What is the bill

This bill would require the legislature to convene a Green New Deal task force, which would be responsible for making a detailed plan to reach 80-percent reliance on renewable resources for electricity supply by 2040. The taskforce would also be responsible for creating job training programs and apprenticeships to prepare Maine workers for green jobs, and develop a plan to incentivize all Maine households to decarbonize their own energy consumption through renewable energy sources.

Why it matters

Make no mistake, our climate is changing and if we don’t address it soon, our planet will be faced with a point of no return. After eight years of an administration that denied the existence of climate change and fought against expanding access to clean, renewable energy, we finally have an opportunity to meet the challenge of climate change head on. This bill sets a timeframe and an outline for our state to reduce our climate footprint while also investing in the infrastructure to create green jobs.

What happened

The bill passed in both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor.