Sears Island and Offshore Wind in the Gulf of Maine
Sears Island in the Penobscot Bay is the largest undeveloped island (but connected by a causeway) off the coast of Maine and perhaps the entire East Coast. Now a sanctuary for wildlife and a quiet walking area, the island has come up in plans for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine. There are alternatives to developing industrial infrastructure on Sears Island. Join us for a tour of the island on May 7th at 10am and judge for yourself whether this should remain a pristine wildlife preserve and a quiet recreation area. A member of Friends of Sears Island will guide the tour and introduce us to the wonders of this island. Learn more and register here.
Relatedly, the State of Maine has assembled an Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group (OSWPAG) to serve as an advisor to the Maine Department of Transportation, the Governor’s Energy Office, and other state officials regarding the development of a wind port that will allow Maine to realize the environmental and economic benefits of the rapidly developing offshore wind market in a way that reflects community values and minimizes adverse impacts. This OSWPAG process will provide the structure for a robust stakeholder and public communication process with respect to wind port development. Matt Cannon will serve as a committee member on this group. Meeting dates and other public information will be updated here.
Signature Gathering Continues for Our Power
After a quick break to rest and recharge, Our Power is re-emerging and re-energized to finish collecting the signatures necessary to get the consumer owned utility to qualify for the 2023 ballot.
This year Maine’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) is undertaking a long range plan (through 2050) on multimodal transportation and is soliciting public input to shape Maine’s future. There is the Statewide Strategic Plan, the Aviation System Plan, the Rail Plan, and the Active Transportation Plan. All the final drafts for these plans will be completed by December 2022 or January 2023, so now is the time for robust input. Although the public surveys for Transit and Active Transportation closed April 30th, there will still be opportunities through early summer to get involved. We invite you to participate in the process and to ensure Maine has a robust transportation strategy that is inclusive and equitable for all Mainers.
Actions:
Recordings are now available to view for the April 6th, 2022 MaineDOT Family of Plans Public Meeting #2. Please visit www.maine.gov/mdot/longrangeplan/ and select either "Desktop" or "Mobile" to view the meeting, view recordings of past live meetings, or leave comments.
The next live virtual public meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 4th from 6-7:30pm on Zoom (RSVP here).
With the passage of LD 906, likely passage of LD 585, and uncertain outcome of LD 1626, the Sierra Club Maine Chapter celebrates the progress made by the Wabanaki this session, and will continue to stand in solidarity and allyship with the Tribes and the Wabanaki Alliance as the fight for justice for the Wabanaki continues.
Outcomes of the Second Session of the 130th Maine Legislature
In April, the 130th Maine Legislature began to wrap up their special session. The following is a list of our priority bills for the short session, and their outcomes.
Sierra Club Maine Celebrates Earth Day with Local Cleanups, Hikes
We celebrated Earth Day April 22nd and 23rd with local cleanups and hikes across the state. On Friday, volunteers participated in trash cleanups in Brunswick, Hallowell, Augusta, South Portland, and Belfast. Sierra Club outings leaders also led three Earth Day hikes on Saturday at Fort Popham in Phippsburg, Riverton Trolley Park in Portland, and Town Forest in Eliot.
"This Earth Day, we wanted to get people outside and give back to our planet which provides us with so much. We hope people will take away from this event the importance of protecting our planet all year long by embodying the spirit of Earth Day everyday,” said Sarah Leighton, Director, Sierra Club Maine Chapter.
Altogether, volunteers picked up approximately 20 trash bags full of litter from local neighborhoods, greenways, railroads, and bike paths, totaling over 100lbs. Read our full recap here.
Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith
Sierra Club Celebrates Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court Confirmation
On April 7th, in a bipartisan effort, the Senate voted to confirm Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Justice Jackson, the first Black woman to be nominated to the High Court, had previously been confirmed by the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support three times. She will bring a range of experience to the Supreme Court, including having been a public defender, serving on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and serving as a judge for the majority of the past 10 years.
“Finally, our nation’s highest court will be one step closer to representing all of America in its more than 230-year history. This moment carries the weight of centuries of inequities and injustices, of an undeniable history that has failed to live up to the ideals we espouse.” said Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz. “The Sierra Club offers our sincerest and most enthusiastic congratulations to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on her confirmation to the Supreme Court. We are confident she will exemplify the best of what a Justice should be by recognizing the government’s obligation to protect public health and the environment, protecting the public’s right to access the courts to hold government and industries accountable, and clearly distinguishing between facts and politics.”
Sierra Club Maine thanks Senators King and Collins for voting to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.
Volunteer Opportunity of the Month
Engage with individuals throughout the state through events! As a volunteer on our Events Team, you will have the opportunity to help coordinate, promote, and implement community activities and digital gatherings such as our annual celebration, community cleanups, tabling events, speaker series, and more.
If you are interested in volunteering with our Events Team, please fill out our volunteer interest form here. Our next volunteer orientation is May 10 at 12pm—please register here.
Green Tip of the Month
by Kyle Bonus
Wind in your hair, sun on your face—it's that time of year when car windows are being rolled down after a long winter of hibernation. But what does this bit of fresh air mean in terms of your car's aerodynamics and efficiency? The faster you drive, the more your car's efficiency will suffer. Below 55mph, windows are more efficient for your car's fuel economy than AC—open your windows and enjoy the breeze! But what could be better than wind in your hair through a window (and for our planet)? Wind through a bike helmet!
Local Leads the Way is a monthly network meeting for Climate and Community Action Teams across the state, hosted by A Climate to Thrive and Sierra Club Maine. For our May meeting, we will continue with the topic of equity and climate justice in Maine community-based climate action groups.
Now a sanctuary for wildlife and a quiet walking area, Sears Island has come up in plans for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine. Come on our tour of the island and judge for yourself whether this should remain a pristine wildlife preserve and a quiet recreation area.
May 7 and 28, 2-4:30pm - Little River Educational Walking Tour, Belfast
Maine biologists, scientists, naturalists and engineers are offering a 1-2 mile educational tour of the Little River Watershed in Belfast to celebrate the diversity of the river and educate people about the impacts of the proposed aquaculture project there. Starts at Belfast Water District Parking Lot: 285 Northport Ave (Hwy 1). For questions, contact Ethan Hughes: 207-338-5719.
Maine State Senator Chloe Maxim and Appalachia-bred political organizer Canyon Woodward join New Gloucester Selectboard member Dustin Ward for a conversation about their new book, Dirt Road Revival: How to Rebuild Rural Politics and Why Our Future Depends On It. The book, out on Penguin Random House, has already been praised by Bill McKibben, Robert Reich, Naomi Klein, and more.
