As a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I’m hard at work to create a brighter energy future for America while also protecting our environment for generations to come. I believe that our national energy policy must promote the responsible use of domestic resources in a way that promises their continued existence. Crafting such a policy requires us to recognize that there is no silver bullet, and in the near term, a “Made-in-America” strategy will require a combination of improved efficiency and smarter use of existing fuel resources alongside increased investment in renewables and the next generation of energy technologies.

I believe we need to increase our focus on domestic energy production so that we can continue to create jobs and keep our energy dollars at home. While Maine has had limited direct benefits from the traditional fossil fuel based economy, our state is well positioned to contribute to and benefit from the growing clean energy economy with our ample hydropower, wind, and biomass resources. Maine is also proud to have the first-in-the-nation tidal power turbine and soon the first floating offshore wind turbines. 

An important part of building Maine’s energy future involves new technologies, like solar, wind power and battery storage, that can limit our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce the environmental footprint of our energy system, and make our energy grid more resilient and reliable.