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.

News Center Maine Meteorologist Keith Carson: “Weather Was Always My Passion. But Climate Change Has Grown On Me.”
Weather is my passion. It’s been that way since the Blizzard of 1993 hit my home in Massachusetts when I was 10 years old (quick math, how old am I?). I knew from that early age that I wanted to do what I loved when I “grew up.” So I slugged through Calculus, Physics, and Thermodynamics Read More

Moms Oppose Changes to EPA Mercury Rule
Maine has public-health advisories against eating fish from 14 bodies of water contaminated with mercury. By Andrea Sears Public News Service News Story March 20, 2019 AUGUSTA, Maine – Do your job, protect our kids. That’s the message dozens of mothers from 15 states took to Washington, D.C., this week. The Environmental Protection Agency has Read More

CMP Corridor is Not the Clean Energy Solution for Maine
Maine Campus newspaper editorial When picturing Maine, the Pine Tree State, it’s hard not to imagine the rocky coast, the rural farmland and the vast forests. In fact, Maine has the largest amount of overall forest coverage in the country. Our state is home to the end of the Appalachian Trail, which hosts over 2 Read More

Dozens Weigh In on Whether to Study Greenhouse Gas Impact of CMP Power Line
Supporters are skeptical that Central Maine Power’s proposal for a 145-mile transmission line connecting Quebec with Massachusetts will reduce emissions of gases tied to climate change. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Opponents of Central Maine Power’s proposal to build a high-voltage transmission line through Maine urged lawmakers to Read More

Support of LD 640, Resolve, To Require a Study of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions from Proposed CMP Transmission Corridor
Senator Carson, Representative Tucker, and distinguished members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. My name is Nick Bennett, and I am the Staff Scientist at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM is Maine’s largest environmental advocacy group with more than 20,000 members and supporters. I am testifying in strong support of LD Read More

Opposition to LD 334, An Act to Change the Definition of “Renewable Capacity Resource”
My name is Dylan Voorhees and I am the Clean Energy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Thank you for allowing us to present this testimony. NRCM supports the use of our Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to spur investment in renewable resources that help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, improve our Read More

Climate Bills Call for Maine to Reduce Emissions to 80% Below 1990 Levels
Seven hours of testimony provide a glimpse into the scope and impact of proposals to rein in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, factories and motor vehicles. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Maine scientists, fishermen and environmentalists urged lawmakers Wednesday to embrace a goal of reducing greenhouse gas Read More

Opposition to LD 754, An Act to Ensure the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Continues to Promote Energy Efficiency and Benefit Maine Ratepayers
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). NRCM opposes this bill, which—despite its title—would limit the extent to which funds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Read More

Solar Array Proposed in Oxford
Town could see financial rewards in energy credits. By Leslie H. Dixon Advertiser Democrat/ Lewiston Sun Journal news story View graphics from news story. OXFORD — Nearly 40 acres of land off Route 26 near the Oxford County Regional Airport may be developed as a solar array – one of the largest solar energy facilities Read More