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.
Backers Tout Bill Opposed by LePage, CMP to Allow More Community Solar Farms
The measure would lift restrictions on current large-scale solar projects, and set new power goals. by Tux Turkel, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A parade of proponents turned out Thursday at a public hearing for a bill that would greatly expand community solar farms in Maine. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. David Read More
Support of LD 1444, An Act Regarding Large-scale Community Solar Procurement
Senator David Woodsome, 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. Thank you for allowing us to present this testimony. We support this bill, which includes new innovations and builds on Read More
Opposition to LD 1226, An Act to Keep Maine’s Transportation Infrastructure Safe by Providing More Sources of Revenue for the Highway Fund
Senator Ron Collins, Chair Representative Andrew McLean, Chair Joint Standing Committee on Transportation 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 strongly opposes this legislation, which would undermine Maine’s ability to reduce our Read More
New Report: Proposed EPA Cuts Put State’s Environment At Risk
by Susan Sharon Maine Public news story A new report from the Natural Resources Council of Maine paints a bleak picture of what could happen in Maine if the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency are adopted. The proposal calls for cutting the agency’s budget 31 percent, slashing 3,200 jobs and eliminating Read More
Portland Councilors Want City to Use 100% Clean Energy by 2040
Portland Press Herald news story Portland city councilors will consider a new goal of powering municipal operations with 100 percent clean energy by 2040. City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau, chairman of the Sustainability and Transportation Committee, is presenting the goal in the form of a council resolution. Thibodeau will formally announce the goal Thursday at a Read More
Report Documents Damage to Maine if Proposed EPA Budget Cuts are Approved
NRCM news release Augusta, Maine – The Trump Administration has proposed deep cuts to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs that reduce pollution in Maine, save the lives of Maine people, and strengthen our communities and economy. According to a comprehensive new report by the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the Administration’s unprecedented proposed cuts to Read More
A Subsidy Maine Electric Customers Pay to Encourage Renewable Energy Up for Review
Lawmakers will consider two bills that seek to address deficiencies in the Renewable Portfolio Standard, which even advocates admit isn’t working as intended. by Tux Turkel, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story A multimillion-dollar subsidy that Maine electric customers pay to encourage the use of renewable power is up for review in the Legislature Read More
Neither For Nor Against LD 1149, An Act To Provide Revenue To Fix and Rebuild Maine’s Infrastructure and in Support of LD 1150, Resolve, To Establish the Road Usage Charge Task Force
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 on these two related bills. NRCM supports some provisions in LD 1149 and opposes others. We support LD 1150 and have some suggestions for additional considerations Read More
Wind Power Foes: Don’t Ruin Maine’s Beauty to Feed “Green Energy” Demands
Although wind energy is supported by many environmentalists, those who oppose development in the Moosehead region feel the reality of wind power would mean no real reduction in Maine By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — Wind power opponents near Moosehead Lake are worried that Massachusetts interests are going Read More
