Posts Tagged ‘maine legislature’
Defend’s 5-Year Reflection: Our Track Record on Solving The PFAS Crisis
Over the past five years, Defend Our Health has lived up to its name by consistently advocating for the right to equal access to safe food and drinking water. Defend has led the nation in effectively protecting public health and ensuring justice for people harmed by ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) for…
Read MoreYes on Question 6: Truth, Transparency, and Accuracy in Maine’s Constitution
November 7th is election day and there are a few important questions on this year’s ballot. One of those questions is Question 6. WHAT IS QUESTION 6? Question 6 is a referendum question that pertains to the top of tribal sovereignty in Maine. More than 100 years ago, the state of Maine stopped printing the…
Read MoreRelief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act: The Importance of Supporting the Farmlands
Farmlands across the country are an important part of our everyday lives. They sustain life by providing us with the food that we need to survive. They also provide shelter for wildlife, help control flooding, maintain air quality, and protect wetlands and watersheds. Maine is no stranger to PFAS contamination and our struggle is linked…
Read MoreInternship Reflection and 2023 Legislative Cycle
For the past few months I had the opportunity to work with Defend Our Health as an intern, where I focused on supporting priority bills in Maine’s 2023 legislative session. With my background in environmental health, and my current work as a public health analyst and a Physician’s for Social Responsibility Next Generation Climate Ambassador,…
Read MorePFAS Fund Administration Plan Officially Approved
On July 10th, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) announced that the PFAS Fund Advisory Committee adopted the Plan for Administration of the Fund to Address PFAS Contamination. According to the DACF, this newly adopted bill will provide direct support to PFAS-impacted farmers, purchase and manage PFAS-contaminated agricultural land, and fund research to…
Read MoreMinnesota Becomes the Second State to Ban PFAS – With A Little Help From Maine
Since 2021, Maine has been the first and only state in the nation to ban the use of ‘forever chemicals’ in all products. Until now! On May 17, 2023, the Minnesota legislature passed an environment and energy package, HF 2310 “Environment, Natural Resources, Climate, and Energy Finance and Policy Bill,” which includes a total ban…
Read MoreDefend Our Health Organizes Advocates in Support of LD 1645
Yesterday, Defend joined legislators, constituents, and health activists as they testified in support of LD 1645 “An Act to Reduce Plastic Packaging Waste” introduced by Rep. Lori Gramlich. The day began with a press conference held by Defend, as reported by WABI 5 News. During the press conference, executive director, Mike Belliveau, urged that swift…
Read MoreHere’s what we’ve won!
Maine’s leading the nation by dumping a cancer-linked toxic chemical. The Maine Legislature passed a law to eliminate toxic PFAS from products we use every day. We’re the first state to get this done! (LD 1503) Maine will also protect our firefighters, whose risk of cancer is elevated by exposure to toxic chemicals. No longer…
Read MoreGovernor Janet Mills Signs Renewable Products Tax Credit into Law
The competitive tax credit is projected to create or retain over 1,000 high-paying green jobs manufacturing climate-friendly products over the next ten years. Maine business leaders, entrepreneurs, and environmental groups praised Governor Janet Mills for signing into law on Wednesday a tax credit that will create hundreds of good-paying jobs making climate-friendly products from renewable…
Read MoreFirst-in-the-Nation Bill Bans Toxic Chemicals from Food Packaging
Thanks to you, we had a major win for public health this week. The Maine Legislature unanimously passed a first-in the-nation bill banning two toxic industrial chemicals from food packaging. When signed into law, it will also clear the way for restricting additional harmful chemicals from food packaging. The bill is now on Maine Governor…
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