Up to $100K Available for Community Forestry Projects in Maine Towns
Project Canopy, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry's community forestry program, will award $100,000 in grants to local governments, municipalities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations that support efforts to develop and maintain long-term community forestry programs.
Funded by the USDA Forest Service, Project Canopy grants are available in two categories -- planning and education grants, and tree planting and maintenance grants. Typical grants range from $6,000 to $8,000 and require a 50-percent cost-share with cash or in-kind services. Since 2015, Project Canopy has awarded more than $500K in funding for community forestry projects.
Project Canopy is a program of the Maine Forest Service under the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. It encourages communities to develop project proposals that support sustainable community forestry management, increase awareness of the benefits of trees and forests, and increase the health and livability of communities through sound tree planting and maintenance.
Planning and education grants have a maximum award of $10,000, while planting and maintenance grants have a maximum award of $8,000. To be eligible to apply for a 2020 assistance grant, all applicants must attend a grant workshop before applying. The grant workshop will be held on February 12, 2020, via the Web. The workshop will cover such topics as grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration.
Grant applications are due by 5:00 p.m., March 6, 2020.
To learn more about the Project Canopy assistance program and sign up for a grant workshop, contact Project Canopy Director Jan Ames Santerre at (207) 287-4987.
More information is available online here.
Maine CDC Adds New Radon Data Tool
Homeowners urged to test for exposure with do-it-yourself kits
An important new tool is available to Maine residents to help them learn about radon exposure in their communities. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now provides an online data tool that summarizes radon test results at the town, county, and State levels, as well as eight years of household survey data about testing, levels above normal, and whether those levels were fixed.
Household survey data suggests that only one in three Maine households have tested their homes for radon, a colorless, odorless gas. This is concerning, because radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and the second most common cause of lung cancer overall. The Maine CDC encourages everyone to test their home for radon. Do-it-yourself test kits from local laboratories and hardware stores typically cost between $30 and $40.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends mitigation for test results at or above four picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The EPA also suggests homeowners consider mitigation if levels are between two and four pCi/L. If mitigation is needed, the Maine CDC recommends contacting a certified mitigation specialist to ensure a radon reduction system is properly designed and installed.
High radon levels are a clear threat to your health, but the solutions - testing and mitigation - are clear too. If you test your home and find out you have a problem, you can fix it.
To view the Maine Tracking Network's radon data portal, click here.
Additional Information
Maine Department of Education Releases Updated Dyslexia Web Page
The Office of Special Services has updated their Special Initiatives page to further develop dyslexia awareness and to serve as a dyslexia toolkit for educators and families. The Special Initiatives Web page will be continuously updated as new resources become available.
Upcoming Public Hearings
Now that the Second Regular Session is in full swing, legislative committees are busy holding public hearings and work sessions. Click here for 129th Legislature committee information.
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