ACTION ALERT: Email Your Representatives by Monday Morning:
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Poised to Weaken Maine's Mining Law at the Expense of Human Health Protections
On Monday, March 25, the Maine legislature's Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) will discuss a new “Zombie Bill” version of LD1471, a bill that was tabled last year. This bill takes a dangerous U-turn on environmental protections for metallic mining in Maine. This new version of LD1471 replaces language about strengthening environmental and human health mining protections with language that instead weakens Maine's mining law and creates a loophole that specifically exempts open-pit lithium mining from environmental protections in the law.
Writing a "Zombie Bill" is sneaky, undemocratic politics. The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) missed the deadline for this legislative session to have the legislature review these new rules regarding open-pit lithium mining. Instead of going through a transparent, democratic process of review in the next legislative session, the Mills administration, pushed by the mining industry and in cooperation with the ENR committee, is bringing this zombie bill forward in an attempt to rush it through with no mechanism for the public to submit comments.
We deserve the right to a public hearing and to submit testimony on this legislation, but this undemocratic process takes away our right to do so. The online portal to submit testimony does not permit the public to comment on this change, and as of the weekend the official legislative website for LD1471 does not have the new text of the bill posted to the public.
Please take action against this undemocratic move to weaken Maine's mining law by writing to your legislators and ENR committee members before the work session at 1 pm on Monday, March 25.
The contact emails for the members and clerk of the Committee on Environment & Natural Resources are as follows:Stacy.Brenner@Legislature.Maine.gov, Anne.Carney@Legislature.Maine.gov, Peter.Lyford@legislature.maine.gov, Lori.Gramlich@Legislature.Maine.gov, Arthur.Bell@Legislature.Maine.gov, William.Bridgeo@legislature.maine.gov, Richard.Campbell@legislature.maine.gov, Victoria.Doudera@Legislature.Maine.gov, Daniel.Hobbs@Legislature.Maine.gov, Margaret.ONeil@Legislature.Maine.gov, Tammy.Schmersal-Burgess@Legislature.Maine.gov, Mike.Soboleski@Legislature.Maine.gov, David.Woodsome@legislature.maine.gov, ENR@legislature.maine.gov
To broaden your impact, please add your local Senator and Representative. Find their contact here.
Write your own comments or use the script below:
"Dear Representative [NAME], OR Dear Members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources,
I am writing to comment in opposition of the proposed amendment to LD 1471. This amendment completely undermines the original purpose of LD 1471, which is to provide human health and safety protections to Maine mining operations. The amendment seeks to weaken Maine's existing Chapter 200 mining regulations and provides an exemption for open-pit lithium mining. The decision to fast-track the Chapter 200 resolve with an emergency clause while simultaneously removing from consideration the original purpose of LD 1471 is a dangerous threat to Maine's human safety, environment, and natural resources.
I urge you to vote "NO" and reject the proposed amendment to LD 1471. It is imperative to preserve the original language of LD 1471. I urge you to consider the original text and intention of LD 1471, as proposed by Senator Bennett, which strengthens environmental and public health protections for mining in Maine.
Additionally, the Board of Environmental Protection missed the submission deadline to allow a proper public hearing on the matter of changing Chapter 200's regulations. Lack of a public hearing and comment period regarding a decision with such significant impact to Maine's residents and environment is an affront to our democratic process and weakens our confidence that the state is exercising due diligence in this consequential matter. I urge you to seek public comment and schedule a public hearing, with adequate advance notice, for any and all alterations to Maine's Chapter 200 mining regulations.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME, YOUR TOWN]"