Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice
Program Topic: Legislative Hearing on Metallic Mining in Maine
Key Discussion Points:
1) On Monday, the Maine Legislature’s Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a public hearing on seven different bills pertaining to metallic mining in Maine.
2). The issue came front and center in 2012, when JD Irving sought to change Maine’s rules to allow metallic mining at Bald Mountain in Aroosook County. Despite two legislatures voting down rule changes on the basis of environmental and clean up concerns, the State Dept. of Environmental Protection continues to push similar rule changes in this session.
3) We hear testimony from Rep Ralph Chapman who is co-sponsoring three bills. LD 253 would repeal the 2012 rules back to the protective 1991 standards. LD 254, seeks a moratorium until sound policy can be implemented. LD 685 would establish a panel of mining to ensure protection of Maine’s environment.
Guests:
Representative Ralph Chapman of Brooksville, sponsor of LD 253, LD 685, LD 254
Maine Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Melanie Loyzim
This program was produced in partnership with the Sunlight Media Collective.