WHEREAS, Maine is committed to a clean energy future and enjoys abundant forms of renewable energy that powers homes and businesses across the State; and
WHEREAS, the generation of power from renewable sources, including forms such as hydro, wood, wind, and solar, plays an important role in meeting the needs of our homes and businesses; and
WHEREAS, Maine has a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires 80 percent renewable energy by 2030 and has a goal of 100 percent by 2050; and
WHEREAS, Maine leads New England in wind-powered generation; and
WHEREAS, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked Maine 16th in its 2020 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard; and
WHEREAS, Maine supports the strategic electrification of heating and transportation, establishing the goal of installing 100,000 new heat pumps by 2025, as well as leading initiatives to expand availability of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, recognizing the urgency of taking action to combat climate change, Maine has established mandates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and at least 80 percent by 2050 and created the Maine Climate Council that released the Maine Climate Action Plan that provides recommendations to meet these targets; and
WHEREAS, clean energy is part of America’s energy future and includes generation from renewable sources such as onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, hydro and geothermal sources, as well as energy storage; and
WHEREAS, the clean energy sector is an expanding part of the economy and has been a key driver of growth in Maine over the last decade, and Maine has a goal of more than doubling the clean energy workforce in the state to 30,000 jobs by 2030, growing local economies and boosting the state’s workforce and economic development;
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim September 26th through September 30th, 2022 as
NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY WEEK
throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all citizens to recognize this observance. In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this first day of September Two Thousand Twenty-Two