(L) Photo by Natalie Chitwood for the Luupe, (R) Photo by Frances Denny for the Luupe
Last Call - Register for our Annual Celebration Today!
Please join us for our annual celebration on September 16th! Our celebration will include a panel of local activists facilitated by Representative Chellie Pingree who will speak to the importance of activism, in order to highlight the importance of intersectional and justice centered solutions to the climate crisis! Panelists are:
Luke Sekera-Flanders - Community Water Action Co-founder and Sierra Club Political Team Member Safiya Khalid - Community Organizing Alliance Founder & Executive Director Elayne Richard - Grandmother’s for Reproductive Rights Education Coordinator Corey Hinton – Passamaquoddy tribal member and Attorney
Best of all, the proceeds raised from this event will be divided equally among Sierra Club Maine and the organizations our panelists represent because we’re all in this together!
Space is limited! Register here today to join us at our annual celebration on September 16th from 5-7pm at Rising Tide Brewery in Portland. Can’t make it? Make a donation in support of this event instead. Interested in sponsoring our event? Contact Sarah here.
Protect Sears Island - Offshore Wind on Mack Point
Local opposition continues to rise against the development of Sears Island and Sierra Club continues to advocate for its preservation. Sierra Club supports offshore wind development, as it’s critical to addressing the climate crisis, but we also need to properly site infrastructure and protect our most treasured natural resources, including Sears Island.
As part of Maine Department of Transportation's alternatives analysis for port development, the Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group to Maine DOT is tasked with advising on statewide port development. Sears Island has become the focus, but there are still many unanswered questions, especially relating to floating turbine deployment, the regional market, and cost of using Mack Point. You can see notes/materials from the last two meetings here. We expect more analysis at this month’s meeting (exact day and time to be announced), but there is currently no timeline for when the state will decide which site to use.
Recently, WERU’s Amy Browne hosted a segment on protecting Sears Island. Volunteer leader, Becky Bartovics and State Conservation & Energy Director, Matt Cannon were featured as part of a closer look at efforts to preserve Sears Island. The segment highlights the history of local activism and public processes up until today.
Become a Member - See our Endorsed Candidates List!
As we enter another political season, the Sierra Club Maine Political Team would like to remind all of our supporters that you must be a member of the Sierra Club Maine Chapter if you would like to receive updates about endorsed candidates, political volunteer opportunities, and other electoral news. Due to compliance restraints, we are only able to communicate these updates to our members. Please visit here to become a member today!
Photo by apfel by Pixabay
Update on Sierra Club’s Kingfish Maine Appeal
Massive, polluting finfish aquaculture facilities have been trying to develop in Maine for the past few years. Though these companies promise jobs, many of them have significant environmental impacts, polluting our waterways on a massive scale. As part of our Aquaculture Team’s efforts to ensure non-polluting aquaculture projects in our waters, we have decided to strategically intervene when possible.
One such facility, Kingfish Maine, Inc applied for permits for a land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in August 2020 in Jonesport. Kingfish Maine filed for a new Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MEPDES) permit/Waste Discharge License (WDL) for a daily maximum discharge of 28.7 million gallons per day of treated wastewater to Chandler Bay in Jonesport. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) conditionally approved the discharge in a combined MEPDES permit on June 25, 2021. Shortly thereafter, Sierra Club Maine coordinated a team of volunteers to create a plan to reduce the environmental impact of this project alongside other activists working on this issue across the state.
On August 12, the House passed the largest investment ever in climate and clean energy, sending the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) to President Biden’s desk for signing. This historic legislation directs $369 billion to over 100 programs that together will chart a path to reducing emissions by 40 percent by the end of the decade.
In response, Ramon Cruz, President of the Sierra Club released the following statement: “After decades of working tirelessly to get these climate, jobs, and justice investments passed by Congress, and after decades of dedicated campaigning by a movement of movements, we have finally scored a critical victory…Of course, we cannot celebrate this moment with unabated joy. It is unacceptable that oil and gas leasing provisions in the bill will be tied to clean energy development, especially threatening frontline communities. Sacrifice zones are a direct product of racism and classism, and have no place in a climate bill. The Sierra Club will continue to support Black, Indigenous, low-income, and communities of color that are disproportionately affected by such practices. We will demand equitable implementation, making sure communities most directly affected are prioritized. And we will keep fighting on behalf of all communities across the country struggling with rising prices, climate-fueled disasters, and systemic injustice.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is not the end of our call for climate action, but a significant beginning of real progress toward the healthy and safe future each of us deserves.”
Summer Legal Internship Experience
By Logan Hagerty, Legal & Policy Intern
I am proud to have worked alongside Sierra Club Maine’s Legislative Team this summer, in researching and drafting legislation to be submitted during the 131st Maine Legislature.
I gained so much knowledge in my role as legal and policy intern, mostly because Sierra Club members extended their time to brainstorm pertinent issues. I attended Conservation and Energy Team meetings with volunteers and members of other environmental organizations. These experiences provided me with an invaluable knowledge base to draft legislation concerning renewable energy project development and on-bill financing.
There is important legislation in the works that will let Maine, New England, and our nation meet shared climate goals. It’s an exciting and promising time to advance climate and environmental justice. As a Maine resident, it was inspiring to see the Sierra Club coordinate and tackle those issues. I found it meaningful to identify and potentially remedy existing gaps in the law. For example, a pilot study into on-bill financing could advance regional housing production goals. Additionally, distributed generation could benefit from an authority which streamlines energy project siting, by forecasting social and environmental concerns at the earliest procurement stage.
As part of my internship duties, I provided feedback on a draft bill for a commuter rail in Maine. Similar commuter rail efforts in other states have stagnated, despite public endorsement and demonstrated need. But meaningful developments are oftentimes contentious, and supporting
meaningful change can be a daunting task. I am grateful for the Chapter staff who extended their resources, contacts, time, and knowledge to support necessary, exciting, and imminent change.
My time with Sierra Club Maine made me even more eager and inspired to practice environmental law, and work towards a more sustainable and just planet.
Green Tip of the Month
By Logan Hagerty, Intern
Summer may be ending, but UVB rays are still dangerous and pernicious in cold months, especially at high altitudes.
This presents a dilemma to the fall foliage hiker and winter skier alike. To stay safe, remember to pack sunscreen on every outing. To remain safe, however, you must also research and apply the right kind of sunscreen.
Choosing the right kind of sunscreen is important. Chemical sunscreens, for example, have been under FDA scrutiny because ingredients in chemical sunscreens absorb into your bloodstream. Just recently, Banana Boat recalled some sunscreen that was found to contain cancer-causing chemicals.
At this point, you might be asking: “What can I do!?”
You should buy mineral sunscreen. Unlike chemical sunscreen, which absorbs light, mineral sunscreen uses ingredients that sit on the top of the skin to deflect or block light. Mineral sunscreen is also better because it prevents skin breakouts.
Moreover, be on the lookout for mineral sunscreen that does not contain nanoparticles – commonly called “non-nano” sunscreen – because nanoparticles in sunscreens can harm ocean life.
Here is a very helpful guide from Environmental Working Group for choosing the right sunscreen.
Now go enjoy your favorite fall and winter activities with a clear conscious and safe skin!
Join us for our biweekly legislative team meeting. This summer we're working on bill planning for the 2023 legislative session! If this is your first meeting, reach out to ania.wright@sierraclub.org for more information.
Join us for an inspiring event focused on the importance of intersectional and justice centered solutions to the climate crisis. We will be joined by Representative Chellie Pingree and will host a panel discussion with local activists. Tickets are free but you must register to attend.
Led by a Sierra Club Maine Outings Leader, these walks are typically 2-4 miles and about 1.5 hours on established trails or walkways. Check out our Hiking Meetup Group for more information.
