This op-ed by Maine Audubon Executive Director Andy Beahm and The Nature Conservancy in Maine State Director Kate Dempsey appeared in the October 16, 2018 edition of the Bangor Daily News. Hydro line project doesn’t go far enough to mitigate conservation concerns By Kate Dempsey and Andy Beahm, Special to the BDN – October 16, […]
Policy & Advocacy
Congress Has Let the Land & Water Conservation Fund Expire
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has expired. Congress failed to reauthorize the program over the weekend, meaning the 52-year-old fund is no longer collecting money to conserve parks, forests, watersheds, recreation areas, and open spaces as of this week. At the time of my writing, this critical conservation tool has lost out on […]
Honoring Dick Anderson with a Congressional Proclamation
Last weekend, we set sail on the 50th anniversary voyage of our Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay boat trip (it was an incredible day — you can read about it in Nick’s excellent write-up). We saw 47 Bald Eagles, which is a thrill in and of itself…but the highlight of the day was having an […]
Maine Audubon Members and Supporters Say NO! to Changes to the ESA
Many thanks to the hundreds of Maine Audubon members and supporters who submitted comments opposing the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the rules implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA)! Today, we dropped your comments in the mail. They’re on their way to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce, where they’ll become […]
Talking about the ESA with Sen. King’s and Sen. Collins’ Staff
On September 5, Coastal Bird Project Director Laura Minich Zitske and I, along with a few allies in the environmental advocacy community, met with staff members from Senator Collins’ and Senator King’s offices in Portland and Scarborough, respectively. As Maine Audubon members and supporters are well aware, Congressional and administrative threats to the Endangered Species […]
Action Alert: Submit Your Comments in Defense of the Endangered Species Act
The Trump Administration has proposed to dramatically weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Since 1973, the ESA has succeeded in preventing the extinction of 99 percent of fish, plant, and wildlife species listed, and benefited countless others that depend on the habitats the law has helped protect. Despite the Endangered Species Act’s successful track record […]
A Walk and Talk about the Endangered Species Act
Last week brought what could be the most comprehensive attacks to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) we have ever seen. Legislative proposals in Congress and proposed rule changes from the Executive Branch would do everything from bar specific animals from being listed as endangered for a decade, to removing text in the ESA that specifies […]
The Supreme Court and Maine’s Wildlife
Environmental Law is an incredibly important field. It defines how the nation views and treats the natural realm, and it demonstrates to the world our values with respect to the environment. Here in Maine, environmental laws protect livelihoods, as so many of our careers and lifestyles depend on clean air, clear streams, and intact landscapes. […]
Take Action: Important Land Conservation Tool to Expire in September
One of the nation’s most important land conservation funding tools will expire on September 30th — unless we take action. For more than 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has protected wildlife and habitat in every state. Without action from Congress, this bipartisan program will expire. Maine’s Congressional delegation has consistently supported […]