State of Maine Archives: on Energy & Oil


Janet Mills: Double Maine's clean energy jobs over next ten years

There are good paying jobs that are going unfilled. We have to connect the workforce with those jobs and make an investment in new jobs at the same time. That is why my Administration in the coming weeks will lay out a "Back to Work" bond proposal that asks for $25 million to partner with Maine's career and technical education centers and our community colleges to provide equipment and to train skilled workers to fill jobs in high-growth industries, including manufacturing and clean energy.

I have set a goal of doubling Maine's clean energy jobs in the next ten years, and in the coming weeks my Administration will stand up a key recommendation of the State's 10 year economic plan: the Maine Career Exploration Program. Backed by funding secured through the New England Clean Energy Connect project, we are launching a program in Franklin and Somerset Counties to provide scholarships and paid internships for local students with local employers.

Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Maine legislature Feb 23, 2021

Sara Gideon: Passed aggressive goals reducing carbon emissions in Maine

Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges we face. She passed the most aggressive goals the state has ever seen for reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy production, making Maine an example for states across the nation, and jumpstarting our clean energy economy and the good-paying jobs it brings. She also passed landmark legislation improving water quality protections for Maine's tribes.
Source: 2020 Maine Senate campaign website SaraGideon.com Jun 4, 2020

Sara Gideon: Rejoin Paris Agreement; invest in clean energy

Source: 2020 Maine Senate campaign website SaraGideon.com Jun 4, 2020

Paul LePage: Paid $7500 by lobbyists to advocate for hydropower corridor

LePage confirmed that he was paid in 2019 to advocate for Central Maine Power Co.'s hydropower corridor. The Republican was paid $7,500 by Mitchell Tardy Jackson, a lobbying firm that has been working for the utility since last year to fend off proposals aimed at killing the $1 billion proposal. The project would bring Hydro-Quebec power to the regional grid through a 145-mile transmission line, but it is under threat from a bid to put a question killing the project on the November ballot.
Source: Bangor Daily News on 2022 Maine Gubernatorial race Feb 24, 2020

Janet Mills: Bring back wind platforms to Maine

This spring I will visit Scotland to see the offshore wind platforms they are using to supply that country with clean renewable energy. I am determined that the business we once lost to them, we will bring back to Maine. We have great potential. And in the coming weeks, my administration will be taking steps forward to unleash it. Stay tuned.
Source: 2020 Maine State of the State address Jan 21, 2020

Sara Gideon: Bold, immediate action on climate change

Gideon hasn't discussed policy much so far. In her stump speech, she called for "bold, immediate action on climate change" and said "affordable, quality health care" is a "human right." In an interview, she stopped short of backing the Green New Deal and Medicare-for-all.
Source: Bangor Daily News on 2020 Maine Senate race Sep 16, 2019

Janet Mills: Maine to fight climate change and become green

Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maine legislature Feb 11, 2019

Janet Mills: Combat climate change: offshore wind & electric incentives

Climate change is a priority issue. We will make every effort, without additional general fund dollars: to assist the University of Maine in the research and development of offshore wind power; to provide incentives for community and residential solar power; to promote energy efficiency and weatherization; to increase the use of heat pumps; to build charging stations and incentives for electric vehicles; and to help local and state government become "green."
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maine legislature Feb 11, 2019

Betsy Sweet: Invest in solar, wind, hydro, mass transit, & electric cars

Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2018 Maine Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Shawn Moody: Doesn't believe human activity contributes to climate change

Climate Change: Consider climate change a serious threat? Should government limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?

Mills: Yes. "Global climate change demands immediate action. I [will use] the authority of my office to address the problem in a meaningful way."

Moody: No. Doesn't believe human activity contributes to climate change. Says he will balance protecting Maine's environment and having a stable regulatory structure for job creators.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maine Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Zak Ringelstein: Curb emissions & return to Paris Agreement

Climate Change: Consider climate change a serious threat? Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?

Brakey: No position found.

King: Yes. "One of the greatest threats of our lifetime" to both environment & national security. Keep Clean Power Plan restrictions on emissions

Ringelstein: Yes. Curb emissions & return to Paris Agreement.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maine Senate race Nov 1, 2018

Paul LePage: Imposed a moratorium on new wind turbine permits

LePage, who views wind power as a "boutique" energy source, has fought development as too costly and potentially damaging to tourism. He imposed a moratorium on new wind turbine permits, just as neighboring Massachusetts was rolling out its plan to boost renewables. LePage set up a commission ostensibly to study the issue, but one of its most outspoken members--a wind energy foe--resigned, saying it had not held a single meeting.
Source: Inside Climate News on 2022 Maine Gubernatorial race Oct 1, 2018

Shawn Moody: Door's open to renewable energy, but no subsidies

Republican Shawn Moody: "We need a comprehensive energy policy that will include input from all stakeholders. The goal will be to provide energy providers with predictability and consistency in regard to permitting and regulation."

"In the long term, renewable energy can play an important role in this energy strategy, but we cannot subsidize high-priced sources of energy, or special interests, at the expense of Maine people."

Source: Press-Herald on 2018 Maine gubernatorial race Jul 2, 2018

Chris Lyons: Oppose prioritizing green energy

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Prioritize green energy"?

A: oppose

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maine Senate candidate Mar 6, 2018

Mary Mayhew: Wind energy needs transparent commission, not moratorium

Responding to LePage's recent move to set up a commission to review wind energy in Maine that isn't subject to public meeting laws, former Maine Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew called for "transparency in anything that government does." [Gov. LePage instituted a moratorium on new wind energy projects in January, with a new closed-door commission to determine future permitting].
Source: Bangor Daily News on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial debate Feb 1, 2018

Janet Mills: Wean ourselves off fossil fuels

Several Democrats running for governor agreed that Maine should have better health care, a better economy, more broadband internet service and better opportunities for all Mainers. Mills said it's important to wean ourselves off fossil fuels and increase use of electric vehicles. On health care, all agreed that the costs of insurance and prescription drugs are too high. Keeping people in Maine and attracting new people was also important to the candidates.
Source: Press Herald on 2018 Maine Gubernatorial race Sep 28, 2017

Bruce Poliquin: Fully develop all sources of domestic energy

While in Congress, I'll fight for the federal government to assist American companies to fully develop and transport all sources of domestic energy within environmentally responsible ways. Our free enterprise system can best determine which sources become affordable. Politicians and bureaucrats should not spend limited taxpayer dollars, or borrow more, to subsidize expensive sources of energy.

Currently, our nation imports about one-half of our oil consumption, often from unfriendly countries. At the current price, American families and businesses send roughly $250 billion per year to other countries to import their oil. Keeping those purchases here at home would create tens of thousands of American jobs to explore, extract, refine, and transport that energy. Untold tens of thousands more jobs would be created by the lower costs to run our companies. Increasing the supply of domestic oil could lower the crushing $250/month gas and diesel bills swamping Maine family budgets.

Source: 2014 Maine House campaign website, PoliquinForCongress.com Nov 4, 2014

Paul LePage: Build a natural gas pipeline from Canada

Gov. Paul LePage's administration is pushing to roll back or significantly change portions of Maine law aimed at boosting in-state renewable energy production. LePage says he wants to level the state's energy-production playing field and open the door to cheap, renewable hydropower from Quebec and maritime Canada, an idea to which Canada seems lukewarm.

The state's electricity costs are holding back job creation and the economy, LePage says. But supporters of current policy say that the advantages-- in both capital investment and jobs--of supporting a burgeoning renewable-power industry far outstrip any disadvantages of slightly higher-priced power.

The LePage administration has a multi-pronged strategy for lowering energy rates, including finding ways to increase the inflow of natural gas. Helping to build a natural gas pipeline to increase supplies to New England while developing long-term contracts for lower-priced Canadian power are key objectives, a spokesperson said.

Source: Maine Sun Journal on 2014 Maine gubernatorial race Jan 5, 2014

Eliot Cutler: Burning fossil fuels is more and more problematic

In a world where many fossil fuels are increasingly hard to extract in environmentally sensible ways, and where burning them is more and more expensive and problematic, Maine can turn these trends to its advantage by investing in our renewable and increasingly cost-competitive advantages of onshore and offshore wind and solar energy.
Source: 2014 gubernatorial campaign website, CutlerForMaine.com Dec 31, 2013

Paul LePage: Global warming helps Maine by opening north shipping lanes

Global warming could help Maine because the melting of the Arctic icecap has opened northern shipping lanes, Gov. Paul LePage said at a conference on the future of the transportation industry

The comments were similar to points made by Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson in May at an international trade conference in South Portland. Grimsson said the polar shipping route would shorten the trip between China and Europe by 40% to 50%. Maine could be part of the route because, earlier this year, Icelandic shipping company Eimskip made Portland its only US port of call.

"I think with Eimskip coming to Maine, with all the good things happening--it used to be global warming; I think they call it climate change now--but there are a lot of opportunities that are developing," LePage said.

Mike Michaud criticized the comment, claiming LePage was ignoring the negative effects of climate change.

Source: Portland Press Herald on 2014 Maine Governor race Dec 6, 2013

Shenna Bellows: Green energy solutions instead of nuclear energy

[At a town meeting, Bellows said], "The reason I'm running is because we need more courage and honesty in government." As for energy solutions, Bellows says that she is not a proponent of nuclear energy, but rather green energy solutions such as smart wind, solar and the research and development of tidal energy. "For economic development in Maine, we need cheaper and locally sourced energy," she said.
Source: Machias Valley News Observer on 2014 Maine Senate race Dec 4, 2013

Eliot Cutler: Reduce carbon emissions to Kyoto Protocol targets

Q: What is your plan to reduce carbon pollution in Maine?

A: The next governor of Maine needs to acknowledge and begin to deal with the following facts about climate change, and the governor needs to lead Maine people in directions that will begin to limit and mitigate its impacts: