Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the video statement recognizing the delivery of Maine’s Climate Action Plan, a landmark roadmap released by the State to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect Maine’s environment, to the Governor and legislature. The video is available for download here and a transcript is available below:

I am very excited to see today's release of Maine's Climate Action Plan. Congratulations to Governor Mills, to her team, and to the many, many people who have brought their expertise and their knowledge and their broad range of experiences together to help put together this plan.

It couldn't be more perfect timing, as we're about to have a new administration who's already set very strong goals that are achievable. An administration that will have competent people at the highest levels, working on achieving these goals. It's also a great time as the House of Representatives this year completed the Special Select Committee on Climate Change their plan as well. And we will be poised next year to have committees go to work, to talk about green energy jobs, to talk about renewable energy, to talk about climate change mitigation, and to talk about appropriating money so states like Maine have the assistance that they need to get the job done.

I'm particularly excited to see much of the work that has been done around the natural solutions to reduce carbon our atmosphere, ways to employ our incredible forest land in Maine, our agriculture sector, and our oceans. There's a lot of detailed work that's been done in this plan. I'm really excited to work together with everyone to make sure we can accomplish these goals. Once again, congratulations on your hard work. Thank you for your hard work, and I look forward to working together with you to make some real accomplishments moving into the future. Good luck.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee and a recognized leader on the climate crisis, Pingree has used her role coupled with her experience as an organic farmer and islander to introduce the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by 2040. The ARA focuses on six concrete policy areas which dovetail in several ways with the State of Maine’s Climate Action Plan, including an enhanced soil health grant program for states like Maine; expansion of the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program; increased funding for the Rural Energy for America Program to boost investments in renewable on-farm energy production; and provisions to incentivize carbon capture on farms and ranches. 

Pingree is also the author of the Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act, legislation to preserve the character of coastal communities by protecting jobs, commercial activities, and public access to America’s coast in the face of rising sea levels. The legislation, which passed the U.S. House on December 10, 2019, would support efforts to protect Maine’s natural resources in the state’s Climate Action Plan. She is also a cosponsor of numerous bills that would support the efforts of the Climate Action Plan, including the ZEVs for 1.5 Degrees Act, which would require 100% of new vehicle sales by 2035 to be zero emission; the GREEN Act, which would invest over $150 billion into critical clean energy priorities through federal tax incentives; and the Blue Carbon for our Planet Act, which would support ocean carbon sequestration by establishing federal blue carbon ecosystem restoration priorities.

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