The city’s new solar array, celebrated by officials and renewable energy advocates on Tuesday, is generating electricity to help power city buildings. by Randy Billings, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Portland has completed a 4-acre solar array on top of the city’s old municipal landfill. City officials and renewable energy gathered Tuesday to Read More
Climate
Climate change and global warming pollution harm Maine people, wildlife, and our environment. Among the highest rates of childhood asthma in the nation, rising seas and severe storms battering our coastal homes and towns, warming and more acidic oceans threatening fisheries, too many “bad air days,” more and more tick-borne diseases, threats to our fall foliage and winter tourism industries—these are among the many health, environmental, and economic problems climate change pollution is causing here in Maine.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine is working to reduce climate-changing pollution by making Maine more energy efficient. We work to provide clean, renewable energy and cleaner more efficient vehicles that will reduce Maine’s contribution to air pollution and climate change to ensure Maine people and wildlife have clean air to breathe.
Cars, Trucks, Boats, Planes Add Most Emissions in Maine
In our large, rural state with few mass-transit options, transportation’s slice of the greenhouse-gas pie grows. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The more than 1.5 million cars, trucks, boats and planes in Maine account for an ever-greater share of the state’s greenhouse gas pollution, presenting major regulatory challenges at a Read More
Solar Power Achieved a New England Milestone on Chilly Thanksgiving
Sun-generated electricity reached a level that actually shifted peak energy demand away from the usual midmorning, showing solar’s growing role on the region’s electric grid. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story On last month’s historically cold Thanksgiving Day, New England turkeys were being roasted by the sun. For the first time, Read More
Maine Regulators Partially Undo Controversial Solar Metering Rule
By Fred Bever Maine Public news story State regulators are partially unwinding what they had hoped was a solution to inequities in the way solar power users are compensated for excess electricity they supply to the grid. Last year, after several legislative attempts to reform the state’s solar rules were stymied by Gov. Paul LePage, Read More
CMP Transmission Proposal Puts Corporate Profits Ahead of Our Environment and Climate
The Natural Resources Council of Maine opposes Central Maine Power’s (CMP) massive, proposed transmission line across western Maine. It would harm Maine’s environment, economy, and way of life—and do nothing to reduce climate-disrupting pollution. It’s a bad deal for Maine. CMP proposes to build a 145-mile, high-voltage, direct current transmission line from the Quebec border Read More
Maine PUC Stops Tax on Medium & Large Customers Using Their Own Solar Power
Determines “gross metering” costs ratepayers too much NRCM News Release Today the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) granted a petition from Insource Renewables to suspend so-called “gross metering” for medium and large electricity users, citing excessive costs to all ratepayers to implement the policy. “Gross metering” was adopted by the PUC two years ago to Read More
Gulf of Maine’s 3rd-warmest Year on Record Harms Puffins, Turtles and Kelp
The effects on species that thrive in cold waters provide glimpses of the damage that rising ocean temperatures can do, but the federal and state response remains weak. by Colin Woodard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Gulf of Maine is experiencing its third-warmest year on record, triggering the starvation of puffin chicks Read More
Jackman Joins Resistance against CMP Power Line Project
Residents voted 78-11 to oppose the project at a special town meeting on Wednesday. By Meg Robbins, Staff Writer Central Maine newspapers news story JACKMAN — The town of Jackman has joined a number of towns and organizations throughout the state in opposing Central Maine Power Co.’s proposed transmission line that would bring hydropower from Read More
Jackman Residents Vote to Oppose CMP Transmission Line
Jackman joins Caratunk, West Forks, The Forks, in opposition; Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and the Town of Alna rescinded prior support, too NRCM news release Tonight, at a special town meeting in the MSAD#12 School Gymnasium, Jackman residents voted 78-11, with one abstention, to oppose CMP’s proposal to build a massive 145-mile-long transmission line from the Read More
