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.

Support of LD 1379, An Act to Amend the Maine Wind Energy Act
by Jon Hinck, NRCM toxics project director Thank you for the opportunity to present comments in favor of LD 1379 on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (Council). I am Jon Hinck and work on wind siting and policy issues for the Council. I live in Portland. The Council is a public interest, Read More

NRCM Urges Senator Collins to Investigate Fraudulent Mercury Rule
In response to Tuesday’s Washington Post report that the Environmental Protection Agency decided to ignore Harvard University researchers’ analysis of health benefits from reducing mercury pollution from power plants, the Clean Air Task Force, National Wildlife Federation and Natural Resources Council of Maine, are renewing their request that Senator Susan Collins, as Chair of the Read More

NRCM Sues EPA Over Mercury Pollution
NRCM news release WASHINGTON D.C. — On April 28, state and national conservation groups sued the federal government to force the Environmental Protection Agency to require maximum achievable reductions in mercury and other toxic air pollutants emitted by coal and oil-fired power plants, as required by the Clean Air Act. The lawsuit against EPA was Read More

NRCM Comments on EPA’s Proposed Rulemaking on National Standards for Reduction of Mercury Emissions from Power Plants
My name is Brownie Carson. I testify here today on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, a citizen supported environmental advocacy organization with 8000 members and supporters. Thank you to Congressman Tom Allen for giving us all the opportunity to express our views on the critical environmental issue of proposed national standards for Read More

Maine’s Biggest Air Pollution Victory in 30 Years!
NRCM news release The Board of Environmental Protection on June 21, 2001, voted unanimously in support of a plan to clean up nitrogen oxide NOx air pollution at Wyman Station in Yarmouth – Maine’s largest single source of air pollution. Of particular importance, the plan does not allow Wyman Station’s owner, Florida Power & Light Read More

Chapter 145 Nox Control Program at Wyman Station
Statement by Brownie Carson to the Board of Environmental Protection Good afternoon. The Natural Resources Council has been grappling with the question of how to bring clean air to Maine for a long time. During my 17 years at the Council, we have participated as an intervener in many licensing proceedings, and we have commented Read More

Comment to the Board of Environmental Protection on Chapter 145 NOx Control Program
Comments by Sue Jones, Energy Project Director The Natural Resources Council of Maine appreciates DEP’s significant efforts in reviewing the comments submitted in the Chapter 145 rulemaking and in developing a proposal for your consideration today. With all due respect, however, the NRCM believes that DEP has not presented the best plan for the people Read More

More Than 1,000 Citizens Support BEP Move to Require Clean-up at Wyman Power Plant
PORTLAND AND BANGOR – Against a 25-foot-high inflatable power plant backdrop, Maine citizens held news conferences in Portland and Bangor to announce that they have collected and submitted 1,043 signatures, from residents of 230 Maine towns, to the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) in support of the board’s preliminary vote to require Florida Power and Read More

Clean Up Wyman Station
Statement by Brownie Carson, NRCM Executive Director We are here today to announce that more than 1,000 Maine people from 230 towns support cleaning up the Wyman Station power plant – Maine’s largest single source of air pollution. These people come from nearly half the towns in Maine, and they are speaking out today for Read More