With rising gas prices, most of us are wondering how this will fit into our budgets. I drive a few miles to and from work 5 days a week, I run errands on my lunch breaks and sometimes after work as well. My local commute to and from work is not as far as others. Read More
Cleaner Transportation
States Win Court Fight on Auto Emissions
A judge in Vermont rejects the industry’s claim that stricter rules conflict with federal mileage standards. by Dave Gram, The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story MONTPELIER, Vt. — Maine, Vermont and other states scored a victory Wednesday in their battle to get automakers to comply with rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. A Read More
Statement by NRCM at the opening of the Maine Electric Vehicles Dealership in Falmouth, ME
by Dylan Voorhees, NRCM energy project director Congratulations to Maine Electric Vehicles and welcome to Maine. NRCM is a non-profit with over 10,000 supporters across the state, dedicated to protecting, restoring and conserving Maine’s environment—for today and future generations. Many of us have worked tirelessly to keep Maine’s environment and quality of life strong. As Read More
Shifting Gears Report Released Today
Statement by Jennifer Andersen, NRCM Outreach Coordinator, Clean Energy and Global Warming Project Transportation is the largest source of global warming pollution in New England and in Maine. One-third of all carbon dioxide emissions in the region come from the transportation sector and they continue to increase every year. The recent surge in gas prices underscores Read More
Fuel Economy Farce
Bangor Daily News editorial The best that can be said about new vehicle fuel economy rules issued by federal regulators last week is that the largest sport utility vehicles will finally have to meet gas mileage standards, no matter how meager. On the bad side, buried in the voluminous rules is language barring states from Read More
New Mileage Standards Attack States’ Right to Control Pollution
Maine Sunday Telegram editorial The Bush administration’s approach to increasing fuel-efficiency standards, expressed in a new rule published in the Federal Register this week, should come as no surprise. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s ostensible goal is to raise the fleet efficiency of popular but thirsty light trucks, including SUVs. So how come it Read More
Driving Misinformation
Bangor Daily News editorial It is not surprising that automakers have sued to negate Maine’s new rules for automobile emissions since they’ve pursued litigation against other states that have adopted similar standards. Because federal regulators have also weighed in against state rules, it is likely the emissions standards will be tied up in court and regulatory Read More
Governor Baldacci Signs Cleaner Cars Law
Program will cut air and global warming pollution and make cleaner cars available to Maine drivers News Release AUGUSTA- In a bold stroke that will clear the skies over Maine and increase the availability of the cleanest cars, such as hybrid gas-electric vehicles, Governor John Elias Baldacci signed the Cleaner Car program into law today. Read More
NRCM Written Comments Relating to LDs 275, 305, 308, and 778 Regarding Support of New and Existing Cleaner Car Purchase Incentives and Infrastructure Development
by Sue Jones, NRCM energy project director Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (Council). I am Sue Jones, and am the Energy Project Director for the Council. I live in Freeport. The Council is a public interest, nonprofit organization that seeks to protect and Read More
