BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 17, 2023
AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Board of Environmental Protection wanted feedback on petitions for the state to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars and trucks, and it got plenty Thursday. Supporters of the petitions, led by the Natural Resources Council of Maine and other environmental groups, have said Maine will not only cut air pollution and make needed progress toward climate goals but see a cumulative $21 billion in benefits by 2050 in the form of improved public health and lower utility costs if the state goes all-electric by 2035. Opponents say the free market should dictate EV adoption and the mandates are too much too soon while not considering Maine’s harsh winters along with how rural areas lack charging infrastructure. As of May, Maine had more than 900 charging ports, the vast majority of which are in the more populous southern part of the state, according to one estimate.