MAINE STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2022 Annual Meeting
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login

Increased disposal fee costs will ultimately drive up the costs of doing business in the state of Maine

5/20/2021

0 Comments

 
LD 1639 would result in direct loss of 75 jobs from closure of the ReSource Lewiston processing facility
On May 17, Ben Gilman, general counsel for the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, submitted the following testimony in opposition to LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste, to the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. We are reprinting it here for your review and consideration. If you have any questions, please contact Ben Gilman by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 108, or by emailing bgilman@mainechamber.org.
“Sen. Brenner, Rep. Tucker, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources: My name is Ben Gilman from Gorham, and I represent the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, a statewide business organization made up of both large and small businesses, here to provide you with our testimony in opposition to LD 1639, An Act To Protect the Health and Welfare of Maine Communities and Reduce Harmful Solid Waste.
 
Solid waste is a statewide issue that has a long history in our state. The Maine State Chamber weighs in on issues when they impact the business community as a whole and, if LD 1639 were to pass, it would impact all businesses in Maine. LD 1639 will increase disposal fee costs that will in turn drive up the costs of doing business in the state of Maine. The cost of doing business in Maine already is high and every little bit adds up, including increased disposal fees. If that was not enough, if LD 1639 were to pass, it would directly impact 75 jobs in Lewiston - the closure of the ReSource Lewiston processing facility would result. ReSource is currently investing millions to increase recovery and recycling rates at its Lewiston facility to comply with new state mandates passed just last year and expand in-take capacity, but we will never see the result of that investment if LD 1639 were to become law.
 
Solid waste is part of our culture, and we all want to deal with it in an economical and environmentally sensitive manner. Maine’s solid waste community does a great job for Maine’s businesses and citizens ensuring that we maximize our capacity in Maine. To have facilities in Maine available for Maine businesses into the future is not only important but also necessary. The Maine State Chamber has always advocated for more certainty in Maine’s long term business climate, and solid waste disposal is part of that equation. Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with our testimony.”
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    RSS Feed

Copyright Maine State Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
 128 State Street | Suite 101 | Augusta, ME 04330-5630
 Phone: (207) 623-4568
For media inquiries, please contact Jen Webber, (207) 939-0213
For membership inquiries, please contact Mark Ellis. (207) 623-4568
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2022 Annual Meeting
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login