Small business owners say their main concern is weak customer demand, not regulations, according to independent opinion polling released today. In fact, when asked what would do the most to create jobs, small business owners’ top response was eliminating incentives to move jobs overseas. Reducing regulation came in fifth place.

• 86 percent see regulations as necessary part of a modern economy
• 78 percent of small businesses say regulations needed to protect small businesses from unfair competition, level playing field with big business

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Maine Citizens for Clean Energy, a growing nonpartisan coalition of people and organizations committed to strengthening Maine’s energy independence, keeping Maine’s air clean and healthy, creating jobs, increasing energy efficiency, and attracting new clean energy businesses to Maine, responded tonight to Gov. Paul LePage’s State of the State Address.

“Our energy status quo isn’t working,” said Herb Sargent of Sargent Corporation. “Every year, Mainers hand over billions of hard-earned dollars to out-of-state and foreign energy companies. The initiative put forward by Maine Citizens for Clean Energy would help to change that. It would create jobs by investing in energy efficiency, which would help lower electric bills, and it would attract new clean energy businesses to our state. It’s a practical idea that will help put thousands of Mainers to work.”

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. today about the potential for tidal and wind energy off the Maine Coast. Pingree talked about recent reports detailing the potential for tidal power off the Maine coast.

Last week, Energy Secretary Steven Chu released a report detailing the enormous potential for tidal energy off the U.S. coasts.

“Maine’s wave and tidal current resources offer real opportunities to generate renewable energy using water power technologies in the future,” said Energy Secretary Chu. “Together with new advances and innovations in water power technologies, these resource assessments can help to further develop the country’s significant ocean energy resources, create new industries and new jobs in America, and secure U.S. leadership in an emerging global market.”

“There is enough there to meet up to one-third of the country’s energy needs—and he singled out Maine,” said Pingree on the floor of the House.

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The Maine Downtown Center (MDC) is pleased to announce it has received a $50,000 grant to support its Green Downtowns program, now in its third year. This funding has been made possible through the Environmental Funders Network’s (EFN) Initiative: “From Vision to Action: A Commitment to Maine’s Quality of Place.”

MDC’s Green Downtowns program was created to strengthen the link between the natural and built environments in Maine’s downtowns, making them more environmentally friendly and ecologically conscious and building local leadership and capacity to support sustainable green initiatives.

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Federal grants totaling $8.73 million have been awarded to the Maine Department of Conservation (MDOC) and will be used to conserve two unique forest properties in Franklin County, according to Maine’s congressional delegation. In addition to the federal funds, project partners are securing $1 million in matching funds from other sources, including the Land for Maine’s Future program.

“Maine continues to be a leader in land conservation while maintaining working, sustainable forest landscapes through the Forest Legacy Program” said U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud. “These two projects represent a significant opportunity to protect important ecological resources, preserve critical jobs in Maine’s forest products industry and promote a variety of outdoor recreation activities for Franklin County.”

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First Wind announced it has received unanimous approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for its proposed 150 MW Oakfield Wind project in Aroostook County, Maine. First Wind submitted an amendment in June 2011 to increase the size of the original proposal for a 51 MW Oakfield project, which had received full approval from the Maine DEP in January 2010.

“We are very pleased that the DEP has approved our plans in Oakfield,” said Matt Kearns, Vice President of Business Development at First Wind. “

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“As the State Department made clear last month, the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment. As a result, the Secretary of State has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Department’s report, I agree,” said President Barack Obama.

This Keystone XL pipeline was proposed by a Canadian company to move oil from Canada to the Gulf. Republicans backed the big oil business initiative.

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Karen Mills and Governor Baldacci in Brunswick, Maine.

“As of today, I’m elevating the Small Business Administration to a cabinet-level agency. Karen Mills, who’s been doing a terrific job leading that agency, will make sure that small business owners have their own seat at the table in my Cabinet meetings,” announced President Barack Obama.

Mills worked extensively with the Baldacci administration and was appointed to head up councils that led to creating new opportunities for small business in Maine. Specifically Mills broadened the awareness of cluster development in the state’s creative economy and successfully lobbied for a research and development bond worth $50 million.

Mills has stated to Maine Insights that, “I’ve taken what I learned in Maine to D.C. so we can replicate it across the U.S.”

“Karen Mills is a close adviser and friend,” said Governor Baldacci when Mills was appointed to lead the SBA. “As the chairwoman of my Council on Competitiveness and the Economy, she has played an integral role in supporting economic development, investments in innovation, and small-business growth. As a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, Karen combines real world experience with a dedication to public service. She is a national voice in the discussion of U.S. competitiveness, entrepreneurship, and innovation.”

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The people of Maine now have a search engine for finding information about all things green, local, and sustainable. What began as a coupon book and green living guide has grown into Maine’s one-stop online green business directory—TheSunriseGuide.com.

“This website is a great tool for Mainers,” says Richard Burbank, President of Evergreen Home Performance. “It’s like a local green Google®.”

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Principle Power, Inc. (Principle Power) and Energias de Portugal (EDP) announced the successful offshore deployment of a full-scale 2-megawatt (MW) WindFloat off the coast of Aguçadoura, Portugal. The project is the first offshore wind deployment worldwide which did not require the use of any heavy lift equipment offshore. All final assembly, installation and pre-commissioning of the wind turbine occurred on land in a controlled environment.

In parallel activities Principle Power is working with the University of Maine and the Maine Composites Alliance to develop advanced material application to their design to reduce cost, weight and improve life cycle efficiencies. These activities are supported through a grant from the Maine Technology Institute. UMaine research with the Maine Wind Consortium will further the ongoing offshore wind platform goals for Maine

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