Wyman Power Station on Cousins Island in Yarmouth recently submitted a request for a clean air exemption to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that would allow them to avoid complying with updated air quality standards for nitrous oxides (NOx) that were put in place to protect public health. The plant’s owner, Florida-based NextEra Energy, also says it plans to continue operating Wyman for at least 13 more years.
Our clean air laws were passed to protect public health and the environment. Since they’ve been in place, these laws have been enormously successful at reducing harmful air pollution, especially from large fossil fuel power plants. A major energy company valued at more than $200 billion should not be allowed to skirt these common-sense clean air laws by arguing that compliance is too expensive based on questionable reasoning.
Wyman Station, Cousins Island (photo by BComeau/NRCM)
Wyman is one of Maine’s oldest, largest, and most polluting fossil fuel power plants, and is located on Casco Bay, a vital coastal ecosystem, and home to important recreational and commercial fishing resources. Over the past few decades, Wyman has generally operated as a “peaker” plant—producing electricity only when demand and prices are high, typically during cold snaps and heatwaves. However, it remains a major source of NOx pollution in Maine.
In high concentrations, the NOx emitted from the plant’s smokestacks can create smog that can cause serious respiratory issues for vulnerable populations like children, older Mainers, and people with other pre-existing health issues. NOx emissions can also lead to the formation of acid rain in the atmosphere and nutrient pollution in our coastal waters that can harm vulnerable ecosystems.
NOx emissions from Wyman were historically very high in the 1990s and early 2000s, often exceeding 1,000 tons/year, but since 2006 have stayed below 500 tons/year. Despite lower emissions during these years, Wyman has remained a consistent major source of NOx, emitting more than 100 tons/year in 12 of the 19 years from 2006-2024. Since Wyman’s operations often overlap with periods of hot, sunny weather that is conducive to ozone formation, NOx emissions from the facility have the potential to be especially potent in terms of worsening seasonal ozone, smog, and haze.
The DEP has issued a draft license approving the exemption for Wyman, agreeing with NextEra that it is unreasonably expensive to install new technology to comply with the new NOx standards given the plant’s infrequent operation. In response to a request from the Town of Yarmouth, DEP agreed to host an online public meeting on April 30th and extend the public comment period to May 8, 2026.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine has joined with Yarmouth residents, Friends of Casco Bay, Conservation Law Foundation, Slingshot, Clean Air Task Force, and Maine Conservation Voters to oppose this callous request by NextEra to prioritize profits over the health and safety of its neighbors and the environment. We are arguing that DEP should require NextEra to either commit to a continued low level of operation or be required to upgrade the plant to comply with clean air laws.
Our analysis found no substantiated evidence to back NextEra’s claims that requiring upgrades to its current operations would render the plant no longer economically feasible. In fact, our basic research and scrutiny allowed us to easily show in our joint comments submitted to the DEP that the company’s analysis was misleading.
As Maine and other New England states continue to make progress toward reducing our dependence on expensive imported fuels and meet statutory climate goals through the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, demand for electricity is projected to increase. Without adequate protections in place, it is likely that Wyman’s operations could increase in the future, especially if new renewable energy generation is slower to get on the grid due to harmful policies brought forward by the Trump Administration.
NextEra can’t have it both ways. It can’t argue that Wyman Station doesn’t operate enough to warrant upgrading the plant to comply with clean air laws while still leaving the door open to operate at higher levels and emit more pollution for 13 more years.
—Luke Frankel, NRCM Woods, Waters, & Wildlife Director and Staff Scientist
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