The Sierra Club is committed to confronting the inequality embedded into our society. We stand in solidarity with protesters across the country who are marching to affirm the humanity of Black people and expose systemic racism. Climate action is bound together with racial equality. We can't fulfill our mission to ‘enlist humanity’ to protect the planet while racism continues to divide us.
Now's the Time for a Maine Green Bank
Sierra Club Maine and its partners will host an in-depth, cross-sector summit on June 25th.
Sierra Club Maine is collaborating with its partners to host a Maine Green Bank Summit over Zoom on Thursday, June 25th from 2-5pm. The summit will be an informational event focused on the benefits of creating a statewide green bank to improve financing options for efficiency, clean energy, and other climate solutions. It will involve representatives from all sectors including finance, clean energy, Maine youth, real estate, labor, non-profits and government. Bryan Garcia, President & CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank will be the keynote speaker. He'll discuss his bank's programs and successes working with low-income communities, helping those with poor credit to fund projects, and overcoming other market barriers. The Coalition for Green Capital will provide an overview of what green banks are, how they work, and the ways that they increase the availability of funding for efficiency and clean energy projects. The summit will include a panel discussion with local businesses to address market barriers that are being faced, and to help identify specific ways that a green bank can help to create jobs and reduce fossil fuel consumption in Maine. This is a timely issue. It appears that a Maine Green Bank is going to be one of the recommendations from the Energy Working Group to the Governor's Climate Council. We are organizing this summit to help inform the full Climate Council and the Economic Recovery Committee (as well as the legislature and other stakeholders) about how a Maine Green Bank can spur economic recovery from the pandemic in a climate-positive and socially just manner. Sierra Club members and activists are welcome to attend. You can register by clicking here. (Graphic from freepngimg.com)
It's just the latest in a growing list of concerns.
A recent No CMP Corridor newsletter addressed the serious issue of fire safety in light of the rash of powerline-caused Maine wildfires. These fires served as a grim reminder of the real threat CMP’s corridor project poses to our precious wilderness. “Last year, the Maine Federation of Firefighters sent a letter to Governor Mills outlining just how unprepared we would be if a wildfire were to spark within the first 100 miles of the proposed corridor route,” No CMP Corridor (a Sierra Club Maine partner) reported. “For the first 70 miles, there isn’t a single fire department to respond. The next 30 miles are covered by only three volunteer fire departments that lack the equipment and resources required to fight wildfires under those conditions.” You can read more about the wildfire risk and other New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) news at NO CMP Corridor.com. Wildfire danger is just one of the many concerns regarding the proposed corridor which would bring large-scale hydro generated electricity from Canada to Massachusetts, via Maine. Megadams destroy carbon-sequestering forests, release methane gas into the atmosphere, and produce toxic methyl mercury that poisons fish—threatening the sustainability of Indigenous communities in Canada. Rather than importing electricity from Canadian megadams, Massachusetts needs to invest in truly green energy sources such as off-shore wind and solar power. Now that The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has granted permits for the NECEC, our Chapter is focusing on convincing the Army Corps of Engineers that the scale of the CMP plan calls for a full environmental impact statement. Sierra Club Maine, No CMP Corridor, and other groups are also working on raising public awareness of this issue, which Maine people will vote on in November. It will take a major effort to counter NECEC proponents’ multi-million dollar media blitz promoting their plan. Please consider writing a letter to the editor for your local/regional newspaper. We can help you with that—email us at maine.chapter@sierraclub.org.
Next "Community Conversations" Set for June 16
Maine's Green New Deal will be discussed.
The next online Community Conversations will feature Representative Chloe Maxmin (photo). Chloe will discuss the implementation of Maine’s Green New Deal act passed in 2019 which focuses on green energy workforce development. She will also review the impetus being given to amend Maine’s constitution to include an environmental bill of rights. Community Conversations is an opportunity for socially engaging and discussing important issues in this period when in-person gatherings aren't possible. Join us at 7 p.m. on June 16 and be part of the conversation. Please RSVP by clicking here. You can listen to our previous Community Conversations by clicking here.
We Need a Stimulus Package That Helps People in Need and Builds a Clean-Energy Economy
The Sierra Club strongly supports a federal stimulus package that reflects the guidelines outlined in the People’s Bailout. Rather than focusing primarily on helping corporate America, we need a generous package that helps those most in need and also makes a downpayment on building a new clean-energy and just economy. Here are the five priorities:
1. Health is the top priority, for all people, with no exceptions. We support the calls of community leaders, public health organizations, unions, and others for free and accessible testing, treatment, and protective equipment; expanded hospital capacity; paid sick leave and paid family medical leave for all workers without exception; expanded federal funding for Medicaid; and full funding for Indian Health Service and urban Indian health centers. 2. Provide economic relief directly to the people. We support the urgent calls to expand the social safety net by broadening unemployment insurance, increasing food aid programs, extending housing assistance, expanding childcare for working families, relieving student debt, and halting evictions, foreclosures, and shut offs of water and electricity. These economic measures must be implemented to ensure coverage of workers and communities likely to be hit first and worst by COVID-19 and the economic downturn. 3. Rescue workers and communities, not corporate executives. Any financial assistance directed at specific industries must be channeled to workers, not shareholders or corporate executives. 4. Make a down payment on a regenerative economy, while preventing future crises. While we urgently need a large, short-term stimulus to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that policymakers also plan for a large, medium-term stimulus to counteract the economic downturn and ensure a just and climate-friendly recovery. This stimulus should create millions of good, family-sustaining jobs with high-road labor standards; counter systemic inequities by directing investments to the working families, communities of color, and Indigenous communities; and tackle the climate crisis that is compounding threats to our economy, our environment, and our health. All three goals can be achieved simultaneously with public investments to rebuild our infrastructure, replace lead pipes, expand wind and solar power, build clean and affordable public transit, weatherize our buildings, build and repair public housing, manufacture more clean energy goods, restore our wetlands and forests, expand public services that support climate resilience, and support regenerative agriculture led by family farmers. Critically, stimulus packages should include conditions for industries to implement reductions in climate emissions and toxic pollution. 5. Protect our democratic process while protecting each other. People mustn't be forced to choose between exercising their rights as citizens and protecting public health. The federal government must support states, by providing funding and technical support wherever needed, to ensure that every American can vote safely in primary and general elections.
A group from Sierra Club Maine is meeting weekly to formulate strategies regarding support for a stimulus package and rebuilding an economy that is climate-friendly and just. If you would like to be part of the discussion please contact Sue Levene at suelevene@gmail.com
Elections will be Different, But Never More Important
Be sure to get an absentee ballot to cover all eventualities.
With pandemic news dominating the media and public gatherings prohibited, federal and state candidates are working on new ways to get their messages out to voters. One way to learn more about candidates and their positions is to check their websites and Facebook pages. In addition, virtual town halls are being held by candidates. The Sierra Club Political Team is also continuing its work. It has sent out questionnaires to state senate and house candidates to review their records and positions on Chapter priority issues. Please check out our political page for more information. All primary elections are now scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th. Both absentee and in-person voting will be available. If you are registered voter, you may apply for an absentee ballot to be sent to you when they become available. The registration process has not changed. As in previous elections, some in-person steps are involved, whether you register well ahead of time or on the same day as the election. Please apply for an absentee ballot soon to cover all eventualities. To find out more about absentee voting and how to get a ballot click here. The 2020 elections are perhaps the most important in our lifetime. Vote as though the planet depends on it—it does!
Mainers Want a Bold Action Plan From the Climate Council
Sierra Club Maine and its Environmental Priorities Coalition partners are working to ensure a strong climate action plan for Maine through the Governor’s Climate Council. Last year, Maine passed a bill to reduce carbon pollution by at least 80 percent before 2050. A Climate Council was formed with various stakeholders tasked with creating a plan to reach our goals. Chapter volunteers and staff members are closely monitoring the various Council sub-group meetings. We will have a complete update on the Climate Council’s progress in the July E-News. You can also visit the Council’s website by clicking here. Public input is important. Click here and send a message urging the Climate Council to adopt a bold new Climate Action Plan that will strengthen Maine’s economy, reduce air pollution, and build healthy, equitable communities. The next Climate Council meeting is on June 17. The meetings are open to the public—we strongly encourages Sierra Club members and activists to attend by going to the Council's website at the link in the previous paragraph.
As a result of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, our Chapter office is currently closed and no events or outings will occur until further notice. However, we are still at work remotely, continuing our efforts to protect the Maine environment. And we are checking messages daily. For the most timely response, please email maine.chapter@sierraclub.org
As we all deal with a global pandemic with COVID-19, we wanted to let you know how the Sierra Club is adapting and responding so we can keep doing the important work of helping our communities, protecting our natural environment and fighting for a just, clean energy future.
