Environmental board OKs mining regulations
The citizen-led Board of Environmental Protection on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve new mining regulations that supporters say will take advantage of the state’s underground natural resources and that environmental activists counter will be disastrous.
The vote, which came after months of deliberations and hearings, clears the way for publication of the latest version of the rules, according to the Bangor Daily News. The rules are subject to a written public comment period ending Dec. 23.
The board’s discussion focused on 10 substantive changes made to the proposed rules since an Oct. 17 meeting that was heavily attended. The newspaper noted that financial assurances from mine operators, as well as cleanup and containment measures and setback requirements, dominated the discussion.
At the heart of the issue are rules developed by the Department of Environmental Protection to meet LD 1853, a new mining rule that the Legislature enacted in 2012.
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