On Wednesday, March 7, I joined a great gathering at the Augusta Civic Center.�In spite of an incoming Nor’easter, lots of people turned out to a public hearing about the Trump administration’s proposal to open up the drilling in most U.S. continental-shelf waters — including Maine. On the same day, the Bureau of Ocean Management […]
Federal Advocacy
Advocating for the Land and Water Conservation Fund in DC
Earlier this week, I had a great opportunity to collaborate with AMC, National Audubon Society, and other members of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition to ask for congressional support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is an important 52-year old funding mechanism that provides important support for community, state, and […]
Andy’s Note: Mr. Beahm Goes to Washington
Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC, to take part in the annual gathering of the “Independent Audubons.” Around the country, many Audubon organizations — particularly in the northeast — predated the creation of the National Audubon Society. Many of those have remained independent, and meet each year�to benchmark, build community, […]
Federal Whistleblower Joel Clement to Speak at Maine Audubon
On Thursday, March 15, Maine Audubon will host climate whistleblower Joel Clement at Gilsland Farm as part of our Speaker Series. The event — Silencing Science: An Insider’s Take on the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Undermine Federal Climate Policy — features Clement, former director of the U.S. Interior Department’s Office of Policy Analysis and a […]
Action Alert: Speak Out Against Offshore Drilling
As you likely know, the Trump Administration has announced a proposal to open nearly all U.S. coastal waters to oil and gas drilling, including along the coast of Maine. Our coast is essential to Maine’s natural and cultural heritage, critical to our wildlife, our economy, and our daily lives. Drilling offshore puts us all — […]
Is the Endangered Species Act an endangered species?
As a biologist and the director of Maine Audubon’s Coastal Birds Project, I see first-hand how essential the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) is for protecting our most at-risk flora and fauna. The Piping Plover is listed as a threatened species under the ESA. As a listed species, that means we get the resources and […]
Oil drilling in the Arctic will spoil coastal plains
On November 27, 2017, Maine Audubon’s wildlife biologist Susan Gallo wrote an�op-ed for the Bangor Daily News�on the need to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling.� � Despite urging from Maine Audubon and the environmental community, Senator Collins voted for a tax bill that would allow drilling in the Refuge. It’s not […]
My DC “Fly in” to protect ANWR for wildlife
Although Maine Audubon’s lens is usually (and rightly) focused on wildlife and habitat issues within the state of Maine, there are times when issues “from away” warrant our time and attention. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is one of those. Maine is an unparalleled fall destination for visitors from near and far — and […]
Action Alert: Last chance to speak up in defense of Maine’s new National Monument
We have a few days left to weigh in with our comments in support of�the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument.�Your comments can help ensure this new national monument remains a protected piece of Maine’s landscape. The Department of Interior (DOI) is accepting public comments as part of the Trump administration’s review of national monument […]