skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hegseth could lead troops who'd face getting fired for actions he's done in the past; Strong Santa Ana winds return for SoCal; Southeast Asian refugees in MA fear deportation, seek Biden pardon; RSV rise puts Indiana hospitals on alert; CT lawmakers urged to focus on LGBTQ+ legislation.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Special Counsel's report says Donald Trump would have been convicted for election interference. Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth faces harsh questioning from Senate Democrats, and law enforcement will be increased for next week's inauguration.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities, and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Environmentalists Fault Certification of CMP Corridor

play audio
Play

Thursday, January 9, 2020   

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Environmentalists say the Land Use Planning Commission's decision to certify a proposed power transmission corridor through Maine forests disregards the enormous harm it would do.

The proposed corridor would carry hydroelectric power from Quebec to Massachusetts along a route through the largest contiguous temperate forest in the country.

On Wednesday, the LUPC certified that the Central Maine Power Company's proposal complies with all applicable land-use standards.

But according to Sue Ely, clean energy attorney at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, evidence presented by expert witnesses during the approval process told a different story.

"It would have negative impacts on Maine's brook trout, cause significant habitat fragmentation in the north woods, and it would also have dramatic visual and recreational impacts in the region," she points out.

Central Maine Power says the project would benefit the climate by reducing carbon emissions, but opponents say there is no evidence that it would have that effect.

Ely says the proposed transmission line would simply be redirecting power from existing sources along a different route through Maine.

"Hydro-Quebec themselves have stated over and over again that this is existing hydropower, that they would build no new facilities," Ely points out.

Local municipalities impacted by the corridor also have a say. Twenty-five towns already have voted to oppose or rescind their support for the project.

A 2019 poll found 65% of Mainers are opposed to construction of the corridor, and Ely points out that those who spoke at public hearings on the project overwhelmingly opposed it.

"There were also a very large number of written comments that were submitted, and the majority of those were also negative," she states.

The LUPC certification was forwarded to the state's Department of Environmental Protection, where regulators will decide whether or not to grant a permit.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
In December, the Oregon Investment council found the state's Public Employee Retirement System returned 2.7%, which lagged other states and its benchmark, in part because of fewer public investments. (Ded Pixto/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A new bill aims to further reduce investments in fossil fuels by Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System. The Pause Act would impose a five-year …


play sound

As the popular role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons turns 50, one Colorado State University instructor suggests today's political leaders could …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan's tipped wage system is on the brink of extinction, with changes set to take effect next month after a state Supreme Court ruling last year …


According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants make up more than 22% of Florida's population, with undocumented residents comprising nearly 4%, contributing significantly to the state's economy and workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Florida has been a key battleground in the national immigration debate, with past legislation banning sanctuary cities and requiring companies to use …

Social Issues

play sound

A proposed amendment to strip Chicago of its sanctuary protections is scheduled to be voted on this week. The change to the Welcome City Ordinance …

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation estimated the United States is home to 2 million transgender people. (Sabrina/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A California nonprofit dedicated to helping transgender and gender-nonconforming people find good jobs is looking to expand its mission in 2025…

Social Issues

play sound

Members of the Texas Legislature are back in Austin for its 89th legislative session. After newly elected lawmakers are sworn in, members will vote …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A coalition of Montana groups will rally at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for the protection of Medicaid expansion, which legislators will debate …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021