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.
Maine Legislature Fails to Override LePage Solar Veto
Major loss for solar power, jobs, and Maine electricity customers NRCM news release Today, the Maine House of Representatives voted to sustain Governor LePage’s veto of the solar bill, despite the fact that the bill passed the House and Senate initially by more than a two-thirds super majority. Seven Republican legislators changed their position from Read More
Solar Proposal Remains the Best Path Forward for Maine
Legislators should override the veto of a bill that would benefit utilities, consumers and the solar industry. by the Portland Press Herald Editorial Board The solar energy bill that lawmakers will vote on Wednesday is the same one they passed by wide margins in June – 105-41 in the House and 29-6 in the Senate. Read More
Let Solar Energy Empower Ratepayers, Not Utility
Central Maine Power is using distorted figures to scare the public into opposing L.D. 1504. by Senator Tom Saviello, fourth-term Republican state senator from Wilton and chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee Portland Press Herald op-ed AUGUSTA — In the last few months you have heard all about my solar bill, L.D. 1504, Read More
Lawmakers Need to Override LePage Veto to Avert Disastrous Solar Rules
By Vaughan Woodruff, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed This week, legislators will decide whether to override the governor’s veto of LD 1504, an extremely modest bill that aims to remove a uniformly disliked provision of new solar rules slated to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. While solar policy discussions in Read More
Solar Farm Covering 57 Acres in Pittsfield Wins Regulators’ OK
By Darren Fishell, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story Cianbro’s 57-acre solar farm in Pittsfield has cleared its major regulatory hurdles toward getting the $24.2 million project in partial operation by December. Environmental regulators last month cleared the project for construction and the Maine Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday gave the company the go-ahead Read More
Our View: Regional Climate Initiative is Victim of its Own Success
If regulators don’t lower the carbon cap, Maine will miss out on the benefits of efficiency projects. By The Editorial Board Portland Press Herald editorial There has been so much bad news about the battle against climate change lately, it’s easy to forget that some recent news has been very good. For instance, even though Read More
Solar Bill Could Help Mainers Facing Some of Nation’s Highest Utility Rates
A bill up for vote this week means the PUC could ensure wise use of solar, despite CMP’s cockeyed arguments otherwise. by Tony Buxton, special to the Press Herald Press Herald op-ed If the Legislature passed a law making you pay your grocer for the vegetables you grow in your own garden, you would be Read More
Novel Solar Tracker in South Paris will Fuel Electric Cars – and Hopes for Inspiring Students
Installing the moveable array of panels along a well-traveled road on the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School campus will teach students about renewable energy and generate a higher profile. by Tux Turkel, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story The state’s first solar array that tracks the sun to charge electric vehicles will be installed Read More
Time for Lawmakers to Override Solar Veto
A modest change to the way power producers are paid is what an industry needs to expand. Portland Press Herald editorial board The Legislature is supposed to be long gone by the time the summer heat has Mainers turning on their air conditioners, creating the year’s peak demand for electricity. But it’s mid-July and lawmakers Read More
