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Paul LePage on Environment

 

 


Land preservation reduces tax revenue

Nearly 20% of our state is conserved from development. This is an area larger than Connecticut. In 1993, about 35,800 acres of land was owned by land trusts. That number has increased by an astonishing 1,270%. Land trusts now control more than half-a- million acres with an estimated value of over $400 million. Ask your local officials how much land in your community has been taken off the tax rolls. Ask them how much in tax revenue it would be contributing today to help reduce your property taxes.
Source: 2018 Maine State of the State address , Feb 13, 2018

Abstain from EPA petition to cut Midwest emissions

Environmental groups attacked Gov. Paul LePage for his refusal to sign a petition in favor of tough standards in nine states from which pollution affects air quality in Maine and other eastern states.

Governors in eight stats--including every New England state except Maine--have asked the US EPA to force states in the Midwest and South to reduce ozone-forming power plant emissions.

The LePage administration said Maine joined two other Ozone Protection Zone states--PA & NY--in abstaining from the petition, in part because Maine's air is already clean enough to meet federal standards: "Maine is in attainment with federal air standards and the largest source of impacts to Maine's air is actually from mobile sources, not stationary ones. DEP has strong reasons to believe that future state and federal pollution requirements will mean further overall emission reductions from mobile and stationary sources, and that the state will continue to meet the federal air standards."

Source: Bangor Daily News on 2014 Maine Governor race , Dec 9, 2013

Vetoed ban on foreign workers in logging industry

Excerpts from legislation: LD 491: An Act Regarding Timber Harvesting on Land Managed by the Division of Parks and Public Lands: This bill prohibits contracting for timber harvesting on land under [public] management if the contractor uses persons employed under the federal labor certification process for employment of foreign workers in logging for that purpose.

Excerpts from veto message: This bill reflects the same policy outlined in LD 284 from the 121st Legislature; it was vetoed by Governor Baldacci for the same reason: the bill is unconstitutional. I support Maine loggers working Maine lands. However, we must abide by our oaths to uphold the Constitutions of this State and the United States. For these reasons, I return LD 491 unsigned and vetoed.

Legislative outcome: Rollcall #291, June 17, 2013, veto override failed Senate 18-17 (2/3 required); RC #132 May 28, 2013, passed House 85-54; Veto Sustained.

Source: Maine legislative voting records: LD 491 , Jun 14, 2013

OpEd: Pro-business assault on environmental regulations

The extent of LePage's pro-business assault on workplace and environmental regulations and social services has been breathtaking. His extreme Tea Party agenda ran into opposition even from Republican legislators, particularly in relation to the environment. Mainers care about their forests, lakes, rivers, and coastline. LePage has not appealed to evangelicals, but his aggressive style has played well with Tea Party supporters.
Source: The Tea Party: A Brief History, by R. Formisano, p. 61 , Apr 4, 2012

Preserve shoreline, wetlands, & working forest

Preserving shoreline and wetlands is a win-win situation for both the adjoining working forest and recreation economy and the area's premier wildlife habitat. This is the kind of highly targeted state acquisition that is enhancing Maine's expansion in the eco-economy sector.
Source: 2011 gubernatorial press release #282184 , Aug 3, 2011

Change environmental laws to replace red tape with jobs

LePage sent to the Legislature's new Joint Select Committee on Regulatory Fairness and Reform 36 sweeping changes to environmental laws. LePage's submission ignited howls of protest from environmental groups, who had met with the governor in a forum to try to persuade him that environmental laws are good for the economy. "We are shocked and stunned," said the executive director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, one of the state's largest and oldest environmental advocacy groups.

LePage's proposals are based on a series of "red tape workshops" that the administration is holding with chambers of commerce to identify government rules that may dampen the state's business climate. "Job creation and investment opportunities are being lost because we do not have a fair balance between our economic interests and the need to protect the environment," LePage said in a written statement accompanying the list.

Source: Portland Press Herald on 2014 Maine gubernatorial race , Jan 25, 2011

Stop manufacturer recycling; start cost-benefit analyses

Some of the governor's proposals for environmental reform include:
  • Opening 10 million acres of northern Maine to development.
  • Revise the law so that manufacturers do not have to pay to recycle their consumer products.
  • Reverse a vote taken by the state Board of Environmental Protection to phase out the use of bisphenol A in children's products.
  • Making Maine's environmental laws conform to less stringent federal standards.
  • Requiring a cost-benefit analysis for all rulemakings.
  • Relaxing air emissions removal standards, especially for smaller projects.
  • Replacing the BEP with a system of administrative judges who would hear appeals of state Department of Environmental Protection staff decisions.
  • Allowing vertical building additions on sand dunes whether or not the entire building is on posts.
  • Requiring the DEP to act within 30 days of receiving applications for site development permits.
  • Source: Portland Press Herald on 2014 Maine gubernatorial race , Jan 25, 2011

    Endorsed Targeted as "Dirty Dozen" for anti-environmentalism.

    LePage is endorsed by in the "Dirty Dozen" by the League of Conservation Voters

    The League of Conservation Voters (LCV)'s trademark Dirty Dozen program targets candidates for Congress--regardless of party affiliation--who consistently vote against clean energy and conservation and are running in races in which LCV has a serious chance to affect the outcome. Since 1996, more than 60 percent of the Dirty Dozen have been defeated.

    Source: 2014 LCV Action Fund Senate Dirty Dozen website 14-LCV- on Aug 11, 2014

    Other governors on Environment: Paul LePage on other issues:
    ME Gubernatorial:
    Alan Caron
    Eliot Cutler
    James Boyle
    Janet Mills
    Kenneth Capron
    Mary Mayhew
    Michael Michaud
    Mike Thibodeau
    Shawn Moody
    Susan Rice
    ME Senatorial:
    Angus King
    Betsy Sweet
    Chris Lyons
    Eric Brakey
    Janet Mills
    Sara Gideon
    Susan Collins
    Susan Rice
    Zak Ringelstein
    		Gubernatorial Debates 2021:
    NJ: Incumbent Phil Murphy(D)
    vs.State Rep. Jack Ciattarelli(R)
    vs.Candidate Hirsh Singh(R)
    vs.GOP Hair Doug Steinhardt(R)
    VA: Incumbent Ralph Northam(D,term-limited)
    vs.A.G. Mark Herring(D)
    vs.State Sen. Amanda Chase(R)
    vs.Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax(D)
    vs.State Rep. Jennifer Carroll Foy(D)
    vs.State Rep. Lee Carter(D)
    vs.Former Governor Terry McAuliffe(D)
    vs.State Sen. Jennifer McClellan(D)
    vs.State Rep. Kirk Cox(R)

    Gubernatorial Debates 2022:
    AK: Incumbent Mike Dunleavy(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    AL: Incumbent Kay Ivey(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    AR: Incumbent Asa Hutchinson(R,term-limited)
    vs.Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin(R)
    vs.Trump Adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R)
    vs.A.G. Leslie Rutledge(R)
    AZ: Incumbent Doug Ducey(R,term-limited)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    CA: Incumbent Gavin Newsom(D)
    vs.S.D.Mayor Kevin_Faulconer(R)
    vs.Former Gov. nominee John Cox(R)
    CO: Incumbent Jared Polis(D)
    vs.Mayor Greg Lopez(R)
    CT: Incumbent Ned Lamont(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    FL: Incumbent Ron DeSantis(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Val Demings(? D)
    vs.Former Gov.Charlie Crist(? D)
    GA: Incumbent Brian Kemp(R)
    vs.Minority Leader Stacey Abrams(D)
    vs.Senate candidate Shane Hazel(L)
    HI: Incumbent David Ige(D,term-limited)
    vs.State Rep. Andria Tupola(R)
    IA: Incumbent Kim Reynolds(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Cindy Axne(? R)
    ID: Incumbent Brad Little(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    IL: Incumbent J. B. Pritzker(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    KS: Incumbent Laura Kelly(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    MA: Incumbent Charlie Baker(R)
    vs.Harvard Professor Danielle Allen(D)
    vs.State Sen.Ben Downing(D)
    MD: Incumbent Larry Hogan(R,term-limited)
    vs.State Rep. Robin Ficker(R)
    vs.State Rep. Peter Franchot(D)
    vs.DNC chair Thomas Perez(D)
    vs.RNC chair Michael Steele(? R)     		Gubernatorial Debates 2022 (continued):
    ME: Incumbent Janet Mills(D)
    vs.Former Gov. Paul LePage(R)
    MI: Incumbent Gretchen Whitmer(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    MN: Incumbent Tim Walz(DFL)
    vs.Mayor Mike Murphy(R)
    NE: Incumbent Pete Ricketts(R,term-limited)
    vs.U.S.Senator Bob Krist(R)
    NH: Incumbent Chris Sununu(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    NM: Incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    NV: Incumbent Steve Sisolak(D)
    vs.A.G.Adam Laxalt(? R)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Mark Amodei(? R)
    NY: Incumbent Andrew Cuomo(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    OH: Incumbent Mike DeWine(R)
    vs.Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley(? D)
    OK: Incumbent Kevin Stitt(R)
    vs.State Sen. Ervin Yen(R)
    OR: Incumbent Kate Brown(D,term-limited)
    vs.Gov. nominee Bud Pierce(R)
    PA: Incumbent Tom Wolf(D,term-limited)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Lou Barletta(? R)
    RI: Incumbent Gina Raimondo(D,term-limited)
    vs.Lt.Gov. Dan McKee(D)
    vs.Secy.Matt Brown(? D)
    SC: Incumbent Henry McMaster(R)
    vs.State Rep. James Emerson Smith(? D)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Joe Cunningham(? R)
    SD: Incumbent Kristi Noem(R)
    vs.State Rep. Billie Sutton(? D)
    TN: Incumbent Bill Lee(R)
    vs.Senate nominee Marquita Bradshaw(? D)
    TX: Incumbent Greg Abbott(R)
    vs.U.S.Rep. Allen West(? R)
    VT: Incumbent Phil Scott(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    WI: Incumbent Tony Evers(D)
    (no prospective opponents yet)
    WY: Incumbent Mark Gordon(R)
    vs.Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss(D)

    Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
    KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
    vs.Former Gov. Matt Bevin(? R)
    Senator Rand Paul(? R)
    LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
    vs.Biden Adviser Cedric Richmond(? D)
    vs.Senator John Neely Kennedy(? R)
    MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
    (no prospective opponents yet)     		Abortion
    Budget/Economy
    Civil Rights
    Corporations
    Crime
    Drugs
    Education
    Energy/Oil
    Environment
    Families/Children
    Foreign Policy
    Free Trade
    Govt. Reform
    Gun Control
    Health Care
    Homeland Security
    Immigration
    Infrastructure/Technology
    Jobs
    Local Issues
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    Tax Reform
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    Page last updated: Mar 02, 2021