NRCM Senior Director of Advocacy Pete Didisheim, members of the Bates College faculty, and other clean air advocates held a clean energy discussion after viewing, “From the Ashes,” Michael Bonfiglio’s 2017 documentary presents compelling, often heartbreaking stories about impacts on our economy, health and climate from the coal industry. “From the Ashes” captures Americans in communities Read More
coal
Easing Pollution Regulations Won’t Save Coal. Nothing Will.
Bangor Daily News editorial Coal miners listen to speakers during an Environmental Protection Agency public hearing, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia. While political attention has been focused on a Republican tax cut plan that needlessly cuts taxes for the wealthy and big corporations that will balloon the deficit, Read More
Trump Order on Relaxing Power Plant Emissions Could Mean More Pollution in Maine
By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story An executive order signed this week by President Donald Trump is expected to undercut efforts in Maine and New England to reduce the amount of power plant air pollution that blows into the region from the rest of the country. The order, which is viewed Read More
Switching from Whiskey to Beer and the False Promise of Woody Biomass
by Stephen Mulkey, PhD “Well planned sustainable biomass power plants are a viable source of clean renewable electricity, and this is helpful for the task of phasing out coal-fired power plants. Knee-jerk opposition to all biomass projects has no sound scientific basis and is harmful to attempts to stabilize climate for the sake of our Read More
Bankrupt Coal Companies Get Break On Clean-Up Costs
By Scott Tong, staff writer Marketplace news story Just about every big coal mining company in America is in bankruptcy, or emerging from it. That includes the world’s largest private sector coal firm: Peabody Energy. Peabody won court approval to set aside just a small amount of money for environmental cleanup – a mere 15 Read More
Long Time Coming
Carbon-spewing power plants must finally face the music By Deirdre Fulton Portland Phoenix news story Some call it the “carbon pollution loophole:” the absurdity that while the federal Clean Air Act limits the amount of mercury, arsenic, sulfur, and other pollutants that power plants can spew into the atmosphere, the US government has never regulated Read More
EPA Rules Would be Breath of Fresh Air for Maine Residents, Businesses
Our farms, forests and fisheries can’t afford the cost of inaction on climate change. Portland Press Herald editorial Climate change is not a theory, and it’s not something that is happening far away from Maine. Heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere are already warming the air and water, changing their chemical composition and contributing to severe Read More
EPA Wants Maine Power Plants to Cut Emissions 13.5 Percent by 2030
By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants Maine power plants to reduce emissions by 13.5 percent in 16 years, as part of a national plan to reduce emissions by 30 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2030. The proposed rule signed Monday by EPA Read More
Maine Officials Optimistic about Meeting New Carbon Limits
The regional effort to reduce emissions from power plants appears to put the state in a good position to meet proposed federal standards by 2030. By Kevin Miller, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story Maine and other states in the Northeast appear well positioned to comply with proposed federal rules for carbon dioxide emissions Read More
