March 31, 2023 AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Maine Forest Service (MFS) announced the expansion of its Emergency Order restricting the movement of ash trees, green ash waste, ash firewood, and any other materials that may be a means of emerald ash border (EAB) transportation. The expansion follows the discovery of EAB infestations in […]
March 28, 2023 Augusta, ME – The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced today that it will utilize an $800,000 Federal grant to expand the Maine Senior FarmShare Program. The program provides low-income older adults the opportunity to receive up to a $50 share of fresh, local produce at no cost directly from Maine farmers. Augusta, ME – The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced today that it will utilize an $800,000 Federal grant to expand the Maine Senior FarmShare Program. The program provides low-income older adults the opportunity to receive up to a $50 share of fresh, local produce at no cost directly from Maine farmers. DACF estimates that the additional funding will […]
March 30, 3023 Lawsuits Filed Against 3M and DuPont for Role in “Forever Chemical” Contamination AUGUSTA- Attorney General Aaron Frey announced today the filing of two lawsuits against manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroakyl substances or “PFAS” and PFAS-containing products. The complaints allege that the manufacturers, DuPont and 3M, among others, have known for decades that PFAS pose serious risks to human health and the environment, but instead promoted their PFAS products as safe and appropriate for widespread use in Maine. The suits allege that the defendant manufacturers knew of the science of PFAS toxicity decades ago but concealed that information from the public and continued to manufacture, sell and profit from their products containing these chemicals. “The defendant manufacturers have willfully introduced […]
March 31, 2023 The $9.8 billion baseline budget will go into law by July 1, averting the potential of a State shutdown AUGUSTA – On Thursday, the Maine Legislature enacted a continuing services budget. The budget measure — LD 424, “An Act Making Certain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of […]
March 31, 2023 The White House says Jill Biden will be coming to Maine next week. The first lady will be traveling to Maine and Vermont on Wednesday, according to the White House. “During the visits, the first lady will highlight how career-connected learning and workforce training programs are central to the Biden Education Pathway, and the importance of investing in these programs that are preparing high school and community college students for jobs created by the president’s Investing in America agenda,” the White House said in a statement. Biden will join Mills with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona at around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday to tour the Southern Maine Community College campus in South Portland. The First Lady’s […]
March 25, 2023 The $9.8 billion baseline budget includes no new initiatives AUGUSTA – On Friday March 24, the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee approved a continuing services budget. The vote was unanimous among present members. The budget measure — LD 424, “An Act Making Certain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations […]
March 26th Maine maple producers will be hosting the 40th annual Maine Maple Sunday. To find a location to visit go HERE. Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy the great State of Maine and everything that it has to offer, including Maine Maple Syrup. Most sugarhouses offer maple syrup samples and demonstrations on how pure Maine maple syrup is made. Many farms offer games, activities, treats, sugarbush tours, music, and so much more. Maine Maple Sunday is always the fourth Sunday in March although some sugarhouses are offering events for both Saturday and Sunday. Please be sure to read the description of each sugarhouse to know what times they will be open and the activities they […]
March 10, 2023 Funding will Benefit Meat and Poultry Processors in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack on March 6, 2023 announced the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $89 million across the country to finance the startup and expansion of independent meat processors. USDA also announced initial steps the Department is taking to create a more competitive marketplace for seeds and other agricultural inputs. In Maine, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., (CEI) is receiving a total of $8 million in grant funds through the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program (MPILP). USDA Rural Development Maine State Director Rhiannon Hampson said, “As a farmer myself, I deeply understand the need for additional processing infrastructure here in Maine, and greater New […]
03/23/2023 The Maine Attorney General’s office has learned of an active online scam involving the fraudulent sale of used and/or antique motor vehicles where scammers are using the names of Maine businesses and individuals associated with those businesses to advertise vehicles for sale and to get unwitting buyers to wire thousands of dollars for vehicles they will never receive. The scammers are registering fraudulent website domains using the names of these Maine businesses and are using email addresses associated with those domains. Although they do not appear to be physically based in Maine, the scammers are using phone numbers with 207 area codes. The scammers are also using documents that appear legitimate, including Bills of Sale with details about […]
March 16, 2023 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representative Chellie Pingree announced that the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head will receive a total of $1,677,812 to make infrastructure improvements. This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support the construction of 800 feet of new taxi lane to expand access to the airport’s new hangar area. “Maine’s airports […]
Lawsuit accuses the FDA of ignoring more than a quarter century of science showing that mifepristone is extremely safe March 9, 2023 AUGUSTA – Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined a multistate federal lawsuit against the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) accusing it of singling out one of the two drugs used for medication abortions for excessively burdensome regulation, despite ample evidence that the drug is safer than Tylenol. The lawsuit, led by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum, was originally filed on February 23, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. The original complaint included twelve states: Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, […]
March 6, 2023 Governor Janet Mills and Maine Maple Producers Association President Lyle Merrifield today tapped the Blaine House Maple Tree ahead of the 40th annual Maine Maple Sunday Weekend later this month. “Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is an opportunity for us all to celebrate the world class products – and people – that make Maine unique. Our iconic maple syrup […]
February 28, 2023 WASHINGTON — The bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) urging the Biden Administration to provide F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine grew to 16 Members as Kiev continues its fight against Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion one year into the conflict. “…[W]e write to respectfully request that your Administration provide Ukraine with increased air […]
EPA seeks input on Inflation Reduction Act programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction materials and products January 19, 2023 WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first opportunities for public input on new programs focused on lower carbon construction materials made possible by a $350 million investment from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The Agency will hold three public webinars and will accept written feedback on establishing new grant and technical assistance programs, and a carbon labeling program for construction materials with substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions. “The Inflation Reduction Act represents a historic commitment to build a new clean energy economy, powered by American workers and manufacturers in partnership with […]
December 29, 2022 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released the following information on certain clean vehicle provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. The information provides greater clarity to consumers and businesses that, beginning January 1, 2023, will be able to access tax benefits from the law’s clean vehicle provisions. In addition to the above […]
December 28, 2022 AUGUSTA, Maine — The 131st legislature’s Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, and Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, announced their Joint Standing Committees, each consisting of 13 members. Agricultural, Conservation and Forestry Appropriations and Financial Affairs Rotundo is among lawmakers who have served on the appropriations committee many times before and as the committee’s chair. Criminal […]
Maine Insights Newsmagazine 