Tag: Maine

RadioActive 3/28/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Metallic Mining in Maine and El Salvador

Key Discussion Points:
a) Last legislative session, an effort spearheaded by Irving resulted in legislation directing Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection to over haul state mining laws to make it easier for the exploitation of gold, copper, silver and zinc. Though the impetus is a project at Bald Mountain in Arookstook County, the changes will open up mining at number of locations across the state with metallic metals.
b) The country of El Salvador, based on past experiences within their own borders and the experiences of communities in neighboring countries in Central America, has kept a resurgence of gold mining at bay, through government action, pushed by an unparallelled social movement. Around the globe the effects of mining include water over use, severe water pollution and it’s ensuing health impacts, and the human rights abuses and violence perpetrated against anti-mining activists by myriad factions in support of mining companies.
c) US El Salvador Sister Cities, and it’s local affiliate Power in Community Alliances (PICA), is hosting a speaking tour by Salvadoran anti mining activists. They will present along with Natural Resources Council of Maine staff scientist Nick Bennett, on the parallels between Maine and Salvadoran mining prospects and resistance.

Guest:
Jan Morrill, Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), past US El Salvador Sister Cities staff, and organizer with El Salvador’s National Table on Metallic Mining. She is originally from Maine.

WERU News Report 11/14/12

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Maine Center for Public Interesting Reporting released a report today on their investigation of where things stand in the state of Maine in terms of preparing for the consequences of climate change. We talk with Kate McCormick, author of the report. (www.pinetreewatchdog.org)

Update: The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting last week reported that the state Department of Environmental Protection had removed a climate change report from its web site in December, 2011. A DEP spokesman said this week that the report was restored in April, 2012, at the request of a citizen. The Center interviewed DEP Commissioner Patricia Aho about the report’s status in June, 2012, at which time she did not say it had been restored to the web site.

RadioActive 3/3/11

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Topics: Today we turn to Governor LePage’s proposed budget cuts. First a labor rally at the capitol today concerning cuts to state worker benefits, and then an interview on social safety net cuts, looking towards another rally in Augusta this coming Monday.

Mid-Coast Currents 2/18/11

Producer/Host: John Zavodny, PhD, Unity College faculty
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Topic: Unity College: Then, Now, and In the Future

What is Unity College’s significance to mid-coast Maine? What are the major accomplishments of Unity College over the last five years? What can we expect from Unity College over the next several years?

Guests:
Dr. Mitchell Thomashow, Unity College President | Author of “Bringing the Biosphere Home,” and “Ecological Identity,” both published by MIT press. He serves on the board of the Coalition on Environmental and Jewish Life (COEJL), and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). He is on the advisory board of Orion Magazine. Thomashow is a founding member of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD).

Dr. Amy Knisley, Unity College Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs | Knisley earned her Ph D in Philosophy from the University of Colorado and Master of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. She is an organic farmer and small business owner (with husband Ed) of Betsy?s Farm, currently located in Benton, Maine.