RadioActive 4/30/15

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic:Maine’s legislature works to relax mining standards

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today we speak with two citizen activists on current legislative proceedings aimed at relaxing state environmental standards to allow metallic mining in Maine.
b) This week the Maine legislature’s joint committee on Environment and Natural Resources has been in work sessions, reconfiguring a new bill based closely on rule changes proposed by JD Irving, the company seeking to mine Bald Mountain in Aroostook County. In this session, the ENR Committee has reviewed mining bills LD 146 and LD 750. The current bill retains the number LD 750, but no longer contains the stringent environmental and financial stipulations of it’s original sponsor, Rep. Ralph Chapman.
c) A public hearing on the new LD 750 will be held on May 11th, 9:00 am at the Augusta State House Cross Building, Room 216.

Guests:
Lew Kingsbury, environmental activist
Dennis Chinoy, activist, volunteer Power In Community Alliances (PICA)

www.pica.ws
www.maineminingwatch.org
www.nrcm.org

Mining is on Augusta’s agenda. Public hearing, reality TV or charades?

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Notes from the Electronic Cottage 4/30/15

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Section 215 of the Patriot Act will expire on June 1 unless it is renewed. In the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations about the historically unparalleled level of surveillance of Americans that this part of the Patriot Act has authorized, a lot of people don’t think it should be renewed, at least in its present form. Perhaps that is why Mitch McConnell quietly submitted, with no public announcement, a reauthorization bill that would extend the act as it is for five more years, and then invoked Senate rule 14 to bypass public committee hearings on the bill. Those who have an opinion on S.1035 might want to let their elected representatives know – and pronto!

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Maine Arts Alive 4/28/15

Host: Michael Donahue
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Promoting Maine Arts & Artists

Participants: Anthony Anderson, President & Publisher, Maine Gallery Guide & Studio Guide
Maureen Farr, Publisher, Arts Guide
Julie A. Richard, Executive Director, Maine Arts Commision, Art Walk Maine

Key Discussion Points: History and present use of guides throughout Maine, current state of Arts in Maine

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