Policy Matters: Environmental Scorecard for Maine's 125TH Legislature
Many bills became law this year in Maine without Governor LePage agreeing to sign them, as is allowed by the state constitution. But the governor sent clear signals about his environmental policy priorities by not signing several energy and environmental bills. Two among them were LD 412, to phase out the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), even though 180 lawmakers voted for it and only 3 voted against, and LD 981, to expand Maine’s electronic program, despite unanimous support from lawmakers and testimony documenting that the bill will create new jobs in Maine.
For 25 years Maine Conservation Voters has monitored legislator’s votes on key environmental issues. They report that for the first 2011legislative session, four out of five anti-environmental bills were passed and signed into law.
LD228 repealed Maine’s pesticide notification registry
LD1416 weakened the state’s Uniform Building and Energy Code by exempting 400 of Maine’s 526 towns
LD 159 reduced the scientifically- supported vernal consultation zone from 250 to 75 feet. Vernal zones are seasonal wetlands providing critical wildlife habitat.
LD1534 voted for a study committee biased in favor of dismantling Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission which currently protects Maine’s North Woods.
The fifth bill LD412, to ban toxic chemical bisphenol A in reusable food and beverage containers, passed without the governor’s backing but with overwhelming bipartisan support. MERI provided expert testimony in support of the ban beginning in August 2010.
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