June 7, 2005 – Journalistic errors in a brief published on June 2 ("Money Trumps Environment in Maine") incorrectly misstated the scope of greenhouse gas emission legislation recently signed into law in Maine, according to a review of the "enacted" version of the act found on the state’s website.
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Signed into law on May 20, "An Act to Review Climate Change Policy Effectiveness" is the product of House Bill LD72, which called for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to issue an estimate of the financial cost and environmental benefit of rules as they are adopted.
But the enacted law differs from legislation passed by the house. In a modification missed by TNS, the final version of the law calls for a biannual review of the cost of and progress made towards meeting emission reduction goals, not preliminary reviews of each action. The first such review is to be completed by January 1, 2006, and is to be followed by first-of-the-year reports every other year.
Additionally, the measure empowers a "joint standing committee" of the legislature to assess the DEP evaluation and craft laws for legislative consideration with each second legislative session. Beginning on or after 2008, the same committee will assume the power to adjust DEP emission reduction goals in either direction, depending on the department’s assessment of the regulations.
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We regret the oversight that led to this misreporting.
