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.
Lisa Pohlmann Honored with “Women in Conservation Award”
Natural Resources Council of Maine’s Executive Director given award by national conservation group NRCM News Release Augusta, Maine – Lisa Pohlmann, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), received high distinction from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), one of the country’s largest national conservation organizations, for her work protecting Maine’s environment. The Read More
South Portland Seeks Dismissal of Suit Challenging Ban on Oil Loading in Harbor
It argues that Portland Pipe Line can’t claim damages when it says it has no plans to move tar sands crude from Canada to the city’s waterfront. By Kelley Bouchard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — The city has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by the Portland Pipe Read More
Mistake in Efficiency Law Will Cost Mainers $250 Million in Higher Energy Bills if Not Corrected Swiftly
Hundreds of Energy Jobs Also at Risk NRCM news release Augusta, ME —Businesses and energy experts gathered today to inform Mainers that a one-word typographical error in the omnibus energy law passed in 2013 will cost Maine energy consumers $250 million if not corrected by the Legislature or the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The missing Read More
Women Promoting Conservation are Well-represented in Maine
From Margaret Chase Smith to Rachel Carson, Maine women have made many significant marks. by Joan Benoit Samuelson and Lisa Pohlmann Portland Press Herald op-ed March is Women’s History Month, a national celebration of the generations of women whose invaluable commitments and leadership have helped to make the world a better place. We’d like to Read More
NRCM Testimony In Opposition to An Act to Reduce Carbon Emissions from Residential Heating (LD 595)
Senator Saviello, Representative Welsh, and distinguished members of the Joint Standing Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Pete Didisheim and I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. I appreciate this opportunity to testify in opposition to LD 595 NRCM opposes this legislation because Maine already has a Read More
Lamey-Wellehan President Jim Wellehan Creates a Legacy of Advocacy and Fairness
by Dylan Martin MaineBiz news story Ask Jim Wellehan what it means to be a business leader, and for his initial response, you likely won’t hear him mention Lamey-Wellehan, his 100-year-old, Auburn-based family retail shoe business. Instead, he’ll bring up a word that means a great deal to him: community. “I love my community. I Read More
Putting the Value of Solar in Real Terms
So the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) did a study that concluded the “value of solar” is 33.7 cents/kwh. (The study was done in response to legislation last year that NRCM developed and led the passage of.) What in the world does that mean? Is that what solar is worth? What it costs? How does that Read More
Lawmakers Should Fix the Missing ‘And’ So Energy Efficiency Work is Not Cut Back
By The BDN Editorial Board Bangor Daily News editorial At $12 million per letter, a missing “and” in a state law has proven an expensive error now that the state Public Utilities Commission used inadvertently flawed statutory language to cut funding for Maine’s energy efficiency work by $36 million. The PUC earlier this week took Read More
For Efficiency Maine, the Word ‘And’ Made a $38 Million Difference
Lawmakers slam the state Public Utilities Commission for not considering ‘legislator intent’ in a decision that will cut funding for the energy efficiency program. By Kevin Miller and Steve Mistler, Staff Writers Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — One missing word in the Legislature’s 2013 energy law will reduce funding for energy efficiency programs Read More
