by Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Project Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is out of control. Today the PUC decided Maine is closed for business and intent on destroying jobs in America’s fastest-growing job market. The PUC decision to move the goal posts for the third time in a Read More
Maine Legislature
The Natural Resources Council of Maine reviews every bill being considered by the Maine Legislature to determine which ones deserve support and which ones should be opposed based on their potential impact on Maine’s environment. Read more about the bills we are following and taking action on.
Plan to Allow Alewives, Eels in Sheepscot Pond Might be Delayed Again
State lawmakers said they want to see management information before the fishway at the Palermo lake is opened. by Jessica Lowell, staff writer Central Maine newspapers news story AUGUSTA — People who live around Sheepscot Pond lined up last week to tell state lawmakers that the lake should not be opened up to migrating alewives Read More
Opposition to LD 1797, Resolve, Regarding Legislative Review of Portions of Chapter 418: Maine Solid Waste Management Rules: Beneficial Use of Solid Wastes, a Major Substantive Rule of the Department of Environmental Protection
Senator Saviello, Representative Tucker, and members of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee: My name is Nick Bennett. I am the Staff Scientist for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying in opposition to LD 1797. LD 1797 would weaken protections for the environment and public health in the Department of Read More
2018 Legislative Priorities for Maine’s Environment
The 2018 legislative session is well underway. This is the “short session” of the Legislature, which means the pace is fast as lawmakers attempt to adjourn by the end of April. It is also an election year for every House and Senate seat, and it is Governor Paul LePage’s final year in office, adding an 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
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
Lawmakers Have One More Chance to Fix Nonsensical Solar Rules
Bangor Daily News editorial Maine lawmakers again have the chance to fix unnecessary rules that will hamper the development of solar and other alternative, clean energy in Maine and will also needlessly cost Mainers millions of dollars. In 2016, the Legislature passed a bipartisan bill to update the state’s rules around solar power generation. LePage Read More
Support of LD 1686, An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding Distributed Energy Generation and to Eliminate Gross Metering
Senator David Woodsome, Representative Seth Berry, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology, my name is Dylan Voorhees and I am the Clean Energy Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Thank you for allowing us to present this testimony. Given the history of the policies in this bill, Read More
Lawmaker to Propose Bill Reducing All Liquor Bottle Deposits from 15 to 5 Cents
by Mal Leary Maine Public news story Advocates of Maine’s 40-year-old bottle deposit law are concerned about a proposal to lower the deposit on liquor bottles from 15 cents down to five cents. The lawmaker behind the bill says she’s simply trying to make the state law more consistent and fair. Earlier this year the Read More
