Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 2/26/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Today on the News Report we’ll be talking with 3 of the organizers of an upcoming, that will focus on what individual Mainers, organizations, and business owners are already doing—and what else can be done – to address climate change.
The Climate Solutions Summit and Expo will be held in Augusta on March 12th. Karen Marysdaughter, a 350 Maine member and Co-Coordinator of Climate Solutions, Laurie Osher, PhD, President of Maine Interfaith Power & Light, and Fred Horch , another co-coordinator of the event, are with us today to talk about the details.

WERU News Report 2/25/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

A standing room only crowd packed a public meeting last night in Bangor to learn more about – and comment on—the Army Corps of Engineers and MeDOT plan to dredge a channel in Searsport Harbor and dump the sludge near Islesboro

The location of the dredging would be within a few miles of the area that last week was closed to lobster fishing for at least 2 years because of mercury contamination from the former Holtrachem plant. And while the ACoE is relying on a 2008 report that found that chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants in the sludge were within what they call “acceptable levels”, testing that was done last year near the adjacent Sprague Energy pier found high levels–above reporting limits–of a large variety of contaminants and known carcinogens including pesticides, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Also, the testing methodology that was used to detect mercury, was rejected in the Holtrachem case as being faulty. According to Kim Tucker, an attorney representing the Zone D Lobster Council and the Sierra Club, “the Corps instructed Sprague to use a testing methodology that the court’s expert’s in the HoltraChem case said will under-estimate the level of mercury by a factor of 2.0….

(Clips from the presentation and public comment period)

WERU News Report 2/19/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: It was announced yesterday that the Maine Department of Marine Resources is closing an area near the mouth of the Penobscot River to lobster fishing, for at least 2 years, due to mercury contamination. But nearby there are plans underway to dredge up highly contaminated sediment near Mack Point to expand the depth of the channel there from 35 to 40 feet. Testing done as part of the permitting process has revealed a long list of carcinogens and endocrine disrupters in the sediment. And plans to dump the roughly 1 million cubic yards of that toxic sludge elsewhere in Penobscot Bay have lobstermen’s associations, town councils and state representatives very concerned. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that an informational meeting about the project, to be held Monday, is slated to be held in Bangor, in the evening, rather than in one of the coastal communities at a time when the island ferries are running.
We spoke earlier today with Kim Tucker, an attorney working with the Zone D Lobster Council and the Sierra Club, and with Ron Huber, Executive Director of Friends of Penobscot Bay. Some photos of the site: http://penbay.net/dredgesite.jpg and http://penbay.net/dredgemap.jpg

Segment 2: Dennis Marble, Executive Director of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, weighs in on how Gov. LePage’s veto of Mainecare expansion is impacting homelessness. Recorded by Matt Murphy

WERU News Report 2/18/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The state legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology committee held a public hearing today on LD 1750 “An Act To Amend the Maine Administrative Procedure Act and Clarify Wind Energy Laws”.
The summary of the proposed bill reads: “This bill amends the Maine Administrative Procedure Act by amending the definition of “rule” and requiring that every agency decision be based on the best evidence available to the agency. The bill also amends the laws governing expedited wind energy developments to provide that in determining the tangible benefits of an expedited wind energy development, the primary siting authority may not require the submission of evidence of the energy and emissions-related benefits or make specific findings related to energy and emissions-related benefits. Those benefits are presumed. The bill also provides that in determining whether a proposed expedited wind energy development will have an unreasonable adverse effect on scenic character or existing uses and whether an applicant must provide a visual impact assessment, the primary siting authority is required to consider the energy and emissions-related benefits of the expedited wind energy development, the policy objectives of the Maine Wind Energy Act and the energy, environmental and economic benefits associated with the expedited wind energy development.”
Lindsay Newland Bowker, Environmental Risk Manager with Bowker Associates Science & Research In The Public Interest—and frequent guest on this program— says “The text of this bill comes almost verbatim out of First Winds’ appeal to its 2nd denial which is still pending before the BEP, a fact which raises questions of propriety and the suggestion of legislation influence on BEP’s decision.” That’s in reference to First Wind’s proposed 100 million dollar Bower’s Mountain wind development project downeast. Bowker also raises question about whether this committee has the proper jurisdiction to make the proposed changes.
For more of the story behind the headlines, we take you to today’s public hearing on the issue

WERU News Report 2/12/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The 2014 elver season starts on March 24th, and today legislators on the Marine Resources committee are considering emergency legislation that would amend regulations on the lucrative fishery. This issue has been a contentious one, with Maine’s state government attempting to regulate the tribes, who of course have their own government and history of conservation of the resource. To give you a better sense of the debate behind the headlines, today we take you inside the committee meeting. (Includes testimony from AAG’s office and Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nation officials)

WERU News Report 2/11/14

Host: Amy Browne
Producer: Carolyn Coe

Issue: Palestinian call for boycott– BDS movement for Palestinian human rights

Key Discussion Points:

a) Students for Justice in Palestine, a Bowdoin College student club, promotes on-campus dialogue by collecting petition signatures in solidarity with the American Studies Association’s decision to boycott Israeli academic and cultural institutions.

b) Some Israelis speak out in support of the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions to pressure their own country, Israel, to end its oppressive policies.

c) The demand for human rights for Palestinians is linked to other social justice issues.

Guests:
Sinead Lamel, Bowdoin College student, member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

Zohran Mamdani, Bowdoin College student, member of SJP

Yonatan Shapira, Israeli refusenik, active with Boycott from Within

FMI:
1-Bowdoin President Barry Mills’ statement re. the American Studies Association’s boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions: http://www.bowdoin.edu/president/speeches/index.shtml
2-Sinead Lamel and Zohran Mamdani’s Bangor Daily News editorial: http://bangordailynews.com/2014/01/08/opinion/bowdoin-should-join-academic-boycott-of-israeli-institutions/
3-To read/sign Bowdoin petition in solidarity with the American Studies Association:
http://bit.ly/KDdbUr
4-(Bowdoin) Students for Justice in Palestine on Twitter: @ Bowdoin SJP
5-Boycott from Within: http://www.boycottisrael.info/

WERU News Report 2/5/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Protests were held in communities across the country Monday- including Belfast, Bangor and Portland, in reaction to a report issued by the state department last Friday, that gives a green light to the Keystone XL pipeline. The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement downplayed concerns about the impact of the pipeline, designed to bring Alberta tar sands oil from Canada across the US.

Speakers on a tour through New England in recent weeks have a different view of the environmental and human impacts. The “Tar Sands Exposed: Exploring the Human and Environmental Costs” tour made a stop at the University of Maine last weekend, sponsored by 350 Maine. WERU’s John Greenman recorded the event, and this week we’re bringing you 2 of the speakers on the WERU News Report. Yesterday we heard from Eriel Deranger- of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Today’s speaker is Sherri Mitchell – Indigenous Rights attorney and Director of the Land Peace Foundation.

WERU News Report 2/4/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Protests were held in communities across the country yesterday- including Belfast, Bangor and Portland, in reaction to a report issued by the state department last Friday, that gives a green light to the Keystone XL pipeline. The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement downplayed concerns about the impact of the pipeline, designed to bring Alberta tar sands oil from Canada across the US.

Speakers on a tour through New England in recent weeks have a different view of the environmental and human impacts. The “Tar Sands Exposed: Exploring the Human and Environmental Costs” tour made a stop at the University of Maine last weekend, sponsored by 350 Maine. WERU’s John Greenman recorded the event, and this week we’ll be bringing you 2 of the speakers on the WERU News Report, today and tomorrow at this time. Today we hear from Eriel Deranger- of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation