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.
Sea-level Rise Hurting Maine’s Waterfront Real Estate Values
A study released this week show Maine lost about $70 million in appreciated waterfront property values from 2005 to 2017. By Eric Russell and Kevin Miller, Staff Writers Portland Press Herald news story Increased tidal flooding caused by sea level rise has contributed to a loss of $70 million in the appreciation of waterfront real estate Read More
Bill to Tax Fossil Fuel Producers Among Dozens of Climate-Related Proposals Before Maine Legislature
by Steve Mistler Maine Public news story From carbon taxes to the Maine version of the Green New Deal, Democratic state lawmakers are pitching a slew of bills designed to address the threat of climate change. While Democrats have introduced climate bills before, the proposals had no real chance to become law during Republican Gov. Read More
Clean Energy Agenda Sees Power Surge in Augusta
With the shift in political priorities, lawmakers propose dozens of bills, including ‘a bold idea’: A Green New Deal. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story When she was 12, Chloe Maxmin formed a Climate Action club at her school. At Harvard, where she graduated in 2015, she co-founded a campaign calling Read More
Solar Panel Plan for Blaine House Sends a Message
The governor solicits proposals for what’s likely to be a visible affirmation of renewable energy. By Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Mills administration is drawing up a request for proposals over the coming weeks to install solar-electric panels on the Blaine House, an action meant to signal that Maine once again Read More
Hydro-Quebec Offers Misleading Claims about Power’s Climate Impact
We can’t trust the utility’s publicists to represent correctly their own carbon emissions. by Bradford H. Hager, MIT earth sciences professor and a part-time resident of Mercer Portland Press Herald op-ed Hydro-Quebec’s claim that – as paraphrased by Portland Press Herald Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy – the electricity they would send south is “produced with Read More
Maine Mall 2,340-panel Solar Array Poised to Go Online
by Maureen Milliken Mainebiz news story The Maine Mall is expected to save thousands of kilowatt hours in energy costs this year when a 2,340-panel solar array goes online. The array has been installed and is awaiting installation of a foot pad walkway system before it powers up, South Portland Economic Development Director William Mann Read More
Public Hearing Set on Roxbury Wind Project
By Bruce Farrin, Rumford Falls Times Sun Journal news story ROXBURY — Roxwind LLC has submitted a permit application to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for the Roxwind Project on North Twin Mountain. The project would produce 15.2 megawatts of power and include access roads and overhead and underground collection lines. Board of Selectmen Read More
Trump Administration’s Proposal to Dramatically Weaken Limits on Toxic Mercury Pollution from Coal Plants Threatens Mainers’ Health
Statement of Emmie Theberge, Federal Program Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The Trump Administration has taken the first step to dramatically roll back the 2011 Mercury and Air Toxic Standards, federal protections that limit toxic mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants nationwide. In its announcement he EPA says ‘that it is not appropriate and Read More
NRCM Encourages Maine to Join Regional Effort to Curb Transportation Pollution
Points to Efficiency Maine announcement on fast charging EV stations as a positive step NRCM news release Augusta, ME – Below is a statement from NRCM’s Climate and Clean Energy Director Dylan Voorhees on an announcement yesterday that nine Northeast and mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia signed a landmark agreement to curb pollution Read More
