Your Opinion Is Requested!
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Each year, Sierra Club Maine volunteer leaders and staff gather to decide the top three priority issue areas for the year. While we focus on many issues as a chapter, these three priorities will get the most resources for the year. The three state level issue areas that were selected for 2022 were:
- preparing legislation for the 2023 legislative session;
- supporting environmental justice candidates for the 2022 election; and
- working to equitably conserve 30% of Maine’s land and water by 2030 (30x30 campaign).
This year, we’d like your input before we head into our planning session this January. Please take this survey by January 1st and let us know which issue areas you would like the Maine Chapter to prioritize in 2023. Interested in volunteering and helping to support these issue areas? Sign up to volunteer here!
Please consider supporting our goals for next year by making a donation today!
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Sierra Club Maine Endorsed Candidates Successful on Election Day
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The Sierra Club Maine’s Political Team endorsed 78 candidates this year - including Janet T. Mills for Governor, Chellie Pingree for Maine House District 1, as well as candidates in 54 State House and 23 State Senate races. While Jared Golden in Maine House District 2 did not officially receive a Sierra Club endorsement, the Chapter encouraged members to vote for him.
On November 8th, Sierra Club Maine endorsees saw great success at the polls:
- Gov. Janet Mills won a second term in the Governor’s Office
- Chellie Pingree won her 8th term in the House of Representatives
- Jared Golden won his 3rd term in the House of Representatives
- 46 of our 54 endorsed candidates (85%) won their races in the House!
- 18 of our 23 endorsed candidates (78%) won their races in the Senate!
To view individual endorsed candidate races, check out our endorsed candidate page.
These exciting results set the stage for an exciting legislative session in 2023. With favorable majorities in the House, Senate, and Blaine House, we can look forward to a productive year of continued climate justice successes in Augusta! Congratulations to Sierra Club Maine’s Political Team and to the hardworking volunteers that made the election a success.
Support our work next session by making a donation today!
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Learn more about the Maine Legislature and Volunteer with our Legislative Team!
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With the election over, now the hard work begins to ensure our priorities are made reality in Augusta. Are you interested in being a part of advocating for Maine’s people and environment? Want to learn more about how the Maine Legislature works and how bills become law? Then the Legislative Team and our upcoming trainings are for you!
On December 13th from 4-6pm, our Legislative Team is hosting a Legislative 101 Training via Zoom, to answer all your questions about how our State government works. The training will include:
- An accessible overview of the Maine’s three branches of government - the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches
- An introduction to the Maine House and Senate and how they work together
- A step by step overview of how a bill becomes a law in Maine
- Examples of how Sierra Club volunteers have passed legislation in past sessions
- Tips for talking to legislators and advocating for your priorities!
We need your help to make climate justice a reality in Maine. Sign up for our Legislative training and team meetings today!
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Take Action to Stand with the Wabanaki
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Earlier this year, Representative Jared Golden introduced HR 6707 - federal legislation that would amend the 1980 Indian Claims Settlement Act so Wabanaki tribes can benefit from future federal laws regarding federally recognized tribes. We need your help to boost support for HR 6707 as it moves towards a vote in Congress by writing Letters to the Editor. You can use the HR 6707 Guide on the Wabanaki Alliance Website and the Wabanaki Alliance LTE Guide to help you write a letter. You can also reach out to us for support writing an LTE by emailing us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org.
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Calling All NEW Volunteers!
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| Are you interested in helping Maine’s environment? No matter your background, we have a role for you! Learn more about how you can make a difference at our volunteer orientation on Wednesday, January 11th at 4pm. Register here today - No experience necessary! |
Hydrogen for Energy?
By David von Seggern, Volunteer Clean Energy Subteam Lead
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It is important to first understand that hydrogen is an energy storage device (or carrier, or medium) and is not an energy resource such as fossil fuels, solar, or wind. As such, it can be compared loosely to batteries. Free hydrogen is rare in nature, and most uses depend on it being created through chemical reactions which themselves require energy inputs to produce the hydrogen.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) published a lengthy report in 2019 on the future of hydrogen in the global energy market. This report presents a rather optimistic and biased picture of hydrogen, ignoring some of the problems and flaws of a greatly expanded role for hydrogen in the energy transition.
A fact sheet was prepared by Sierra Club on hydrogen and should be consulted for further information. The Sierra Club policy on hydrogen is summed up in the first sentence of this factsheet: “The Sierra Club only supports the use of green hydrogen—hydrogen made through electrolysis that is powered by renewable energy.” There are other means of hydrogen production using different energy inputs: black (coal power), gray (methane power), blue (fossil fuel power with carbon capture), and pink (nuclear power). Only green hydrogen is acceptable… Keep reading on our website.
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Our Power Delivers Signatures to Trigger 2023 Referendum
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Our Power submitted over 80,000 signatures on October 31st, far exceeding the total number to trigger a referendum, with the hope of replacing Maine’s unpopular investor-owned utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant, with a nonprofit power company. With a wide margin over the slightly more than 63,000 signatures needed for a ballot initiative, Our Power’s referendum is very likely to be on the ballot in November 2023.
Sierra Club Maine’s Political and Legislative Specialist, Ania Wright, was there for the signature delivery and shared; “we are at a crossroads of systemic issues regarding energy here in Maine. The climate crisis, corporate greed, and skyrocketing bills. These systemic issues require systemic change, and Our Power’s ballot question will provide that change.” Read more in the Beacon article here and sign up to volunteer with the Our Power campaign here.
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This time of year is a time to give thanks and to recognize your loved ones through gift giving. When deciding what gifts to give, follow these simple steps to make sure your gifts are environmentally friendly.
- Make sure they are used. Give them something they actually need and will use such as socks, soap, and food.
- Support small businesses. Mega corporations don’t need your support but small, local businesses rely on your support this time of year. Remember to shop small.
- Wrap your gifts using reusable materials. Ditch the throwaway wrapping paper and ribbon and wrap using cloths and reusable bags.
- Give experiences. Create a memorable experience that will last a lifetime by giving an experience to a loved one such as a membership to a local museum or purchasing them a park pass.
- Gifts that give back. Think about your loved ones interests and make a donation in their name to the issue areas they care about. If they care about animals, make a donation to your local animal shelter. If they care about the environment, make a donation to Sierra Club Maine in their honor.
Do you have a green tip that you would like to have included in a future newsletter? Please share it with us here!
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Here are some of the meetings and events we have coming up. We hope to see you soon!
December 5th at 4:30 pm - Legislative Team Meeting
Join us for our biweekly legislative team meeting as we work on bill planning for the 2023 legislative session! If this is your first meeting, reach out to ania.wright@sierraclub.org for more information.
December 13th at 11:30 am - Transportation Team Meeting
Join our Team and ensure a clean and just transportation future for Maine! RSVP here.
December 13th at 5pm - Conservation/30x30 Team Meeting
Learn how you can protect Maine's woods, water, and wildlife. RSVP here.
December 13th at 5pm - Legislature 101 Training
Want to learn more about how the Maine Legislature works, and how bills become law? Then the Legislative Team and this Legislature 101 Training is for you! RSVP here.
December 14th at 5pm - Events Team Meeting
Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state. RSVP here.
December 20 at 11:30am - Clean Energy Team Meeting
Join our Team and ensure a clean and just energy future for Maine, specifically focused on renewable energy development! RSVP here.
December 21 at 5pm - Equity, Inclusion and Justice Team Meeting
Help incorporate equity, inclusion and justice principles into the chapter's work. RSVP here.
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