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Attention all committed to the future of Maine: Kickoff Campaign to Oppose the East-West Highway!

RALLY!  Noon, Tuesday, February 14, 2012.  Outside the State House.

At 1pm, LD 1671, An Act To Provide Funding to the Department of Transportation for a Feasibility Study of an East-west Highway, is scheduled for a public hearing and we want to be there!

We want to attract media coverage, and get our talking points out there.  Then, we’ll move inside to attend the hearing.

Pre-Rally Rendevouz!  9am, Tuesday, February 14.  Belgrade*.

Let’s meet to develop solid talking points, strategize [...]

Continue reading Attention all committed to the future of Maine: Kickoff Campaign to Oppose the East-West Highway!

East-West Highway Update: 1-27-2012

Senator Douglas Thomas promoted the East-West highway to the Dover-Foxcroft selectboard on January 23rd.  The Selectmen did not pass a resolution about the highway at this time, saying it was too early and there weren’t enough details.  We ask: What exactly would the resolution be for?  If you have more information, or can access the town notes, please let us know!

Visit the East-West highway page for all updates and actions: www.defendingwater.net/maine/east-west-highway

Here is the full article:

State senator [...]

Continue reading East-West Highway Update: 1-27-2012

East-West Highway Update: January 20, 2012

The Small Business Administration is looking to providing capital for “small businesses that need it.”  There are two components of the article below that are noteworthy.

1)  The SBA opened up a loan guarantee program to mission-based and community lenders. Three groups applied for the program in Maine and were approved: Coastal Enterprises Inc., the Eastern Maine Development Corp., and the Northern Maine Development Corp..

As a primary proponent of the East-West Highway, it is critical to monitor what the Eastern [...]

Continue reading East-West Highway Update: January 20, 2012

East-West Highway Update 12-16-11

Update 12-16-11:  A nonprofit transportation research group out of Washington D.C., TRIP, released a statement identifying “Maine’s 50 most needed transportation projects for economic growth.”  #3 was the construction of a new east-west highway.  TRIP is sponsored by “construction businesses, insurance companies, equipment makers, labor unions and other transportation-related organizations.”  We believe TRIP’s role is to encourage private funding of the study, since funding from Maine taxpayers would be highly controversial, as we face severe cuts on social services. Chris 

related [...]

Continue reading East-West Highway Update 12-16-11

East-West Highway Update 12-12-11

Update 12-12-11: This letter is the link between Vigue / Cianbro, Mobilize Eastern Maine / Eastern Maine Development Corporation / the Action Committee of 50, and LR2358…!  

Brief summary: Cianbro doesn’t have the money for the feasibility study, and as part of this business group, wrote a letter to Legislators asking for an emergency bill (LR2358) to support funding.  Senator Thomas had sponsored a bill to approve funding earlier that was voted down 2-8. This letter from EMDC was an [...]

Continue reading East-West Highway Update 12-12-11

East-West Highway: Sample Letter to Transportation Committee Members

Lisa Savage wrote the following letter to the Transportation Committee, and copied her representatives. This is a great sample!

Honorable Members of the Transportation Committee:

It has come to my attention that LR 2358 is being rushed through the committee process in the legislature which has sworn to represent the interests of the people, not the corporations, of Maine. Such a road has been under discussion for 20 years. At this juncture, the “emergency” seems to be that the Cianbro [...]

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Action Alert: East-West Highway Feasibility Study Moving Forward!

LR 2358, An Act To Provide Funding to the Department of Transportation for a Feasibility Study for an East-West Highway, has been given the green light for consideration this session.

Background

The idea of a Maine East-West highway has been kicked around the Maine Legislature since 1981.  However, public and/or private funding has never been provided to study the feasibility of such a highway or to finance its construction.

Canadian businesses want an East-West highway to move goods more cheaply [...]

Continue reading Action Alert: East-West Highway Feasibility Study Moving Forward!

Action Alert: Join a Global Letter Campaign for Rights Of Mother Earth

We are all part of Mother Earth, an indivisible, living community of interrelated forms. All forms of exploitation, abuse and contamination have caused great destruction to Mother Earth.

Today nature is treated as property under the law.  Nature has no standing and therefore, cannot be represented directly in a court of law.  Our goal is for nature to have rights just like humans and even corporations have.   We want humans and corporations to value nature as a living being in [...]

Continue reading Action Alert: Join a Global Letter Campaign for Rights Of Mother Earth

Action Alert! Defend the Right to Water for People and Nature! Join the Mother Earth Water Walk!

DEFEND THE RIGHT TO WATER FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE!

JOIN THE MOTHER EARTH WATER WALK ACROSS MAINE

UNITE WITH FIRST NATION BROTHERS AND SISTERS

[...]

Continue reading Action Alert! Defend the Right to Water for People and Nature! Join the Mother Earth Water Walk!

Please join us for a viewing of Tapped in Sanford on Saturday March 5, 2011