Updated: Next Meeting at 1 PM on Thursday, Februrary 20 at the Cross Building, Room 214, in Augusta by Christine Parrish The Free Press news story As part of a long-term effort to consolidate state land holdings, the state proposes to buy, sell, or swap several parcels of Maine Public Land, including approximately 6,000 acres Read More
State House Watch
Working for legislation to protect Maine’s environment is an essential part of NRCM’s mission for the people of Maine. During the legislative session, we are at the Maine State House, just a block from our office, to work for new safeguards and also to defend existing legislation that protects Maine’s land, air, water, and wildlife.
LePage-backed Bill would Slap Extra Annual Fee on Electric, Hybrid Cars
The transportation department says owners don’t pay enough gas taxes to the highway maintenance fund, but environmental groups and drivers say the state should find another way to fill the gap. by Peter McGuide, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The LePage administration is proposing to make it more expensive to own a hybrid Read More
Maine Should Leave the Bottle Bill Alone
Bangor Daily News editorial Maine’s bottle redemption program turns 40 this year, marking four decades of rewarding responsible consumers with small, 5- or 15-cent refunds when they redeem the beverage containers they’ve accrued over time. It is one of the most comprehensive and successful of such programs in the country. Maine consumers recycle more beverage Read More
Panel on Wind Power Development Likely to Say What LePage Wants to Hear
No amount of study is going to convince the governor to reverse his strident opposition to wind generation, so why bother? by the Editorial Board Portland Press Herald editorial Last week Gov. LePage created a special commission to study wind power development in Maine and issue a report. This week, he told us what the Read More
Environmental Group Sues LePage, Says Wind Farm Ban is Unconstitutional
The Conservation Law Foundation says the governor’s action violates the constitutional separation of powers. By Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story A regional environmental advocacy group has gone to court in an attempt to overturn a moratorium that Gov. Paul LePage imposed last week on most new wind energy projects in Maine. Read More
Wind Power Moratorium Reignites Tourism vs. Clean Energy Debate
by James McCarthy Mainebiz news story Gov. Paul R. LePage issued an executive order Wednesday putting the brakes on the state’s permitting of new onshore wind projects. In doing so, he’s renewed the longstanding debate over whether there’s greater value in Maine’s scenic mountains for tourism than for wind energy. His order also created the Read More
LePage Moves to Block Most New Maine Wind Energy Permits
By Christopher Cousins and Michael Shepherd, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage on Wednesday placed a moratorium on permits for most new wind turbines in Maine, a move that could reverberate regionally a day before Massachusetts is set to announce winners in a massive clean power procurement plan. Read More
LePage Blocks New Wind Energy Projects, Creates Secretive Commission to Study Impacts
The longtime critic of wind energy says he’s acting ‘to protect our natural beauty,’ and allows the new panel to craft regulatory changes without public scrutiny. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage imposed a moratorium Wednesday on new wind energy projects in western and coastal Maine Read More
NRCM Statement on LePage Wind Power Moratorium and Secret Panel
Statement by NRCM Climate and Clean Energy Director Dylan Voorhees “Today, Governor LePage told clean energy investors that Maine is ‘Not Open for Business.’ LePage placed an open-ended unilateral moratorium on development of wind power in Maine. LePage created a secret panel with enormous power to prevent wind power from being developed in Maine. He Read More
