MAINE PUBLIC • April 17, 2023
State lawmakers are considering relaxing aspects of Maine's stringent mining laws in response to the discovery of a potentially massive deposit of lithium in western Maine. But first they will have to resolve a debate about what level of changes, if any, are needed to allow mining for a metal that's in high demand. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is proposing amending state law to allow an open pit mine as long as the owners can show it won't result in pollution. Several environmental or conservation organizations are urging lawmakers to proceed cautiously.