RadioActive 3/28/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Metallic Mining in Maine and El Salvador

Key Discussion Points:
a) Last legislative session, an effort spearheaded by Irving resulted in legislation directing Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection to over haul state mining laws to make it easier for the exploitation of gold, copper, silver and zinc. Though the impetus is a project at Bald Mountain in Arookstook County, the changes will open up mining at number of locations across the state with metallic metals.
b) The country of El Salvador, based on past experiences within their own borders and the experiences of communities in neighboring countries in Central America, has kept a resurgence of gold mining at bay, through government action, pushed by an unparallelled social movement. Around the globe the effects of mining include water over use, severe water pollution and it’s ensuing health impacts, and the human rights abuses and violence perpetrated against anti-mining activists by myriad factions in support of mining companies.
c) US El Salvador Sister Cities, and it’s local affiliate Power in Community Alliances (PICA), is hosting a speaking tour by Salvadoran anti mining activists. They will present along with Natural Resources Council of Maine staff scientist Nick Bennett, on the parallels between Maine and Salvadoran mining prospects and resistance.

Guest:
Jan Morrill, Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), past US El Salvador Sister Cities staff, and organizer with El Salvador’s National Table on Metallic Mining. She is originally from Maine.

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RadioActive 2/21/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: The Idle No More Movement

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Idle No More movement has roots in a series of recent draconian policy changes, initiated by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, which seek to dramatically change the status of First Nations within Canada’s borders. The passage of laws C-38 and C-45 have cleared the way for the Canadian government to to seek so-called agreements with First Nations communities and individuals which would reduce their status to that of municipalities, erase treaty agreements, and dismantle communal lands.
b) Panelists at a talk at the University of Maine in Orono, underlined these changes would allow for unfettered access to natural resources and the transmission of pipelines, including and specifically for tar sands oil.

c) The Idle No More movement has served as a flashpoint for ongoing social movements for indigenous rights and sovereignty and environmental justice. Solidarity actions and organizing have taken place across North America in support of First Nations.,but also to highlight the ongoing struggles of indigenous people globally. In Maine, tribal members, and others, have been engaging in actions, education and organizing around the central issues of Idle No More.

Guests:
Sheri Mitchell, founder and director of the Land Peace Foundation, Professor of — at University of Maine at Orono and member of the Penobscot Nation
Gkissitanemook, member of the Wapanoag tribe, professor of native Studies and Peace Studies at the University of Maine at Orono.

FMI:

Penobscot Nation puts support behind Canadian tribes fighting law changes

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/01/04/f-idlenomore-faq.html

www.bangorbytes.com/2013/01/wabanaki-flash-mob-hits-bangor-mall-in.html

indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/idle-no-more-gaining-momentum-and-forming-plan-action-146581

bangordailynews.com/2013/01/05/news/portland/native-americans-indigenous-peoples-say-they-will-be-idle-no-more-at-portland-rally/

www.abbemuseum.blogspot.com/

www.tgmag.ca/magic/mt3.html

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RadioActive 2/14/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: A talk on Detroit and transforming and re-imagining cities and communities

Key Discussion Points:

a) Activist, professor, columnist and co-founder of Detroit Summer, Shea Howell, spoke at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor.

b) Howell talks about how even as Detroit has struggled with de-industrialization, impoverishment and abandonment, that many in the city see this as an opportunity.. She says Detroit’s visionary activism can serve as a model. She outlines Detroit initiatives like the growing urban agriculture movement, and programs such as Detroit Future Media, Detroit Future School, Detroit Future Youth and Detroit Summer.

c)Founded in 1992, by Grace Lee Boggs,Jimmy Boggs and others,Detroit Summer was based on the idea that the people of Detroit, including and specifically the youth, had the energy and creativity to build a stronger future for Detroit through concerted, visionary community action.

Guest:
Shea Howell, Detroit activist, professor in Communication and Journalism at Oakland University in Michigan, weekly columnist for /The Michigan Citizen,/co-founder of Detroit Summer.

boggscenter.org/html/sheareader_html.html

About

detroitfuture.org/

michigancitizen.com/questions-for-detroit-works/

michigancitizen.com/critical-engagement/

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RadioActive 1/31/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Key Discussion Points:

a) On Monday, the Appropriations and Health and human Services Committees heard hours of testimony from numerous organizations and individuals on the potential impacts of the LePage administration’s curtailment order, the supplemental budget for fiscal year 20313 and some reference to the coming biennial budget.

b) DHHS commissioner Mary Mahew outlined the proposed supplemental cuts ate the hearing. These include the elimination of the medically Needy Program for seniors in need, but not yet enrolled in Private Non-Medical Institution services, cuts to the Low Cost Drugs for the Elderly and Disabled program and continuing curtailment cuts in substance abuse and mental health services.

c)One of the biggest proposed cuts in the supplemental budget is a cap on the amount the state will reimburse municipalities for there General Assistance (GA) distribution. The cap would be $10.2 million for fiscal year 2013.

Guests:

A) public testimonies before the Appropriations and Health and Human Services Committees

B) Sarah Gagne-Holmes, director of Maine Equal Justice Partners

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RadioActive 1/24/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Tar Sands demonstration in Bangor, organizing in Maine

Key Discussion Points:

a) Demonstrators in Bangor and across the region rallied to oppose the use of a northeast pipeline for tar sands oil. The Portland Montreal Pipe Line (PMPL) corporation has plans to reverse it’s 70 year old pipeline to transport tar sands from Montreal to Portland, Maine’s harbor.

b) The demonstration took place in front of a TD Bank. TD is one of the largest financiers of the Alberta tar sands developments. Canadians have opposed this industry because of forest destruction, contamination and health impacts, specifically on First nations communities. Both in the US and Canada, people have opposed tar sands pipelines, because of the proven increased risk of spills, the toxicity of the bitumen crude, and threat to drinking water. It takes three times as much energy to produce a barrel of tar sands oil then conventional oil. Scientist James Hansen warns the production and use of tars sands oil will precipitate “game over for climate change.

c) For the first time in it’s history, Sierra Club is planning to engage in direct action this February to oppose tar sands production and climate change.

Guests:
A) Demonstrators at tar sands protest in Bangor
B) Andy Burt, Sierra Club activist and environmental justice coordinator for Maine Council of Churches

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RadioActive 1/10/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: The LePage Medicaid cuts approved by the federal government; continuing efforts to eliminate BPA from food packaging in Maine

Key Discussion Points:
a) This week, the federal government gave a decision on the significant Maine Care cuts the LePage administration and the Republican led Maine legislature made last session.
b) The governor had hoped to make $20 million in cuts , but now is looking at $4 million. The cuts that have been allowed, however, will still cause 15,000 low income Mainers to lose their Maine Care health insurance and over 5,000 low income seniors and Mainers with disabilities to lose some coverage.
c)This summer a citizen initiative, signed by 900 Mainers, was presented to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) asking the board to pass a rule requiring that the toxic plastic additive Bishenol A (BPA) be removed from bay and toddler food packaging sold in Maine. The board is slated to make a decision this month.

Govenor LePage issued a memo last week requesting the BEP to deny the ban on BPA in toddler food packaging.

Guests:
Sarah Gagne Holmes, executive director of Maine Equal Justice Partners , www.mejp.org
Emma Halas-O’Conner, grassroots organizer with the Environmental Health Strategy Center, www.preventharm.org

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RadioActive 1/3/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Program Topic: Reaction to Fiscal Cliff Deadline; Occupy Sandy relief work; Rally of Unity on first day of Maine’s 126th Legislature; update on Bisphenol-A ban

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today we look at the state of the union after the so called fiscal cliff deadline.
b)We peak with a Maine activist who participated in Occupy Sandy relief work .
c)And we speak with a participant in the Alliance for Common about the Janu 8th Rally for Unity in Augusta on the first day of Maine 126th Legislature.
d) Update: the Environmental Health Strategy Center reported today that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has recommended that the state Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) should reject a citizen petition to remove the toxic plastic additive Bisphenol-A , or BPA, from the packaging for baby and toddler food sold in Maine. The DEP did support the ban covering infant formula cans. The BEP has authority to make the final decision, despite administration recommendations. They meet on January 17th and take a final vote on January 24th. The legislature would have to approve any decision. We will cover this on future programs.

FMI: interoccupy.net/occupysandy/

Guests:
Kevin Simowitz, organizer with the Maine Peoples Alliance www.mainepeoplesalliance.org/
Mary Brennan, Maine resident and WERU volunteer, volunteer with Occupy Sandy in New York
Chris Buchanan, organizer with Defending Water for Life, Stop the East West Corridor, and the Alliance for a Common Good.

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RadioActive 12/13/12

Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Continuation of Fiscal Cliff Forum in Bangor

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today we continue with audio from the Fiscal Cliff Forum in Bangor, presented by Food AND Medicine, the Eastern Maine Labor Council and the Maine Peoples Alliance. The first half of the forum aired the day before on the WERU News Report.
b) The forum examines the potential and present cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and other social safety net programs.
c)Participants examine the impacts on MaineCare recipients, retired Mainers, and other low income Mainers.

Guests:
Garrett Martin, director of Maine Center for Economic Policy
Terry Lockhead, Alliance for Retired Americans
Emery Debay, vice president of Eastern Maine Labor Council, member of Maine Fair Trade Campaign
Jenna Doumalin, Maine Care recipient

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