Action Alert! Help Release the Land for Maine’s Future Bonds

The Governor is holding the Land for Maine’s Future bonds hostage as a political bargaining chip. Recently, both the House and Senate voted by over two-thirds in favor of LD 1378, as amended, a bill that would require the Governor to release voter-approved bonds unless there are legitimate, non-political reasons for holding them.

The Governor has made clear he will veto LD 1378. It’s critical that two-thirds of the Legislature vote to override the veto and release the LMF bonds. 
 
For more than two decades, the highly successful Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) Program has provided critical funding to protect forestlands, shorelines, working farms and waterfronts, salt marshes, mountain summits and other treasures of Maine’s natural heritage for generations to come. 
 
LMF funds have protected land in each of Maine’s 16 counties, where families can enjoy hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, snowmobiling, camping, skiing and other outdoor activities. This program has provided essential infrastructure that helps preserve Maine’s unique character and supports our natural resource based economy. With all that LMF has done, it is no wonder why over 60% of Maine voters support this program.
 
For the second time in two years, the Governor is withholding $11.5 million in voter-approved LMF bonds until the Legislature agrees to significantly increase timber harvesting on public lands, a completely unrelated matter.
 
Please contact your legislators and thank them for voting in favor of LD 1378 if they voted for it and urge them to also vote to override the Governor’s veto. If they didn’t vote for LD 1378, please ask them to vote to override the Governor’s veto.   

You can see how your senator voted here and your representative here. Representatives who voted Yes voted with us in support of the bill. The vote in the Senate was on whether or not to kill the bill; Senators who voted No voted with us by voting against killing the bill. 

For more information, please go to our web page about Conservation Funding or please contact: