Today, Sanford School Committee Member and Thermal Energy Storage of Maine President Adam Cote  was selected as one of ten rising leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL, a national network that highlights innovative ideas from state and local elected leaders who are pro-growth progressives.

Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland and U.S. Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, Honorary Chairs of the NewDEAL, recognized Cote for his efforts to grow progress by making clean energy more affordable for Maine’s homes and businesses. Cote joins House Minority Leader Emily Cain as the second NewDEAL Leader from Maine.

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Maine Citizens for Clean Energy, a diverse coalition of businesses, workers, environmental and public health groups, announced today that they will continue gathering signatures to send a ballot initiative to voters in 2013. The Coalition made the decision to continue its efforts today when it became clear that it could not meet today’s deadline to file signatures with the Secretary of State for the November 2012 election.

“Going for the 2012 ballot was always a race against the clock. Despite the incredible enthusiasm from the public and from hundreds of campaign volunteers, the clock was just a little too fast for us to hit the deadline for the 2012 ballot,” said David Farmer, spokesperson for Maine Citizens for Clean Energy.

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The Coast Guard is holding information gathering meetings this week to hear from mariners about a tidal energy proposal in Cobscook Bay at Maine’s eastern tip.The Coast Guard’s hearings are planned for Monday in Lubec and Tuesday in Eastport.

Ocean Renewable Power Co. wishes to deploy five turbine generator units for its Cobscook Bay Tidal Energy Project.

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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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ORPC's barge with the company tidal turbine docked in Portland. photo by Ramona du Houx

“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.”

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released two nationwide resource assessments showing that waves and tidal currents off the nation’s coasts could contribute significantly to the United States’ total annual electricity production, further diversify the nation’s energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to coastal cities and communities. These new wave and tidal resource assessments, combined with ongoing analyses of the technologies and other resource assessments, show that water power, including conventional hydropower and wave, tidal, and other water power resources, can potentially provide 15 percent of our nation’s electricity by 2030. The reports represent the most rigorous analysis undertaken to date to accurately define the magnitude and location of America’s ocean energy resources.

These resource assessments can help to further develop Maine’s ongoing efforts in tidal technologies, create new jobs and secure Maine’s leadership with Ocean Renewable Power Company, and the University of Maine, in an emerging global market.

Maine was one of the top states for tidal-current power potential, preceded only by Washington state and Alaska. The coast south of Eastport and south of Cross Island were highlighted as spots with larger power potential, according to the report on tidal power. Though the figures are based on some theoretical data, Maine’s tides could generate up to 675 megawatts of total tidal power.

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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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released more than $863 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assistance nationwide, including $9,995,423 for Maine.

Maine has now received $39,981,695 from LIHEAP this season, which is drastically lower than the amount it received last year. Michaud recently sent a letter to President Obama asking him to request $5.1 billion for LIHEAP’s budget next year, which is a level that would represent full funding for the program.

“This funding is needed, but it’s not enough,” said Michaud, who’s working with New England’s congressional delegation on a bill to address LIHEAP’s funding shortfall. “President Obama needs to request full funding from the start so that Congress is less likely to move forward with another deep cut to this critical program.”

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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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“We have a choice that will lower energy costs, provide clean energy and healthier air, create local jobs and pump more hard-earned Maine dollars into our local economies. Claims that this ballot question will raise energy prices are flawed,”said Beth Nagusky, Maine Director for Environment Northeast.

Maine Citizens for Clean Energy released information today that shows a decrease in Maine ratepayers’ electric bills if a ballot initiative designed to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy passes in November. The initiative would ensure 20 percent of Maine’s electricity comes from new renewable energy sources and require utilities to invest in energy efficiency whenever it would reduce energy costs for ratepayers.

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In a vote of 15 – 19, Senate Republicans upheld Governor LePage’s veto of LD 1264, “An Act to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings and Create Jobs”. The measure, if enacted, would have improved energy efficiency standards in public buildings by providing energy costs and efficiency information and provided a funding mechanism to make any suggested energy savings improvements.

LD 1264, sponsored by Sen. Phil Bartlett, was vetoed by the Governor late last week despite having passed in both bodies of the legislature during the first regular session.

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