Bianca Sanchez, bianca.sanchez@sierraclub.org
AUGUSTA, ME. – Today, the Sierra Club announced its endorsement of ‘Question 3’, the Pine Tree Power ballot measure.
This November, Maine voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on replacing the state’s two profit-driven, investor-owned utilities with Pine Tree Power, a non-profit utility owned by consumers, not billionaire shareholders. If Question 3 passes, Maine voters will elect a board of Mainers to run the utility company and foster a clean energy future.
With an increasingly unstable power grid in need of reliability, local residents deserve to have a say in who governs their utility. As the effects of climate change become more apparent with sea level rise, ocean heat waves, and devastating impacts to local infrastructure, Maine’s investor-owned utilities have delayed and overcharged for clean energy projects. Maine continues to have the most frequent outages in the nation.
The state of Maine has a strong history in locally owned electric utilities, which has in turn, created lower energy costs for ratepayers. Pine Tree Power will push Maine closer to its climate goals and would be the single largest transition to consumer owned public power the nation has ever seen. Sierra Club encourages a YES vote on Question 3 this November.
In response to this announcement, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement.
Pine Tree Power's campaign to replace CMP and Versant presents a historic opportunity for change in Maine that must be seized. For years, CMP and Versant have prioritized investor profits over consumer rates by blocking renewable energy projects meant to reduce pollution and lower energy bills.
With Pine Tree Power, Mainers can establish a utility responsible to the public, not far-off investors. A win in Maine would allow for a quicker, more just expansion of the state’s electric grid, all while saving ratepayers billions of dollars and advancing the state's commendable climate and economic justice goals.
The Sierra Club proudly supports the Pine Tree Power ballot initiative and calls on Maine to take this nation-leading step to protect consumers and the planet.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.