NRCM news release May 9, 2022 (Augusta, ME) – Electric utilities in Maine will for the first time be required to create a comprehensive plan for supporting the state’s ambitious climate and clean energy goals under a landmark bill signed into law earlier this month. Conservation groups that worked closely with lawmakers and the Mills Read More
electricity
Senate Passes Strong Utility Accountability Bill
Legislation aimed at holding Maine’s largest electric utilities accountable for poor performance took a big step forward today when the Maine State Senate voted 20-14 to approve an amended version of LD 1959, sponsored by Senator Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland). The landmark bill would create a system for evaluating performance of Maine’s utilities against specific metrics Read More
Holding Maine’s Utilities Accountable
The primary pathway to meet Maine’s climate and clean energy goals will be electrifying key sectors of our economy, especially transportation and buildings, while sourcing more and more of our electricity from zero-emission sources. Clearly, this is no easy task. We all rely on electricity, and we need to transition to clean energy sources and Read More
Support of LD 1708, An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit Utility, to Deliver Lower Rates, Reliability and Local Control for Maine Energy Independence
Addressing Climate Change Senator Lawrence, Representative Berry, and distinguished members of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. My name is David Costello. I am the Climate and Clean Energy Program Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), and I am testifying today in support of LD 1708, An Act to Create the Pine Read More
CMP and Hydro-Quebec Have Spent an Astounding $9 Million on Desperate Campaign to Save CMP Corridor
Latest ethics filing shows CMP spent $5M in first 3 months of 2020 NRCM news release April 13, 2020 (Augusta, ME) — Central Maine Power (CMP) spent $5.045 million in the first three months of 2020 and a total of $7.23 million since October 2019 on its desperate campaign to protect massive future profits from Read More
NRCM Testimony in Support of LD 1646, An Act To Restore Local Ownership and Control of Maine’s Power Delivery System
Senator Mark Lawrence, Chair Representative Seth Berry, Chair Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities & Technology My name is Sue Ely and I am the Clean Energy Policy Advocate & Staff Attorney for the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). Thank you for the opportunity to testify in general support for this legislation. I Read More
Mills Sets Goal to Fight Climate Change: 100% Renewable Electricity by 2050
Outlining an ambitious agenda for Maine, she joins a coalition of governors who embrace the aims of the Paris accord. By Kevin Miller, Portland Press Herald AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet Mills outlined an extensive climate agenda on Thursday, pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, work toward 100 percent renewable electricity generation and to work with Read More
How Will CMP’s Proposed Transmission Line Affect Maine’s Worst-In-The-Nation Outage Response?
By Steve Mistler Maine Public news story Central Maine Power’s push to build a controversial new transmission line through western Maine’s forests so that hydropower from Quebec can be served to Massachusetts customers received a big boost last week when Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed onto the proposal. But questions about the project persist, including Read More
Quebec Hydro Project Could Spoil a Pristine Maine Wilderness
By Janice Cooper, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed In my younger days, I canoed and rafted down many American rivers, including the Allagash and the mother of all whitewater rapids, the Colorado. I held on for dear life as we tossed our way through the Grand Canyon, thinking, “There is no better Read More
