Energy & Environment

Maine’s natural environment is our state’s most important resource. Our ocean and forests power our economy and support hundreds of thousands of jobs in our state thanks to Maine’s long, proud tradition of sustainable fishing, forestry, agriculture, and land conservation. We manage our resources responsibly so that they’re there for future generations. Jared is working to carry on that important legacy. 

Like most Mainers, Jared grew up with a love of the outdoors and our state’s mountains, woods, rivers, and coastline. He is committed to protecting Maine’s national parks and other public lands and ensuring that future generations of Mainers can continue to hunt, fish, hike, and enjoy our state’s natural beauty. Jared has voted to ban drilling for oil and gas off the coast of Maine and introduced legislation during his first term to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, one of our country’s most important conservation programs.

Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time. The National Climate Assessment found that if current trends continue, by 2100 climate change will cost our economy $500 billion each year. Right here in Maine, climate change imperils our fishing, forestry, and tourism industries.

Climate change also poses a serious national security threat. The Department of Defense has told us that climate change will put even greater stress on countries with limited resources, severely increasing the risk of conflicts across the globe. Many of our nation’s military bases are also at risk from rising sea levels and more severe weather patterns.

Jared is finding policy solutions to combat the effects of climate change head on. The Inflation Reduction Act, a monumental piece of legislation that Jared voted to pass last year, benefits working families by providing rebates and consumer tax credits for households that improve their energy efficiency. In total, a Maine household could collect up to $14,000 in rebates. This bill will put non-fossil fuel alternatives in the reach of the majority of Americans and not just the wealthy elite. This improvement to accessibility as well as investment in sustainability across industries will be instrumental in the battle against climate change. 

This legislation builds upon important climate change measures that Congress passed last year. Jared is strongly supportive of the climate proposals included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by the president in 2021. This bill makes historic investments in reducing emissions, promoting renewable energy, and protecting the environment. For example, it provides $50 billion for infrastructure upgrades to make communities more resilient to the effects of climate change and $27 billion to update and expand our electrical grid, which is essential as we build and connect to more clean energy sources. Jared believes that we can address the growing threats of climate change and energy security by enacting policies that stimulate the economy and make clean technology accessible to middle-class Americans.