Clean air is essential for healthy, happy lives. Clean, renewable energy helps ensure clean air. NRCM works for policies and initiatives that will improve Maine's air quality and reduce global warming pollution throughout the state and region.
NRCM’s climate and clean energy work is focused on where we can have the greatest impact: cleaner cars and trucks, clean and renewable energy production, and greater energy efficiency.
Our work in these key areas is critical to reducing health and environmental problems already plaguing our state. These include high asthma rates, more “bad air days,” rising sea levels due to climate change that threaten coastal communities, and threats to our fall foliage, skiing, and our vital tourism-based industry.
NRCM makes certain that Maine's elected officials and decision-makers are kept up to date about information related to climate change pollution, clean energy technologies, and steps Maine can take to ensure clean air.
An Interview with Conservation Ecologist Jeff Wells
On October 16, 2008, conservation ecologist Jeffrey Wells, Ph.D., will give a multi-media presentation, “Canary in a Coal Mine: Birds, Energy, and Global Warming,” at NRCM’s Annual Meeting. Jeff, author of the acclaimed Birder’s Conservation Handbook, is senior scientist for the International Boreal Conservation Campaign and a Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visiting Fellow. His work Read More
Northeast Makes History with First U.S. Auction of Carbon Credits
Auction expected to change the way the U.S. fights global warming NRCM * The Nature Conservancy * Conservation Law Foundation * Environment NE Today, in an historic and collaborative effort to help fight global warming, six states – Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont – will participate in the nation’s first auction of Read More
Maine Legislature Passes Law that Sets Energy Efficient Building Standards for New Homes
News release Today, by a vote of 20-15, the Maine Senate approved legislation (already passed by the House 78-58) to establish building standards to reduce fuel consumption in new homes. Maine joins 40 other states with statewide energy efficiency standards for new homes. Maine’s new law has several elements that make it better than just Read More
Support of LD 2283, An Act to Implement Recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force on Wind Power Development
by Pete Didisheim, NRCM Senior Director of Advocacy Senator Bartlett, Representative Bliss, and members of the Utilities Committee, my name is Pete Didisheim. I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, I served as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Wind Power Development, and I am here to testify Read More
NRCM Commends Wind Power Task Force
Recommendations Would Make Maine a Leader in Wind Power The Natural Resources Council of Maine today heralded the final report of Governor Baldacci’s Task Force on Wind Power Development. The report calls for at least 2,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power in Maine by 2015 and at least 3,000 MW by 2020, as part of Read More
LURC Takes One Step Forward for Clean Energy, Not Two
NRCM news release Today, Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission made two important decisions on the future of wind power in Maine. “The Commission could have taken two steps forward on clean energy for Maine; instead they took one,” said NRCM Clean Energy Director Dylan Voorhees. The Land Use Regulation Commission voted 4-2 to recommend rejecting Read More
NRCM Statement on Proposed Coal Power Plant in Wiscasset
I am here today to announce the decision by the Natural Resources Council of Maine to oppose the coal gasification facility proposed by Point East for the town of Wiscasset. NRCM has many members in Wiscasset and the surrounding towns. They and many others asked us to examine this proposal closely. We have concluded that Read More
New Voices Come Out in Opposition to Proposed Coal Plant
14 million pounds of coal a day would make Wiscasset the “grittiest village” in Maine Natural Resources Council of Maine * Back River Alliance Today, on the shores of the Sheepscot River in Wiscasset, the Back River Alliance hosted a news conference to highlight the growing opposition to a proposed coal-fired power plant and diesel Read More
Mars Hill Wind Tour Participants Learn First-hand about Wind Farm
Many Mainers joined the Natural Resources Council of Maine on Saturday, September 29th, for our second excursion to Maine —and New England’s— only large wind farm, located at Mars Hill. The group toured the ridge line, met with wind farm developer UPC Wind, enjoyed the incredible fall colors, and went round the mountain to gain Read More
