Category: WERU News Report

WERU News Report 10/8/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The site of the GAC Chemical plant on the shoreline in Searsport has been the location of chemical & fertilizer
companies dating back to the early 1900s. The beach is littered with relics of the industrial past, but little was
known about what toxic legacy was left behind — until local residents, tired of refusals from state and federal
agencies, took matters into their own hands. In recent days news broke that DEP may be stepping in — but can they be counted on to conduct a full assessment? We talk with Ron Huber, Executive Director of Friends of Penobscot Bay; Sheila Dassatt, Executive Director of Downeast Lobstermen’s Association; Nick Seeger, Friends of Penobscot Bay.

(Photos that accompany this story can be found on the WERU facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/werufm )

WERU News Report 10/7/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman

On September 16th, award-winning scholar, Clark University political scientist Cynthia Enloe gave a talk at Umaine entitled “Where are Women in Violent Conflicts? Finding out will Make us Smarter!” Her lecture and the question & answer session that followed drew examples drawn from current headlines. We’re bringing you her talk in 2 parts. Part 1 aired last week, and is available on our archives at weru.org. Today we pick up where we left off:

WERU News Report 10/1/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by: John Greenman

On September 16th, award-winning scholar, Clark University political scientist Cynthia Enloe gave a talk at Umaine entitled “Where are Women in Violent Conflicts? Finding out will Make us Smarter!” Her lecture and the question & answer session that followed drew examples drawn from current headlines. We’re bringing you her talk in 2 parts, starting today and continuing on the next edition of the News Report, next Tuesday.

Enloe was introduced by Stefano Tijerina, Professor of International Relations at UMaine, who invited Enloe to share her expertise with UMaine and the surrounding community:

WERU News Report 9/30/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador last week and today, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country. This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated.

Segment 1: As we wrap up our coverage today, we’re making connections with the efforts to regulate mining here in Maine. Background on Maine’s mining regs re-write, some words of advice for Mainers from representatives of First Nations communities that have dealt with mining (John Cutfeet and Aurora Conley), and Maine-based anti-mining activist Sidney Mitchell, a member of the delegation, reflects on lessons learned for her work here in Maine.

Segment 2: News from Bangor’s Sister City Carasque and from WERU’s Sister Station Radio Sumpul – with translation by Cori Ring of Sister Cities.

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses for WERU staff member Amy Browne and volunteer Meredith DeFrancesco were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

FMI: http://www.stopesmining.org/j25/

WERU News Report 9/24/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador this week and next, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country. This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated.

Today on the News Report we’ll hear from 2 First Nations representatives traveling with the delegation. John Cutfeet is from the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (“KI”) First Nation in Northern Ontario, and Aurora Conley is from the Bad River Band, Lake Superior Chippewa tribe in Wisconsin. They talk about how mining has threatened their communities, and how they’ve fought back:

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses for WERU staff member Amy Browne and volunteer Meredith DeFrancesco were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

FMI: http://www.stopesmining.org/j25/

WERU News Report 9/23/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador this week and next, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country. This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated.

Segment 1: In a historic vote yesterday, the town of San Jose Las Flores voted to take action to ban mining in that municipality. The traveling delegation received training and became part of a team of international elections observers. Today we bring you Mayor Felippe Tobar speaking about the vote, announcing the results, and receiving a symbolic gift of solidarity from Aurora Conley of the Bad River Tribe, Chippewa Nation.

Segment 2: The price of resistance to mining in El Salvador goes well beyond the hundreds of millions of dollars for which a now Australia*-based gold mining company is suing. Several anti-mining activists have been murdered. Marcelo Rivera, a young activist described by community organizations here as a charismatic leader, was found murdered in 2009 after receiving death threats. His murder was referenced, along with other acts of intimidation, when the delegation visited Radio Victoria last week. Radio Victoria is a community radio station, created after the El Salvador peace accords in 1993. Representatives from the station described the backlash against community members as well as the radio station:

Catie Johnson of Sister Cities & Pedro Cavezas of International Allies Against Mining in El Salvador provide translation.

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses for WERU staff member Amy Browne and volunteer Meredith DeFrancesco were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

*This is a correction – the News Report incorrectly stated that the corporation is based in New Zealand

FMI: http://www.stopesmining.org/j25/

WERU News Report 9/17/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Reporting from El Salvador this week and next, as we accompany an international delegation observing anti-mining activities in the country.

This week a World Bank tribunal is holding final hearings in a lawsuit a mining company filed against this impoverished country, because they prevented further mining in an attempt to protect the estimate 5% of their water that is not already contaminated. We’ll have more on that on future programs.

Yesterday we toured the now-closed San Sebastian gold mine in La Union. A village official told us about the impact mining has had there, on the water, land, and health of the community. Catie Johnson of Sister Cities translates:

We also met with some “artisanal” miners at their camp outside one of the dangerous mining shafts:

(For full disclosure: Travel expenses were paid through a grant from the Haney Foundation received by the Bangor based group PICA, which coordinates the city sister relationship with Carasque, El Salvador.)

WERU News Report 9/10/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

In November, Maine voters will have a chance to vote to change bear hunting laws in the state, bringing them more in line with other states that have banned certain practices that are still allowed here. Question 1 on the ballot will ask “Do you want to ban the use of bait, dogs or traps in bear hunting, except to protect property, public safety, or for research?” One of the organizers behind the November referendum is Daryl DeJoy, Executive Director of the Wildlife Alliance of Maine, and former host of “Ask WAM” here on WERU. We spoke with him about this issue earlier this week: