher, Google's Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives at Google? NRCM staff share our top ten reasons why you won't want to miss it. Watch our video!

Dan Reicher, Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives at Google will be the keynote speaker at our annual meeting, Wednesday, October 7, 2009 in at Hannaford Hall, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Learn more and register today. Join us for