Updates From Sears Island
By Becky Bartovics, Sierra Club Maine Volunteer Leader
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Sears Island is in the news again. While we support responsible development of Offshore Wind (OSW) to advance a clean energy transition, we must protect the natural environment that sustains life on the planet. We are advocating to protect Sears Island and instead transform Mack Point, an already developed brown site, into an OSW assembly area.
As the State continues to analyze these port areas, folks on the ground are organizing to protect our most important areas. We stand with grassroots partners to urge the town of Searsport to hold a meeting with area residents on the proposed development, should the development progress on either Mack Point or Sears Island. While Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) is still gathering information, there should be a commitment to as much public outreach as possible.
Since 1984 Sierra Club has participated in preserving this gem of an island in the upper end of Penobscot Bay through numerous efforts including lawsuits and EPA findings. It is one of the largest undeveloped islands on the East Coast, and it holds significant terrestrial and aquatic biological resources. One of the key reasons to preserve it now is the blue carbon sequestering value of its coastal wetlands and marine seagrass beds which surpass mature forests in per acre carbon accrual.
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Efficiency Maine and EV Guidebook
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Want to learn more about EV Chargers? Efficiency Maine is pleased to share a new "How-To" guidebook for EV drivers, as well as a new guidebook and webinar series for businesses and commercial property owners considering installing EV chargers. Read on for more information about these new educational materials.-
Charging Your EV At Home and Away: A guidebook with easy-to-use, practical information about how to charge your electric vehicle (EV).
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Installing Level 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers at Commercial and Public Properties: A guidebook for potential hosts of public, workplace, and multi unit dwelling EV charging sites.
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Public EV Charging Webinar: The upcoming webinar will cover the basics of installing public EV chargers at public places, workplaces, and multi unit dwellings. The webinar will be offered on:
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Wednesday, March 1, 1pm: Click here to register
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Monday, April 3, 9am: Click here to register
To download copies of Efficiency Maine's EV charging guides, click here. To request printed copies, email info@efficiencymaine.com
or call 866-376-2463.
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Legislative Session Underway
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The 131st Legislative session is well underway, and the Sierra Club Maine Legislative Team is taking action! Volunteer team members and staff have been meeting weekly to develop testimony, determine priorities, and discuss strategies for advocacy. Interested in learning more or taking action? Here are some ways to get involved:
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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, March 8th at 4pm. Register here today—no experience necessary!
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Earth Day is right around the corner and we’re looking forward to celebrating with you! We’ll be celebrating in two ways—first, we’ll be getting people outside and giving back to the planet by hosting trash clean ups. Then, we will be joining Maine Youth for Climate Justice for their Climate Strike on Earth Day, April 22nd. Our volunteer events team is working hard to plan a wonderful Earth Day celebration and we will have more information to you soon. In the meantime, keep an eye out for updates by following us on social media (
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and checking in on our
Earth Day webpage. #SCMaineEarthDay
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Our Power: A Statewide Campaign for Energy Democracy and a Just Transition
By Andrew Blunt, Our Power Executive Director
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This November, Mainers statewide will take a vote on our electric utilities. They will decide whether the vast majority of Mainers should continue with Central Maine Power and Versant Power, two for-profit corporate utilities, or to replace them with the Pine Tree Power Company, a nonprofit utility, governed by an elected board and focused on achieving Maine’s climate goals.
This question is the most transformative ballot measure for climate that our state has ever seen. These companies own our electric grid, the network of poles and wires that are the key to our clean energy transition.
Currently, this network is largely owned by large, international, private utility monopolies, and their goal is to make profits for shareholders, not to make progress on climate. And they are clearly not up to the task. In the past they have nullified interconnection agreements with solar companies, fought the initial campaign for net energy billing
, among other scandalous anti-climate efforts. And they are willing to spend egregious amounts of ratepayer dollars to lobby, advertise, and manipulate public opinion to suit their business interests.
These anti-democratic, climate-skeptic practices, in addition to record-low customer satisfaction ratings, poor reliability, and high rates, are why Our Power is pushing for a new, climate-focused, non-profit consumer-owned utility, the Pine Tree Power Company. Continue reading here.
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Gas Stove Legislation & Rebates for Electric
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On Feb. 2, 2023, Sens. Joe Manchin and Ted Cruz introduced the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act.
This act—if passed—would not allow CPSC to use any federal funds to regulate an existing or new gas stove as a banned hazardous product or to impose or enforce any consumer product safety standard or rule on existing or new gas stoves that would otherwise result in a prohibition on the use or sale of gas stoves in the U.S. or would otherwise substantially increase the average price of gas stoves in the U.S.
Over the past 40 years, a growing body of evidence has found that gas stoves fill our homes with pollution that harms human health. As this research has moved from peer-reviewed journals to the public eye, consumers are concerned about the risks.
Luckily you can ditch your gas stove by taking advantage of a rebate for electric stoves. See here for the rebates available for homeowners and a potential solution for renters.
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Today, the risk of a catastrophic nuclear war is all too real, threatening all of humanity, our planet, and our future. The Sierra Club has long recognized the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and taken strong positions in support of nuclear arms control and disarmament, and policies that will reduce risks.
Please support H.Res.77, a resolution that calls on the United States (U.S.) to embrace the goals and provisions of the U.N Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a landmark international agreement that’s been signed by 92 nations and to adopt five common-sense policies being advanced by
Back from the Brink, the national grassroots nuclear weapons abolition campaign, including:-
Pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals
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Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first
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Ending the President’s sole authority to launch a nuclear attack
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Taking the nuclear weapons of the U.S. off hair-trigger alert
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Canceling the plan to replace the nuclear arsenal of the U.S. with modernized, enhanced weapons
Members of Congress need to know that this is an issue of concern for their constituents, including environmental and climate change activists.
TAKE ACTION:
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Green Tip of the Month: Go Plant-Based!
By Kelsey Damrad
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Climate scientists have consistently warned that the production of meat and dairy products are fueling the climate crisis, inflicting an outsized impact when compared to other industries. The choices we make for the food on our plates has repercussions on a global scale. Studies have shown that re-imagining our eating habits and food production practices to adopt a plant-based diet is critical for reducing water stress and pollution, restoring depleted lands and ocean health, protecting endangered wildlife and untouched habitats, and reversing climate change.
In addition to its promise of a more sustainable Earth, eating plant-based can also lead to a substantial improvement in global human health.
Simply put, eating a plant-based diet rich in whole, minimally processed fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains is good for our health and for the health of our planet.
A plant-based diet does not have to be full-time to make an impact. If every person in the United States gave up meat and dairy products for one or more days during the week, the threats being made to the Earth’s health and habitability would be significantly reduced—in fact, it equates to the same environmental impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road.
Learn more on how a plant-based lifestyle helps combat climate change by exploring the Sierra Club’s “Why Go Plant-Based” fact sheet, researched and written by Anna DeSousa, designed by Jocelyn Stetson.
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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Graphic by Third Act Maine |
Here are some of the meetings and events we have coming up. We hope to see you soon!-
March 1, 5pm: Conservation/30x30 Team Meeting
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Learn how you can protect Maine's woods, water, and wildlife.
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March 2 & 16, 4pm: Events Team Meeting
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Help us organize events to educate and engage Mainers across the state.
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March 4, 8:30am-5:45pm: Seacoast Environmental Film Festival
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Kittery Land Trust's Environmental Film Festival is a highly successful, day-long event held at the Kittery Community Center STAR Theatre, that brings together environmentalists, activists, educators, and interested filmgoers to watch and discuss award winning documentaries about critical environmental issues that are globally important and locally relevant.
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Mondays at 4:30pm: Legislative Team Meetings
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March 8, 4-5pm: Volunteer Orientation
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March 8, 6:30-8pm: Why Tribal Sovereignty?
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A discussion with Maulian Dana, Penobscot Nation Ambassador & President of the Wabanaki Alliance with the Curtis Memorial Library. Register here.
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March 14, 11:30am: Transportation Team Meeting
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Join our team and ensure a clean and just transportation future for Maine!
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March 15, 5:30pm: Equity, Inclusion and Justice Team Meeting
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Help incorporate equity, inclusion and justice principles into the chapter's work.
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March 21, 11:30am: Clean Energy Team Meeting
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Join our Team and ensure a clean and just energy future for Maine, specifically focused on renewable energy development!
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March 21, 3pm: Third Act Maine Rally
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Rally in Portland’s Monument Square to pressure the big four banks—Bank of America, Chase, Citi, and Wells Fargo—to stop funding new fossil fuel projects.
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