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State Rep. Jim Hamper Named to National Environmental Leadership Group

AUGUSTA – Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree has named State Rep. Jim Hamper to the influential Environment Committee at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The appointment, which takes effect immediately, will bring Rep. Hamper into contact with state legislators from around the nation to share approaches and solutions to common environmental issues.

Rep. Hamper also has been appointed to NCSL’s Standing Committee on Labor and Economic Development, which covers issues related to labor; employment; workforce and economic development; international trade; and cultural affairs. The committee’s jurisdiction also includes pensions and Social Security.

“I’m honored by these appointments and by the opportunity to represent Maine at the national level,” said Rep. Hamper (R-Oxford), a third-term legislator. “The NCSL is an outstanding organization and serves as a forum for legislators to share information about options being considered in other states. The best ideas don’t always come from the federal government. The most innovative solutions often come from the states.”

The NCSL’s Environment Committee educates Congress and federal agencies as to state concerns regarding a variety of issues, such as air quality, water management and cost-benefit analysis of environmental regulations. Its jurisdiction extends to a diverse group of environmental issues, including natural disasters, waste disposal, pesticides, alternative energy and nuclear waste.

In the Maine Legislature, Rep. Hamper is the ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee, which deals with air and water quality; shoreland zoning; subdivisions; and growth management. It also has jurisdiction over management and disposal of solid, hazardous, biomedical and special wastes; hydropower and dams; mining; and general environmental policy, including oversight of the Department of Environmental Protection.

Rep. Hamper said one of the strengths of the NCSL is its firm support for state sovereignty. “At a time of growing federal encroachment on states’ rights, we’re fortunate to have this strong advocate for federalism,” he said.

The NCSL, based in Denver, is a bipartisan organization. Its committees have no actual legislative authority. Instead, they attempt to educate Congress and federal agencies as to state concerns regarding the most pressing state issues.

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