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.
South Portland’s Tar Sands Ban Upheld in a ‘David vs. Goliath’ Pipeline Battle
Citing Maine’s ‘home rule authority’ to protect public health, the small city took on Big Oil, which lined up behind a company challenging its tar sands ban. By Sabrina Shankman Inside Climate News news story A federal judge has ruled that the coastal city of South Portland, Maine, did not violate the U.S. Constitution when Read More
South Portland’s “Clear Skies” Ordinance Survives Challenge as Federal Judge Finds It Constitutional
Portland Pipe Line Corp. had sued to overturn the ordinance adopted in 2014 to prohibit the bulk loading of crude oil onto tankers on the city’s waterfront. by Randy Billings, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story A federal court ruled Friday that a South Portland ordinance prohibiting bulk loading of crude oil onto tankers Read More
Critics Question Plan for CMP Power Line through Western Maine
by Steve Collins, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story LEWISTON — Whether Central Maine Power should get permission to construct its proposed 145-mile electrical transmission line between Quebec and Lewiston drew sharp comments Wednesday during a session sponsored by the Sierra Club at City Hall. The $950 million project would deliver power generated by Hydro-Québec Read More
Quebec Hydro Project a Bad Deal for Maine
By Lisa Pohlmann, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Central Maine Power is pushing for a huge transmission line that would cross large areas of Maine’s undeveloped North Woods, including the famous Kennebec Gorge. The line would allow Hydro-Quebec, a government-owned Canadian company, to sell its electricity at a premium in Massachusetts. The Read More
Trump Administration Pushes to Gut Air Pollution Rules for Nation’s Dirtiest Power Plants
Statement of Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The Trump Administration’s proposal to roll back air pollution limits is bad news for everyone who breathes. The proposal is particularly bad news for Mainers, since so much of the air pollution that affects Maine people comes from upwind power plants that would Read More
Quebec Hydro Isn’t a Good Fit for Mass.
We need closer-to-home renewables that actually reduce emissions by Deb Pasternak, interim chapter director, Massachusetts Sierra Club Commonwealth Magazine op-ed Massachusetts electric distribution companies submitted long-term hydro electricity supply contracts to the Department of Public Utilities for review recently. The Massachusetts Sierra Club believes strongly that these contracts are not the right way to get Read More
Maine Environmental Group Opposes Mass. Energy Transmission Project
by State House News Service Worcester Business Journal news story An environmental nonprofit from Maine was expected to oppose contracts between Massachusetts utility companies and Central Maine Power related to the 140-mile New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project at a hearing Wednesday. The Natural Resources Council of Maine says the NECEC project, which would Read More
Ignoring Climate Change Puts Mainers in Danger
Politics has stifled research that would have helped the state prepare for a warming planet. Central Maine Newspapers editorial Policy driven by research works better than science driven by politics. Witness Maine, which experienced a historic explosion in its tick population, and not coincidentally, a 20-fold increase in Lyme disease diagnoses between 2000 and 2016 Read More
Trump Administration Pushes to Weaken Car Pollution Standards
Statement of Emmie Theberge, Federal Project Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “Today, the Trump Administration announced its plan to roll back America’s clean car standards and attack Maine’s legal right to protect the health of our fellow citizens. This proposal would pollute Maine’s air, threaten Mainers’ health, and force Maine people to spend billions Read More
