BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 7, 2023
Maine is a big and mostly rural state. More than 60 percent of Mainers live outside of cities — the highest proportion in the country. We also have scarce public transportation options, so we rely heavily on cars and trucks to get us where we need to go. That’s why nearly half of fossil fuel emissions come from the transportation sector, polluting the air we breathe and harming our climate. If Maine is going to achieve our ambitious climate goals — slashing emissions 45 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050 — we must overhaul the transportation sector. The good news? Maine has begun that effort by increasing the amount of electric vehicle charging stations by 32 percent between 2021 and 2022 and developing a plan to further build out this network. ~ Emily K. Green, Conservation Law Foundation in Maine