Muskie Professor Appointed Chair of New England Commission on Land Conservation
December, 2008
Portland, Maine—A Blue Ribbon Commission on Land Conservation appointed by the New England Governors' Conference will be chaired by Dr. Richard Barringer of USM's Muskie School of Public Service. The purpose of the Commission is to develop recommendations on protecting and enhancing New England's natural heritage and landscape.
The Commission marks the 100th anniversary of the New England governors' first collaborative effort in November 1908 that was instrumental in creating the Green and White Mountain National Forests and Acadia National Park.
Each state is represented on the Commission by two members with Dr. Barringer and Patrick McGowan, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Conservation, representing Maine.
Professor Barringer has served in the administrations of three Maine governors, as commissioner of conservation and director of state planning; and is the author of numerous books, reports, and landmark Maine laws in the areas of land use, education, the environment, energy, economic development, and tax policy. Among his recent publications are the edited "Toward a Sustainable Maine: The Politics, Economics and Ethics of Sustainability" and "Changing Maine, 1960-2010" based on the Maine Public Radio lecture series of the same title. He is principal investigator for the U.S. EPA's New England Environmental Finance Center housed at the Muskie School and chair of the School's graduate program in public policy.
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