Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 12/24/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Part 3 of 4

Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison has called theTrans-Pacific Partnership (or TPP) trade agreement “the largest corporate power grab you never heard of.” And if you HAVE heard of it, and want more information about it, you would have to rely on sections of the agreement that have been leaked by Wikileaks. The agreement is being negotiated in such extreme secrecy that even legislators are relying on the leaked materials for information. If enacted, the TPP would cover at least 12 countries, with a combined gross domestic product totally 40% of the world’s economy, earning it the label “NAFTA on steroids”. The Maine Citizens Trade Policy Commission, held a public hearing in Belfast on December 12th. The committee’s co-chairs, Senator Troy Jackson and Representative Sharon Treat held the the meeting to learn about the potential impacts of the TPP on food safety, farming and the seafood industry. We’re going to cover that hearing in several parts here on the WERU News Report this week and next. You’ll hear the concerns expressed by farmers, lobster fishermen and other community members. You’ll also hear some very candid open frustration from state legislators serving on the committee, who have had to rely on wikileaks to learn specifics about what is proposed in the TPP, and the potential impacts on Maine.

The CTPC was est’d by the legislature in 2004 to track trade agreements and their impacts on Maine, and make recommendations to the legislature. The members include legislators, reps from state agencies, and other interested parties.
Commission members who were present at the meeting in Belfast were: Linda Pistner, Chief Deputy Attorney General; Stephen Cole Representing Economic Development Organizations; Mike Karagiannes Maine Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP); Jay Wadleigh International Assoc. Machinists, Representing Organized Labor; Sen. John L. Patrick of Rumford; Sen. Troy D. Jackson of Allagash, Co- Chair; Rep. Sharon Anglin Treat of Hallowell – Co-Chair; Rep. Jeff M. McCabe of Skowhegan; Michael Herz, appointed to represent Nonprofit Environmental Organizations, and John Palmer, Representing Small Business

FMI http://www.maine.gov/legis/opla/citpol.htm

WERU News Report 12/18/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Part 2 of 4

Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison has called theTrans-Pacific Partnership (or TPP) trade agreement “the largest corporate power grab you never heard of.” And if you HAVE heard of it, and want more information about it, you would have to rely on sections of the agreement that have been leaked by Wikileaks. The agreement is being negotiated in such extreme secrecy that even legislators are relying on the leaked materials for information. If enacted, the TPP would cover at least 12 countries, with a combined gross domestic product totally 40% of the world’s economy, earning it the label “NAFTA on steroids”. The Maine Citizens Trade Policy Commission, held a public hearing in Belfast on December 12th. The committee’s co-chairs, Senator Troy Jackson and Representative Sharon Treat held the the meeting to learn about the potential impacts of the TPP on food safety, farming and the seafood industry. We’re going to cover that hearing in several parts here on the WERU News Report this week and next. You’ll hear the concerns expressed by farmers, lobster fishermen and other community members. You’ll also hear some very candid open frustration from state legislators serving on the committee, who have had to rely on wikileaks to learn specifics about what is proposed in the TPP, and the potential impacts on Maine.

The CTPC was est’d by the legislature in 2004 to track trade agreements and their impacts on Maine, and make recommendations to the legislature. The members include legislators, reps from state agencies, and other interested parties.
Commission members who were present at the meeting in Belfast were: Linda Pistner, Chief Deputy Attorney General; Stephen Cole Representing Economic Development Organizations; Mike Karagiannes Maine Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP); Jay Wadleigh International Assoc. Machinists, Representing Organized Labor; Sen. John L. Patrick of Rumford; Sen. Troy D. Jackson of Allagash, Co- Chair; Rep. Sharon Anglin Treat of Hallowell – Co-Chair; Rep. Jeff M. McCabe of Skowhegan; Michael Herz, appointed to represent Nonprofit Environmental Organizations, and John Palmer, Representing Small Business

FMI http://www.maine.gov/legis/opla/citpol.htm

WERU News Report 12/17/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Part 1 of 4

Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison has called theTrans-Pacific Partnership (or TPP) trade agreement “the largest corporate power grab you never heard of.” And if you HAVE heard of it, and want more information about it, you would have to rely on sections of the agreement that have been leaked by Wikileaks. The agreement is being negotiated in such extreme secrecy that even legislators are relying on the leaked materials for information. If enacted, the TPP would cover at least 12 countries, with a combined gross domestic product totally 40% of the world’s economy, earning it the label “NAFTA on steroids”. The Maine Citizens Trade Policy Commission, held a public hearing in Belfast on December 12th. The committee’s co-chairs, Senator Troy Jackson and Representative Sharon Treat held the the meeting to learn about the potential impacts of the TPP on food safety, farming and the seafood industry. We’re going to cover that hearing in several parts here on the WERU News Report this week and next. You’ll hear the concerns expressed by farmers, lobster fishermen and other community members. You’ll also hear some very candid open frustration from state legislators serving on the committee, who have had to rely on wikileaks to learn specifics about what is proposed in the TPP, and the potential impacts on Maine.

The CTPC was est’d by the legislature in 2004 to track trade agreements and their impacts on Maine, and make recommendations to the legislature. The members include legislators, reps from state agencies, and other interested parties.
Commission members who were present at the meeting in Belfast were: Linda Pistner, Chief Deputy Attorney General; Stephen Cole Representing Economic Development Organizations; Mike Karagiannes Maine Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP); Jay Wadleigh International Assoc. Machinists, Representing Organized Labor; Sen. John L. Patrick of Rumford; Sen. Troy D. Jackson of Allagash, Co- Chair; Rep. Sharon Anglin Treat of Hallowell – Co-Chair; Rep. Jeff M. McCabe of Skowhegan; Michael Herz, appointed to represent Nonprofit Environmental Organizations, and John Palmer, Representing Small Business

First to speak was Senate candidate and former Maine ACLU Director, Shenna Bellows:

FMI http://www.maine.gov/legis/opla/citpol.htm

WERU News Report 12/11/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: An update today on the re-write of Maine’s mining regulations. As we reported last week, the Board of Environmental Protection met to discuss further changes to the proposed rules they will be presenting to the legislature when they reconvene. The changes are considered substantive and therefore must be put out for further public comment. Lindsay Newland Bowker, Environmental Risk Manager with Bowker Associates joins us again today, with her thoughts about the meeting, and the proposed changes. Includes excerpts from a video of the meeting, shot by Eric Tuttle. Watch the meeting here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkInaDIkP7M&feature=youtu.be

Segment 2: Local residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the TPP, and voice their opinions, at a public hearing with the Maine Citizens Trade Policy Commission, in Belfast tomorrow. The committee’s co-chairs,
Senator Troy Jackson and Representative Sharon Treat say that the meeting will “broadly focus on the topics of food and seafood safety, specific impacts on Maine agriculture and such food policy issues such as buying local and GMO and other food labeling policies as they pertain to the TransPacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).” Here to tell us more, is Ridgely Fuller, who describes herself as “Simply a Very Concerned Belfast Resident” FMI: http://www.maine.gov/legis/opla/citpol.htm

WERU News Report 12/10/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Watching the corporate media’s love fest for Nelson Mandela since his death last week, one might assume that he – and the anti-apartheid movement—always had widespread support in the US, but that of course is not the case. The University of Maine was one of the first in the country to divest from South Africa back in 1982. Today we talk with Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy at the University, and Education Coordinator for the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, about his memories of the anti-apartheid movement on campus, and how it gives him hope today. This is part of a new Peacetime series, focusing on hope, leading up the the Peace & Justice Center’s annual HOPE festival in the spring

WERU News Report 12/3/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Today we continue our on-going coverage of the re-write of Maine’s mining laws, as there is breaking news out of Augusta: the Board of Environmental Protection is revealing their recommendations and the news is worse that some environmentalists fear. Interview with Lindsay Newland Bowker, CPCU, ARM Environmental Risk Manager, Bowker Associates, Science and Research in the Public Interest

WERU News Report 11/20/13

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Maine’s 1st District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree was among those attending a congressional briefing yesterday, that featured victims of US drone strikes in Yemen, telling their stories. The briefing was organized by CODEPINK and followed a Global Drone Summit that was held over the weekend. Congresswoman Pingree made a brief statement about her position on the issue:

Here is some of yesterday’s briefing, with audio made available to us by CODEPINK, and a special thanks to Maine CODEPINK organizer Lisa Savage. Florida Representative Alan Grayson: