The year of the environment…in Maine

By Amy Grommes Pulaski

A tidal wave of environmental legislation has passed in Maine this year. According to Pete Didisheim of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), this was the most positive legislative session for environmental policy in 20 years. More than 200 bills were introduced favoring clean energy, climate action and the environment. Governor Janet Mills and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle worked together to pass dozens of these new bills into law, changing the landscape for Maine now and into the future. There’s an incredible amount of information to sift through, so here are a few items to watch and consider.

ACTION ON CLIMATE. Earlier this year, Governor Mills announced that Maine is now the 22nd state to join the United States Climate Alliance. The Alliance is a group of member states who have committed to meeting the environmental goals of the Paris Climate Accord, namely reducing greenhouse emissions by 26% by 2025 and 80% by 2050. In remarks at an E2Tech event earlier this year, Governor Mills admitted this will be a challenge for Maine, as we are the most heating-oil-dependent state in the country – nearly 70% of homeowners are reliant on oil for heat. Yet, she posed the question, “Do we dare to achieve the impossible?” With the support of the 129th Legislature, Maine has responded with a resounding yes.

With strong bipartisan support, lawmakers passed the Governor’s bill that creates a new 39-member Maine

Climate Council tasked with developing a new Maine Climate Action Plan by December 1, 2020, and every four years thereafter. The new law requires Maine to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050.

MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY. To coincide with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Governor Mills signed into law a new requirement that 80% of the electricity sold in Maine come from renewable energy sources by 2030, with a goal of 100% by 2050.

TAP INTO SOLAR. For the past several years, Maine has been in last place in New England for use of solar power, ranking 42nd nationally. At the same time, other states in New England have invested heavily in solar energy development. But Maine is about to surge forward with solar energy installations because lawmakers passed sweeping legislation that will help to develop and attract solar investment in the state.

Two new laws have been passed that increase access to solar by reversing previous legislation that limited it. The first bill restores net metering (thus, providing a 1:1 credit for the retail value of each kWh homeowner solar systems generate and send back to the grid) and eliminates gross metering, thereby making rooftop solar investments simpler and more cost-effective for homeowners. Net metering is not new, but restoring it now is timely. A simpler local solar policy gives homeowners more confidence to invest in solar and benefit from federal tax credits, which begin stepping down in 2020. Homeowners who invest in solar now can benefit from the 2019 (30%) or 2020 (26%) level of federal tax credit.

A second law greatly expands opportunities for large-scale solar projects in Maine, including community solar projects. Community solar projects allow a group of people (including renters), businesses, schools or towns to access solar energy together. Instead of individuals installing solar panels on their roofs, community solar projects allow for the installation of medium to large solar projects in a separate location.

The new law removes an existing arbitrary limit of no more than nine participants in a community solar project so now such projects can have an unlimited number of participants. The law also directs the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to procure 375 Megawatts (MW) of distributed solar through a market-based process. The PUC will issue a rule to guide these new solar initiatives by January 2020, and large new projects can be expected starting next spring.

The changes in solar are expected to have lasting benefits for the state. Maine currently has 55MW of installed solar power. According to Didisheim, it is estimated that as a result of the new legislation, that number is expected to grow to 400MW within three to five years. This means

hundreds of new clean-energy jobs, reduced energy costs for residents, businesses and municipalities and more clean energy delivered locally. Every dollar that isn’t being sent out of state for imported energy stays in Maine and is available to invest in our local businesses and economy. That’s good news for Maine and the environment.

BUY A HEAT PUMP. While heat pumps have been used for decades to cool homes in warmer climates, today’s heat pump technologies are able to provide very efficient, low- carbon heating in temperatures as low as -15 degrees F. Earlier this year, Governor Mills put forth a challenge to install 100,000 heat pumps in Maine in the next five years. Current incentives from Efficiency Maine offer a $500 rebate for your first heat pump installed, and $250 for the second. Efficiency Maine estimates that adding 100,000 more heat pumps can reduce Maine heating bills by $30-60 million per year. Note: these rebates are subject to change. Visit EfficiencyMaine.com for the most up to date information.

PLUG IT IN. We will soon start seeing more electric vehicles (EVs) on the road in Maine. According to the federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, plug-in electric vehicles reduce emissions and can save you money. These cars don’t just benefit you; they can benefit all of us. EVs create a more diverse fuel source for our country’s transportation needs, lessening our dependence on foreign oil. Lawsuits against Volkswagen resulted in funding to create programs at Efficiency Maine that provide incentives for the purchase of EVs and funding to expand charging stations around the state.

Starting this fall, Efficiency Maine will be providing $1,000- $2,000 rebates for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles here in Maine. (Be sure to check out federal tax incentives as well.) Expanding charging infrastructure means that EV drivers can recharge their car’s battery while away from home, allowing EV owners to travel farther in the state.

CHECK OUT ALL OF EFFICIENCY MAINE’S PROGRAMS AND REBATES. Every three years, Ef- ficiency Maine submits a Triennial Plan to be approved by their board and reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). For the last several years, the PUC’s approach and available funding have resulted in fewer available energy efficiency rebates for homeowners. A new law passed this year changed the approach and increased funding for Efficiency Maine. Efficiency Maine is already operating under the new plan and rebates are available now.

REVIEW YOUR TOWN’S BUILDING CODES.

Homeowners and homebuilders will need to consider newly updated building codes during construction and renovation projects. It has been over a decade since the code has been updated. The new code reflects best practices in energy efficiency and also provides a consistent building code across the state. Lawmakers also passed a bill that will enable towns to adopt a “stretch” code that would increase the minimum energy efficiency standards required in their community. (See New Legislation Ups the Ante on Building “Upta Code” on page 30 for a deeper dive into the changes to Maine’s building codes and what these changes mean for homeowners and builders.)

BRING YOUR REUSABLE BAGS.

You may have noticed that many grocery stores and retailers no longer offer free plastic bags to carry home your goods. According to Travis Wagner at USM’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy, shoppers in the United States use almost one plastic bag per person, per day. Yet, only 9% of plastic trash is recycled. Single-use plastic bags can injure wildlife and pollute the environment. Many towns across Maine have adopted ordinances banning their use, but ordinances differ from town to town. Efforts to create a statewide policy have failed in the past. But this year, before the legislative session began, NRCM worked with the Maine Grocers Association and Maine Retail Association to create a bill they could all support. Thanks to their hard work and collaboration, Maine has become the 3rd in the nation to adopt a state-wide ban on
single use plastic bags. The ban goes into effect on Earth Day, April 22, 2020, and the message is clear: bring your reusable bags for all of your shopping needs.

STOP USING POLYSTYRENE.

Based on estimates provided by NRCM, 256 million polystyrene foam cups, plates, and other food containers are used in the state each year. Polystyrene is trouble for its users, leaching chemicals into the food and drinks that we consume, and it is trouble for the environment, contributing to our plastic pollution problem. Due to its low value and high cost, polystyrene is not recycled in Maine. Lawmakers decided to put an end to its use and banned disposable food containers that contain polystyrene beginning January 1, 2022 from covered establishments (with few exceptions). Maine became the 1st state in the nation to ban polystyrene.

This article first appeared in the Fall 2019/Winter 2020 edition of Green & Healthy Maine HOMES. Subscribe today!