On Thursday, July 21, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Maine Development Foundation (MDF), and Educate Maine released the newest “Making Maine Work: Critical Investments for the Maine Economy” report outlining economic priorities and policy recommendations – including in workforce, innovation, health, energy, and housing – for Maine’s governor and upcoming Maine State Legislature.

by Dana Connors

As Labor Day nears, summer feels more fleeting, and enjoying it feels more urgent and more necessary. Soon enough, we’ll return to the pace of the election season and then the legislative session. By then, Maine’s summertime will be a cherished memory.

      National Immunization Awareness Month is an annual observance dedicated to the importance of vaccinations for all ages. For employers, this is a great time to raise awareness about which vaccines adults need, reasons to vaccinate, and how to find vaccination sites with ease.

During the past month, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce has led an effort of more than 50 organizations asking the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to delay the implementation of a law passed in July 2021. The law would require companies to report products that have had perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) intentionally added starting January 1, 2023. The group has sent a letter to Maine DEP and Governor Janet Mills asking them to extend the reporting deadline scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2023, for the reporting of a manufacturer of products for sale in the State of Maine containing intentionally added PFAS. The intent of the legislation that passed was to phase out and eventually ban PFAS in certain products for sale in the State of Maine by 2030. The impact of the reporting deadline contained within that bill will impact millions of products and thousands of companies that are based in Maine, do business in Maine, or sell products into the Maine marketplace.