by Matthew Stone, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Senate gave overwhelming support to a comprehensive energy bill Thursday, voting 28-7 in favor of a far-reaching measure aimed at expanding New England ’s natural gas infrastructure, boosting funding for energy efficiency, directly lowering businesses’ electricity costs and making it Read More
renewable energy
Maine Legislature Enacts Sweeping Energy Bill, Despite Veto Threat
by Patty B. Wight MPBN news story It’s being touted as an unprecedented solution to one of Maine’s most pressing problems: The House and Senate today passed a bipartisan bill aimed at cutting energy costs. The support comes in spite of an expected veto by Gov. Paul LePage, who is unhappy with two components of Read More
Omnibus Bill Represents Big Step Forward on State Energy Policy
The measure addresses transmission costs and efforts to step up efficiency and fight global warming. by Dylan Voorhees and Beth A. Nagusky Portland Press Herald op-ed You may find it surprising that we agree with Gov. LePage that Maine’s energy costs are significantly higher than they need to be. For more than a decade, Maine Read More
Opposition to LD 1468, An Act to Establish the High-efficiency Biomass Pellet Boiler Rebate Program and the Home Heating Conversion Fund
Senator John Cleveland, Chair Representative Barry Hobbins, Chair Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology Senator Cleveland and Representative Hobbins, While NRCM supports the use of wood pellets as a heating source to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, overriding concerns about the bill cause us to oppose it. As stated in the attached Read More
Earth Day Marks First Anniversary of NRCM Solar Array
Produced 15,000 Kilowatt-hours In Year One NRCM Press Release AUGUSTA, ME — Today is Earth Day, and Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is celebrating the one-year anniversary of powering its Augusta headquarters with solar energy. NRCM is the state’s leading environmental advocacy organization, and its solar array has produced 15,000 Kilowatt-hours in its first Read More
LePage Energy Legislation Would Increase Maine Energy Bills by More Than $100 Million
State Senator Jim Boyle Proposes Legislation to Cut Energy Bills through Energy Efficiency NRCM Statement “It is refreshing to see that Governor LePage now supports energy efficiency improvements as a key way to lower residential heating costs. Energy efficiency is our most cost-effective energy resource, and one we can control right here in Maine. Weatherization Read More
NRCM Testimony In Opposition of LD 646, An Act to Remove the 100-megawatt Limit on Renewable Sources of Energy
Testimony given by NRCM Clean Energy Project Director Dylan Voorhees Senator Cleveland and Representative Hobbins, NRCM has been a steady supporter of Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard as it has evolved over the last decade, especially in 2007 when then Representative Ken Fletcher (among others) proposed what became the Class I RPS. As such, we oppose Read More
NRCM Wins U.S. Green Building Council Award
NRCM Press Release Portland, ME —The US Green Building Council’s Maine Chapter has awarded its 2012 Advocate of the Year Award to the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The award recognizes NRCM’s outstanding efforts to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in Maine, as well as a myriad of other efforts to protect Maine’s environment Read More
New Report: A Turning Point for Maine Offshore Wind Energy
Will Federal and State Leaders Take Advantage of Our Golden Opportunity? Press Release Portland Maine — Maine can protect the environment and create jobs while powering our homes and businesses with local, clean energy, but only if our elected officials and regulators take the right steps now, according to a new report released today by Read More
