PRESS RELEASE

Contact: William Sugg, Director, MEPI
Phone: 207-622-9766
www.meepi.org

Report author: Meredith L. Gore
Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources
Phone: 607-255-6578
Email: mlg35@cornell.edu

Go to report and voter's guide.

Maine Environmental Policy Institute Releases Report And Voter Guide on Bear Hunting Referendum

Hallowell, Maine (March 3, 2004). The Maine Environmental Policy Institute (MEPI) announced today the release of a comprehensive, non-partisan report and voter's guide for the November ballot question on bear hunting. The centerpiece of the guide is a report by Meredith Gore of Cornell University entitled Black Bears: A Situation Analysis on Baiting and Hounding.

The report summarizes key elements of what bear baiting and hunting with hounds entails; reviews the status of the practices in various portions of the United States; provides a situation analysis within states recently confronting similar referendums. The report does not offer arguments supporting or rejecting the merit of either side of the debate. The report is available on the Institute's website at www.meepi.org in html and pdf formats, and printed copies are available by contacting MEPI.

The web-based voter's guide also contains links to the language of the ballot initiative and to websites of those supporting and opposing the referendum. In addition, the site will be updated daily with links to news articles, opinion pieces, editorials, radio stories, etc. on the issue through the November election.

The Maine Environmental Policy Institute is an independent nonprofit organization based in Hallowell, Maine. It is dedicated to researching environmental challenges facing the state and reporting this research to policy makers and the public. The organization has won the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for its work.

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MEPI, 220 Water Street, POB 347, Hallowell, ME 04347 Ph: 207-622-9766
Email: meepi@meepi.org Web site:www.meepi.org