On the eve of Janet Mills’ inauguration as Maine’s 75th governor, the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) is hopeful for the state’s renewable energy future following the administration of the current governor, Paul LePage.
The first woman to hold the post, Mills has stated in several interviews since her election that action to address climate change and efforts to promote renewable energy will be top priorities for her administration, according to the NRCM.
During her campaign, Mills spoke frequently about the importance of clean air, clean water and a healthy environment to the future of Maine’s economy and quality of life, the group says.
“Governor Mills understands that a healthy environment is a central feature of what defines Maine, and she has made clear that protecting Maine’s clean air and clean waters will be top priorities for her administration,” states Pete Didisheim, senior director of advocacy at the NRCM. “She knows that Maine’s environment and economy are inextricably linked.
“We look forward to working with her administration to pursue policy solutions across every corner of Maine that will give residents access to clean, renewable energy and will protect the natural resources that make Maine’s way of life so special.”
Last January, current Gov. Paul LePage announced a moratorium on the issuance of new wind project permits, which led to a lawsuit from the Conservation Law Foundation.
In June, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to review the term sheet for the Maine Aqua Ventus offshore wind demo, citing changes that occurred since the wind farm’s term sheet was originally approved more than four years ago. In response, the NRCM’s Dylan Voorhees brought up the LePage administration’s “anti-wind rampage” and said that “when it comes to renewable energy development, the LePage administration is ‘closed for business.'”
Photo credit: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (https://www.flickr.com/people/57995098@N07) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
