Maine Metallic Open Pit Mining Rules Pub Hearing October 17th, Augusta Civic Center.

LD 1853 stripped the environmental safeguards out of Maine's metallic mining laws and regulations, which had been in effect for 30 years. 

Now the state must implement rules to interpret the law. Maine's very pro-mining Commissioner of Environmental Protection has come up  these draft Rules for Metallic Mineral Exploration, Advanced Exploration and Mining.

On October 17th starting 9am the Maine  Board of Environmental Protection  will hold a public hearing on these rule changes starts at  the Augusta Civic Center. 

More details from NRCM.... More details from Maine Audubon  

Listen to recordings of  two  March 2013 public hearings on LD 1853

Open pit metal mining: Maine legislature grapples with last minute bill. AUDIO of hearing and worksession

On March 13th and 14th the Maine legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee has heard and received testimony and emails for or against  LD 1853 "An Act To Improve Environmental Oversight and Streamline Permitting for Mining in Maine"  (See the amended bill of March 14, 2012, introduced by Rep John Martin (pdf) )

LD1853 would rewrite regulationof non-ferrous metal mining, in which  chemicals are used to leach nickel, zinc and copper from  ore, leaving toxic tailings in "capped" waste ponds.  Listen to a  3 minute description of what would happen to the Alder Pond site.by a mining industry expert spoken as a response the committee chair's request

LISTEN 3/13/12 Hearing on Bill 

*. Intro on bill 2min 40seconds
* Commissioner Aho 13 minutes 
.* Aho Q&A 28min 
 * John Martin
* Jim Mitchell  20min
* Ted Johnson 2 min 15 seconds
*.Mining experts Butler and   Ingersoll to close of meeting. 15minutes 

3/14/12 Worksession on LD 1853l
1. Introduction to meeting
2. Rep John Martin  bill sponsor 
3. John Martin Q&A   
4. Tom Doyle. Pierce Atwood  Part 1 13min
5. Tom Doyle  Pierce Atwood Part 2 
5. Hanrahan . JD Irving Company 14min
6. Jim Mitchell. 20 minutes
* John Martin on history of Maine mining. 9 minutes

MORE TO COME! STAY TUNED.