By Darren Fishell, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story Cianbro’s 57-acre solar farm in Pittsfield has cleared its major regulatory hurdles toward getting the $24.2 million project in partial operation by December. Environmental regulators last month cleared the project for construction and the Maine Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday gave the company the go-ahead Read More
Clean Energy & Efficiency
Maine Group Calls for Clean Air Act Improvements
by BDN staff writer Bill Trotter Bangor Daily News news story ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine — A group of environmental advocates met Tuesday at the summit of Cadillac Mountain to draw attention to what they say are needed improvements to the federal Clean Air Act, according to a statement released Tuesday. Representatives of the Natural Read More
Federal Officials Update Energy Efficiency Standards on Four Commercial Appliances After Missing Deadline
Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine â Maine Attorney General Janet Mills on Monday lauded the U.S. Department of Energy for agreeing to update energy efficiency standards next year for four commercial appliances commonly used by businesses. The decision will help reduce energy consumption; save U.S. consumers millions of dollars each month; and reduce Read More
Energy Bill Also Increases Funding for Efficiency Programs, Commits to Lower Greenhouse Emissions
by Andy O’Brien Freepressonline.com news story Not all environmental groups opposed the omnibus energy bill. Support from the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) hinged on increasing funding for the Efficiency Maine Trust and finalizing an agreement for Maine’s continued participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a regional cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse Read More
Energy Bill Maneuvering Stirs New Blowup Between LePage, Democrats on Wind Power
by Scott Thstle, Sun Journal Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine â Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. Paul LePage exchanged jabs again Thursday over energy policy, a day after lawmakers overrode LePage’s veto of an energy bill that many praised as a bipartisan compromise. Part of the veto override depended on another bill that Read More
Senate Overrides LePage’s Energy Bill Veto
But the unanimous vote for the sweeping bipartisan legislation comes with a price. by Tom Bell, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story AUGUSTA â The Legislature voted late Wednesday night to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a sweeping energy bill, but only after yielding to pressure from LePage to give the University of Read More
After Deal on UMaine Project, “Historic” Energy Bill Passes Into Law
by Scott Thistle, State Politics Editor Sun Journal news story AUGUSTA â A bill that will move Maine toward ending its so-called “oil poverty” was passed into law late Wednesday after the state Senate unanimously rejected Gov. Paul LePage’s veto. The measure is aimed at expanding New England’s natural gas infrastructure, boosting funding for energy Read More
Maine Senate Must Decide Crucial Energy Questions
Analysis: The conflicting interests of users, LePage, companies and others emerge in debate on an omnibus energy bill. by Tux Turkel, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story Is it worth risking the health of Maine’s paper industry to clarify the state’s ocean energy policy? Is it worth risking hundreds of millions of dollars in Read More
LePage Vetoes Energy Bill with Initiatives He Proposed, House Quickly Overrides It
by Matthew Stone, staff writer Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine â Gov. Paul LePage vetoed a comprehensive energy bill late Wednesday night aimed at expanding New England ‘s natural gas infrastructure, boosting funding for energy efficiency, directly lowering businesses’s electricity costs and making it more affordable for residents to abandon oil heat. The Read More
