Trucks have an outsized impact on climate change in Maine. The transportation sector is responsible for 54% of Maine’s carbon pollution, and 27% of those emissions are from medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Reducing emissions from these heavier vehicles is a key part of Maine’s Climate Action Plan, which is why the Natural Resources Council of Maine is supporting the Maine Read More
Department of Environmental Protection
Maine DEP Hearing Considers Suspension of CMP Corridor Permit
NRCM news release Augusta, ME (October 19, 2021) – In an unprecedented development that could result in termination of the Central Maine Power (CMP) corridor project, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is holding a hearing today to consider suspending the permit for the controversial transmission line. That permit was thrown into doubt after an August 10, 2021, decision (view PDF) by a State Superior Court Judge to terminate an Read More
New Maine Law Will Shift Recycling Costs to Producers of Packaging Waste
EPR for Packaging Will Save Taxpayer Money and Improve Recycling News release Maine has joined more than 40 jurisdictions around the world to require companies that create packaging waste help pay for the costs of recycling. It becomes the first state in the nation to pass an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging law (LD 1541) Read More
Support of the Governor’s Change Package to LD 221
Senator Breen, Representative Pierce, and members of the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs. My name is Pete Didisheim, I am the Advocacy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I appreciate the opportunity to testify in support of the Governor’s Change Package to LD 221. We strongly support the proposed initiatives in Read More
Support of the Nomination of Melanie Loyzim to Serve as DEP Commissioner
Senator Brenner, Representative Tucker, and distinguished members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. My name is Pete Didisheim. I am the Advocacy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and I am pleased to testify today in support of the governor’s nomination of Melanie Loyzim to serve as Commissioner for the Department of Read More
Top 5 Take-Aways from Maine’s Latest Waste and Recycling Report
The Sustainable Maine team at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is laser-focused on three bills that will make a huge difference in addressing serious problems and troubling trends with our recycling and landfilling system. Maine people want to do the right thing for the environment, but we need better policies in place if Read More
Citing Irreparable Harm to Maine’s Environment, NRCM Appeals DEP Permit for CMP Corridor
News release June 10, 2020 (Augusta, ME) – Maine’s leading environmental advocacy group, the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), today filed an appeal of the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) permit for Central Maine Power’s (CMP) controversial transmission corridor. NRCM called the permit fundamentally flawed and contrary to the interests of Maine people because the Read More
NRCM Statement on DEP Permit for Controversial CMP Corridor Proposal
News release The Natural Resources Council of Maine today issued the following statement from Clean Energy Staff Attorney Sue Ely in response to the decision by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue a final permit for the controversial Central Maine Power (CMP) transmission line: “Today’s DEP permit fails to address the fact that Read More
Leading Maine Conservation Groups Criticize DEP’s Draft Permit on Controversial CMP Corridor
News release from NRCM, TU, and AMC March 13, 2020 (Augusta, ME) – The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today issued a draft permit for the controversial Central Maine Power (CMP) transmission line. Although the draft decision imposes several significant conditions, DEP’s announcement drew strong criticism from three conservation groups that intervened in both Read More