Clean air is essential for healthy, happy lives. Clean, renewable energy helps ensure clean air. NRCM works for policies and initiatives that will improve Maine's air quality and reduce global warming pollution throughout the state and region.
NRCM’s climate and clean energy work is focused on where we can have the greatest impact: cleaner cars and trucks, clean and renewable energy production, and greater energy efficiency.
Our work in these key areas is critical to reducing health and environmental problems already plaguing our state. These include high asthma rates, more “bad air days,” rising sea levels due to climate change that threaten coastal communities, and threats to our fall foliage, skiing, and our vital tourism-based industry.
NRCM makes certain that Maine's elected officials and decision-makers are kept up to date about information related to climate change pollution, clean energy technologies, and steps Maine can take to ensure clean air.
Maine Announces Preferred Site for Offshore Wind Port
Augusta, ME – The Mills Administration today took a critical and necessary step forward in the development of a new port facility to support the growth of offshore wind along Maine’s coast. In a recommendation that was developed after significant stakeholder engagement, environmental and economic analysis, and careful consideration, Maine is recommending to the federal government Read More
Bill Seeks to Reduce Ratepayer Costs and Health Risks Associated with Natural Gas
Office of the Public Advocate | CLF Maine | Natural Resources Council of Maine | Sierra Club Maine Maine’s Public Advocate and Clean Energy Groups Partnering to Tackle the Problem A bill being considered by the Maine Legislature this year seeks to address the looming customer risks associated with utility gas infrastructure expansion, as well as Read More
Grid Reform to Maximize Maine’s Clean Energy Future
Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Maine’s woods, waters, wildlife, and communities. To stay strong and well prepared for the future, we need to continue building home-grown clean energy sources to power our homes, cars, and businesses. A successful clean energy transition will deploy hundreds of thousands of heat pumps, zero-emission vehicles, Read More
Update on Stronger Clean Car Standards for Maine
Below is an update from NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator Josh Caldwell on stronger standards for clean cars and trucks in Maine: “Due to the severity of the recent storm, the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) was forced to cancel today’s meeting to vote on stronger standards for clean cars and trucks. The Read More
Statement on Termination of Northern Maine Transmission Procurement
Today, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) terminated the procurement of a transmission line to enable the development of new wind resources in Aroostook County. In response, the Natural Resources Council of Maine issued the following statement from Climate & Clean Energy Director Jack Shapiro: “Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Maine’s Read More
Setting the Record Straight on Clean Cars in Maine
The end of 2023 is fast approaching, and with it, the final opportunity for the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) to vote in favor of clean cars standards that would get more Mainers into affordable electric vehicles and dramatically reduce air pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. The Fifth National Read More
What’s Next: Utility Reform and Maine’s Clean Energy Future
In November 2023, after being deluged by nearly $40 million in campaign advertising by Maine’s largest utilities, voters rejected a proposal to shift the state’s investor-owned utilities to a consumer-owned business model. Here, NRCM’s Climate & Clean Energy Senior Advocate Rebecca Schultz reflects on how we can best move forward to hold utilities accountable and Read More
Strong Support for Maine-based Offshore Wind Port
A unique coalition of organized labor and environmental groups that successfully passed a landmark offshore wind bill earlier this year are now signaling their unequivocal support for the responsible development of an offshore wind port on Maine’s coast. The coalition, including Maine’s largest conservation groups and labor organizations, today released the following statement highlighting Read More
Federal Agency Removes Nearly All of Key Fishing Ground from Wind Energy Development in Gulf of Maine
October 19, 2023 (Augusta, ME) — Fishing groups, labor unions, and environmental organizations who came together to push a compromise bill that will advance responsible offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine scored a key victory when the federal government excluded nearly all of a key fishing ground called Lobster Management Area 1 from offshore Read More
