The City of Portland has been selected to join the first group of municipalities to participate in an innovative new sustainability effort based in Oregon. The Urban Sustainability Accelerator (USA,) at Portland State University in Oregon is a new program created to help small- to mid-sized urban areas implement sustainability projects.
Summit Natural Gas of Maine, Inc. announced that Huhtamaki, a leading manufacturer of molded fiber tableware, has signed an agreement to provide Summit natural gas to its Waterville facility. Huhtamak’s plant, in central Maine, is one of 10 in the United States and produces Chinet, coffee holders and trays.
River herring, alewives, will finally be allowed to return to spawn in upstream lakes as LD 72, An Act to Open the St. Croix River to River Herring, becomes law today. This move has the potential to create the largest alewife run in the United States.
“Our ancestors would be very proud today. Reopening the St. Croix River to alewives is an historic event for the Passamaquoddy People, and for all of our neighbors in Maine and Canada,” said Brian Altvater, Founder and Chair of the Passamaquoddy group, Schoodic Riverkeepers.
“As legislators, we must hold up a mirror and do the self-examination that is essential to ensuring high ethical standards, and true government transparency,” said Senator Emily Cain. “This task force would make bipartisan, consensus-based recommendations to ensure our government is functioning as effectively, efficiently, and ethically as possible.”
Maine State Capitol. photo by Ramona du Houx
House Democrats on the Taxation Committee on Monday afternoon strongly urged the Legislature’s budget-writing panel to reject the proposed elimination of revenue sharing in Gov.
Maine’s dowtowns and Main Streets would be strengthened and grow under a measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall.
“Downtowns are the backbone of every community and are needed for a healthy local economy,” said Senator Goodall of Richmond. “This bill is beneficial to the bricks and mortar of our Main Streets. Additionally, it attracts businesses, creates jobs, and has proven results.”
ongratulations to the Town of Bethel for being selected as Maine USDA Rural Development’s Earth Day Project for 2013. Rural Development’s key contribution of $1.3 million will ensure the Town can make vital upgrades that will help to protect the Androscoggin River, Mill Brook, and surrounding wetlands, keeping Maine’s environment pristine for residents and visitors to enjoy,” said United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel.
Installing solar panels in Maine
Earth Day — April 22 — marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
Majority Leader Rep. Seth Berry wants to help jobs grow as he and others on the bipartisan workforce committee look to improve higher education, Maine’s downtown communities and small business opportunities.
