Meeting the Moment

Clean water is essential to every single one of us. Maine is home to more than 6,000 lakes and ponds that are interconnected with 32,000 miles of rivers, streams, and brooks. Our sporting heritage and outdoor industries depend on clean water and functional lake and river ecosystems that support fisheries and a wide variety of wildlife habitats.

Maine’s beautiful waters attract recreationists, summer campers, home buyers, and many thousands of visitors that support our tourism economy. Our waterbodies play vital roles in local communities by supplying clean drinking water to nearly half of Maine’s water districts and by funding key municipal services through the tax revenue of high-value waterfront properties.

But Maine’s lakes and waterways are at risk. More frequent and intense storms are eroding soils and pumping nutrient pollution into lakes and streams while warming waters are promoting algae growth and the spread of invasive species. Poorly performing septic systems, especially in sandy soils next to lakes and ponds, add to the burden of pollution.

Here in Maine, we are fortunate that lakes and ponds over 10 acres in size are considered public resources. But as the impacts of pollution and climate change accelerate, Maine’s current investment in water protection can no longer keep up with the need. Lake associations and watershed organizations raise millions of dollars each year and provide thousands of volunteer hours to support the state’s work, but they have also reached their limits of capacity.

More funding, staffing, and support for lake and stream protection work will be essential in the coming decade, or we risk losing this valued part of Maine’s outdoor heritage.

The value of Maine’s wildlife to our economy and our way of life is undeniable. Preserving Maine’s diverse wildlife habitats is most certainly an investment in our future.

Development pressures have long created challenges in habitat preservation. Maine’s extraordinary environment lies within a day’s drive of 90 million people. Maine has also recently experienced a notable in-migration of people who value our quality of life and began working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. New housing goals and other kinds of development are adding to the pressures of protecting wildlife habitat in Maine.

Temperatures and weather patterns are shifting, so we need to proactively reassess where and when wildlife are moving, how they are interacting and competing for habitat, and how Maine’s soil, plants, and waters are also being impacted by changes in our climate. To be successful, we will need to employ new tools and strategies that protect a variety of geophysical settings, prioritize resilient and connected landscapes, and give wildlife a chance to adapt and restabilize, to the extent possible, amid their shifting environment.

We know that protecting habitat quality often starts with reconnecting fragmented ecosystems. From the acquisition of adjacent forest patches to the repair of culverts and removal of obsolete dams, Maine communities have experienced the benefits of reconnecting habitats that return native species and revive local economies.

Maine’s natural and working lands play a central role in the lifestyles and livelihoods of people in Maine. We live in the most forested state in the nation and our North Woods sits at the heart of one of the largest intact temperate forests on the planet. Our natural assets include a tidal shoreline of almost 3,500 miles as well as 1.3 million acres of farmland – more than any other New England state. Agriculture contributes $11.7 billion to Maine’s economy while the forest products industry is an $8.5 billion sector, followed by tourism at $7 billion, and the seafood harvest at $3.3 billion annually.

Despite the sheer scope and importance of land to Maine’s character and traditions, only 22% is conserved. This means access to fishing, farming, hunting, and time on the water or in the woods is not guaranteed. Maine is also experiencing unprecedented development pressure, which is putting farmland at risk, limiting waterfront access, and in some cases, making it even harder to enjoy the places we love.

Maine has protected more than 650,000 acres through the Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program, which keeps working forests and farmlands open, secures waterfront access for seafood harvesters, and ensures public access for outdoor recreation. But LMF has committed virtually all of its current funding. Without consistent resources for LMF, opportunities will be missed and Maine’s goal of conserving 30% of natural and working lands by 2030 will not be realized.

Land conservation and stewardship are our responsibility and our legacy. Conserving land and protecting public access to trails, waters, and Maine’s North Woods supports small businesses, strengthens our ability to mitigate climate change through carbon storage, and preserves Maine’s beauty and open space for our children and grandchildren. We need to make sure the next generation of young Mainers has the same opportunities to make a living and enjoy their free time in Maine’s great outdoors.

There are few things more valuable to our children’s growth and well-being than having regular opportunities to experience the natural world. Early activities like building sandcastles at the beach, picking wildflowers in a field, or sledding after a fresh snow can make lifelong impressions. As a child’s more formal education begins, it’s no surprise that hands-on outdoor learning programs deliver many benefits.

In addition to being just plain fun, outdoor education has been shown to improve mental and physical health, support emotional regulation and healthy brain development, build confidence, increase enthusiasm for school and learning, strengthen connections among families and communities, spark interest in ecology and environmental science, and even inspire a new generation of environmental stewards.

We can give more students the opportunity for outdoor learning by assisting Maine schools in training teachers; developing curriculum tailored for local environments, ecosystems, and cultural histories; and installing schoolyard habitat, gardens for food, energy efficient building infrastructure and other outdoor learning spaces.

Young people are not the only beneficiaries of outdoor experiences. When active outdoors, adults of all ages see many of the same positive results, including improved health, lower stress, and higher rates of engagement in community activities. It’s no surprise that Maine’s outdoor recreation industry employs almost 32,000 people and generates $3.9 billion toward our overall economy, with boating and fishing contributing $390 million, guiding and outfitted travel contributing $114 million, and snow activities contributing $103 million annually. Supporting outdoor experiences for all ages and locations is an investment that will pay off in better health, a stronger economy, and an enduring outdoor way of life for generations to come.

Healthy living is important to people in Maine. Clean air, healthy food, and safe drinking water are all essential to our health, our quality of life, and our economic future. Maine lakes provide clean drinking water to about half of the state’s population. Maine is also home to more farms than any state in New England, and with that, an opportunity to supply the growing regional demand for sustainable food sources that are closer to home.

We can do more to reduce local sources of air pollution through the use of renewable energy and cleaner fuel-burning methods. But Maine’s geographic location means our air quality also depends on reducing pollution arriving here from states to our west and south. Federal policymakers have a critical role to play in protecting the air we breathe by establishing and enforcing strong national standards for air pollutants, including ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide.

The presence of microplastics and other toxic pollutants in our water, food, and air puts our health and our environment at risk. Children are particularly vulnerable. Exposure to harmful chemicals in everyday household items, including fabrics, plastic containers, personal care products, and electronics can cause cancer, impact brain development, and harm reproductive and immune systems.

Unfortunately, the use of pesticides is so widespread that every American is almost 100% certain to have pesticides in their bodies on any given day. Exposure levels among farmers and farm workers is particularly high. Pesticides can cause cancer and birth defects, along with many other health conditions. Pesticides are also contributing to a decline in pollinator species, which threatens our farming and food systems. Maine can do more to regulate pesticide use and protect farmers, farm workers, and farm neighbors from the risks of pesticide exposure.

PFAS are man-made chemicals that are effective in repelling water, heat, and oils. PFAS have been used for decades in a variety of household products, including carpets, cookware, food packaging, and even dental floss. PFAS-contaminated sludge has also been used on Maine’s farmlands as fertilizer, resulting in thousands of acres of contaminated farmland and even the loss of some family farms. PFAS have been found in Maine’s water supplies, farmland, fish and wildlife, and waste materials.

Maine has passed a first-in-the-nation ban on the land application of sludge to protect our farmland from further contamination, as well as a groundbreaking law to phase out the sale of consumer products that intentionally use PFAS. Industry attempts to weaken or delay these important laws should be swiftly defeated by Maine policymakers. Maine can also invest in scientifically-sound PFAS destruction techniques to avoid outsourcing this problem to another state.

Maine’s solid waste management system is deeply connected to the health of our people and the strength of our local economies. The rising costs of waste disposal are placing increasing financial strain on municipalities. And when waste is landfilled or improperly managed, harmful chemicals can leach into soil and groundwater, contaminate nearby farms and drinking water sources, and expose neighboring communities to health risks. These impacts are often felt most acutely by rural and low-income communities located closest to disposal sites.

Maine has a long history of managing waste through product stewardship and recycling, going back 50 years to the original “bottle bill” that established a redemption system for beverage containers. A wide range of materials are now managed effectively through Maine’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, including packaging, electronics, fluorescent light bulbs, and unused paint, among others.

By reducing waste, strengthening our recycling systems, and holding producers accountable for the full lifecycle and disposal costs of their products, we can minimize the burden on municipal taxpayers, protect public health, safeguard our natural resources, and ensure that some communities are not unfairly impacted.

Here in Maine, we know safer products are possible. The University of Maine has been a leader in developing new types of bioplastics from wood chips and forest debris that could replace traditional petroleum-based plastics and reduce harmful chemicals in household products. Promoting and incentivizing product innovations isn’t just about better health; it’s about creating new markets and economic opportunities that align with Maine’s environmental values.

There is no doubt that Maine’s clean water, fresh air, and healthy soil are highly valued by those who live here and by visitors from away. Protecting and defending these priceless assets must be a priority for Maine’s next leaders.

Maine people have a strong sense of place. Our lives are often centered in our communities, where we work, relax, and connect with family and friends. We’re proud of what makes our own communities special and this shared sense of place adds significantly to our quality of life and our engagement in community activities.

Collaboration is essential for connecting the dots among local resources and finding the most efficient ways to respond to various local needs, including housing, transportation, affordable energy, safe drinking water, and healthy farm soils and food sources. Communities that work well together are also more resilient and more successful adapting to climate change, protecting wildlife habitat, and preserving access to public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities for all to enjoy.

Every community can benefit from having a comprehensive plan to help chart a course for their future and be ready for the unexpected. Maine’s growth management law has recently been strengthened to make the planning process more efficient for municipalities to manage, easier for the public to join, and more likely to deliver better outcomes as communities grapple with growth-related challenges.

The future of Maine depends on the strength of our communities. Maine’s next leaders must prioritize local needs, public engagement, and cross-sector partnerships to help every community be healthy, prosperous, and prepared.

Tribal self-determination is the essential right of Indigenous Nations to govern themselves. Under the U.S. Constitution, federally recognized tribes have a government-to-government relationship with the United States and the power to regulate affairs on their tribal land. This includes the right to sustain their traditional cultural values and practices, establish their own form of government, determine citizenship requirements, enact legislation, and establish law enforcement and court systems.

In 1980, the State of Maine and U.S. Congress passed legislation to resolve a dispute between the federal and state governments and the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Nations over the Nations’ legal claims to tribal lands. The State of Maine has interpreted this legislation to deny the Wabanaki Nations’ tribal self-determination, effectively reducing Wabanaki Nations to municipalities and excluding them from many rights and protections guaranteed by federal Indian law.

Research shows that restoration of tribal self-determination would add about $330 million annually to Maine’s economy, create more than 2,700 jobs (with more than half likely to be filled by non-tribal rural Mainers), and generate $39 million yearly in state and local tax revenue.

Recognizing the Wabanaki Nations’ inherent right to self-govern will create economic opportunities, foster careful stewardship of land and waterways, and strengthen tribal and non-tribal communities. Above all, restoring self-determination to the Wabanaki Nations is about doing what’s right, and it’s long overdue.

The Wabanaki were the first peoples of this land. Every young person in Maine should have the opportunity to learn about the incredible contributions that Wabanaki people have made throughout the millennia and continue to make today. Our young people must also be given the chance to learn about the colonization of this region and reckon with the attempted genocide, oppression, and erasure of the Wabanaki peoples.

Truthful education about the Wabanaki peoples improves outcomes for both Indigenous and non-indigenous students. Indigenous students are more connected to the material they’re learning when they are accurately represented in it, leading to better educational outcomes and self-esteem. And non-indigenous students are better prepared to be actively engaged citizens in our democracy when they learn accurate information about our past and present.

A landmark law signed in 2001 requires all public elementary and secondary schools in the state to teach about the Indigenous peoples who have long inhabited the land that eventually became the State of Maine. While this law mandates the teaching of Wabanaki studies in Maine schools, its implementation since passage has been highly inconsistent, and more often nonexistent. Teaching the history, economic and political systems, and culture of the Wabanaki people should be a core curriculum requirement for Maine schools. Maine’s next leaders must prioritize full funding for this important program.

Rematriation is an Indigenous-led process of restoring relationships between Indigenous people and their land. It goes beyond simple land return (known as repatriation) and instead nurtures the complete expression of cultural practices that have been suppressed as an effect of Indigenous people being cut off from their land.

The State of Maine and local conservation organizations have an important role to play in land return and support for rematriation, most notably by returning Wabanaki land and waters freely and without restriction. The work of the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship provides one powerful Indigenous-led model that includes projects like the return of the Kuwesuwi Monihq to the Passamaquoddy in 2021. For the Wabanaki Nations to fully exercise their sovereignty, Maine’s elected leaders must respect and support the work of rematriation as willing partners.

Too many people in Maine are struggling to afford their energy bills. Nationally, electricity prices have been outpacing inflation and here in Maine, we have some of the highest rates in the country. This is largely due to our overreliance on expensive and polluting fossil fuels, the high costs of repairing storm damage, and the profits sent to utility company shareholders.

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy technologies will save money. Renewables create stable prices for decades, not highly volatile fuel costs that can spike when conflicts arise overseas. Reining in the profits that utilities are allowed to earn will also be essential to making energy more affordable. A growing body of evidence demonstrates these rates of return are almost certainly too high, meaning higher costs to Maine families and businesses. At the same time, utilities’ investments in our aging electric grid have lagged behind and customer satisfaction continues to dwindle.

Data center development could strain our already burdened infrastructure and increase electricity costs further. Developers have proposed building multiple massive data centers in Maine, with serious implications for electricity and water use. Before new data centers are developed here, we must institute sensible guidelines that protect consumers against related rate increases and safeguard our water resources. Policies and incentives that guarantee transparency about grid impacts and require data centers to cover the costs of those impacts, accelerate clean energy adoption, and upgrade local water and energy infrastructure can ensure any data center development benefits Maine communities and does not harm them.

Electricity isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity in a modern economy. Maine’s next leaders need to pursue policy solutions that will keep electricity prices affordable for Maine families and businesses.

Maine has successfully instituted clear and ambitious climate and clean energy goals. Now is the time to smartly and quickly build the renewable energy projects and infrastructure we need to achieve those goals.

Wind energy is one of Maine’s most abundant natural resources. Maine is already a leader in land-based wind, and onshore wind projects in Northern Maine can bring New England’s largest low-cost renewable energy resource online while delivering jobs and an economic boost to Aroostook County.

Offshore wind will play an essential role in Maine’s energy future—providing fully half of the renewable energy we need by 2040, according to Maine’s 2025 Energy Plan. Under state law, offshore wind projects must be built to high standards for job creation, workforce development, and environmental and wildlife protection. All commercial offshore wind projects must be sited far offshore in federal waters, outside the footprint of Maine’s lobster industry. On top of the energy benefits, a responsibly developed offshore wind industry in Maine will result in billions of dollars in investment and thousands of good-paying jobs - boosting the economy and furthering our centuries-old maritime traditions.

Maine’s aging electric grid is being strained by new growth in demand and distributed generation, as well as by increasingly severe weather events fueled by climate change. New investments in a smarter grid are essential for responding to these challenges, and every option for lowering costs must be explored, including public financing options.

With strategic investments in a smarter grid and new clean energy infrastructure, we can reduce our dependence on expensive out-of-state fossil fuels, provide affordable clean energy to Maine households and businesses, and meet our climate goals - all while reducing pollution and creating new good-paying jobs and economic benefit for families, businesses, and local industries - not just utility shareholders.

Transportation accounts for nearly half of Maine’s annual greenhouse gas emissions and is the second largest expense for Maine families, behind housing. We need to reduce pollution and transportation costs by proactively investing in safer, cleaner, and more interconnected transportation options for Mainers to use across the state.

Maine’s Highway Fund is facing a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars per year, largely because a previous administration stripped critical transportation dollars from the budget by freezing the gas tax. At the same time, construction and maintenance costs are rising while federal funding for transportation is being sharply reduced, particularly for public transit and complete streets projects that improve public safety and community interconnectedness. To keep Maine’s transportation system moving, we need to identify new and sustainable funding solutions that do not disproportionately impact low-income Mainers or undermine Maine’s progress in reducing tailpipe emissions.

Electric vehicles offer lower fuel and maintenance costs, as well as other health and climate benefits for people in Maine. Policymakers should support the development of a robust public EV charging network and policies that make driving electric vehicles a choice for more Maine residents and businesses.

Maine’s next leaders can make our transportation funding go further by aligning our transportation planning with Maine’s other public policy goals. This includes investing in public transit and active transportation options where they make sense, instead of allowing costly road expansion projects to monopolize budgets and create unsustainable long-term maintenance obligations.

Government is about all of us, and civic engagement starts young. When given the chance to participate in the process of self-government, youth and young adults offer a valuable perspective to policymakers while gaining confidence and collaboration skills. These early experiences can empower young people to stay engaged, volunteer or work in their communities, and even run for office themselves one day.

Here in Maine, youth are not always engaged in decisions that will directly affect their futures. There is no specific structure or mechanism for their participation in state policymaking and their voices are not always sought out, despite the fact that they have the most to lose from policies that aren’t developed with an eye to the future.

Maine’s next leaders have an opportunity to inject new ways of working that reflect the perspectives of Maine youth and the important role they can play in advising and assisting policymakers on issues that impact their health and well-being, their communities, and the environmental legacy they will inherit.

Democracy thrives on practice and participation, delivering the best results when people of all ages are empowered, communities are enthusiastic, and there is trust and confidence in the fairness of voting and the openness of the policymaking process.

Like all Americans, Maine people are experiencing many challenges that are making it harder to feel connected to our communities, harder to make ends meet, and harder to be hopeful about the future. But Maine is also a place where neighbors help neighbors, and community problems are often solved when we talk, listen, and get creative. Maine has always been oriented to community self-sufficiency, and now, our natural instincts to work together and solve problems locally could be our biggest asset. It’s time to build on Maine’s culture of collaboration and modernize our democratic systems with new tools and strategies for community-based engagement and problem solving.

It is incumbent on Maine’s next leaders to purposely and proactively reinvigorate the practice of democracy in Maine communities. Doing so will improve transparency and confidence in our government systems, inspire multi-generational engagement, encourage connections among existing community networks, increase the availability of local data in decision making, and result in resources being invested where they are needed most. Perhaps most importantly, it will strengthen our relationships and trust in each other, across generations and life experiences, so we are more prepared to tackle unresolved issues and respond to new opportunities and challenges that may be headed our way.

Maine people place a high value on our clean water, healthy air, and natural beauty. These assets are central to our culture, our lifestyles, and our local economies. They are what make Maine a special place and they are worth protecting and passing along. But preserving Maine’s environmental resources and outdoor way of life for future generations will not be possible without dedicated funding and a professional workforce.

The path to sustainable funding for our environmental priorities must consider new sources of revenue that create more fairness and accountability in who benefits and who pays. It’s time to fully assess the financial impacts of polluting and poisoning industries and establish a cost-recovery plan that can be invested in the people and programs that will protect Maine’s environment for decades to come.

Maine’s state agencies have been chronically underfunded and experience high turnover in staff because of low salaries. This makes the important work they do more difficult in general, and in some cases, it makes widely supported regulatory frameworks impossible to fully implement due to staffing shortages. The Kid-Safe Products Act, designed to remove the most dangerous chemicals from children’s products, is just one example. Maine’s next leaders can reinvest in our environmental agencies and professional workforce by restructuring their workloads and offering better jobs with competitive wages.

Building a government that works for everyone also means using our financial resources wisely and maximizing the effectiveness of our programs and community supports. We need cross-cutting agencies that can connect the dots among communities and encourage regional collaborations on interrelated issues, such as land use planning, clean energy production, waste management, cooperative food systems, housing, and transportation. These community issues are also environmental justice issues, and better outcomes will result when they are addressed through participatory, intergenerational approaches that prioritize the meeting of everyone’s basic needs. The Maine Office of Community Affairs is one example of an agency that is likely well-suited to spearhead this type of integrated approach to Maine’s environmental priorities.

When government is structured to put people and communities first, our policy priorities will mirror our environmental priorities and the shared values they are built upon.