Maine

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that DOE is awarding nearly $40 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Florida and Maine to support clean energy projects. Under DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, these states will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today escorted executives from Statoil around the State as part of a visit of officials from the Norwegian company. Statoil is working with the University of Maine on potential offshore wind power development.

Company officials, including the head of Statoil’s wind power business development, came to Maine to see firsthand the existing capacity and infrastructure, interest and commitment of the State and private partners to develop wind power off Maine’s coast. The tour showcased the Cianbro Eastern Manufacturing Facility in Brewer, the Fox Islands Community Wind Project on Vinalhaven, Brunswick Naval Air Station and Bath Iron Works.    » read more »

Baldacci Names Task Force to Implement New Medical Marijuana Law

November 17, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today announced the names of the appointments to the Committee on the Implementation of the Maine Medical Marijuana Act. The Governor created the task force by Executive Order on Nov. 6, following the medical marijuana law approved by Maine voters. The Governor said the task force would advise him on the appropriate way to implement the new law with safeguards to protect public health and safety.

The Governor appointed 10 members of the 14-member task force. In addition, two members of the Senate have been appointed by the President of the Senate and two members House of Representatives by the Speaker of the House.    » read more »

North Haven resident Chellie Pingree says Maine project is “example” for the nation

November 17, 2009 -- Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined Governor John Baldacci, House Speaker Hannah Pingree and others to cut the ribbon on the Fox Islands Wind Project in Vinalhaven today. Pingree, a resident of nearby North Haven Island, said the wind turbines will serve as an example for the rest of the country.

“This project is a perfect example of what we can do across this country,” Pingree said. “Instead of paying some of the highest electric rates in the country to buy power generated in part by oil we’ve had to import from overseas, our communities will produce their own electricity right here at home. It’s a home-grown solution to our energy needs.”    » read more »

November 17 2009 -- Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that DOE is awarding $9,593,500 in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Maine to support clean energy projects across the state. Under DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, the state will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) -The U.S. Senate has approved the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations spending bill which includes more than $9 million for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

This funding, which was supported by Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME), includes $7.1 million to be used for security improvements at Gate 2.    » read more »

November 14, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Two more deaths have been reported linked to H1N1 influenza in Maine, bringing the total to five since August, and a Kennebec County long-term care facility is experiencing an outbreak of H1N1, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control.

A Hancock County resident between the ages of 25 years old and 50 years old and a Kennebec County resident older than 65 years old died last week. Both had H1N1 and both had underlying conditions.    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today registered his opposition to a proposal by the Air National Guard to allow low-level training flights over Western Maine.

A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in Farmington in the Lincoln Auditorium on the campus of the University of Maine Farmington.

In the letter to the Director of the Air National Guard, Governor Baldacci cites the lack of responsiveness from the National Guard Bureau to questions raised about the proposal to allow the low-level flights.    » read more »

November 9, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci joined representatives of the Appalachian Mountain Club, The Nature Conservancy and others today to celebrate an important next step in building a Maine Woods Legacy. The conservation successes are the 29,500-acre Roach Ponds Tract and the 15,000-acre Moose River Landscape.    » read more »

November 6, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today ordered the U.S. and the State of Maine flags flown at half-staff from now until sundown on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in memory of the victims of Thursday’s shootings at Fort Hood, Texas.

The order is in accordance with an announcement by President Obama that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff during the same time period.

“Maine joins the entire nation in mourning the loss of life at Fort Hood,” Governor Baldacci said. “This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the families of all those who were killed or wounded.”

In addition, Governor Baldacci has ordered that the U.S. and State of Maine flags be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in honor of U.S. Marine Major Samuel Leigh.    » read more »

November 07 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud issued the following statement on the pending vote in the House of Representatives on H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. A fact sheet produced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on how this legislation will affect Maine’s second congressional district can be found here.

Today, I will join my colleagues in taking another important step in a journey that began almost a century ago.    » read more »

November 5, 2009 -- SOUTH PORTLAND – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today joined Gil Sperling, head of the Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program at the U.S. Department of Energy, to talk about Maine’s successful weatherization efforts and ways to collaborate with other public and private partners to expand the State’s energy efficiency goals.    » read more »

November 03 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud praised the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement that Verso Paper Corporation will receive a $9,356,177 Recovery Act grant for the deployment of waste energy recovery technologies. The project will implement a portfolio of 12 waste energy recovery sub-projects at Verso paper mills located in Jay, Maine; Bucksport, Maine; and Sartell, Minnesota. The sub-projects were chosen for their energy savings potential and potential for immediate implementation. The bundled project has an overall efficiency of 33%, and will save an estimated 1.28 trillion Btu annually.    » read more »

October 19, 2009 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today delivered opening remarks at the 2009 Maine Affordable Housing Conference at the Augusta Civic Center. The conference, hosted by MaineHousing, highlighted many innovations undertaken at the State level to address housing issues during these challenging economic times.    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- EUSTIS – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today joined officials from TransCanada, local and State representatives, and other partners of the Kibby Wind Power Project at a ceremony marking the completion of the first component of the Kibby Wind Power Project.

“This is an exciting step for Maine,” said Governor Baldacci. “Already, the Kibby wind project has spent $78 million right here in the State on material, labor and other services. More than $6 million of that amount has been spent here in Franklin County. In all, about 300 construction jobs have been supported, and eight full-time positions have been created to support the operation and maintenance of turbines.”    » read more »