2016-08-08T09:50:13-07:00 2016-03-31 990 2015-04-01 010270690 NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE INC NATU 2076223101 3 WADE STREET AUGUSTA ME 04330 LISA POHLMANN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2076223101 2016-08-10 2015 2017-02-10 21:41:12Z Lisa Pohlmann 3 Wade Street Augusta ME 04330 10837983 0 X WWW.nrcm.org X 1959 ME THE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE IS A NONPROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION PROTECTING, RESTORING, AND CONSERVING MAINE'S ENVIRONMENT, NOW AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. 23 23 27 45 0 0 2028794 2304946 0 0 256126 516454 33949 34373 2318869 2855773 0 0 0 0 1536007 1708656 0 0 268882 701771 707136 2237778 2415792 81091 439981 7056283 6952704 182245 248912 6874038 6703792 Founded in 1959 by Maine citizens, the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is the state's leading non-profit environmental organization. Our mission is to protect, restore and conserve Maine's environment, now and for future generations. We use science, outreach, and advocacy to educate and engage our members, supporters, policy makers and the public about the most pressing environmental issues facing Maine. Our overarching goal is to inspire people to become better stewards of Maine's natural resources. NRCM focuses on four program areas: 1. Climate and Clean Energy; 2. Healthy Waters; 3. Forests and Wildlife; and, 4. Sustainable Maine. 0 0 620332 0 0 Communications NRCM communicates with our members, supporters, policy makers, and the public using email updates and calls to action, community meetings and events, single issue reports, consumer guides (e.g., Bright Ideas: Tips for Home Energy Savings pamphlet), direct mail, radio, and our website, www.nrcm.org. These tools support our mission and advance our work in each of our issue areas. NRCM distributes our printed newsletter, Maine Environment, to over 7,500 people three times per year, featuring updates on current environmental issues, recent activities, upcoming events, and a special column by NRCM Executive Director Dr. Lisa Pohlmann. In 2015, we published a recap of our legislative achievements in a special edition of the newsletter entitled Report Card for Maine's Environment, and distributed 15,000 copies statewide. We also continued the Explore Maine edition of the newsletter as a special insert in our spring issue. For the second year in a row, Explore Maine encouraged our members and supporters to enjoy Maine through books written by NRCM members, art and photography exhibits showcasing the beauty of Maine, and visits to Maine sporting camps that offer discounts to NRCM members. The NRCM website, www.nrcm.org, is a critical tool that informs our members and supporters, the public, and policy makers about our work. Our most recent data analysis reveals that, between July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016, our website received 509,765 total visits, representing 124,475 unique visitors. On average our website served 1,393 visitors per day. Social media is another key way we engage our constituents. Facebook is our most popular social media tool, with 6,279 people who "like" NRCM's Facebook page. This level of interest surpasses the national benchmark of 355 fans per 1,000 supporters, which for an organization of our size means we can expect about 5,680 page "likes". Our supporters are also active readers of our monthly electronic newsletter. The average open rate for this NRCM communication is 19.2% (surpassing the national average of 17%). More than 15,500 members and supporters currently receive this monthly e-newsletter. NRCM also uses our informative blog posts to educate and engage people in our issues, encourage them to get outside and enjoy Maine's natural beauty, and inspire appreciation for Maine's wildlife and quality of life. In 2015 we added four new blogs: Spotlight on Sustainability in Maine, dedicated to sharing information about the people, places, and initiatives making a positive difference for our environment; Engaging Maine Middle School Students in the Nature of Maine which focuses on eight different middle school projects funded by NRCM with seed grants; Consequences and Hope in the Environmental Century by Dr. Stephen Mulkey, former NRCM board member and educator, is a scholarly analysis of ecological changes driven by climate change; and, Quest for Protection: The Headwaters of Maine's North Woods, which offers a four season look at the headwaters of five major rivers in the North Woods. In 2015, NRCM continued the unique partnership we began in 2013 with a popular local radio station to offer Maine Green Minute, which are one-minute public service announcements broadcast four times daily about steps people can take to protect the environment, conserve natural resources, and live in a more sustainable way. Sample topics in 2015 included: facts about the wasting of millions of trees to print junk mail and how to stop getting junk mail at your home; chemical-free household cleaners and skin-care products; alternatives to foam plates and cups; plants that attract hummingbirds and help bees thrive; and tips for saving on home energy costs. 360407 0 0 Environmental advocacy, NRCM is Maine's top environmental watchdog. We represent environmental interests at the Maine Legislature, and before state agencies responsible for managing our state's natural resources. These include the Department of Environmental Protection, the Land Use Planning Commission, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, and the Public Utilities Commission. Performing within our 501(c)(3) allowable lobbying limits, NRCM lobbyists monitor issues related to our programs as well as emerging environmental issues. We use grassroots and direct lobbying to generate public and policymaker support for strong, science-based environmental protections. We also mobilize Maine people to defend Maine's environmental policies and programs from powerful special interests seeking weaker regulations or unsustainable use of Maine's natural resources. Our staff attend legislative work sessions (to observe and to serve as a resource for legislators), testify at public hearings, and serve on stakeholder groups. We provide an environmental perspective to policy discussions, offer analysis of the long-term impacts of policy decisions, and in many cases help to balance the proposals of extractive industries, which may focus solely on short-term economic gain. NRCM's activities help foster a clear understanding by policymakers, state officials, and the public that strong environmental safeguards and a sustainable Maine economy go hand-in-hand. Our staff also research, produce, and make publicly available on our website fact sheets about the issues we are working on, testimony given before the Maine Legislature, comments we provide to state agencies, and special publications and reports on key environmental issues and bills being considered by the Legislature. We use these tools to further inform and engage a broad range of people with current environmental issues and steps they can take to help shape environmental policy in the state. 330716 0 0 Climate & Clean Energy, Climate change is the most serious environmental threat of our time and requires action at all levels. NRCM's leadership and guidance has helped Maine make progress to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, cut carbon pollution, and address climate change. Policy advocacy, civic engagement, and public outreach are at the heart of NRCM's strategies to address climate change and advance clean energy solutions. We promote funding increases for energy efficiency programs, rally support for more renewable power such as solar, and support action at the local, state, and federal levels to address climate change. Our work is critical to reducing health and environmental problems affecting our state, including high asthma rates, rising sea levels that threaten coastal communities, and changes to vital ecosystems that impact Maine's economy. In 2015, NRCM participated in a lengthy stakeholder process to develop a comprehensive solar policy for Maine. We used our outreach, communications, presentations, and events to educate the public about the benefits of solar energy and build broad support for more solar. We promoted a Public Utilities Commission (PUC) study that described how Maine stands to reap economic and environmental benefits from solar energy: cheaper power for all ratepayers, lower costs for our electricity grid, more stable prices, and less air and carbon pollution. We distributed a video we created featuring Maine businesses and residents that are benefitting from solar and helped defeat proposals to terminate Maine's Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS), repeal Maine's net metering policy for solar energy installations, and cut funding for energy efficiency investments. NRCM also defended against a proposal to divert a large portion of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds away from energy efficiency investments. 640924 0 0 All other projects Healthy Waters: Maine's rivers, lakes, and streams are among our state's most precious and celebrated natural resources. For the third year in a row, NRCM's public education, outreach, and citizen engagement campaign (which we began in 2012) resulted in the Maine Legislature rejecting weak mining rules written by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proposed rules did not protect Maine's waterways or communities from "acid mine drainage"- a toxic soup of sulfuric acid and heavy metals that results from this type of mining, and can devastate water quality, kill aquatic creatures, and destroy landscapes. NRCM is a founding partner of the Penobscot River Restoration Trust (PRRT). In 2015, PRRT completed construction of a state-of-the-art fish bypass at the Howland Dam on the Piscatiquis River, a major tributary to the Penobscot. Water began flowing through the bypass on September 28, 2015. This final phase of the PRRT project followed the removal of the Veazie Dam (the lowermost barrier to fish passage on the river) in 2013 and the Great Works Dam in 2012. We celebrate PRRT's visionary approach to reconnect endangered Atlantic salmon, shortnose sturgeon, American shad, alewife and seven other native sea-run fish to 1,000 miles of vital spawning habitat in the watershed, without losing an important source of indigenous power generation. The PRRT initiative will result in large-scale ecological, cultural, recreational, and economic benefits throughout the Penobscot watershed. We will continue to measure these benefits in the years to come. Forests & Wildlife: The North Woods of Maine is nationally recognized as the largest undeveloped forest east of the Mississippi River. In 2015, NRCM continued our campaign (launched in 2012) to build community, business, and citizen demand for a proposed new national park and national recreation area along the East Branch of the Penobscot River in the heart of the North Woods. We met with hundreds of opinion leaders, sportsmen, business owners, and organizations; hosted outdoor recreation events on the land; added to our list of endorsements by securing support from the Bangor City Council and the Bangor Daily News, the region's leading newspaper; and gathered over 23,850 names on a petition in support of the park proposal. Currently, NRCM is urging President Obama to use his authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to designate the area as a new National Monument. Simultaneously, NRCM worked in coalition with other conservation groups to secure the release of $11.5 million in voter-approved conservation bond funds for the Land for Maine's Future (LMF), the state program that conserves lands of exceptional natural or recreational value. We also worked to protect Maine's forests from attempts to increase logging on public lands to unsustainable levels and reduce funding for land conservation programs. Sustainable Maine: NRCM has a long history of educating the public about the hazardous chemicals found in items common to our homes, schools, and workplaces, and has helped Maine phase out toxic chemicals in consumer products and create landmark recycling programs for products that pose a risk to our environment and public health. Now, we offer education and hands-on training to communities seeking ways to reduce waste and toxics in the environment, increase participation in recycling and organic composting, and boost the production and use of clean and efficient energy. In 2015, NRCM built on the initial success of plastic bag and foam packaging ordinances we helped Portland, Maine adopt and implement. We worked with York, Falmouth, and South Portland to adopt ordinances to put a fee on single-use plastic bags, and helped citizens in Kennebunk, Brunswick, Topsham, and Freeport launch similar campaigns. We also created our Sustainable Maine Communities Toolkits, online resources featuring topics such as reusable bags, foam packaging, cigarette litter prevention, pay-as-you-throw trash policies, pesticide bans, community solar projects, and community gardens. 640924 0 0 1952379 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 0 1 27 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 23 23 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 CT MA ME NH PA X X KATHRYN THOMPSON 2076223101 3 WADE STREET AUGUSTA ME 04330 KATE RUSH PRESIDENT 1 X X 0 0 0 Kathy Remmel SECRETARY 1 X X 0 0 0 MARION FREEMAN TREASURER 1 X X 0 0 0 RUSSELL PIERCE VICE PRESIDENT 1 X X 0 0 0 VICTORIA DEVLIN DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 WILLIAM MESERVE DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 TONY OWEN DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 JEANNE GULNICK DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 HENRY HEYBURN JR DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 SALLY OLDHAM DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 GEORGE LAPOINTE DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 SUSAN MACKENZIE DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 DIDI MANNS DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 SARAH SHORT DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 TOM CARR DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 JEFF PIDOT DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 Lois Winter DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 NORTON LAMB DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 DENNIS KING DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 ELISA BOXER DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 KAREN HEROLD DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 PATRICIA HAGER DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 PHIL BARTLETT DIRECTOR 1 X 0 0 0 LISA POHLMANN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 45 X 103465 0 27073 KATHRYN THOMPSON DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 40 X 67655 0 22180 171120 0 49253 1 0 0 0 0 7969 1283278 0 0 0 1013699 99823 2304946 0 85265 0 0 85265 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8407856 0 7976667 0 431189 0 431189 0 0 431189 25915 0 5543 20372 0 20372 reimburse for expenses 900099 14001 0 0 14001 0 0 0 0 14001 2855773 0 0 550827 0 0 0 0 0 0 220373 105736 109415 5222 0 0 0 0 1166397 1040967 8400 117030 55314 49043 420 5851 164832 150826 -9900 23906 101740 86045 7024 8671 71387 69012 248 2127 0 0 0 0 26800 21708 3216 1876 0 0 0 0 0 0 19526 0 19526 0 0 0 0 0 42744 42744 0 0 5788 4184 1242 362 81975 53437 16290 12248 0 0 0 0 52105 42205 6253 3647 26161 24483 798 880 0 0 0 0 42012 39777 1494 741 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 55936 45308 6712 3916 11217 9086 1346 785 Telephone 17886 14713 1282 1891 Postage 67082 41565 531 24986 Printing 107448 67805 1061 38582 Lists 18207 4334 0 13873 60862 39401 19173 2288 2415792 1952379 194531 268882 X 64556 16552 0 48004 X 181542 232454 803250 996645 73261 128975 2174 6384 0 0 0 0 0 0 6955 4145 46646 44613 1202400 744937 499880 457463 5307803 4942877 134772 139148 0 0 0 0 0 0 7056283 6952704 182245 248912 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 182245 248912 X 6104857 5812712 584181 706080 185000 185000 6874038 6703792 7056283 6952704 X 439981 -654727 0 0 0 44500 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 1962738 1964538 2085615 2028794 2304946 10346631 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1962738 1964538 2085615 2028794 2304946 10346631 10346631 82389 91920 94529 111364 85265 465467 0 0 0 0 0 0 22462 32676 38157 38715 39916 171926 10984024 4320 0.94197 0.91222 X Schedule A, Part II, Line 10 2011-Misc. income $17,862 event income $4,600 total $22,462; 2012-Misc. Income $13,900 event income $18,776 total $32,676; 2013 - Misc. Income $14,648 event income $23,509 Total $38,157; 2014-Misc. Income $14,915 event income $ 23,800 Total $38,715; 2015 -Misc. Income $14,001, Event income $25,915 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 53179 49147 102326 2313466 2415792 270790 67698 0 0 251320 258356 261889 270790 1042355 1563533 59571 164611 37487 102326 363995 62830 64589 65472 67698 260589 390884 4300 17169 11202 53179 85850 5031142 133028 -149135 0 209370 0 4805665 4813197 197986 208059 0 188100 0 5031142 4468365 140011 389240 0 184419 0 4813197 4355651 41291 247956 0 176533 0 4468365 4550686 10876 -25785 0 180126 0 4355651 0.957 0.039 0.004 0 0 0 107510 107510 0 901507 595478 306029 0 0 0 0 0 193383 149459 43924 0 0 0 0 457463 2404469 -654727 172906 0 50043 -431778 2836247 19526 0 19526 2855773 2574715 172906 0 0 5543 178449 2396266 19526 0 19526 2415792 Schedule D, Part V, Line 4 The purpose of the Board Directed and Permanent Endowment Funds are to support organizational goals, to address emerging issues, and make capital improvement to our facilities. The purpose of the Citizen Engagement and Tomorrow's Leader's fund is to strengthen our outreach capacity, and to engage the public in the protection of Maine's environment. Schedule D, Part XI, Line 2d Direct fundraising expenses for event $5543,increase in gifts of future interests $4376, Change in value for CGA $40124 Schedule D, Part XII, Line 2d Direct Fundraising expenses for event space and services Dip and Dash 23115 0 23115 0 0 0 0 0 4343 0 0 23115 0 23115 0 0 0 0 0 4343 4343 18772 X 28 99823 fair market 0 1 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 6 Any person interested in the purposes and objectives of NRCM is eligible to become a member upon payment of membership dues. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 7a The nominating committee prepares a slate of candidates which is presented to the board of director by the chair of the nominating committee, or by the chair's designee, This group of candidates is discussed and voted upon by the board of directors. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b a completed 990 is sent to all board members for review and comment, prior to submitting the final copy to IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Board members and staff will annually disclose and promptly update any disclosures previously made on an Annual Conflict Disclosure Questionnaire form, by which such persons identify their interests that might give rise to a conflict, including those affecting family members, domestic partners and close associates. For any conflict of interest, the person involved in the conflict shall take action in consultation with the executive director or president to avoid participation in the matter to effectively avoid the conflict. The president and/or executive director will monitor proposed or ongoing transactions or other matters affecting the organization for conflicts of interest and disclose them to the executive committee or board, as appropriate, whether discovered before or after the transaction or matter has occurred. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 A comparison of salaries and benefits is complied by the director of finance. These comparisons are used to gauge ranges and salaries for staff. The executive director's salary is reviewed and approved by the executive committee of the board of directors. All other staff salary adjustments are recommended by management team and approved by the finance committee as part of the budgeting process. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 The audited financial statements, form 990, annual report, and gift acceptance policy is available on our web site, and upon request. The conflict of interest policy is reviewed and signed by the all the board members annually. Form 990, Part X, Line 10a Section 1.263(a)-3(n) Election: The Natural Resources Council of Maine Inc. 3 Wade Street Augusta, ME 04330 EIN- 01-0270690 The Natural Resources Council of Maine Inc. is electing to capitalize repair and maintenance costs under regulation Section 1.263(a)-3(n) Form 990, Part XI, Line 9 Change in value of gift annuities $40124 change in gifts of future interests $4376