Testimony in Support of LD 258, An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations from the General Fund and Other Funds for the Expenditures of State Government and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2023, June 30, 2024, and June 30, Read More
climate change
LD 340, An Act Regarding the Purpose and Responsibilities of the State Regulatory System for Public Utilities
Testimony in Opposition to LD 340, An Act Regarding the Purpose and Responsibilities of the State Regulatory System for Public Utilities Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, and members of the Joint Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology, my name is Jack Shapiro. I am the Climate & Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Read More
LD 256, An Act to Add Electric Bicycles to the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program
Testimony in support of LD 256, An Act to Add Electric Bicycles to the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, distinguished members of the Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Technology. My name is Josh Caldwell. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I Read More
LD 122, Establish a Program to Support the Uptake of Medium-duty and Heavy-duty Zero-emission Vehicles by Maine Businesses
Testimony in support of LD 122, An Act to Authorize the Efficiency Maine Trust to Establish a Program to Support the Uptake of Medium-duty and Heavy-duty Zero-emission Vehicles by Maine Businesses and to Establish a Medium-duty and Heavy-duty Zero-emission Vehicle-to-grid Pilot Project Senator Lawrence, Representative Zeigler, distinguished members of the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. Read More
LD 142, An Act to Fund Climate-related Service Work
Testimony in support of LD 142, An Act to Fund Climate-related Service Work Senator Rafferty, Representative Brennan, distinguished members of the Committe on Education and Cultural Affairs. My name is Josh Caldwell. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in Read More
Creature Feature: Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Cool facts: The oldest recorded Dark-eyed Junco? At least 11 years, 4 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in West Virginia in 2001. It had originally been banded in 1991, also in West Virginia. Interestingly, a flock of juncos is often referred to as a “blizzard.” Read More
A Worldwide Gift of Birds and Biodiversity
Common Loon. Wood Thrush. Bobolink. Rusty Blackbird. Harlequin Duck. Black-throated Blue Warbler. White-throated Sparrow. Piping Plover. Broad-winged Hawk. This is a tiny fraction of the bird species that are found here in Maine that will benefit from the signing of a new global biodiversity agreement. The signing took place on Monday, December 19, in Montreal, Read More
A New Vision for Transportation in Southern Maine
Every five years, we get a glimpse at the newest vision for Southern Maine’s transportation future when the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS) updates its long-range transportation plan. This year’s iteration, Connect 2045, arrives during an exciting time of major investment in transportation innovation from the state and federal level. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Read More
More Pollution-free Electric School Buses Coming to Maine
Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that school districts across Maine have been awarded funding from the recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to purchase 34 new zero-emission electric school buses. This news comes just a year after Maine debuted its first electric school bus at Mount Desert Island High School, a bus Read More