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.
Maine’s Climate Action Plan Turns One
Today marks one year since the creation of Maine’s Climate Action Plan, “Maine Won’t Wait,” an exciting and ambitious framework to tackle climate change on all fronts in our state. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, it has been a pivotal year for climate action. Hundreds of Maine people, communities, and businesses have stepped up to deliver meaningful progress toward our climate goals. As more and Read More
Maine DEP Suspends CMP Corridor Permit
November 23, 2021 (Augusta, ME) — This evening, Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim suspended the permit for CMP’s controversial corridor project. This is a major blow for the project and comes weeks after an overwhelming vote by Maine people to terminate the CMP corridor. Below is a short statement from NRCM’s Advocacy Read More
US House Votes for Largest Investment in Climate Action and Clean Energy in History
NRCM statement by Emmie Theberge Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of the Build Back Better Act, which includes the largest investment in climate action and clean energy in U.S. history. Below is a statement from Emmie Theberge, Federal Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, regarding the House’s vote: “This Read More
Mainers Rally at DEP HQ to Call for Immediate Suspension of Permit for CMP Corridor
NRCM news release November, 18, 2021 (Augusta, ME) – Voters who supported Question 1 from across Maine gathered today outside the headquarters of Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to call on the agency’s commissioner to immediately suspend the permit for the highly controversial Central Maine Power (CMP) corridor project. Speakers at the rally noted that Maine law allows DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim to Read More
GrowSmart Summit Inspires Confidence in a Better Tomorrow
Last week, in my role as Climate & Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, I had the pleasure of attending GrowSmart Maine’s annual summit in the vast Pepperell Mill Campus of Biddeford. Vaulted ceilings and brick walls lit by rustic bare bulbs set the scene for a conference entitled, “Turning Read More
New Poll: Maine Voters Want CMP to Stop Corridor Cutting, Support DEP Suspending Permit
November 17, 2021 (Augusta, ME) — A new public opinion survey completed since Election Day shows that most Maine voters want Central Maine Power (CMP) to stop all clearing of trees in western Maine to honor the will of Maine voters. A strong majority also supports having the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) order Read More
What the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule Means for Maine
Trucks have an outsized impact on climate change in Maine. The transportation sector is responsible for 54% of Maine’s carbon pollution, and 27% of those emissions are from medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Reducing emissions from these heavier vehicles is a key part of Maine’s Climate Action Plan, which is why the Natural Resources Council of Maine is supporting the Maine Read More
Mainers Demand CMP Corridor be Terminated
NRCM news release November 2, 2021 (Augusta, ME) – A strong majority of Maine voters today delivered a devastating blow to the controversial Central Maine Power (CMP) corridor project, according to results being reported by Maine media outlets. Question 1 was on track to pass overwhelmingly despite CMP and Hydro-Quebec shattering all previous referendum campaign Read More
Build Back Better Framework Will Support Maine’s Clean Energy Transition
NRCM news release (Augusta, ME) – The Build Back Better framework being announced today by President Joe Biden is a historic start to the long overdue and necessary action needed to combat climate change, and it deserves the support of Maine’s Congressional delegation, according to a statement issued by Maine’s leading environmental advocacy organization, the Read More
