Maine has received a $30 million federal grant from The Recovery Act to fund energy efficiency upgrades.

This spring Maine has received a $30 million federal grant from The Recovery Act to fund energy efficiency upgrades. This is in addition to a $42 million allocated already to MaineHousing for weatherization.

Recovery Act weatherization and retrofitting grants recognize the immediacy and priority Maine has given to these efforts.

Read more ›

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Portland! (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, Portland.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, everybody.

Well, what a wonderful — I guess when the sun comes out around here, everybody gets pretty excited. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you!

THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.)

Read more ›

For the first time in American history insurance coverage has become the right of every U.S. citizen, legally.
The new health care law takes also a number of steps, similar to ones already taken in Maine, to crack down on some of the worst insurance industry practices. The bill gives patients and doctors more control over health decisions, not insurance companies, and ends practices like denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, dropping patients when they become sick and imposing limits on health care coverage.
Changes under the law that will happen DURING THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS:

Read more ›

Maine is Golden

POTENTIAL JOB GROWTH—

• An exclusive interview with Gov. John Baldacci about initiatives that will come from his jobs summit to assist job growth

• The Maine Industrial Grant Program awards $8.9 million for energy-efficacy improvements, creating close to 1,000 jobs

• Proposed bond package could add 2,000 jobs immediately

• Maine’s ‘quality of place’ will grow jobs

• The Downeaster receives funds to extend service in Maine

• Maine’s ‘Three Port’ economic strategy receives funds

EDITORIAL—

• Maine is golden — as people work together for the common goal of energy independence

ON GREEN ENERGY:

• Offshore wind gets a boost from Obama with the Atlantic Wind Consortium

• $3,000 in energy-efficiency rebates for all Maine homeowners

• The Maine Industrial Grant Program awards $8.9 million for energy-efficacy improvements

• The biomass and biofuel industry will receive $150 million

• The Energy Efficiency Trust Agency; a one-stop shop in energy efficiency

• Community-wind projects in Maine, interview with Sue Jones

MORE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS—

• Exclusive interview with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree – she’s fighting for Maine

Governor John Baldacci

HEALTH CARE PROGRESSES—

• Preventative care at KeepMEWell.org

• Maine receives funding for child obesity

• Broadband, and training funds healthcare professionals

COMMUNITY NEWS—

• Barrels community market of Waterville

• MaineHousing lowers interest rate to encourage first-time homebuyers

All photography in this issue by Ramona du Houx unless indicated

When Seth Wescott came from behind the pack of snowboarders and rocketed across the finish line, Maine was electrified with excitement. So was the nation, it was the first time an American had won a back-to-back winter Olympic event since 1960. It was the first time anyone had accomplished it in the new sport, one in which Wescott continues to define.

Read more ›

Maine will receive $14 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to revitalize Maine ports.

Read more ›

Governor John Baldacci was invited to met with other leaders of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf states by U.S. Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar in Washington, DC, to discuss offshore-wind development and energy transmission. The meeting was the first step in forming an Atlantic Wind Consortium that will ensure cooperation of the states and the federal government, to speed up federal permitting of offshore-wind facilities.

Read more ›

Governor Baldacci toured Maine Bio-Fuel, Inc. of Portland last fall. With the news of the grants, the company’s co-owner, Dean Sgouros, said, “It means survival ... Now we can expand.” {photo by du Houx}

At a meeting with a bipartisan group, including Governor John Baldacci, the president laid out three measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Read more ›

Verso Paper Corp. in Bucksport employs 1,300 workers. According to Bill Cohen, Verso’s spokesman, the $2 million grant will help them become more energy efficient and competitive in the global economy {photo by du Houx)

That energy transformation requires funding. For 16 projects, investments from Maine’s Industrial Grant Program will jumpstart their energy-efficient plans.

Read more ›