News

Funds Available for Maine AmeriCorps Programs to start October 2006

The Maine Commission for Community Service solicits proposals related to AmeriCorps under a grant program from the Corporation for National and Community Service. This competition for grant happens only every 3 years.
Applications will be accepted in 3 categories: State Formula, State Education Award, and State Competitive. All are described in the Request for Proposal and application instructions. Applicants must select the category of competition and may not submit proposals in two categories for the same activity.

Grant funds support AmeriCorps members' service and require local matches (combination of cash and in-kind). Grants range from $12,000 to $500,000 depending on the category. Each category is described in the RFP. To be considered, proposals must be submitted using the federal eGrants system, a web-based grant application system. Directions for using the system are on the federal eGrants web site. All proposals must be submitted electronically and hard copies of required attachments received for opening by the Division of Purchases no later than 2 p.m. EST on Friday, December 23, 2005.

Hard copies of the "Request for Proposals" are available from the Maine Commission for Community Service, State Planning Office, 187 State Street, 38 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333, telephone number 207-287-5649. The RFP (G1005079) is also posted on the MCCS web site: www.maineservicecommission.gov under "Grant Information." AmeriCorps is a national service program, which engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in team-based community service to meet critical needs in the areas of Public Safety, Education, Homeland Security, Environment, and Unmet Human Needs. Eligible applicants include: community-based organizations, units of government in Maine, Native American Tribal governments, public or private nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education.

Maine Audubon executive director launches Vote YES on 5 Campaign

Falmouth, Maine-- Maine Audubon executive director Kevin Carley urges urges Maine voters to support Question 5 on the November 8 ballot and approve a $12 million bond that will fund the Land for Maine's Future program and also support Maine's working waterfronts.

Over nearly 20 years, the award-winning program has saved farms, kept forestlands intact, protected vulnerable wildlife habitat and provided Maine people with publicly accessible land for hiking, fishing and hunting.
But the program has distributed its last dollar, and planned conservation projects statewide are at a standstill without funds they normally could receive from the program. Among them are projects to conserve scenic waterfront along the Androscoggin River in Turner, working forestland in Hancock County, a popular mountain destination in Rumford, coastal access to Maquoit Bay in Brunswick and productive farmland in York County. George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, also is calling for a yes vote on Question 5.

A local farming family helped launch the Vote YES on 5 Campaign in mid October at their pumpkin-laden farm overlooking the Spurwink River in Cape Elizabeth. Conserved with assistance from the Land for Maine's Future program and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust, Jordan's Farm dates back to the early 1900s and has been owned and operated for the last 50 years by Bill Jordan, Sr. and his family. Mr. Jordan died this fall, yet his family will be able to steward the conserved land and keep it productive for many years to come.

Question 5 on the November 8 ballot reads: "Do you favor a $12,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for conservation, water access, wildlife and fish habitat, outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing, farmland preservation and working waterfront preservation to be matched by at least $7,000,000 in private and public contributions?"

Governor Creates 'Keep Maine Warm' Charitable Fuel Fund

Augusta - Governor John Baldacci announced the creation of "Keep Maine Warm" Charitable Fuel Fund last week. Joined at a State House ceremony by directors of community action agencies; Jamie Py, president of the Maine Oil Dealers Association; Sara Burns, president of Central Maine Power Company; and Dale McCormick, Director of the Maine State Housing, the Governor stated that former Maine Governors Angus King, John McKernan, and Joe Brennan are spearheading the Board of this charitable fuel fund.

Governor Baldacci said that the average household income of those served by federal fuel assistance is $12,000. The average benefit for this coming winter is expected to be $440. At today's oil prices, this benefit will purchase about 179 gallons of heating oil, which isn't even one full tank.
The formation of a Maine Charitable Fuel Fund was announced last week, and this fund will seek contributions from Maine people and businesses to supplement the federal fuel assistance dollars received from Washington.

The Governor's goal is to raise at least $10 million - $5 million in charitable donations, large and small and $5 in reallocated state funds. The Governor said he will ask the Maine Legislature as their first order of business in January to reallocate the $5 million in state resources into this fund.
Private donations raised for the charitable fund will be tax deductible. Maine people can contribute to the Keep Maine Warm Charitable Fuel Fund in a number of ways:

1. Checks can be sent directly to the Keep ME Warm Charitable Fuel Fund at Keep ME Warm Fund, 510 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101, and direct those funds to your own community if you choose.
2. You can call toll free at 800-698-4959.
3. Or, you can contribute on line by going to www.mainecommunityaction.org.
Also, you can donate to one of a number of local fuel funds that are being established across the state or you can purchase fuel gift certificates from a local oil dealer and give them to a neighbor in need.

Symposium will address drinking water contaminants

Portsmouth, N.H.-University of Maine Cooperative Extension will sponsor a symposium on reducing pollutants in well water on Monday, Nov. 14 in Portsmouth, N.H. The New England Private Water Well Symposium is scheduled for 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Portsmouth Hotel.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 2.3 million people, or 20 percent of New Englanders, rely on private wells for drinking water. This percentage increases to more than 40 percent in the rural states of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Because water in private wells is not regulated by government agencies, it is up to citizens to make sure that their well water is safe.

The ground water in wells is affected by geology, weather, and land-use practices. Contamination of well water is not immediately obvious.
The one-day symposium will open with a talk by Robert Varney, regional administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Boston. The symposium agenda includes new research on contaminants of special concern in New England including health effects, contaminant analysis, water treatment systems and best practices. There will be three in-depth workshops on groundwater hazards, an interactive session on risk communication strategies, and updates from the New England state drinking water agencies. Continental breakfast, refreshment breaks, lunch and conference materials are included in the registration fee of $40.

Professionals engaged in research, regulation, Extension, and education on drinking water contaminants are encouraged to attend. The symposium is sponsored by the New England Private Well Initiative, a partnership effort with U.S. EPA-New England, the USDA Cooperative Extension New England Water Quality Program, New England's land-grant universities, New England's state drinking water agencies, and the Water Systems Council. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.usawaterquality.org/newengland.

Report Reveals Maine Would Benefit From TABOR

Portland, ME - The Maine Heritage Policy Center commented that a new study conducted by Dr. Barry Poulson of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation provided quantitative proof that a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) would provide a responsible vehicle with which to lower Maine taxes and create budget stability.

Results for the report, A Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for Maine, revealed that if TABOR had been put in place in Maine in 1988, Mainers would have had $4.8 billion in tax relief. The report also reveals that recent budget shortfalls could have been avoided, or significantly reduced, and that through TABOR the state would have amassed $270 million in a "Rainy Day" fund to be used for future budget shortfalls. A Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for Maine is available online at www.americansforprosperity.org.

NRCS announces Web Soil Survey

Internet-based system allows users access to soil survey information
Bangor, ME, - Maine farmers, conservationists, engineering firms, county and state planners, and others now have quick and easy access to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's national soils information. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has launched the Web Soil Survey website, which will provide secure public access to soils data that contributes to every aspect of public and private land use and development.

Soil surveys began in 1899 as part of the nation's earliest efforts on behalf of cooperative conservation. Known as the National Cooperative Soil Survey, it has evolved into a partnership of state and federal agencies working together to collect, classify, interpret and provide soils information.

For years, the printed and bound soil survey books were free to the public in most NRCS field offices, but these will be phased out slowly through the use of the internet. The launch of Web Soil Survey will bring information on soil properties and soil usage to everyone with access to a computer.

People without computer access will be able to acquire soil survey information from any NRCS field office or by going to the local library.
The website has been designed with three easy to use features - Define, View and Explore - and operates much like internet sites that provide locator and directional information. When viewers visit the Web Soil Survey, they are asked to "Define" a geographic area of interest by selecting a state and county or just by highlighting an area of interest (AOI). Once a location has been defined and projected on the screen, the viewer has the choice to print the map and related information, save it to their hard drive or download the data for use in a geographic information system (GIS).

The viewer also can "Explore" the designated location for specific soils data giving the viewer important information on soil suitability in relationship to usage. This flexibility provides the viewer an opportunity to build a customized report that addresses the viewer's individual needs. Information can be delivered in a variety of formats to include print, CD, DVD or other media.

Currently, NRCS has soils maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation's counties and anticipates having 100 percent in the near future. The site will be updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information. The website is at: http://soils.usda.gov/survey

Bernstein Shur to Host Regionalization Symposium Nov. 16
Event designed for municipal leaders considering pooling resources

Bernstein Shur, a statewide law firm that serves more than 125 Maine cities and towns, has organized a day-long symposium to provide an in-depth examination of municipal regionalization in Maine. The event, which is designed for municipal officials and related professionals from Maine communities that are considering sharing services with other cities and towns, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 16 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn.

Persons who wish to attend may call ( 207) 228-7274 or e-mail the firm at events@bernsteinshur.com.

The topic of regionalization has received widespread attention in recent years, as the more than 490 municipalities in Maine look for ways to cut costs by sharing services and pooling resources. Gov. Baldacci has introduced legislation to encourage communities to combine services, and some have already begun to collaborate.

The aim of the Nov. 16 event is to take a close look at the key issues surrounding regionalization and provide detailed information on innovative approaches and opportunities. The symposium will be hosted by former Gov. Angus King, now of counsel at Bernstein Shur, and will feature the following topics and panels:

Legislative Report Card, an examination of regionalization-related initiatives in the Maine Legislature, with attorneys Geoffrey Hole and Katherine Knox;
Sharing Municipal Employees, labor and employment law considerations, with attorney Linda McGill;

Public/Private Partnership - A Pennsylvania Case Study, with John Baillie, executive director of the Chester County Intermediate Unit;

Uncovering opportunities, where panelists will examine creative and cost-effective approaches to the delivery of municipal services, including economic development, solid waste, utilities, technology, emergency services and tax administration, with attorneys Lee Bragg, Gregory Cunningham, Robert Crawford, Joan Fortin, Bob Gerber and Christopher Vaniotis.

Auburn-Lewiston - a Maine Success Story, where officials from both cities will discuss strategies for cooperation among municipalities, with attorney Pat Scully.

Bernstein Shur's Municipal and Legislative Practice is the largest, longest-serving, and most extensive practice group of its kind in Maine, with 11 attorneys representing more than 1 25 municipalities as either general or special counsel .

Bernstein Shur is one of northern New England's largest full-service law firms, with more than 80 attorneys in Portland and Augusta, Maine and Manchester, New Hampshire. Established in 1915, the firm provides practical legal counsel to a diverse group of public and private clients throughout the region and around the world. Bernstein Shur's commercial, litigation, and municipal practices are complemented by the services of the firm's affiliates, which include Bernstein Shur Government Solutions LLC (a government consulting firm); Stratex LLC (an environmental and engineering consultancy); and Monument Title Company. For more information, visit bernsteinshur.com .