Energy and Environment

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree opposed a bill in Congress today that would dramatically undercut the EPA's ability to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from power plants. "Climate change is real and we are already seeing the result of it in Maine and all over the world.  It threatens our economy, it threatens the health of our families, and it threatens our safety and security,"… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree voted against a bill that would rush through permitting of the controversial Keystone pipeline. "This bill is an end-run on the process that is already in place and gives a construction permit to TransCanada to build a pipeline for dirty tar sands oil to be shipped through the United States," Pingree said. "It effectively exempts TransCanada’s Keystone… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a new report out today from NOAA and NASA showing that 2014 was the warmest on record highlights the need to focus on cutting back on global warming pollution. "It may not feel like global warming on a day like today, but this report makes it clear the planet is warming. It's another piece of evidence that climate change is real, it's… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree voted against a bill today that would ram through permitting of the controversial Keystone pipeline, bypassing the approval process that is already underway. "I don't think the Keystone pipeline is in the national interest because it would create very few American jobs and do little to address our energy needs," Pingree said. "But this bill doesn't even… Read more »

Dirty tar sands oil would flow through proposed pipeline for sale overseas As Congress went back to work this week, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said she would vote against a Republican bill that would let the TransCanada Corporation bypass environmental permitting requirements to build the Keystone XL Pipeline. "This is a bad deal for the environment and a bad deal for… Read more »

Says investment will support jobs, new sources of clean energy in Maine Congressman Michael Michaud and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree helped restore $9 million in funding for a program that has already invested over $18 million in Maine tidal projects since 2008. Michaud, who had previously led a House effort to support funding for the program, joined Pingree, a member of the… Read more »

Says climate change already affecting Maine; new regulations will give a boost to Maine clean energy industry Congresswoman Chellie Pingree had praise today for a proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cut carbon pollution from power plants by 30% by 2030. "I know the big oil and coal companies will try to fight this, but cutting global warming pollution from… Read more »

Approval for pipeline reversal by Canadian officials brings tar sands oil to Maine's backyard Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a decision today to allow a Canadian company to reverse the flow of a crude oil pipeline between the Great Lakes and Montreal shows the need for regulatory oversight of a pipeline that runs across Maine. The ruling by Canadian officials would allow the… Read more »

Declaration allows longer hours for heating fuel drivers Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is waiving hours-of-service limitations for the delivery of propane and other heating fuel as prolonged arctic cold has increased demand. The federal declaration extends Maine’s state of emergency, originally set to… Read more »

Money released today represents remainder of Maine's LIHEAP funding for the winter Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that the federal government is releasing the state's remaining funding for the winter for the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The funding released today—$5.4 million—is on top of $33.7 million released in early November. The federal… Read more »