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.

Building the Grid of the Future to Power a Clean Energy Future
The future must be powered by clean, renewable energy produced here in Maine. Whether it’s running our heat pumps in our homes or powering the cars and buses we take to get where we need to go, we’ll need reliable, affordable, carbon- and pollution-free energy sources. Maine’s new Climate Action Plan lays out the strategies Read More

Support of LD 815, An Act to Support School Decarbonization
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 815, An Act to Act to Support School Decarbonization. Reducing Maine’s Building Sector Energy Read More

Conservation Groups Move to Add U.S. Department of Energy to CMP Corridor Lawsuit
News release from Natural Resources Council of Maine, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Sierra Club Maine March 29, 2021 (Augusta, ME) – Three of Maine’s largest conservation groups have moved to add the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to their lawsuit challenging the flawed federal permits that were granted to Central Maine Power (CMP) for its Read More

Support of LD 940, An Act to Establish Appliance Energy and Water Standards
Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and distinguished members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 940, An Act to Act to Establish Appliance Energy and Read More

LD 471, Require Approval for Certain Leases of Public Lands
Senator Dill, Representative O’Neil, and members of the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry: My name is Nick Bennett, and I am the staff scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 25,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in support of LD 471. Read More

Support of LD 551, An Act To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. My name is Sue Ely. I am a staff attorney at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I am pleased to testify today in support of LD 551, An Act To Accelerate Weatherization Efforts in the State. As you likely Read More

Opposition to LD 667, An Act To Create Synergy between Maine Industry and Maine’s Energy Goals in the Use of Certain Funds by the Efficiency Maine Trust
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. My name is Sue Ely, and I am a staff attorney at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Today I am testifying against LD 667, An Act To Create Synergy between Maine Industry and Maine’s Energy Goals in the Use of Read More

Opposition to LD 249 and LD 583, Bills Related to Net Energy Billing Policy
Opposition to LD 249, An Act to Eliminate the Current Net Energy Billing Policy in Maine and LD 583, An Act to Repeal the Changes Made by Public Law 2019, Chapter 478, An Act to Promote Solar Energy Projects and Distributed Generation Resources in Maine Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. My Read More

Support of LD 709, A Resolve to Provide a Brief Moratorium on Certain New Net Energy Billing Arrangements
Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 709, A Resolve to Provide a Brief Moratorium on Certain New Net Energy Read More