Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice
Program Topic: Board of Environmental Approves Passes Mining Regulations
Key Discussion Points:
1) Today, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection voted to support changes to environmental regulations that would allow metallic mining in Maine. The Proposed rule changes now go to the legislature.
2) Over the paste past 5 years, the Department of Environmental Protection has tried to push the rule changes through the legislature, where it has been voted down. Changes to Maine’s mining law were originally designed by JD Irving, who has interest in mining Bald Mountain in Aroostook County.
3) Widespread public opposition has organized around com batting the DEP’s proposed rule changes, while trying to offer alternative protections to the state’s current inadequate statute.
Guest: Lindsay Newland Bowker, Environmental Risk Manager, Bowker Associates, Science and Research In the Public Interest