by George Smith Bangor Daily News column Maine is blessed with many environmental leaders, and it’s nice when they are recognized. The Natural Resources Council of Maine recently honored wonderful folks from Falmouth, Georgetown, Walpole, and Brunswick. Here’s NRCM’s announcement. Augusta, ME – The Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) has named its 2018 Conservation Read More
Maine Environmental News
Maine environmental news often comes quickly and with little warning. Stay up to date on Maine environment news.
From issues such as climate change, healthy waters, Maine forests and wildlife, and sustainability—and environmental policy that could impact them—you’ll find NRCM’s up-to-the-minute news releases to see our perspective on the most pressing issues facing Maine’s land, air, waters, and wildlife. This includes findings relating to our role as Maine’s watchdog of activities of state environmental agencies—we stand ready to blow the whistle when regulations are not enforced.
You can also find our news “round up,” News & Noteworthy, which puts the spotlight on media stories that do a particularly good job capturing current news about Maine's environment. We hope you find this part of our website helpful and informative!
Electricity Customers Paying Through the Nose Due to New PUC Rules, Say Solar Installers
by Andy O’Brien Free Press news story A Pittsfield-based solar installer is asking the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to exempt certain solar customers from its new gross metering rules citing the high cost of installing new mandatory meters. In the PUC filing, Vaughan Woodruff, owner of Insource Renewables, argues that the PUC’s rules for Read More
Landfill Solar Panels to Cover 95 Percent of Maine Town’s Electricity Needs
By Ralph Morang, Portsmouth Herald Bangor Daily News news story ELIOT, Maine — Dark skies and cold rain Monday morning did not hinder the progress of work on Eliot’s newest solar array. Trucks poured concrete into ballasts that will support 384 345-watt photovoltaic solar panels in three ranks at the town’s former landfill next to Read More
PUC Delays CMP Power Line Hearings, Per Request by NRCM, Others
CMP’s 11th Hour Filings Raise Serious Questions Statement of Sue Ely, Clean Energy Attorney, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The PUC’s decision to delay hearings on CMP’s proposed transmission line is a welcome acknowledgement that this process has been moving too fast for a thorough analysis of this massive, incredibly complex and flawed project. After months of Read More
Avalanche of Information Delays Decision on CMP Transmission Corridor
The Maine Public Utilities Commission agrees to the suspension requested by parties in the case and will set a new timetable for its decision. Regulators who have the power to approve or derail a plan to build a 145-mile transmission line through Maine are delaying their decision. The Maine Public Utilities Commission, which had been Read More
Some Maine Outdoorsmen are Worried about the Potential Impact of the CMP Transmission Line
By Fred Bever Maine Public news story Listen to full news story. Some snowmobilers and hunters in Maine are raising their voices against the high-voltage transmission line that Central Maine Power wants to string through western Maine in order to bring electricity to Massachusetts. The Maine Snowmobilers Association (MSA) is contending with dissent in its Read More
Natural Resources Council of Maine Supports Bag and Polystyrene Bans
Camden Herald op-ed For decades, the Natural Resources Council of Maine has been working with communities and lawmakers to reduce plastic waste and pollution in our environment. Nov. 6, Camden voters will consider two town ordinances we wholeheartedly support: one would ban single-use plastic bags (placing a 10-cent fee on single-use paper bags at year-round Read More
New England Power Line Opposition Brings Together Unusual Alliance
Environmental groups and gas generators both oppose the power line project, which would carry Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts. by Bill Opalka Energy News Network news story The proposed New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line is creating an unusual alliance of opponents in Maine that range from environmental groups to fossil fuel power generators. Groups Read More
CMP Plans to Bury Proposed Transmission Line Under Kennebec Gorge
In a concession to opponents, the power company says it would drill under the scenic canyon instead of stringing power lines overhead if it wins approval for the 145-mile transmission line project. by Peter McGuire, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Central Maine Power wants to bury the portion of its planned electrical transmission Read More
