Maine
45%
Carbon neutral
Governor
Janet T. Mills (Democrat)
House Party
Democratic Majority
Senate Party
Democratic Majority
Key Offices & Links
27
35
Northeast
Progress by Policy Area
- Enacted
- In-progress
- Partially Enacted
- Not Enacted
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections in Maine
Status | Policy | Policy Area | Policy Category | YR Enacted | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Enacted |
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45% by 2030 | Carbon neutral by 2045 Relative to 1990 levels Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2022 | |
Enacted |
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Maine Won't Wait The state is also required to publish an updated plan by December 1, 2024. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2020 | |
Enacted |
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The 1990-2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory was published in July 2022. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2022 | |
Not Enacted |
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Climate bureaucracy consists of dedicated climate offices and staff, interagency working groups, task forces, and other bodies made up of government staff. These bodies are often responsible for writing a state's climate plan and implementing the policies and strategies identified to meet its climate targets. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | ||
Enacted |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Climate Governance | 2019 | ||
Enacted |
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"Frontline communities" are defined as those people and communities that experience the consequences of climate change first and to a greater degree than others. The Department of Environmental Protection must also define "environmental justice populations," taking into consideration, at a minimum, median household income, race, ethnicity, and English language proficiency. Establishing Policies
|
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | 2022 | |
Not Enacted |
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Environmental justice (EJ) mapping tools are interactive maps that visualize key EJ concepts, such as demographic information, EJ community definitions, and environmental and public health threats. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Not Enacted |
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Environmental justice (EJ) community investment requirements help ensure communities most impacted by environmental burdens are benefitting equitably from public programs by requiring a certain percentage of funds and/or benefits from other policies are allocated to EJ communities. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Not Enacted |
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Environmental justice (EJ) bureaucracy consists of dedicated EJ offices and staff, interagency task forces, and other bodies made up of government staff responsible for developing and implementing EJ policy. These entities are often tasked with integrating EJ and equity into climate policy design and implementation. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Enacted |
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Equity Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Council Establishing Policies
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Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Not Enacted |
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Cumulative impact assessments determine the health and environmental impacts of renewing or granting a permit for certain pollution-generating facilities in environmental justice communities. Increased pollution burdens in communities may result in the permit application being denied. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Environmental Justice and Equity | ||
Not Enacted |
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Just transition plans are documents that outline policies and recommendations aimed at supporting communities, workers, and industries affected by the transition away from fossil fuels. The plans often focus on workforce development and retraining, job creation, and economic diversification. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | ||
Not Enacted |
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Just transition offices and staff assist workers and communities transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction and use, typically through retraining programs and support with relocation and economic diversification. Offices and staff also coordinate with other state agencies to effectively design policy to achieve a just transition. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | ||
Not Enacted |
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Just transition advisory bodies write or advise on a state's just transition plan or report, and make recommendations on ways to support affected workers, communities, and industries. The bodies can consist of all non-government members, or be a mix of government and non-government members. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | ||
Not Enacted |
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Just transition funds support initiatives and investments aimed at facilitating the equitable transition of workers and communities affected by shifts in industries or policies that transition from fossil fuels. |
Climate Governance and Equity
|
Just Transition | ||
Enacted |
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Efficiency Maine Green Bank Establishing Policies
|
Cross-Sector
|
Climate Finance | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) covers the electricity sector. Establishing Policies
|
Cross-Sector
|
Carbon Valuation | 2005 | |
Not Enacted |
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The social cost of carbon is a monetary estimate of the damage of each ton of greenhouse gases emitted. The social cost of carbon is used to quantify and monetize climate damages, representing the net economic cost of climate pollution to society. |
Cross-Sector
|
Carbon Valuation | ||
Enacted |
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | 2019 | ||
Not Enacted |
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Electricity greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit GHG emissions in the electricity sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by different amounts over time, often expressed as percentage relative to a baseline year. |
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | ||
Enacted |
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Maine Won't Wait: A Four-Year Plan for Climate Action Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Energy Plans and Targets | 2020 | |
Enacted |
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The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
5/5
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Partially Enacted |
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The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
6/11
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Partially Enacted |
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The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
5/6
|
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Community choice aggregation allows local governments to procure power on behalf of their residents, businesses, and municipal accounts from an alternative supplier while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility provider. |
Electricity
|
Clean Energy Generation | ||
Enacted |
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300 megawatts (MW) of energy storage by 2025 and 400 MW by December 31, 2030 Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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Maine received a C grade from Freeing the Grid. Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Transmission, Distribution, and Energy Storage | 2023 | |
Enacted |
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Requires 100% renewable electricity by 2050, and does not include energy derived from coal in its definition of renewable electricity. Establishing Policies
|
Electricity
|
Coal Retirement | 2019 | |
Not Enacted |
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Coal securitization is a financing tool that allows utility companies to refinance debt they issued to build coal plants and close the facilities early without taking a financial hit or passing costs on to ratepayers. |
Electricity
|
Coal Retirement | ||
Enacted |
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The statewide energy code for residential construction is 2015 IECC. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2020 | |
Enacted |
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The statewide energy code for commercial building construction is 2015 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2013. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2020 | |
Enacted |
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The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC) Stretch Code incorporates 2021 IECC and certain appendices. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Codes | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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Maine’s Appliance Efficiency Standards apply to 8 products. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | 2021 | |
Not Enacted |
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Building performance standards establish energy and/or greenhouse gas performance targets for existing buildings in a state. These targets increase in stringency over time, leading to efficiency improvements in buildings to conserve energy and reduce emissions. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | ||
Not Enacted |
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Clean heat standards establish a performance standard requiring heat providers to deliver a gradually-increasing percentage of low-emission heating services to customers. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Standards | ||
Enacted |
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Electric utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 175,115 megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2023, 143,993 MWh in 2024, and 145,035 MWh in 2025. Gas utilities are required to achieve energy savings equivalent to 135,389 million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2023, 78,776 MMBtu in 2024, and 77,907 MMBtu in 2025. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2022 | |
Enacted |
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Maine has enacted residential and commercial PACE-enabling legislation and has active programs. Establishing Policies
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | 2021 | |
Partially Enacted |
Empty column
The State Policy Opportunity Tracker (SPOT) breaks clean energy policies down into “components”, which are binary questions to evaluate policy quality. Higher quality policies have more of their SPOT components fulfilled. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
2/4
|
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Efficiency | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
All-electric buildings policies require new buildings to be constructed with all-electric heating, cooling, and cooking systems to transition away from fossil-fuel use in buildings. |
Buildings and Efficiency
|
Building Electrification | ||
Enacted |
Empty column
Maine LEV Standards Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | 2012 | |
Enacted |
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Model Year (MY) 2025: 22% of new passenger vehicle sales are ZEVs. Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | 2009 | |
Enacted |
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Efficiency Maine's Electric Vehicle (EV) Incentive Program offers point-of-sale rebates for new EVs: up to $2,000 for battery EVs and $1,000 for plug-in hybrid EVs. Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Light-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
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Low NOx Omnibus Rules establish stringent tailpipe emission standards for heavy duty vehicles, updated testing procedures, and technology-neutral compliance mechanisms to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) pollution. The regulation must be adopted first by California, and other states may adopt the regulation under the federal Clean Air Act. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
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Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero-emission vehicle mandates, also known as "Advanced Clean Trucks", require automakers to produce and sell a certain number of zero-emission MHD vehicles to fulfill a quota based on a percentage of total sales in states. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Not Enacted |
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Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric vehicle rebates consist of programs and policies that offer rebates to make MHD electric vehicles more affordable to increase their adoption in a state. |
Transportation
|
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles | ||
Enacted |
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50% of the state’s new light-duty vehicles are plug-in hybrid or ZEVs by 2025 | 100% are plug-in hybrid or ZEVs by 2030 Establishing Policies
|
Transportation
|
Lead by Example | 2022 | |
Not Enacted |
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Electric bus procurement targets require that a certain percentage or number of school buses and/or transit buses purchased or leased by the state, transit authorities, and/or school districts must be electric or zero-emissions. |
Transportation
|
Lead by Example | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure requirements establish mandates for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in new construction or developments, such as residential or commercial buildings, and public parking lots. |
Transportation
|
EV Charging Infrastructure | ||
Not Enacted |
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Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure rebates offer rebates to make the purchase and/or installation costs of EV charging infrastructure more affordable. |
Transportation
|
EV Charging Infrastructure | ||
Not Enacted |
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Electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging infrastructure plans are documents that provide a framework to guide the development, coordination, and adoption of EVs and EV charging infrastructure. |
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets are set by a state to limit emissions in the transportation sector. These targets aim to reduce emissions by specific amounts over time, often expressed as a percentage reduction from a baseline year. |
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
A low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based mechanism to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels and account for the fuel's life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. |
Transportation
|
Transportation Plans and Targets | ||
Partially Enacted |
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Maine is ranked 26th out of 50 in the 2022 Bicycle Friendly State rankings by the League of American Bicyclists. Establishing Policies
Policy Components
3/5
|
Transportation
|
Public and Active Transportation | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Buy clean requirements mandate or incentivize the use of low-carbon construction materials, such as concrete and steel, in public projects to address embodied carbon. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Industrial Decarbonization | ||
Enacted |
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The state prohibits the use of certain HFCs in specific stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning products that are manufactured or used in Maine. Establishing Policies
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Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
F-gas Regulations | 2021 | |
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, bans, or other measures that reduce SF6 usage and emissions. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
F-gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
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Oil and gas methane regulations include phasedown commitments, reporting requirements, leak detection and repair, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Oil and Gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
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Fracking bans prohibit the practice of hydraulic fracking for the production of oil and/or natural gas by a certain year. Legislation often requires an environmental agency or department to promulgate regulations. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Oil and Gas Regulations | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Landfill methane regulations include rulemakings, emissions monitoring, emissions control, or other measures that reduce methane emissions from decaying organic waste in landfills. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Waste Management | ||
Not Enacted |
Empty column
Food waste bans and targets include policies that prohibit certain entities that generate specified amounts of food waste (typically commercial businesses and larger institutions) from sending this waste to landfills. Targets aim to reduce total food waste by a certain percentage each target year. |
Industry, Materials, and Waste Management
|
Waste Management | ||
Enacted |
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The Maine Healthy Soils Program incentivizes healthy soils best practices, and the legislation calls for the program to equitably distribute incentives to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Establishing Policies
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Natural and Working Lands
|
Agriculture | 2021 | |
Enacted |
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The Maine Healthy Soils Program promotes healthy soils best practices by facilitating peer learning opportunities, education, and outreach. Establishing Policies
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Natural and Working Lands
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Agriculture | 2021 |