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.
4 Ways the Historic Climate Bill Will Benefit Mainers
The most significant investment in climate action and clean energy in U.S. history has been signed into law, and it’s good news for Maine! The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will have big benefits for Maine people by making clean energy, home efficiency and electrification, and electric vehicles more affordable for everyday people. We know these Read More
Maine Groups Urge Quick Action in Congress on Inflation Reduction Act
News release Augusta, ME (August 5, 2022) — A broad range of Maine public health, labor, economic justice, and conservation organizations are urging the U.S. Congress to swiftly pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 because it will lower costs for everyday Mainers, create good jobs, and help meet the state’s bipartisan emissions reduction goals. Read More
U.S. Supreme Court Decision Limiting EPA’s Ability to Reduce Pollution Will Harm Maine’s Clean Air and Climate
Augusta, ME (June 30, 2022) – Maine conservationists are expressing outrage over a decision issued today by the U.S. Supreme Court to dismantle the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to limit carbon pollution that is accelerating the impacts of climate change. The Natural Resources Council of Maine, one of the state’s largest and oldest conservation Read More
What I Learned from Installing Wood Heat
A couple years ago my husband and I moved into a home that, like 60% of houses here in Maine, burns oil for heat. When we were ready to switch to an alternative heating system, we knew we would be looking for options that helped move us away from fossil fuels, weren’t going to break Read More
My EV Road Trip from Los Angeles to Maine
We met Peter LaFond of Falmouth when he volunteered at a data entry party hosted at the Natural Resources Council of Maine office to help us analyze the results from our latest survey of electric car owners in Maine! More people than ever own electric cars, and we’re excited to bring their lessons learned to Read More
Maine-made Offshore Wind Would Power Economy with Clean Energy
News release Maine Audubon | Maine Conservation Voters | Natural Resources Council of Maine May 18, 2022 (Portland, ME) – Labor, business leaders, and conservationists today urged the state and federal governments to act quickly and responsibly to bring innovative, locally developed floating offshore wind technology to the Gulf of Maine. “Maine has a unique Read More
Lower Energy Costs, More Jobs Delivered by Efficiency Maine Trust’s New Triennial Plan
NRCM News Release May 17, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Maine homeowners and businesses will have expanded access to heat pumps, weatherization, and other programs that have been proven to save energy costs and reduce air pollution in a new $300 million, three-year strategic plan for the Efficiency Maine Trust approved by utility regulators today. The Read More
Federal Funding Creates Opportunities for Maine
This is the third blog post in a series that will illuminate the ways federal funding has allowed Maine to successfully complete climate and clean energy projects; the projects that are underway with funding coming down the pipeline; and the needs that still exist for continued climate and clean energy work. Read the first blog Read More
New Law Will Tie Electric Grid Planning to Maine’s Climate Goals
NRCM news release May 9, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Electric utilities in Maine will for the first time be required to create a comprehensive plan for supporting the state’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals under a landmark bill signed into law earlier this month. Conservation groups that worked closely with lawmakers and the Mills Read More