Why are new federal rules governing Maine’s vernal pools tougher than rules in other areas of the country? Good question, Senator Susan Collins!

The Senator asked this and other vernal pool questions of a federal official this week in a Congressional hearing, and received no answers. But those answers were promised later, in writing, and I’ve already asked Carol Woodcock (the Senator’s state office representative) for a copy of those answers.

According to Senator Collins, several significant projects in Maine have been halted due to the new federal rules that require a protective buffer strip of 750 feet around all vernal pools. And she sharply questioned why these new rules were adopted outside of the normal rule-making process.

Given that vernal pools have been a contentious legislative issue for several years, and the state’s protective buffer strip was reduced this year by the legislature, many will be interested in the questions posed by Senator Collins, and even more interested in the answers she receives!

In this video, you can see the Senator posing her questions.

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