Get Out, Speak Up: Conservation Updates from AMC

Vote for the Outdoors this November 
November 6th is just seven weeks away, and you know what that means: it will be time to VOTE. Our elected officials at all levels of government have opportunities to influence the future of our outdoors: from land and water protection, to the quality of the air we breathe, to the recreational resources we use and love. Amid the bustle of fall, please take some time to learn about candidates’ positions, and ask for their commitment to support the outdoors. Our healthy outdoor future depends on it!

Get Outside Through the Great Maine Outdoors Weekend
Looking for an excuse for some outdoor fun in Maine this fall? The AMC and partners are hosting the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend that includes a series of free or low-cost, introductory level outdoor events happening all across the state on September 28, 29, and 30. This is a great opportunity to have fun with a new organization or explore a new place! From hikes, bikes, and paddles, to kite flying, scavenger hunts, and full moon walks, you’re sure to find something you love. This fall, the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend is featuring Downeast Maine. Consider planning a week-end outdoors!

Phew! Recreational Trails Program is Secure for Another Year!
Thanks to your calls and emails the Recreational Trails Program was successfully reauthorized in the federal transportation reauthorization bill. But in a new twist, as this time states had the choice to opt out of the program entirely. Advocates around AMC’s region continued to make calls and write emails supporting the program and urging states NOT to opt out – with great results. Of all 50 states, only Florida and Kansas opted out. We have shown that recreational trails are essential to our transportation future and to communities around our region—thanks!

Energy Projects Threaten Our Public Lands
Several regional energy transmission projects remain high on AMC’s radar screen. In the Mid-Atlantic, the Susquehanna - Roseland power line through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area may begin construction as early as this winter. The preferred route for the transmission line threatens critical recreation and environmental resources within the Water Gap’s boundaries, and yet the National Park Service appears willing to accept it. AMC will continue to seek action on a number of issues that must be addressed before any permit is finalized to ensure that there will be no net loss of public resources if development of this line must move forward. Further north, the proposed Northern Pass project in New Hampshire to bring Canadian hydroelectricity to southern New England remains procedurally stalled as the developer seeks to secure 40 miles of new right-of-way. Our colleagues at the Society for the Protection of NH Forests have launched a land acquisition campaign to block the needed new right-of-way. AMC is completing a visual impacts analysis of the known 140 miles of the transmission line route to ensure that the project’s impacts on resources of state, regional, and national significance, including the White Mountain National Forest and the Appalachian Trail, are fully understood. Learn More >>

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