Politics has stifled research that would have helped the state prepare for a warming planet. Central Maine Newspapers editorial Policy driven by research works better than science driven by politics. Witness Maine, which experienced a historic explosion in its tick population, and not coincidentally, a 20-fold increase in Lyme disease diagnoses between 2000 and 2016 Read More
Climate
Climate change and global warming pollution harm Maine people, wildlife, and our environment. Among the highest rates of childhood asthma in the nation, rising seas and severe storms battering our coastal homes and towns, warming and more acidic oceans threatening fisheries, too many “bad air days,” more and more tick-borne diseases, threats to our fall foliage and winter tourism industries—these are among the many health, environmental, and economic problems climate change pollution is causing here in Maine.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine is working to reduce climate-changing pollution by making Maine more energy efficient. We work to provide clean, renewable energy and cleaner more efficient vehicles that will reduce Maine’s contribution to air pollution and climate change to ensure Maine people and wildlife have clean air to breathe.
Trump Administration Pushes to Weaken Car Pollution Standards
Statement of Emmie Theberge, Federal Project Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “Today, the Trump Administration announced its plan to roll back America’s clean car standards and attack Maine’s legal right to protect the health of our fellow citizens. This proposal would pollute Maine’s air, threaten Mainers’ health, and force Maine people to spend billions Read More
LePage Administration Wants Most of Maine Withdrawn from Regional Air Pollution Program
Forest industry supporters of the proposal say Maine has little impact on air quality problems in the Northeast, but critics say it makes no sense to roll back a program that has reduced pollution here. by Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA — A LePage administration proposal to withdraw most of Read More
Health, Environment, Acadia Experts Blast DEP Proposal to Remove 98% of Maine from Smog Protection Region
AUGUSTA, Maine – Today, at a news conference and public hearing, public health and conservation advocates strongly criticized a proposal by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that would roll back pollution standards that protect Maine’s air from harmful smog and other air pollution. In his final months in office, the LePage Administration is Read More
Maine Shouldn’t Go Backward on Ozone Regulations
Bangor Daily News editorial Ozone is harmful, sometimes deadly, pollutant. Maine has worked with 11 other states to our west and south to successfully reduce ozone levels. But the pollutant remains problematic, especially in the summer when the Maine Department of Environmental Protection issues warnings about high ozone levels encouraging people at risk for respiratory Read More
What Will Maine Get Out of It? Groups Skeptical about CMP’s Hydropower Plan
By Fred Bever Maine Public news story Central Maine Power’s proposal to bring a massive amount of electricity from Canada through western Maine to Massachusetts will lower electricity costs throughout the region, and ease winter-time price spikes as well; at least, that’s the pitch Massachusetts officials are making to regulators there. But there are many Read More
Judge Tosses Challenge of Order Halting Wind Turbines
by Marina Villeneuve, The Associated Press Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — A judge has tossed a legal challenge of Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s executive order halting wind turbine permits in parts of Maine, while leaving the door open to revisit the topic. Superior Court Justice Andrew Horton said in his decision Friday Read More
Fish and Wildlife Department Critical of CMP Plan
By George Smith Bangor Daily News column Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has stepped up big time to criticize Central Maine Power’s proposal to construct a massive new transmission line through Maine to move electricity from Quebec to Massachusetts. The good people of New Hampshire rejected CMP’s proposal, so they’ve moved it to Read More
Enemies Line Up to Fight Power Line Project Through Maine
By Jon Chesto, Globe Staff Boston Globe news story Does the Baker administration have another Northern Pass on its hands? Northern Pass, of course, was the controversial power line project picked in January to draw hydroelectricity here from Canada. New Hampshire regulators quickly ended that. A backup plan — a 145-mile power line through western Read More
