Through LD 1682, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has been added to the statutory purposes of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), joining the current statutory mandates of ensuring safe and reasonable service and minimizing the cost of energy to consumers. This new mandate is critical to helping Maine reach its goals of reducing greenhouse gases 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. The new law also requires the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) to develop methods of incorporating equity considerations in decision making at state agencies and to develop definitions for “environmental justice,” “environmental justice populations,” “frontline communities,” and other relevant terms. GOPIF will report back to the Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Environment and Natural Resources Committees by February 1, 2022 with recommendations for equity considerations and definitions. These requirements will help ensure that Maine tackles decarbonization and grid modernization equitably.

Status: SUCCESS! Bill enacted into law with Gov. Mills' signature; adding climate to the PUC’s mandate and directing state agencies to examine and report back on environmental justice.

Sponsor: Victoria W. Doudera

Votes / Roll Calls:

Date	Desc	Yea	Nay	No Vote	Absent	Total	Passed	Chamber
01/01/2021	Roll Call	105	65	0	16	186	1
Votes	Show Robert W. Alley, Sr. Yea John Andrews Nay Amy B. Arata Absent Poppy Arford Yea Susan M. W. Austin Nay Christopher W. Babbidge Absent Donna Bailey Yea Kyle Bailey Yea Joseph Baldacci Yea Arthur Bell Yea Richard Bennett Yea Susan Bernard Nay Seth A. Berry Yea Bruce A. Bickford Nay Russell J. Black Nay Mark John Blier Nay Lydia Blume Yea Richard T. Bradstreet Absent Catherine Breen Yea Michael F. Brennan Yea Stacy Brenner Yea Heidi E. Brooks Yea Mark E. Bryant Yea Christopher James Caiazzo Yea Barbara A. Cardone Yea Nathan Carlow Nay Meldon Carmichael Absent Anne M. Carney Yea Richard M. Cebra Absent Benjamin M. Chipman Yea Ned Claxton Yea Kristen Sarah Cloutier Yea Amanda Collamore Nay Benjamin T. Collings Yea Jonathan Connor Nay Lynn Copeland Yea Patrick W. Corey Yea Danny E. Costain Nay Lydia Crafts Yea Margaret M. Craven Yea W. Edward Crockett Yea Scott W. Cuddy Yea Chip Curry Yea Scott W. Cyrway Nay Matthea Larsen Daughtry Yea Paul T. Davis Nay Susan A. Deschambault Yea Bill Diamond Yea James F. Dill Yea Kathleen R. J. Dillingham Nay Janice S. Dodge Yea Josanne C. Dolloff Nay Donna R. Doore Yea Victoria W. Doudera Yea Kathy Downes Nay Gary A. Drinkwater Nay John “Jack” Ducharme Nay Michelle Ann Dunphy Yea Jeffrey Evangelos Yea Richard Evans Yea Bradlee Thomas Farrin Nay Billy Bob Faulkingham Nay Jessica L. Fay Yea Ryan M. Fecteau Yea Justin Fecteau Nay Steven D. Foster Nay Valli Geiger Yea Traci Gere Yea Jeffery Allen Gifford Nay Lori K. Gramlich Yea Randall Adam Greenwood Nay Abigail W. Griffin Absent Chad Wayne Grignon Absent Nicole Grohoski Yea Stacey K. Guerin Nay David G. Haggan Absent Randall C. Hall Nay Jeffery P. Hanley Nay Thom Harnett Yea Matthew A. Harrington Nay Tavis Hasenfus Yea Frances M. Head Nay Allison Hepler Yea Craig V. Hickman Yea Sherman H. Hutchins Nay Patricia Hymanson Yea Troy Dale Jackson Yea Kathy Irene Javner Absent Chris A. Johansen Nay Lisa Keim Nay Christopher J. Kessler Yea MaryAnne Kinney Absent Theodore Joseph Kryzak Jr. Nay H. Scott Landry Jr. Yea Mark W. Lawrence Yea Michael Lemelin Nay Laurel Libby Nay Nathan L. Libby Yea Grayson Lookner Yea Louis J. Luchini Yea Peter A. Lyford Nay Sheila Lyman Nay Colleen M. Madigan Yea John L. Martin Yea Thomas H. Martin Nay Roland Danny Martin Yea Richard G. Mason Nay Kristi Mathieson Yea Ann H. Matlack Yea Chloe Maxmin Yea David Harold McCrea Yea Joyce McCreight Yea Genevieve McDonald Yea Gina M. Melaragno Yea Michele Meyer Yea H. Sawin Millett Jr. Nay Rebecca J. Millett Yea David R. Miramant Yea Marianne Moore Nay Victoria E. Morales Yea Stephen W. Moriarty Yea Joshua Morris Nay Cathy R. Nadeau Nay Daniel Newman Nay Kevin O’Connell Absent Beth A. O’Connor Nay Margaret M. O’Neil Yea Lester S. Ordway Nay Laurie Osher Yea Wayne R. Parry Nay Sean C. Paulhus Absent Sarah Pebworth Yea Michael D. Perkins Nay Anne C. Perry Yea Joseph C. Perry Sr. Yea Richard A. Pickett Absent Teresa S. Pierce Yea William D. Pluecker Yea Jennifer Poirier Absent Matthew G. Pouliot Nay Dwayne W. Prescott Absent Tracy Quint Nay Joseph Rafferty Yea Lois Galgay Reckitt Yea Morgan Rielly Yea Walter N. Riseman Yea Tiffany Roberts Yea Timothy Roche Absent Amy Roeder Yea Kimberley C. Rosen Nay Shelley Rudnicki Nay Melanie Sachs Yea Suzzane Salisbury Yea Heidi H. Sampson Nay Heather B. Sanborn Yea Braden Sharpe Yea Erin Sheehan Yea Thomas H. Skolfield Nay Peggy Jo Stanley Nay Paul A. Stearns Nay Joel R. Stetkis Nay Trey Stewart Nay Holly B. Stover Yea Laura Supica Yea Michael A. Sylvester Yea Rachel Talbot Ross Yea Denise A. Tepler Yea Maureen Fitzgerald Terry Yea Timothy S. Theriault Nay James Thorne Nay Jeffrey L. Timberlake Nay Ralph L. Tucker Yea William R. Tuell Nay John L. Tuttle Yea Joseph Underwood Nay Eloise A. Vitelli Yea Nathan J. Wadsworth Nay Charlotte Warren Yea Sophia Warren Yea Dustin Michael White Nay Bruce A. White Yea Lynne Williams Yea Barbara Wood Yea David Woodsome Nay Samuel Zager Yea Stanley Paige Zeigler, Jr. Yea