Read highlights from September 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. September 22, 2022 We told you last month that Senators Angus King and Susan Collins are sponsoring a bill that would help Read More
Cleaner Transportation
Survey of Maine EV Owners Shows Reliability, Cost Savings Among Top Benefits
NRCM news release August 17, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – A new survey of electric vehicle owners in all 16 of Maine’s counties shows that Maine people value electric vehicles (EVs) for their reliability, performance, and the cost savings they provide. The survey conducted by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) in April 2022 by Read More
4 Ways the Historic Climate Bill Will Benefit Mainers
The most significant investment in climate action and clean energy in U.S. history has been signed into law, and it’s good news for Maine! The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will have big benefits for Maine people by making clean energy, home efficiency and electrification, and electric vehicles more affordable for everyday people. We know these Read More
My EV Road Trip from Los Angeles to Maine
We met Peter LaFond of Falmouth when he volunteered at a data entry party hosted at the Natural Resources Council of Maine office to help us analyze the results from our latest survey of electric car owners in Maine! More people than ever own electric cars, and we’re excited to bring their lessons learned to Read More
Federal Funding Creates Opportunities for Maine
This is the third blog post in a series that will illuminate the ways federal funding has allowed Maine to successfully complete climate and clean energy projects; the projects that are underway with funding coming down the pipeline; and the needs that still exist for continued climate and clean energy work. Read the first blog Read More
Why Maine’s New Grid Planning Law is Good for Climate and Clean Energy
A new law passed in 2022, LD 1959, requires Maine’s utilities to undergo a transparent “integrated grid planning” process for developing a reliable electric grid that supports the transition to clean energy at the lowest possible cost. For the first time, these plans must be tied to Maine’s ambitious requirements to cut greenhouse gas emissions Read More
Federal Funding Boosts Maine’s Climate Resilience
This is the second blog post in a series that will illuminate the ways federal funding has allowed Maine to successfully complete climate and clean energy projects; the projects that are underway with funding coming down the pipeline; and the needs that still exist for continued climate and clean energy work. Read the first blog Read More
Legislative Session Marked Again by Big Environmental Accomplishments
Bipartisan votes on many bills highlight strong conservation ethic NRCM news release April 26, 2022 (Augusta, ME) — The Maine Legislature yet again delivered significant progress on a broad range of environmental issues that will benefit Mainers across the state, according to an analysis by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). NRCM praised Governor Read More
Why Are My Energy Bills So High? It’s Because of Fossil Fuels.
Since the fall, we’ve seen the consequences of our continued dependence on oil and gas here in Maine: Heating oil and utility gas prices have spiked, becoming unaffordable for too many Maine people. The New England grid’s reliance on expensive natural gas caused electricity prices to nearly double this winter. And now Putin’s war in Read More
