Maine
Susan Collins, Angus King and Chellie Pingree call on Trump to avoid trade war with Canada
Maine’s congressional delegation is calling on President Donald Trump to avoid a trade war with Canada.
That comes as Trump plans to impose 25 percent levies on goods from Canada and Mexico and double the 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods on Tuesday. Canadian energy products would be subject to a 10 percent tariff. Canada and Mexico have vowed to retaliate with tariffs of their own.
He proposed those tariffs in early February before quickly delaying them for a month after receiving pledges from Canadian and Mexican leaders related to drug trafficking and immigration.
In a letter dated Feb. 28 to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree called Canada a “trusted friend and ally” with which the United States has substantial trade ties.
In 2023, about $1 trillion in goods crossed the U.S.-Canada border, which supported 8 million jobs in the U.S. In Maine alone, $6 billion in goods traversed the border, and trade with Canada supports 60,000 Maine jobs, according to the delegation.
“We acknowledge that targeted and strategic tariffs can be an important tool to address unfair trade practices. However, small businesses and families in Maine and across the country will be caught in the middle during a time when so many are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on,” the delegation wrote in the letter.
U.S. Rep. Jared Golden didn’t sign the letter. Golden has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s trade policies, saying in February that Trump was gaining leverage with his tariffs over Canada and Mexico. Last year, Golden p roposed a 10 percent universal tariff on all imports.
About 70 percent of imports in Maine come from Canada, and 30 percent of the state’s exports are destined to the north, including between $200 million and $400 million of lobster shipped to processors over the border annually.
Nearly all of Maine’s heating oil comes from Canada, and when Trump initially announced the tariffs, Irving Oil sent a notice to customers informing them that their bills would rise to offset the tariffs.
Unlike other parts of the country, New England has a much lower refinery capacity, meaning it relies more on Canada for refined products, while other regions source crude from Canada for processing domestically.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, told the Bangor Daily News in early February that Mainers could see a 10- to 20-cent increase for a gallon of gas and a 20- to 30-cent increase per gallon of home heating oil.
ISO New England warned last week that Trump’s tariffs could increase electricity costs for New England between $66 million and $165 million. About 9 percent of the electricity for New England comes from either Canada or New York, according to ISO New England.
If electric energy isn’t exempt from tariffs, questions remain about how those duties would be collected, and ISO New England cautioned it may not have sufficient funds on hand to cover them.
“Ultimately, it is our hope that the Trump Administration is able to work collaboratively with Canada to address issues of shared concern and foster economic cooperation, rather than engage in a tit-for-tat trade war,” Maine’s delegation wrote.
Maine
Portland Planning Board green lights Maine’s would-be tallest building
A nearly 400-foot tower that would transform Portland’s skyline moved one step closer to reality Tuesday night when it received unanimous approval from the city’s Planning Board.
The 30-story mixed-use, high-rise building is proposed for 45 Union St., adjacent to the Old Port.
Now, the developer will need to secure building permits, finalize financing and begin work on detailed construction documents. The project does not require any approval from the City Council.
The tower, proposed by Portland developer East Brown Cow Management LLC, would stand at 380 feet, making it far and away the state and city’s tallest building. It would include more than 70 residential units, commercial space, an 88-room hotel and a restaurant at the top, and is just one part of a project called Old Port Square, designed to fill an entire city block.
Portland updated its zoning laws last year with the goal of allowing growth in the city while preserving its character. The overhaul included an increased maximum height for buildings in some of the city’s major corridors, permitting buildings up to 380 feet in downtown.
On Tuesday night, the board heard presentations about traffic impacts of the proposal and reviewed the developer’s latest revisions to the application before receiving a final round of public comment.
That testimony, both in person at the meeting and in submitted written comments, was mixed.
Local organizations, including Greater Portland Landmarks and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, expressed support for the project, describing it as a modern but thoughtful design that would transform an underutilized parking lot into a vibrant mixed-use space.
“This project shows that Portland can honor its history while preparing for its future,” said Thomas O’Boyle, director of advocacy at the chamber.
But other residents and local business owners criticized the building as an eyesore, whose height would disrupt Portland’s skyline and conflict with the city and Old Port’s historic character. Several commenters said the city, in need of more affordable housing, should prioritize those projects over new high-end apartments and a hotel.
In accordance with Portland’s inclusionary zoning rules, developers are planning to pay about $3.3 million into the city’s Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund in lieu of building affordable housing units.
During deliberations, the board acknowledged public concerns about the skyline and how it might visually transform the city, but noted that the applicants had met board standards. Members acknowledged that after raising the city’s maximum permitted downtown building heights last year, someone had to be the first to build in the new allowable space.
The planning board approved the project unanimously, although several members were absent.
The board also passed language requiring that if the developer makes major material or architectural changes that substantially differ from the approved plans, they must submit those changes to the board for review.
Maine
Woman dies after crashing into stopped tractor-trailer on Maine Turnpike
YORK, Maine (WGME) — Police say an 81-year-old woman died after crashing into a tractor-trailer that had stopped in the breakdown lane on the Maine Turnpike in York.
Maine State Police say 81-year-old Janice Goldsmith of Massachusetts was driving on the Maine Turnpike in York around 3:15 p.m. on Monday when she crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the breakdown lane.
Goldsmith died at the scene.
According to police, the tractor-trailer had stopped in the breakdown lane due to a mechanical malfunction, and the driver had placed reflective warning triangles in the breakdown lane as required.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Maine
‘Just b——-‘: Rep. Pingree says she was lied to about ICE facility in Scarborough
PORTLAND (WGME) – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree says what she was told about an ICE facility in Maine is “B.S.”
Pingree says she and her staff got to tour the ICE facility in Scarborough Monday.
She says there was one person being detained while she was there.
The facility has three holding cells, and she says she was told there have never been more than five people inside.
Pingree and an attorney raised concerns about detainees being denied their Constitutional rights to have an attorney present.
“We checked out that office,” Pingree said. “We were told there were space limitations of bringing attorneys, so that’s just b——-, there’s plenty of room in there, you can bring in an attorney or the attorney can stand in the doorway.”
“In my particular case, my client was enrolling in an alternative, was forced to enroll in an alternatives to detention program, where he would have his whereabouts monitored,” Melissa Brennan of ILAP said. “He didn’t even understand what he was signing, and I think what’s most important is that people are deprived of that opportunity to consult with someone, to have that reassurance of having your legal counsel next to you.”
Pingree says she was told no one is held at the detention center overnight.
She says she didn’t see anything inside that was out of line for a facility like this.
CBS13 reached out to ICE for comment late Monday afternoon on Pingree’s visit, and we are waiting to hear back.
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