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.

U.S. House Passes “Climate Action Now” Act
NRCM thanks Reps. Pingree and Golden for sponsoring H.R. 9 NRCM news release May 2, 2019 (Augusta, ME) – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 230-190 to pass, H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which would ensure that America honors its commitments made under the 2015 international Paris Climate Agreement. Both of Maine’s Read More

NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1282, An Act to Establish a Green New Deal for Maine
Senator Mark Lawrence, Chair Representative Seth Berry, Chair Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology My name is Dylan Voorhees and I am the Clean Energy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Because I was away for the public hearing, I am offering this written testimony in support of the sentiment Read More

Governor Mills Proposes Bold Climate Action Bill
NRCM Statement Praises Mills’ Leadership on Climate NRCM news release April 30, 2019 (Augusta, ME) — Maine Governor Janet Mills today announced a climate action bill with lead sponsor Senator David Woodsome (R-York) that, if enacted, could be the most significant climate-related policy measure adopted in Maine since 2003. The bill would direct Maine to Read More

Comments about CMP Corridor Submitted to Army Corps of Engineers
The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) , and Trout Unlimited (TU) submitted these public comments to the Army Corps of Engineers on April 25, 2019, regarding Central Maine Power’s proposed “New England Clean Energy Connect” (NECEC) transmission line. Full comments Appendix: A.i. AMC, NRCM, and TU direct testimony combined A.ii. Read More

NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1430, An Act To Create Tax Equity among Renewable Energy Investments
Senator Chipman, Representative Tipping, and members of the Committee on Taxation, my name is Sophie Janeway and I am the Climate and Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s leading environmental advocacy group with more than 20,000 members and supporters. I appreciate the opportunity to testify in Read More

Maine Lawmakers Urge EPA to Drop Rollback of Mercury Pollution Protections
NRCM news release April 16, 2019 (Augusta, ME) – With final action today, the Maine Legislature has unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution calling on the President to direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to drop its planned rollbacks of mercury pollution protections. EPA has proposed scaling back the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), Read More

Starks is Latest Town to Join Chorus of Opposition to CMP Corridor
NRCM news release April 11, 2019 (Starks, ME) – Residents of Starks tonight overwhelmingly rejected a motion to support the Central Maine Power (CMP) corridor project by a vote of 42-14, becoming the latest town along the proposed massive transmission line to speak out against the project. The move by Starks is yet another example Read More

PUC’s Decision on CMP Corridor Deeply Flawed
NRCM news release April 11, 2019 (Hallowell, ME) – The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity for Central Maine Power’s (CMP) corridor project. In a statement issued after the vote, Sue Ely, a Staff Attorney at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, called the decision deeply flawed Read More

NRCM Testimony in Support of Three Bills, LDs 1383, 1363, and 271, Regarding CMP Corridor
Senator Mark Lawrence, Chair Representative Seth Berry, Chair Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology Testimony in Support of: LD 1383, “An Act to Amend Maine’s Municipal Land Use and Eminent Domain Laws Regarding Transmission and Distribution Utilities” LD 1363, “An Act Regarding Energy Transmission Corridors” LD 271, “An Act Regarding a Transmission and Read More