Our Mission

To Preserve the Communities, Cultures, and Environmental Integrity of Rural Maine.

Protecting the Places We Call Home

Maine’s rural communities are facing decisions that could shape our land, our economy, and our way of life for generations. Major energy projects, transmission infrastructure, changes in land use, and new development are being proposed and planned across the state. Too often, the people who live in these communities are expected to adapt to decisions made elsewhere.

Preserve Rural Maine believes that rural communities deserve a meaningful voice in those decisions.

We work to protect Maine’s rural character, natural beauty, working lands, and the ability of local communities to determine how they want their towns to look and grow. We believe that responsible development begins with sound planning, transparent decision-making, and respect for the people and places that will be affected.

Our work is not about opposing development. It is about making sure development is responsible, that its costs and benefits are honestly considered, and that rural Maine is not treated as an afterthought.

What We’re Working Toward

We believe that the decisions shaping rural Maine should be made with sound information, careful consideration of the costs and impacts, and respect for the people and places that will be affected.

That means advocating for responsible energy and transmission planning, protecting private property rights, supporting local decision-making, and ensuring that the beauty and character of our rural communities are considered before major decisions are made.

It also means helping our members understand what is being proposed, participating in public processes, and bringing important decisions into the public conversation.

What We’re Working On

Our work includes participating in state and regional planning processes, reviewing proposed energy infrastructure, submitting comments and testimony, attending public meetings, and supporting local towns and municipalities as they consider how they want their communities to look and grow.

We are currently following and participating in work involving the ISO-NE Long-Term Transmission Planning RFP, Maine’s energy planning process, the Maine transmission infrastructure study, the Maine PUC Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program, local land-use planning, and data center development.

Learn more about our current work.

Join Us

We share information about public meetings, proposed projects, legislation, and decisions that may affect rural Maine so that our members and communities have an opportunity to understand what is happening and participate as decisions are being made.

Whether you live in a community directly affected by a proposed project or simply care about the future of rural Maine, your voice matters.

Did you know?