Podcasts about nrcm

The last few years, our work at the State House in Augusta has delivered enormous progress for Maine's environment. So, how is NRCM gearing up to continue this momentum and what are the priorities we've set for this year's short legislative session? From curbing the use of polluting gas to encouraging reuse, investing in our trails, and tribal sovereignty for the Wabanaki people, NRCM's Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim joins the podcast to discuss the issues and bills we'll be tracking, and how we hope to work together with you – people who love the nature of Maine – to achieve great things for our woods, waters, wildlife, and communities.

Rebeccah Sanders is the CEO of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). The NRCM operates within the unique ecological ethic and culture of a state where environmental issues are an integral part of how people live their lives. Rebeccah and her team endeavor to engage stakeholders and build coalitions to achieve important environmental legislation. Rebeccah is understandably proud of the first-in-the-nation legislation that the NRCM has been involved in, such as the bottle bill and the offshore wind bill. In this interview, Rebeccah emphasizes the need to listen to and include myriad voices in decision-making processes. Rebeccah also discusses the importance of mentorship and collective leadership in creating durable solutions and empowering future generations. Join our conversation with Rebeccah Sanders today on Radio Maine.

It's the holiday season, which means a lot of gifts, a lot of food, and….a lot of waste. Mainers by nature are frugal and don't like waste. It's part of who we are. But when we go to the store or buy online we're faced with a deluge of plastic and other wasteful packaging. And it drives most of us crazy. What can we do about it? We speak with Laura Marston, the owner of the Maine-based, plastic-free, zero-waste business Go Go Refill and Vanessa Berry, NRCM's Sustainable Maine outreach coordinator to talk about tips and ideas for reducing waste at home. For more waste reduction resources, including a map of zero-waste retailers visit nrcm.org.

This year's legislative session was another strong demonstration of how Maine's strong conservation ethic continues to define our way of life, drive economic growth, and influence new laws passed at the State House in Augusta. Thousands of Mainers spoke up and took action to protect our environment, strengthen the resiliency of local communities, and accelerate a more equitable clean energy future. NRCM's Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim details how legislators listened to these voices by passing a wide range of new laws that recognize Maine's environment and economy are inextricably linked.

In 2016, Ray and Danielle Ruby set a goal to visit every State Park and campground with their family…and they did it! Along the way they chronicled their travels with unvarnished reviews on their popular blog “Rubys on the Road.” Ray joins the podcast to talk about what makes Maine's State Parks so special and get some insider tips from his family's years of experience. NRCM is proud to partner with Mainers like the Rubys to build support for our State Parks and Public Reserved Lands because of the important role they play in our economy and way of life.

The Bottle Bill is a big part of Maine's culture and environmental ethic. It's also our most effective recycling and litter prevention program. And hundreds of Mainers have built their lives and small businesses around bottle redemption. But in the 45 years since it began a lot has changed. NRCM's Sarah Nichols joins the podcast to talk about improvements that are needed to strengthen the Bottle Bill and make it more efficient.

For the first time in two decades, the chiefs of the tribes in Maine appeared before a special joint session of the Legislature on March 16, 2023, for the Wabanaki Nations' State of the Tribes address. In this episode, we give listeners an opportunity to hear the full remarks of the five chiefs during this historic moment. One of NRCM's top priorities is to stand alongside the Wabanaki people as they work toward the State of Maine recognizing the inherent sovereignty of Wabanaki people in their homelands.

Our new CEO Rebeccah Sanders has been on the job a little over a week and has hit the ground running, drawing on her two decades of executive nonprofit management experience in community-driven conservation work and her long-time love of Maine's great outdoors. What has Rebeccah learned so far, and what is she looking forward to in the future for NRCM and Maine's environment? Tune in to hear it all in her own words.

The State House in Augusta is once again bustling with activity, and NRCM's experts have been hard at work identifying our top priorities for the 2023 legislative session that will protect Maine's climate, water, wildlife, and outdoors. Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim joins the podcast to highlight some of the top environmental issues and bills we'll be tracking in the upcoming legislative session, and offers tips on how to keep up-to-date.

Scientist, educator, and author John Waldman discusses how we can restore Maine's rivers and the great fish migrations to which they were once home. Waldman's talk was originally delivered at an online webinar NRCM hosted in December as part of our ongoing effort to support a free-flowing Kennebec River and bring back millions of sea-run fish, including endangered Atlantic salmon. To view the webinar, including Waldman's slides, visit: https://youtu.be/2NSU2oHLQMQ

On Tuesday November 8th, Maine voters delivered another bipartisan, pro-environment majority to the State House. What do those election results mean for our collective work to protect the nature of Maine? NRCM's Interim CEO and Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim joins the podcast to provide our initial analysis of what the results of this year's state and federal election means for Maine's environment. For a more in-depth review of the election's impact on our environment, join Pete for a Zoom webinar on November 15th by RSVP'ing at nrcm.org.

Every year, NRCM honors environmental leaders in Maine with our Conservation Leadership Awards. The speeches recipients give at our annual event are full of heart, passion, and commitment. In this episode, you'll hear the inspirational stories of this year's five CLA recipients: Project Puffin's Dr. Steve Kress, Portland & So. Portland sustainability leads Troy Moon and Julie Rosenbach, aquafarm activists Frenchman Bay United, rockweed advocate Dr. Robin Hadlock Seeley, and Juniper Hill "close the loophole" coalition Don't Waste ME.

More Mainers than ever are driving electric vehicles, and more models are coming to market every year. In this episode, we speak with NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator Josh Caldwell to discuss what we learned from NRCM's 2022 survey of every electric vehicle owner in Maine. This was our third and most popular survey—with a record-breaking 1,230 responses from all 16 counties!

In this episode, NRCM Rising Leadership Team member Kate Shambaugh speaks with Isabel Rogers, Hub Organizer for Sunrise Movement Franklin County, which just celebrated its first anniversary. It is part of a national youth-led nonprofit made up of young activists working on environmental and social justice issues such as climate change. Learn more about NRCM's new Franklin County coordinator Marc Edwards and his work, as well as which state recently became the fourth to pass an EPR for Packaging Law. Maine was the first state to pass such a law in 2021.

A proposed land use plan for the Moosehead Lake region has been released that balances economic development with conservation. Forests & Wildlife Director Melanie Sturm discusses what the proposal means for the future of the Moosehead Lake area and how NRCM is working to protect the unique character of this special region. Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim also gives his closing thoughts on the 130th legislative session and what's next for NRCM's advocacy priorities.

With about one month left in Maine's legislative session, NRCM's Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim joins the podcast to provide a status report on how NRCM's environmental priority bills are doing. Several bills have received positive outcomes at committees and will soon be voted on by the House and Senate, while details about a few others — including utility accountability, tribal sovereignty, and PFAS pollution — are still being worked out.

Maine lawmakers have convened for the second session of the 130th Legislature and will consider dozens of bills that could impact Maine's healthy air, clean water, and rich natural resources. In this episode, Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim details NRCM's top environmental priorities for 2022 and why they matter for our collective work to protect the nature of Maine. Pete provides his thoughts about the opening session of the Maine Legislature and reflections about the January 6, 2021, failed insurrection of the U.S. Capitol Building.

On November 2, CMP suffered a stunning setback for its controversial corridor project and now the project's future is in doubt. In this episode, NRCM's Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim dissects what's happened since the overwhelming vote by Maine people to terminate the CMP corridor. November is Native American Heritage Month, and NRCM encourages listeners to learn more about Maine's native Tribes and the campaign for Tribal sovereignty by visiting the Wabanaki Alliance website at wabanakialliance.com.

CMP and Hydro-Quebec have spent more than $70 million on a desperate political campaign full of scare tactics and misinformation. As Election Day nears, and just days before Halloween, Colin and Pete tick down the top 10 spooky scare tactics and dirty tricks used by CMP. Voters should treat Question 1 as a referendum on CMP because of these tactics. NRCM urges Mainers to send CMP a message by voting Yes on 1 to reject the CMP corridor.

It's Drive Electric Week and Ford just announced an $11 billion investment in new electric truck and battery manufacturing plants! Electric cars and trucks are coming to a dealer near you faster than any of us expected, so we sat down with NRCM's Climate & Clean Energy team to learn what's new about EVs and to answer some frequently asked questions about electric vehicle performance and the benefits of going electric.

Colin is excited about the first electric school bus in Maine, and then speaks with Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim about the most important federal climate bill ever, and what it means for Maine's Climate Action Plan. They also discuss a lawsuit NRCM filed against Brookfield for violating federal environmental law on the Kennebec River and killing endangered Atlantic salmon.

As students and teachers return to school, Colin speaks with NRCM's Sustainability Coordinator Chrissy Adamowicz about tips for reducing food and plastic waste at schools. Chrissy shares the experiences of schools she has worked with and gives some great ideas for how anyone concerned about reducing waste can get started. As we do every time, Colin also gives some quick updates on environmental stories that have been in the news recently.

In this episode Colin speaks with Sustainable Maine Director Sarah Nichols about one of NRCM’s top legislative priorities for 2021: LD 1541, a bill to save taxpayers money and improve recycling by implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging program. The bill asks big corporations to share responsibility for the flood of packaging that is increasing waste disposal costs for cities and towns across the state, like they're already doing in other countries. Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim highlights record alewife numbers and provides updates on legislative action, Kennebec River, and CMP corridor.

Sue Ely, Climate and Clean Energy Policy Advocate and staff attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine explains why NRCM believes Central Maine Power’s 145 mile high voltage transmission line, a project planning to carve a 150 wide path through the Maine North woods in order to transfer Canadian hydro power to Massachusetts is a bad deal for Maine.

Sue Ely, Climate and Clean Energy Policy Advocate and staff attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine explains why NRCM believes Central Maine Power's 145 mile high voltage transmission line, a project planning to carve a 150 wide path through the Maine North woods in order to transfer Canadian hydro power to Massachusetts is a bad deal for Maine.

Every two weeks, Advocacy Communications Director Colin Durrant speaks with advocates and experts to bring you a quick, concise summary of the latest news and information you need to know about Maine’s environment. In this episode Colin speaks with Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim about the Biden-Harris Administration’s bold climate action plans and efforts to rebuild the nation’s environmental laws, details the Common Agenda bills identified by NRCM and the Environmental Priorities Coalition, and discusses a few significant development regarding the controversial CMP corridor proposal.

NRCM kicks off 2021 with a brand new format for our podcast. Advocacy Communications Director Colin Durrant will speak with advocates and experts to bring you a quick, concise summary of the latest news and information you need to know about Maine’s environment. We’ll post a new episode every two weeks so you can keep up-to-date on breaking news from the Legislature and other places across Maine. In this episode Colin speaks with Advocacy Director Pete Didisheim about what’s ahead in this year’s unique legislative session, a new effort to restore the Kennebec River, and reflects on the seismic changes happening on the federal level.

For the past 14 years as NRCM’s Climate and Clean Energy Director Dylan Voorhees has quite literally been a voice on the frontlines of the most important climate and clean energy conversations at the Maine State House. Dylan’s moving on to a new and exciting professional opportunity, and in this episode of Frontline Voices, you’ll hear from him about the clean energy solutions he’s been part of and the lessons he’s learned from his decade plus of climate advocacy at NRCM. (Dylan will be a Senior Consultant at VEIC. The nonprofit is headquartered in Vermont but plans to work remotely from Augusta, demonstrating that working from home can sometimes be a choice, too!) A note: We’re posting this episode during an unprecedented time. NRCM hopes that you, your family, and your friends are safe and healthy. We really appreciate that you’re listening to this episode today.

Producer/Host: Steve Kahl Studio Engineer: Amy Browne -Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative -Solar PV net metering -Electric vehicle rebates Guest: Dylan Voorhees, NRCM

This conversation between former NRCM Executive Director Brownie Carson and Deputy Director Joan Welsh covers their time at NRCM and their transitions from NRCM to the Maine State House. After leaving NRCM, Joan served in the Maine House of Representatives, and Brownie is currently in his second term in the Maine Senate. Coincidentally, they’ve both served on the Joint Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources. Hear more in the latest “Maine Environment: Frontline Voices.”

Great beer needs clean water, and NRCM is collaborating with breweries throughout the state to protect Maine’s waters through education and advocacy. In this episode, you’ll hear about our newly launched Maine Brewshed Alliance from NRCM Federal Outreach Coordinator, Kristin Jackson, and three brewers who are part of the alliance: Christie Mahaffey (Foundation), Abe Furth (Orono Brewing), and Dan Kleban (Maine Beer Company).

NRCM supports LD 640. This bill would require the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to pursue an independent investigation of Central Maine Power’s claims that its proposed power line would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On March 15, 2019, NRCM’s Staff Scientist, Nick Bennett, delivered testimony in support of the bill in front of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. This episode features Nick’s testimony. (And here's a note from Nick: "At 22:00, I said Seabrook but actually meant Pilgrim. Thanks for understanding!")

Central Maine Power wants to build a transmission line through Maine’s treasured North Woods. In this episode we’ll tell you why it’s bad for Maine’s environment and people. NRCM’s Clean Energy Staff Attorney Sue Ely walks you through our concerns, shares updates about the review process, and lets you know how to get involved.

2019 is a big year for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. This is our 60th anniversary! In this episode, NRCM CEO Lisa Pohlmann looks back on NRCM's key achievements from 60 years of advocacy, reflects on Augusta's current political climate, and shares her long-term goals for NRCM. Enjoy!

Hear from Natural Resources Council of Maine staff members who have participated in our annual Polar Bear Dip & Dash over the past 10 years to find out why they do it, why they think YOU should do it, and hear their advice and memorable moments from past dips. You don't want to miss this event on New Year's Eve Day in Portland, Maine.

After 28 years of outstanding service, NRCM’s media guru Judy Berk retires this week. She sat down with our podcast host Carly Peruccio to talk about her work and to share some memorable experiences during her time at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Thank you, Judy, for all of you have done to protect the nature of Maine.

Producer/Host: Amy Browne The Public Speaks at “Maine Speaks on Climate and Cars: The Citizens' Hearing”, an NRCM event held in Bangor on August 28th, 2018 In August, the EPA announced plans to weaken fuel efficiency standards by freezing them at current levels– rather than following rules passed during the Obama administration that would make them tougher over time. The plan would also prevent states from setting their own stronger standards (as many already have, including Maine). The stated rationale is that small cars are not as safe as bigger vehicles, and that stronger standards make vehicles more expensive. Critics of the proposal argue that pollution and climate change demand stronger, not weaker, laws. A 60 day period for public comment on the proposal is currently underway. Last week the Natural Resources Council of Maine held an event in Bangor called “Maine Speaks on Climate and Cars: The Citizens' Hearing”, and recorded public comments to be shared with the EPA. Today on Maine Currents we bring you there. This meeting was held on an evening when poor air quality warnings had been issued for the following day here in Maine, a fact you'll hear mentioned by some of the speakers. FMI: More info from the NRCM: Critics in Maine Decry Trump Administration Plan to Ease Rules for Auto Emissions and Efficiency- NRCM More info from the EPA, including instructions for submitting comments: The Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Proposed Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 -EPA The post Maine Currents 9/6/18 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Tony Owens, MD, is a doctor in the Emergency Department at Maine Medical Center, as well as an advocate for the environment. In front of a United States Senate committee in Washington, D.C., he testified in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, arguing that carbon dioxide emissions from Midwestern power plants contribute to Maine’s high rates of pediatric asthma. Speaking out about climate change, he has suggested that higher temperatures have expanded the range of tick-borne diseases and caused higher incidences of Lyme disease. In 2007, Owens joined the board of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) after his fourth child graduated from college. He was instrumental in the development of NRCM Rising, a subgroup of NRCM that seeks to expand advocacy among people under 40. As a practicing emergency physician for nearly 40 years and an associate professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, he also teaches residents and medical students in the Emergency Department at Maine Medical Center. https://www.themainemag.com/radio/radio-guests/tony-owens-m-d-natural-resources-council-maine/

Producer/Host: Amy Browne Segment 1: The public comment period has closed and now those who care about Maine's new National Monument are waiting to hear its' fate. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited Katahdin Woods and Waters recently as part of a federal review. While his comments after touring the area seemed to indicate that he was favorably impressed, they are open to interpretation at this point. Governor LePage has been a vocal opponent of the monument, downplaying the beauty and historical significance of the area, and any potential economic benefits for the region. On Friday the Natural Resources Council of Maine held a press conference in Bangor to release the results of their analysis of the public comments that had been submitted so far, and to highlight the thoughts of some residents of the Katahdin Woods and Waters region. In our first segement today we're going to listen in. FMI: Natural Resources Council of Maine Segment 2: Coming up on Wednesday, July 26th, WERU, in conjunction with Bucksport's Wednesdays on Main will hold our third annual storytelling event at the Alamo Theatre. We hope to see you all there, and to give you a sample of what you can expect, today we're bringing you an encore presentation of 3 of the storytellers from last year's show who will be returning this year. FMI about the 7/26th event: My Maine: The State as Experienced by Local Storytellers Maine Currents- independent local news, views and culture, every Tuesday at 4pm on WERU-FM and weru.org The post Maine Currents 7/11/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Producer/Host: Amy Browne Studio Engineer/Segment Producer: John Greenman President Trump’s actions in his first days in office have been met with protests around the world and right here in Maine- and they show no signs of letting up. Today on “Maine Currents” we’re going to look at the community response to Trump’s executive orders and cabinet nominees. We have a clip from the protest at Bangor International Airport over the weekend, we talk to some of the organizers of local events and then open the phone lines. Guests: Lisa Pohlmann, Executive Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), nrcm.org Susan Dickson-Smith, Founder/Organizer, Eastern Maine for Racial Justice (EMeRJ), facebook.com/emerjmaine , emerjblog.wordpress.com/ Sam Salvadore Portera, Bangor Area Organizer, Maine People’s Alliance, mainepeoplesalliance.org Karen Marysdaughter, Co-Coordinator, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, peacectr.org Matt Murphy, WERU General Manager, weru.org The post Maine Currents 2/1/17 first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.