Last week, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute announced that the Gulf of Maine, which has already been warming faster than 96% of the world’s oceans, warmed to its highest fall temperatures on record in 2021. The announcement is one more piece of evidence that Maine will face some of the most brutal effects of climate change anywhere in the country that threaten to destroy much of the state’s infrastructure, real estate, and industry. Aggravating the coming crisis is former Governor Paul LePage, who spent eight years as Governor obstructing any form of action to combat climate change and, as a candidate for Governor in 2022, threatens to do it again.
Since LePage left office, Maine has made significant progress to combat and prepare for the climate crisis under the leadership of Governor Janet Mills. Last year, Mills unveiled a plan for Maine to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. Since, Maine has seen record numbers of electric vehicle registrations, new electric vehicle charging stations, and installations of high-efficiency heat pumps, and as a result the state is on track to hit its extremely aggressive goal of generating 80% of its energy through renewable sources by 2030.
The progress under Gov. Mills was a 180 from the obstruction under her predecessor. For eight years, Paul LePage used his gubernatorial powers not just to obstruct climate progress, but actually to make the crisis worse. LePage spread misinformation about the climate crisis, encouraged offshore drilling for oil and gas, and put an oil lobbyist in charge of the Department of Environmental Protection.
“The unprecedented warming in the Gulf of Maine leaves no doubt that the climate crisis is an imminent and unprecedented threat to our state’s future,” said Drew Gattine, Chair of the Maine Democratic Party. “That’s why Governor Mills’ progress in reducing emissions and preparing our communities for the climate crisis has been so vital. We can’t let Paul LePage drag us backward in the fight to preserve a livable future for Mainers.”
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