With today’s deadline for comments on two major clean energy projects in Maine looming and significant federal grants for clean energy projects on the line, new rules issued this week by the federal government make it clear that the Biden administration is placing a strong emphasis on high labor standards to earn federal funding. Read More

On June 26, 2023, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed critical legislation that would spark the creation of a new offshore wind industry in Maine, putting her position at odds with Legislative Democrats and a broad coalition of labor and environmental organizations. Read More

Legislation intended to spark the creation of a new offshore wind industry in Maine is on its way to Gov. Janet Mills, who has been non-committal about her position. The bill, LD 1847, An Act to Modify the Visual Impact Standards for Offshore Wind Port Development and Establish Labor Standards for Wind Power Projects, is an amended version of Legislation proposed by the governor, and includes requirements that any port facilities in Maine that are built to support offshore wind energy include strong labor, community benefit and environmental standards. Read More

Maine voters overwhelmingly support building offshore wind energy in the state with strong labor standards, according to a new poll released today by Impact Research. The poll found that Maine voters believe offshore wind energy will improve the economy and support requiring developers to provide living wages and workplace safety protections for the jobs offshore wind will create. Read More

By Andy O’Brien, AFL-CIO

The Maine AFL-CIO and the Maine Labor Climate Council applaud the passage of the most substantive public policy advancement to improve the quality of renewable energy jobs in Maine history. Governor Mills has allowed LD 1969, sponsored by Rep. Scott Cuddy, to go into law without her signature. The measure will create good quality clean energy jobs and advance equity in the renewable energy sector. Read More

By Andy O’Brien, AFL-CIO

The Maine AFL-CIO and the Maine Labor Climate Council applaud Tuesday’s final enactment through the Maine Senate and the Maine House of the most substantive public policy advancement to improve the quality of renewable energy jobs in Maine history. LD 1969, sponsored by Rep. Scott Cuddy, would create good quality clean energy jobs and advance equity in the renewable energy sector. Read More

By Andy O’Brien, AFL-CIO

On March 1, union leaders and members across the state of Maine launched the Maine Labor Climate Council, a new coalition of unions united to tackle climate change and address racial and economic inequality by creating high-quality union jobs to sustain Maine’s families and communities. The coalition also unveiled a comprehensive Maine Climate Jobs report, authored by researchers at Cornell University, that outlines a suite of policy recommendations around which the coalition intends to organize. If all of the recommendations in the report are implemented it would create 10,000 to 20,000 good jobs per year for the next twenty years in Maine depending on the scale of implementation and duration of the projects. Read More