Archive for the ‘Regulatory Reform’ Category
House Speaker Says Legislation Will Improve Business Climate
Improving Maine’s business climate was one of the top priorities of the 125th Legislature. House Speaker Robert Nutting recently discussed some of this past session’s legislative accomplishments that will help Maine reach that goal.
The Bangor Daily News reports on some proposed environmental regulatory changes following the passage of LD 1. Read article here.
Legislative Leaders Join Governor in Praising Passage of LD 1
House Speaker Robert Nutting joined Governor Paul LePage, Senate President Kevin Raye and other legislative leaders in praising the bipartisan effort that led to the passage of regulatory reform in LD 1. Below is an excerpt from the Speaker’s statement.
“The reforms of LD 1 strip away many of the unnecessary impediments to doing business that state government creates. It strikes a balance between necessary, reasonable government safeguards and allowing Maine businesses to flourish.”
Click here to see a press release from the Governor’s Office on LD 1.
Augusta, Maine – Maine lobstermen have one less piece of red tape to wade through thanks to Representative Jonathan McKane and Governor Paul LePage. Governor LePage signed LD 49 last week, a bill which allows Mainers to store lobster traps and related trap lines, buoys and bait bags on docks. Prior to the bill signing officials from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had the authority to prohibit and regulate the storage of traps on docks. “This is just one example of the good work our legislators are doing to remove unnecessary regulation which will ease the burden on working families,” said Governor Paul LePage. “LD 49 seeks to rectify this wrong in our regulatory system.”
Representative Jonathan McKane of Newcastle sponsored LD 49, which was passed unanimously by the Environmental and Natural Resources Committee. Rep. McKane informed committee members during the public hearing regarding LD 49 that over the past three and a half years a lobsterman in South Bristol has been fighting with the DEP to get permission from them to store his traps, when they are not being fished, on his new dock. McKane cited that the DEP denied his request citing “permanent loss of habitat” as a result of the traps shading the seaweed below. “Somewhere along the line things have gone terribly wrong. The DEP does not need to regulate lobster trap storage,” Rep. McKane told committee members. Rep. McKane says it is unfortunate that it took this long to get something off the books that is so vital to one of Maine’s most traditional trades. “This is something that never should have happened, but I’m happy that we have found a solution.” Chester Rice of Damariscotta requested the bill and says it’s common sense reform for lobstermen. “Lobstermen won’t have to put up with that bureaucracy again and that’s a good thing,” Rice says.
According to the Island Institute, Maine’s working waterfront supports more than $740 million in State revenue and 35,000 jobs. The Maine Lobsterman’s Association supported the passage of LD 49 testifying to the fact that the State of Maine boasts 5,300 miles of coastline, but only 20 miles of working waterfront remain. But, nearly 60% of our working waterfront is privately owned, and therefore is vulnerable to conversion to non-working waterfront uses. Patrice McCarron, Executive Director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association told lawmakers that Maine’s 5,500 commercial lobstermen are individual owner operators, and they depend on fully utilizing this access to go to work each day. “This bill is good for Maine’s working waterfronts, the lobster industry and our economy,” McCarron said.
The bill will go into effect 90 days after the last day of session.
Peter Daigle, COO of Lafayette Hotels testifies at the Regulatory Reform hearing in Bangor, and describes a red tape nightmare his company has gone through in order to put an elevator in one of their hotels
Regulatory Reform: Dick Grotton of the Maine Restaurant Association
Dick Grotton of the Maine Restaurant Association testifies on regulatory challenges faced by restaurants in Maine.
Rep. Jim Parker – Join the Fight to Bring Maine Back to Prosperity
Bangor Daily News – February 11, 2011 – You can’t fix something until you know what’s wrong with it. That’s why, earlier this year, the Maine Legislature began a series of public hearings to learn more about the impact of government regulation on Maine residents and businesses.
As this first session of the 125th Legislature began, we decided to get out of Augusta and into towns across the state to begin a conversation with the people of Maine. As a recently retired past owner of a company that helps businesses navigate the government permitting process, I know firsthand how difficult and sometimes unreasonable it can be for a business to grow in Maine. We need to have a discussion about how best to strike the balance between economic growth and the preservation of our natural resources.
Read more >>
Rep. Jonathan McKane – Time to deal with Maine’s toxic business environment
Portland Press Herald – February 8, 2011 – Much hay has been made by environmental groups lately over the release of the governor’s so-called reform “proposals.”
This is hardly surprising; these proposals, if passed by the Maine House and Senate, would alter some of the most aggressive environmental laws that Maine has enacted over the past decade.
The governor’s proposals stemmed from the many “red tape” listening sessions held by Chamber of Commerce groups over the past two months and from suggestions coming in by mail, phone and e-mail.
This data-dump of regulatory changes is not a bill. It’s a group of ideas that are going to be looked at by the Regulatory Fairness and Reform Committee and other committees, such as the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.