Background
From the coast to the mountains, global warming is taking its toll on
Maine. Maine has a lot to lose from global warming and a lot to gain
from the solutions. From rising sea levels to retreating sugar maples
to rainy winters, global warming has the potential to drastically alter
the face of Maine.
We made progress on global warming when we passed tailpipe standards
that will cut global warming pollution from new cars 22 percent by
2011. We went further by convincing the state to set a goal of
producing 10 percent more renewable energy by 2017.
Now
it's up to all of us to combine traditional Maine thriftiness with
21st-century ingenuity to cut pollution from Wyman Station and other
dirty power plants across the region, reduce energy waste in Maine
households and businesses, and develop alternatives to auto
transportation in our historic towns and communities.
Facts
Global Warming Pollution: Where's it coming from?
Power plants: Maine relies on coal, oil and natural
gas-all major contributors to global warming-to
supply over 50 percent of our electricity. Maine's oldest
and dirtiest plant, Wyman Station in Yarmouth,
produces over a thousand pounds of global warming
pollution per megawatt hour of electricity. Of all the
global warming pollution caused by Maine power
plants, 75 percent is produced by natural gas facilities
alone. Most homes and businesses heat in the
winter with oil or natural gas, contributing significant
amounts of pollution as well.
Cars, trucks & sprawl: Transportation is the largest
source of global warming pollution in Maine. The
number of miles an average Mainer drives increased 10
percent from 1998-2003, besting all the New England
states and the national average. Simultaneously, rural
areas are seeing unprecedented development, while
downtown centers that are best suited for public transit
and pedestrian access, such as Lewiston and Waterville,
are struggling to keep residents and businesses.
Maine's track record on global warming
State law, modeled after an agreement among New
England governors, requires that Maine reduce global
warming pollution to 1990 levels by 2010 and 10
percent below that by 2020. That law translated into
over 50 specific policies to achieve those reductions
in Maine. Since then, the state has been implementing
these policies.
In the fall of 2005, the Department of Environmental
Protection adopted Environment Maine-backed
global warming tailpipe standards to cut global warming
pollution from new cars sold in the state. Not only
will this cut air and global warming pollution, it will also reduce the operating costs of cars, especially as
gas prices continue to skyrocket.
In the spring of 2006, Environment Maine successfully
lobbied the Legislature to pass LD 2041, which
will promote energy efficiency programs rather than
power plant production and set a goal of producing 10
percent more renewable energy by 2017 in Maine.
More to be done on global warming
Cutting power plant pollution: A group of Northeast states, including
Maine, is working to cut global warming
pollution from power plants 10 percent
by 2020. Now we've got to adopt and
implement the details of that program.
Smart growth and transportation: Maine must expand its train system,
capture the true cost of sprawl, and
encourage transit-oriented development.
At the same time, requiring fuel-saving
replacement tires and providing
incentives for hybrids will help cut global
warming pollution from cars.
Energy efficiency: Maine falls behind every other New
England state when it comes to funding
for energy efficiency. As we work to
change that, we're calling for efficiency
standards for furnaces, boilers, power
adapters and commercial washers.
