WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the February Edition of his Inside Maine Podcast. This month’s edition features Kate Dempsey, Maine State Director of the Nature Conservancy, and Stephanie Clement, Conservation Director at Friends of Acadia, who join Senator King to discuss the Senate’s recent passage of a public lands legislative package, which was advanced by a vote of 92-8. The legislation included the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), as well as a bill authored by Senator King which clarifies the boundary of Acadia National Park and takes important steps to ensure the good relationship between the park and the surrounding communities, including protecting the use of intertidal zones by harvesters of clams and worms, and permanently reauthorizing the Acadia National Park Commission. The podcast can been heard HERE.

“The Senate’s 92-8 passage of public lands legislation is an important bipartisan victory for Maine and an example of how legislating is supposed to work,” said Senator King. “The bill contains major wins for Maine, including the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and my legislation to clarify the boundary of Acadia National Park and address concerns of the surrounding communities. The overwhelmingly bipartisan nature of this vote proves that our love for public lands transcends partisanship, and gives dedicated leaders like Stephanie and Kate the tools they need to protect these natural treasures.”

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is known within Congress as a champion of efforts to preserve, protect, and promote America’s national parks and public lands. In addition to his longtime advocacy in favor of LWCF and his work to clarify Acadia National Park’s boundary, Sen. King is a lead sponsor of the Restore Our Parks Act. This bipartisan bill, which Sen. King introduced with Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Mark Warner (D-Va.), would address the $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog at the National Park Service, and recently spoke on the Senate floor in support of the legislation.

The Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King’s work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King’s podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month. The Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King is available for free in iTunes and on Senator King’s website.