Long Islander's Blog (3,071)

For whatever reason, they can't help themselves.

"Climate-polluting oil generators are often used as backup in periods of intense demand."

https://www.mainepublic.org/climate/2026-01-26/new-england-turns-to-oil-burning-power-plants-during-cold-snap

1/22/26

Steve Collins

The persistent slop of the Maine Wire is paying off

EXCERPTS

Led by Steve Robinson, who presents himself as a hotshot investigative reporter, the site’s influence is growing quickly — to the detriment of political discourse in a state once known for its civility and equanimity.

Today’s conservative candidates tend to kowtow to Robinson, who recently…

The case # below is specific to  2025-00361, which as described by Dan McKay, is "the Aroostook County Renewable Energy Development Program presented and packaged as an innocuous, unimportant, and another boring PUC solicitation"  (They hope you don't find out about it. This is described here …

AUDIO: https://legislature.maine.gov/Audio/#211

Hearing (in person and audio) is at 1PM today, January 20, 2026. See very important Dan McKay post…

Our societal temperature is gradually being raised...…

by The Associated Press

January 17, 2026

Where does one begin? Why do the media incessantly propagandize? Where in the mainstream media are the extraordinarily strong counter arguments that correctly demolish virtually everything that McKibben is saying?

So it bears repeating: Why do the media incessantly propagandize? 

EXCERPTS:

.....he said President Donald Trump’s stance…

Get out them fans Friedrich.

15 January 2026

EXCERPTS

Germany’s decision to shut down all its nuclear power plants was a “huge mistake” and has come at a high cost to the economy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said yesterday, speaking to the German Chamber of…

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published January 16, 2026 at 4:51 PM EST

Hydroelectric power from Quebec started flowing through a new transmission line in Maine on Friday, the culmination of a fraught years-long process aimed at boosting New England's electric supply.

The 145-mile New England Clean Energy Connect line is expected to deliver enough energy to power 1.2 million homes in the region, said Phelps Turner director of clean grid at the Conservation Law…

Kevin Stocklin

Reporter

1/11/2026

EXCERPTS

Thereafter, a number of net-zero corporate alliances emerged to align the private sector with climate initiatives. At its peak, this network included financial and corporate alliances, such as the Net Zero Banking Alliance, the Net Zero Insurance Alliance, the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, and others.

These alliances operated under the umbrella of the Glasgow…

Cost benefit analysis??????????????

New bill could make solar power more accessible to Maine renters

By: AnnMarie Hilton - January 7, 2026

Lawmakers are considering a proposal that could help Maine renters lower electricity costs through the use of solar energy.

State Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock)…

Thankfully the tooth fairy pays for all of this.

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published December 30, 2025 at 4:30 PM EST

EXCERPTS

Now Brown and other vendors are working hard to explain to confused consumers that even though the tax break is gone, there's still state money available to help with projects.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit provided a $1,200 income tax benefit for certain upgrades, and that helped to defray…

EXCERPTS

By Stephanie McFeeters

Published on: December 26, 2025

There was plenty of big environmental news this year: new clean energy legislation, an extreme drought that led to Maine’s worst August for wildfires in 20 years, federal funding cuts and more.

Here’s a look back at some of our coverage:

Federal policy shifts, funding cuts

One big focus of our reporting this year — in the environmental sphere and elsewhere — was on abrupt pauses and cuts to federal…

December 26, 2025

Tux Turkel

EXCERPTS

.........Across Casco Bay, I see smoke rising from the 421-foot chimney at Wyman Station in Yarmouth. This power plant from a bygone era burns barge loads of polluting, climate-warming oil.

................Natural gas is a big factor. It still generates half of New England’s electricity, despite years of renewable energy expansion. It’s increasingly exported overseas, so it’s tied now to global prices. Public…

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published December 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM EST

Maine utility regulators are jumpstarting a major new wind power development and electric transmission line in Northern Maine.

The Public Utilities Commission released a request for proposals last week and asked private developers to submit bids for the project by the end of February.

The agency intends to build turbines that can produce up to 1,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to…

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Maria Bartiromo on "Mornings with Maria" on Fox Business that the Trump administration will suspend leases for five wind farms under construction off the U.S. East Coast, citing national security concerns related to radar interference.

"Well, today we're sending notifications to the five large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns. During this…

by Emmett Gartner

December 21, 2025

EXCERPTS

.........So in 2024 they agreed to the terms of Efficiency Maine’s Manufactured (Mobile) Home Initiative. They removed their gas furnace. And they committed to a $2,500 loan from Efficiency Maine’s “Green Bank” that they would pay off in $50 monthly increments over 50 months to cover the installation of an electric heat pump, which would both heat and cool their home.

The heat pump became their only…

Maine Public | By Peter McGuire

Published December 20, 2025 at 5:20 PM EST

A coalition of environmental groups is challenging a conservation plan proposed by Central Maine Power as part of its permit to develop a new electric transmission line through western Maine.

The groups filed an appeal with Maine's Board of Environmental Protection asking regulators to require CMP to protect more mature forest habitat.

"The transmission line…