Maine Currents Special 10/17/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: John Greenman

Local journalist Lawrence Reichard joins us with a report back from his recent trip to the home of Nordic Aquafarms. He traveled to Norway and Denmark to learn more about the company that plans to build a giant land based salmon aquaculture facility in Belfast. We hear what he discovered, and take questions and comments from listeners.

Reichard’s column, Bricks and Mortars appears in the Republican Journal, and can be found online at waldo.villagesoup.com
FMI or to sign up to receive Bricks and Mortars via email, contact Lawrence Reichard at [email protected]

Maine Currents 9/6/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Public Speaks at “Maine Speaks on Climate and Cars: The Citizens’ Hearing”, an NRCM event held in Bangor on August 28th, 2018

In August, the EPA announced plans to weaken fuel efficiency standards by freezing them at current levels– rather than following rules passed during the Obama administration that would make them tougher over time. The plan would also prevent states from setting their own stronger standards (as many already have, including Maine). The stated rationale is that small cars are not as safe as bigger vehicles, and that stronger standards make vehicles more expensive. Critics of the proposal argue that pollution and climate change demand stronger, not weaker, laws. A 60 day period for public comment on the proposal is currently underway. Last week the Natural Resources Council of Maine held an event in Bangor called “Maine Speaks on Climate and Cars: The Citizens’ Hearing”, and recorded public comments to be shared with the EPA. Today on Maine Currents we bring you there. This meeting was held on an evening when poor air quality warnings had been issued for the following day here in Maine, a fact you’ll hear mentioned by some of the speakers.

FMI:

More info from the NRCM: Critics in Maine Decry Trump Administration Plan to Ease Rules for Auto Emissions and Efficiency- NRCM

More info from the EPA, including instructions for submitting comments: The Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Proposed Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 -EPA

Maine Currents Special 7/25/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: John Greenman

Questions and concerns about the proposed salmon aquaculture facility in Belfast

Guests:
Ellie Daniels, Belfast business owner, abutting property owner and member of Local Citizens for SMART Growth
Lawrence Reichard, freelance columnist whose column Bricks and Mortars appears in the Republican Journal , [email protected]

Note: Nordic Aquafarms and a Belfast City Council member who supports this proposal were invited to participate in this program but declined.

Previous coverage of local salmon aquaculture proposals on Maine Currents can be found at the following links:
archives.weru.org/maine-currents/2018/03/maine-currents-112117-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/
archives.weru.org/maine-currents/2018/04/maine-currents-112117-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/
archives.weru.org/maine-currents/2018/06/maine-currents-112117-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/

Maine Currents Special 6/20/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by Matt Murphy

John Hodgman speaking in Blue Hill, Maine about his most recent book, Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches which was just released in paperback

Actor, humorist, author and podcaster John Hodgman summers here in this part of Maine- which is how the area became the subject of his most recent book Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches. The crowd at the Blue Hill Library on May 29th were very appreciative and immediately called off their plans for that special trip to the Blue Hill fairgrounds. (Shhh! Don’t tell!)

FMI: www.johnhodgman.com/

Maine Currents 6/7/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: John Greenman

Supporters and Opponents Weigh in on the Nordic Aquafarms Proposal to Build a Facility in Belfast

On recent Maine Currents programs we’ve done some reporting on the proposals to build land-based salmon aquaculture facilities in Bucksport and Belfast. Today we follow up with a closer look at the Belfast proposal which seems to be drawing a lot more controversy.

Guests:
Ellie Daniels, Belfast business owner and resident
Mike Hurley, Belfast City Councilor
Jim Merkel, Belfast resident, author of Radical Simplicity Small Footprints on a Finite Earth (2003)
Ted O’Meara, Nordic Aquafarms spokesperson

FMI:
Nordic Aquafarm’s “Belfast Questions and Answers”
Local Citizens for SMART Growth facebook page
City of Belfast’s Nordic Aquafarms project info page
The Big Weird World of Salmon Aquafeed – Free Press article by Christine Parrish that was briefly mentioned on the show

Nordic Aquafarms will host a public informational meeting featuring a panel discussion on aquaculture and Maine fisheries at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast on Tuesuday, 06/12/2018 at 6:00pm. See PenBay Pilot for more information

Maine Currents Special 5/30/18

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Audio recorded by Matt Murphy

The Unveiling of Robert Shetterly’s “Americans Who Tell the Truth” Portrait of Rob McCall in Blue Hill, Maine on May 12th, 2018

For more information on Americans Who Tell the Truth and to see the portrait of Rob McCall: www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/rob-mccall

Awanadjo Almanack airs at 7:30 a.m. every Friday on WERU-FM (and can also be heard on our live stream at www.weru.org). Listen to past episodes at: archives.weru.org/category/awanadjo-almanack/

For more information on the Blue Hill Heritage Trust: bluehillheritagetrust.org/