PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 28, 2024
The climate crisis is accelerating. Our state’s infrastructure faces unprecedented threats from increasing storm surges, high winds, flooding and erosion. Fortifying against these threats must include holding major polluters accountable for their role in climate destabilization. High-emission corporations such as ExxonMobil bear financial responsibility for the costs associated with extreme weather damage. Maine should pass legislation to ensure those most responsible for the crisis are also responsible for footing the bill. Maine had a chance to start this process with An Act to Assess Impact Fees on Megayachts. This legislation could have generated millions of dollars for vital climate mitigation infrastructure and harbor projects. Also, the companies that operate cruise ships should be required to invest in the infrastructure they use during up and down the Maine coast. ~ Rep. Grayson Lookner, Portland