Our Current Work
Preserve Rural Maine works to protect the places we call home and to ensure that the decisions shaping our communities are made responsibly, with sound information and meaningful participation from the people who will be affected.
Our work takes us into state and regional planning processes, public meetings, legislative discussions, and local land-use decisions. We review proposed projects, submit comments and testimony, and help our members understand what is being proposed and what it could mean for rural Maine.
*** (We are currently updating this page and compiling links for you to gather more information. Please be patient, but check back shortly. And if there’s something here that you want to know about specifically, please email us at info@preserveruralmaine.org.) ***
Some of the work we are currently following and participating in includes:
Maine PUC Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program
We are following the Maine Public Utilities Commission’s Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program and the decisions being made through that process.
The program involves major energy infrastructure and long-term commitments that could affect Maine’s landowners, communities, and ratepayers. We are watching the process closely and advocating for responsible, transparent decisions that are consistent with Maine’s actual needs.
[Learn more about the Northern Maine Renewable Energy Development Program → There’s a LOT of information. We’ll try to get this uploaded quickly.
ISO-NE Long-Term Transmission Planning
We are participating in the PAC meetings associated with the ISO-NE Long-Term Transmission Planning Request for Proposals (RFP). This process is important because it involves decisions about major transmission infrastructure and the long-term needs of the New England electric system.
Our interest is in understanding how those needs are being established, what solutions are being considered, and what the costs and impacts could be for Maine and its communities.
[Learn more about the ISO-NE LTTP RFP → We’ll have more information for you soon.
Maine Energy Planning
We are following the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Energy’s energy planning work and have attended a DOER energy planning meeting. We have also submitted comments on the planning process.
Energy planning decisions can affect the direction of future development, the infrastructure Maine may need, and the costs associated with those decisions. We believe that planning should be based on sound information and should consider the long-term interests of Maine’s communities.
[Read our comments on Maine energy planning → We’ll have a link for you soon
Maine Transmission Infrastructure Study
We participated as a stakeholder throughout the year-long Maine transmission infrastructure study process. We attended meetings, reviewed the material presented, and submitted extensive comments on the final study.
This work is important because the study is intended to help establish what transmission infrastructure Maine may need in the future. We believe that those decisions should be based on a careful examination of the need, the available technologies, the costs, and the alternatives before major commitments are made.
[Read our comments on the transmission study → This will be added soon.
Supporting Local Towns and Municipalities
We support local towns and municipalities as they consider ordinances and policies that reflect how they want their communities to look and grow.
Local communities have a great deal of knowledge about their own history, character, and needs. We believe that local decision-making is an important part of protecting rural Maine and ensuring that development is considered in the context of the community itself.
[Learn more about our work with local communities → We’re so busy with the work we’re doing, that we haven’t had time to write it all out. We’re working on this. Thank you for your patience.
Data Center Development
We are following Data Center Council meetings and the discussions surrounding data center development in Maine.
Data centers can have significant implications for energy needs, infrastructure, land use, and local communities. We are watching the discussions and the decisions being made to better understand what they could mean for rural Maine.
[Learn more about data center development →
Why This Work Matters
These issues are connected by a common concern: the decisions being made today will shape the communities we live in for years to come.
We believe those decisions should be made with sound information, careful consideration of the costs and impacts, and respect for the people who live here.
We will continue to follow these processes, share information with our members, and advocate for decisions that protect the beauty and character of rural Maine.