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
climate change
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
What You Can Do about the Unfolding Recycling Crisis
It’s been more than a year since China announced that they will no longer buy the world’s contaminated recyclables, and we are feeling the effects here in Maine. Unless the baled recycled materials (stuff we put in our household recycling bins, among other sources of recyclables) meet a very strict, almost perfect, quality standard—only 0.05% 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
Meet the New EPA Boss, Same as the Old Boss
Scott Pruitt’s resignation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week is unquestionably a win for our health and environment. Ethical pitfalls aside, Pruitt pursued an agenda that explicitly favored polluting industries over environmental protections, undermining the core mission of the EPA. However, even with Pruitt’s departure, there are no halcyon days to come. Let’s Read More
Nurturing Future Ambassadors for the Earth: NRCM Middle School Grants
Early this year, NRCM accepted applications from Maine middle school educators across the state interested in incorporating more science learning projects into their classrooms. The goal of these projects is to engage students in the nature of Maine and provide them with opportunities to learn more by interacting with their local environment. NRCM chose eight Read More
Scott Pruitt Resigns as EPA Administrator; NRCM Urges Senators Collins, King to Support a Clean Start for EPA
Statement of the Natural Resources Council of Maine “It is good that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned today. From day one, Pruitt was unfit to serve as EPA administrator, and has worked to harm to Maine’s environment by rolling back life-saving protections for our air and water and cozying up to industry lobbyists Read More
Gov. LePage Set Up Wind-Farm Review Panel to Meet in Private. Now, the Names of its Members are Secret.
The governor’s energy director says the 14 members of the advisory panel will be identified once the body is prepared to meet. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Gov. Paul LePage’s administration is refusing to identify the members of a public commission charged with reviewing the impact of wind farms on Read More
CMP Has Not Demonstrated Climate Benefits for Transmission Project
So-Called New England Clean Energy Connect Not New Clean Energy NRCM news release Today, Massachusetts utilities announced agreement on a contract with Central Maine Power (CMP) for its proposed transmission project with Hydro-Quebec. The contract is subject to review and approval by the MA Dept. of Public Utilities and the project still requires approval by Read More
