Latest news with #StacyBrenner
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine will wait to see how other states' climate superfunds fare before considering its own
A house on Fortune's Rocks beach in Biddeford, Maine tilts after a series of severe coastal storms in winter 2024. The house was later torn down. (Photo by Maine Morning Star) With other states tied up in a federal legal battle, Maine lawmakers are opting to pump the brakes on an effort to hold fossil fuel companies accountable to see how those other cases play out. The Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted Wednesday to carry over one of the two bills that would establish a superfund for large fossil fuel companies to pay for infrastructure repairs, resiliency efforts and other costs in the rural and low-income communities disproportionately affected by flooding and other disasters. Before the committee voted unanimously to ask the presiding officers to carry the bill into the second regular session that begins in January, Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland) quoted a constituent of hers, Bob Monks, who recently died. Monks was known for his activism around good corporate governance and multiple U.S. Senate runs. Brenner said his idea that 'if you ran an elephant company, you would always clean up after your elephants,' captured the spirit of her bill. 'We need support to clean up after the elephants,' she added. However, Brenner agreed that it makes sense to wait until next year so the state has time to track what happens with the pending federal lawsuits before moving forward. Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim made a similar suggestion during the public hearing for LD 1870. Vermont and New York have already passed similar superfund legislation. However, those states, as well as Hawaii and Michigan, have subsequently been sued for those policies, including by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department said the lawsuits are also meant to advance an executive order from President Donald Trump that targets state and local policies involving climate change, environmental justice and carbon emissions reductions. Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) said his biggest concern with LD 1870 is the ongoing legal backdrop, so he appreciated the time to gather more information before deciding what to do in Maine. Since the committee agreed they only need one legislative vehicle to take up this topic again next year, members rejected the other related bill, LD 1808 from Rep. Grayson Lookner (D-Portland). Instead, they sent a letter to the Department of Environmental Protection asking it to report back to the committee with an update on those lawsuits. Lookner suggested having the department look into whether Maine would go after the same companies as the other states and collect other data, such as how much it would cost to implement this sort of measure. Loyzim told the committee her department was already planning to track the lawsuits as they unfold. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers ignite debate over bill that may change what's legal to throw away: 'The Department has several substantial concerns'
The only New England state without a food waste ban could join its cohorts this year, but the bipartisan bill isn't without its detractors — and one of them may surprise you. As reported by the Maine Morning Star, state Sen. Stacy Brenner sponsored a bill that could help Maine recover much of its 360,000 tons of annual food waste, giving the Pine Tree State another tool to feed the 1 in 8 residents who struggle with hunger. If approved and signed into law, LD 1065 would ban "significant generators" of food waste from sending food to a landfill or an incinerator if they are within 20 miles of an organics recycler with available capacity in 2027. Two years later, that distance would stretch to 25 miles. Hospitals, food manufacturers, and schools are among the facilities that could qualify under LD 1065, which lawmakers see as a path toward Maine achieving its climate action goal of cutting food waste and loss in half by 2030. In addition to reducing heat-trapping pollution, recovering edible food and diverting other food to composting facilities could ultimately save consumers money, as Maine's 2024 Food Loss and Waste Generation Study determined that food measuring and tracking can aid in slashing operational costs. The other New England states of Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire passed their own food waste laws no later than 2023, per the Morning Star. However, a version of Maine's bill that would have gone into effect in July 2025 faltered in the last session, and the state's Department of Environmental Protection was a key opponent. "Although the Department fully supports the goals of food waste diversion, the Department has several substantial concerns regarding the feasibility, implementation, and cost of the approach proposed in this bill," the agency wrote for a March 2023 hearing. The DEP cited a need for more staff and better infrastructure as among the reasons for its dissent. The lack of infrastructure, in particular, could have posed a threat to public health — creating the possibility of improper food storage for long periods — while trucking waste to existing facilities would have been cost-prohibitive and could have resulted in more pollution. In April, Maine held a public hearing on LD 1065, and the bill is still making its way through the state legislature. What's the most common reason you end up throwing away food? Bought more than I could eat Went bad sooner than I expected Forgot it was in the fridge Didn't want leftovers Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While it is unclear if the law will be successful this time around, individuals can help the planet and maximize their budgets by reducing their food waste at home. They can do so by properly storing leftovers, freezing perishables to keep them fresh longer, and composting their food scraps. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine takes another shot at joining New England peers with proposed food waste ban
Annual food waste in Maine emits as much greenhouse gas as nearly 400,000 cars driven for one year. (Photo by Paul Mansfield Photography/ Getty Images) Maine is trying again to catch up with its regional peers by introducing legislation to prioritize donating and recycling food waste, rather than throwing it away. The Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee is holding a public hearing Wednesday morning for a bipartisan bill from Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland) that could help address Maine's mounting trash problem and greenhouse gas emissions by diverting food waste from landfills. Commonly called a food waste ban, Maine attempted similar legislation last session, but it died due to lack of funding. Thanks to a first-of-its-kind study in 2024, there is concrete data showing that more than 360,000 tons of food is wasted or lost in Maine annually. While much of that could be recovered to feed the one in eight Mainers who face hunger, it instead rots in landfills creating methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. LD 1065 would prohibit significant generators of food waste, which could include schools, hospitals, food producers and others, from disposing of food waste if they are close to a facility that could compost or otherwise dispose of the waste. Like the proposal last session, the bill outlines a gradual approach to expand the requirement based on someone's location and the amount of waste generated. If adopted, LD 1065 would initially cover entities that produce an annual average of two or more tons of food waste per week and are located within 20 miles of an organics recycler, starting July 1, 2027. In 2029, those parameters would be reduced to one or more tons per week and within 25 miles of an available recycling facility. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection opposed the proposal last session, saying it would require additional staff to help people understand if they are subject to the ban and how to comply. Additionally, the department argued that the state lacks the infrastructure for food waste collection, processing and composting for the ban to be effective. Brenner's proposal does not yet have a cost estimate, but the previous bill was estimated to cost upwards of $550,000 for five staff positions and other associated costs for the department. Currently, Maine is the only New England state without some version of a food waste ban. Advocates argue that adopting such a prohibition not only offers social and environmental benefits, but is crucial to achieve Maine's goal of cutting food loss and waste in half by 2030, as outlined in the state's most recent climate action plan. Connecticut was the first New England state to pass a food waste law back in 2011. Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island followed suit in the years after, and New Hampshire joined them in 2023. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southern Maine lawmakers want to repeal law authorizing controversial Gorham Connector
The proposed route of the Gorham Connector project that sought to expand suburban access to I-95. (Image via Maine Turnpike Authority) Lawmakers from southern Maine have banned together on legislation to scrap the controversial Gorham Connector project that sought to expand suburban access to I-95. While she knows the region needs a solution for traffic congestion driven by population growth, 'the connector is not the solution,' said Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland), lead sponsor on the bill that is set to have a public hearing before the Transportation Committee Thursday afternoon. In 2017, the Maine Legislature passed legislation that allowed the Turnpike Authority to review traffic conditions west of Portland in Gorham, Scarborough, South Portland and Westbrook and build a five-mile connector to mitigate backups. Then-Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the bill because it was a toll access road, but lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to override his objection. When that law was passed, traffic projections were much higher than what is seen today, Brenner said. Traffic modeling assumes steady growth, she explained, but the reality depends on shifts in commuting patterns, land use and transportation choices, so it's important to base infrastructure designs on the most up-to-date data. Brenner said she heard concerns from residents and key municipalities 'loudly' on the campaign trail last summer. Opponents have said it is too large of a fix for a problem that only occurs at limited times in certain areas, according to reporting from the Portland Press Herald. And Brenner also pointed out that any route for the connector would cut through Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, a family-owned dairy farm and valued part of the community. Preserving local businesses and working landscapes is important when planning for future transportation needs, she said. The Gorham Connector would have linked the Maine Turnpike at Exit 45 to the Gorham Bypass off Route 114. The intention was to improve the connection to the Turnpike and I-295 while reducing the commuter traffic on neighborhood roads. With an estimated cost of at least $330 million, Brenner said there should be careful consideration of the investment, especially when studies from the Turnpike Authority show a new highway would only reduce commute times by an average of four minutes. 'Repealing the law allows for a fresh approach to transportation planning, ensuring that any future proposals align with community needs and priorities,' she said. 'Hundreds of constituents have contributed their time and voices into opposing this project and have asked for this bill to be brought forward.' LD 1020 would create that blank slate by repealing the 2017 law. It would also require the Turnpike Authority to resell any land purchased for the project back to the previous owner. If the previous owner doesn't want the property back, the bill stipulates that it would then be given to the municipality at no cost. If the municipality doesn't want the land, it would need to donate it to a local land trust. If they also don't want the land, then it can be offered for sale at a public auction. Other Democrats from that corner of the state have signed on to the bill, including Sen. Anne Carney of Cumberland County, and Reps. Drew Gattine of Westbrook, Kelly Murphy and Sophie Warren of Scarborough, as well as Eleanor Sato and Parnell Terry of Gorham. Rep. Laurie Osher (D-Orono) is also a cosponsor. Transportation officials agreed in early March to consider alternative plans for addressing traffic west of Portland. The Turnpike Authority asked the Maine Department of Transportation to do a two-year comprehensive review of the benefits and limitations of changing the existing infrastructure, as well as gather input from people affected by the traffic in that area. Although the landscape has evolved due to factors such as changes in post-pandemic commuting and the state's housing crisis, the Turnpike Authority said there could still be a need for an 'innovative transportation solution' for that area. Rather than expanding highways, Brenner said there should be an effort to strengthen existing urban areas, improve mobility options and support local economies. 'Thoughtful, data-driven planning will help ensure the best outcomes for the region's future,' she said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker wants Maine to help farmers hurt by federal funding freeze
Feb. 28—A state lawmaker has submitted an after-deadline bill to create a state-funded, no-interest loan program to help Maine farmers struggling to survive a federal funding freeze that has left them on the hook for at least $1 million in unreimbursed expenses. Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, says Maine farmers shouldn't face financial ruin for believing the U.S. Department of Agriculture would honor long-term contracts through agricultural programs that have enjoyed bipartisan support, some of which date to the Dust Bowl era. Maine can't afford to lose any more farms, said Brenner, who is herself a flower farmer. Famous for its potato and wild blueberry crops, Maine had lost 500 farms and 80,000 acres of farmland from 2017-22, according to the last agricultural census. "The best way to protect farmland is to keep it in production," said Brenner, who was named president of the Maine Farmland Trust in December. "Our farms operate on very slim margins. We can't expect them to absorb the kinds of losses caused by the federal funding freeze." A diverse group of farmers from across Maine gathered at Fork Food Lab in South Portland, to protest these federal funding losses. The group included novices and veterans, flower and food growers, and those who tended farms as small as an acre to some who run full-scale dairies. One by one, they stepped up to a podium above a small green sign that read "honor the contracts, pay the farmers!" to detail their anxiety and anger about the Trump administration's impoundment of promised reimbursements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Alyssa Adkins, a third-year Freeport farmer, said her partner had just decided to leave his day job to work full-time at Farthest Field Farm. They fear one USDA conservation grant will be canceled and don't know if they'll be reimbursed for tens of thousands already spent on two other grants. "Starting a farm is very expensive," said Adkins, who could be facing up to $30,000 in losses. "This hampers our efficiency and ability to scale up, which can be crippling for small farms like us. Without help getting off the ground, the number of farms will inevitably shrink over time." The Milkhouse Farm & Creamery in Monmouth is awaiting reimbursement for money spent installing a 27-kilowatt solar array to offset the cost of electricity needed to operate the 250-acre dairy, beef and hog farm, said co-owner Caitlin Frame. Among other markets, it supplies yogurt to eight school districts. "Unless this is quickly remedied, it will no doubt put some small farms out of business," Frame said. "Maine dairy farmers are not members of the financially insulated millionaires and billionaires class. Even if these funds are eventually released, the delays alone will be financially catastrophic." 'WHY AM I EVEN DOING THIS?' Michael Levine, a novice farmer who tends a half-acre of organic vegetables in Hollis, said the freeze has left him feeling disheartened. Without grants, its hard for a beginning farmer to justify expensive conservation practices even though they know the long-term benefits. "Without subsidies, it takes away the incentive to do it," Levine said. "Honestly, it takes away the motivation to be a farmer when you think your government isn't going to help you out at all. ... Some days you wake up in the morning and you think, 'Why am I even doing this? What's the point?'" In time, funding cuts and farm closures will lead to higher food prices for Maine residents, farmers said. "It's something that will creep up," said Kevin Leavitt, an organic vegetable farmer in West Gardiner waiting on a $45,000 reimbursement check for a newly installed solar array. "If we don't have faith in what we're going to have for income, obviously we're going to have to increase prices." They are among thousands of U.S. farmers, including Mainers, hit hard by President Donald Trump's cost-cutting directives, including an executive order that froze funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, which, among other things, paid farmers to conserve soil and water and adopt renewable energy. Nearly every farmer works with the USDA in some way, usually on an everyday basis, through technical assistance programs or loans and grants to expand their business, drill wells or adopt conservation methods, said Sarah Alexander of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, which organized the event in South Portland. Most USDA grant programs require farmers to sign a government contract detailing conditions to be met to get reimbursed for costs of approved projects. But last month, the USDA joined other federal agencies in announcing it was freezing funds — even those already promised — while it reviewed its programs. The funding freeze was announced on Jan. 27 when the Office of Management and Budget sent a memo requiring agencies to identify and pause funding to programs that violated Trump's executive orders on topics ranging from foreign aid to "woke ideology" and the "green new deal." YET TO BE PAID A federal judge has ordered those federal funds to be released, and the USDA has said it plans to comply, but Alexander said Friday that Maine farmers have yet to be paid — and the amount of unreimbursed expenses for projects already approved by signed USDA contracts exceeds $1 million. That is just a fraction of the amount owed Maine farmers in these multiyear USDA contracts, Alexander said. One conservation program alone distributed $12 million to Maine farmers in 2024, she said. When all is considered, the contractual losses likely exceed $100 million in Maine alone. Brenner said her proposed bill won't solve all of these farmers' problems, but, if approved and funded by the Legislature, it might help the farmers survive until the Trump administration finishes its program review and the USDA abides by a court order to disburse its contractually obligated funds. The bill is so new that it has yet to be printed. Because it was submitted after the Jan. 10 deadline for new legislation, the bill needs approval from the Legislative Council before it can be presented to the Legislature for likely referral to the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. Even if allowed in, there are still a lot of details in the bill to be worked out, including how it would be funded, if the loans would be forgiven if the federal funds are never released and who is eligible to apply, those promised USDA grants or only those who have already spent contractually obligated funds. Copy the Story Link
