An Act To Establish the Maine Climate Change Council To Assist Maine To Mitigate, Prepare for and Adapt to Climate Change
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1679
Committee: Environment and Natural Resources
Sponsors: WOODSOME, TUCKER, BLACK, BREEN, JACKSON, LAWRENCE, MIRAMANT, POULIOT, BERRY, BLUME, BRENNAN, COREY, FAY, GIDEON, HUBBELL, KESCHL, MARTIN, MAXMIN, MOONEN
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I, 35-A MRSA §3210, 35-A MRSA §3210-C, 38 MRSA §577-A, 35-A MRSA §3402, 35-A MRSA §10104, 38 MRSA §574, 38 MRSA §576, 38 MRSA §576-A, 38 MRSA §577, 38 MRSA §578

Legislative Document
No. 1679
S.P. 550
In Senate, May 2, 2019
An Act To Establish the Maine Climate Change Council To Assist 
Maine To Mitigate, Prepare for and Adapt to Climate Change
Reference to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator WOODSOME of York.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL)
Cosponsored by Representative TUCKER of Brunswick and
Senators: BLACK of Franklin, BREEN of Cumberland, President JACKSON of Aroostook, 
LAWRENCE of York, MIRAMANT of Knox, POULIOT of Kennebec, SANBORN, L. of 
Cumberland, Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, BLUME of York, BRENNAN of 
Portland, COREY of Windham, FAY of Raymond, Speaker GIDEON of Freeport, HUBBELL 
of Bar Harbor, KESCHL of Belgrade, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, MAXMIN of Nobleboro, 
McLEAN of Gorham, MOONEN of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§24-G is enacted to read:
24-G.  
Sec. 2.  35-A MRSA §3210, sub-§§1-A and 1-B are enacted to read:
1-A.  Percentage from renewable resources; 2030.  By January 1, 2030, 80% of 
electricity consumed in the State must come from renewable resources.
1-B.  Percentage from renewable resources; 2050.  By January 1, 2050, 100% of 
electricity consumed in the State must come from renewable resources.
Sec. 3.  35-A MRSA §3210-C, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2017, c. 134, §2, is 
further amended to read:
3.  Commission authority.  The commission may direct investor-owned 
transmission and distribution utilities to enter into long-term contracts for:
A.  Capacity resources;
B.  Any available energy associated with capacity resources contracted under 
paragraph A:
(1)  To the extent necessary to fulfill the policy of subsection 2, paragraph A; or
(2)  If the commission determines appropriate for purposes of supplying or 
lowering the cost of standard-offer service or otherwise lowering the cost of 
electricity for the ratepayers in the State.  Available energy contracted pursuant to 
this subparagraph may be sold into the wholesale electricity market in 
conjunction with solicitations for standard-offer supply bids; 
C.  Any available renewable energy credits associated with capacity resources 
contracted under paragraph A.  The price paid by the investor-owned transmission 
and distribution utility for the renewable energy credits must be lower than the price 
received for those renewable energy credits at the time they are sold by the 
investor-owned transmission and distribution utility; and
D.  Transmission capacity, capacity resources, energy or renewable energy credits 
pursuant to a regional procurement process in conjunction with other states.
The commission may permit, but may not require, investor-owned transmission and 
distribution utilities to enter into contracts for differences that are designed and intended 
to buffer ratepayers in the State from potential negative impacts from transmission 
development.  To the greatest extent possible, the commission shall develop procedures 
Environment: 
Natural Resources
Maine Climate 
Change Council and 
Working Groups
Legislative Per Diem 
and Expenses for 
Legislators/Expenses 
Only for Other 
Members
MRSA §577-A
for long-term contracts for investor-owned transmission and distribution utilities under 
this subsection having the same legal and financial effect as the procedures used for 
standard-offer service pursuant to section 3212 for investor-owned transmission and 
distribution utilities.
The commission may enter into contracts for interruptible, demand response or energy 
efficiency capacity resources.  These contracts are not subject to the rules of the State 
Purchasing Agent.  In a competitive solicitation conducted pursuant to subsection 6, the 
commission shall allow transmission and distribution utilities to submit bids for 
interruptible or demand response capacity resources.
Capacity resources contracted under this subsection may not exceed the amount 
necessary to ensure the reliability of the electric grid of this State, to meet the energy 
efficiency program budget allocations articulated in the triennial plan as approved by the 
commission pursuant to section 10104, subsection 4 or any annual update plan approved 
by the commission pursuant to section 10104, subsection 6 or to lower customer costs as 
determined by the commission pursuant to rules adopted under subsection 10.
Unless the commission determines the public interest requires otherwise, a capacity 
resource may not be contracted under this subsection unless the commission determines 
that the capacity resource is recognized as a capacity resource for purposes of any 
regional or federal capacity requirements.
The commission shall ensure that any long-term contract authorized under this subsection 
is consistent with the State's goals for greenhouse gas reduction under Title 38, section 
576-A and the regional greenhouse gas initiative as described in the state climate 
action plan required in Title 38, section 577.
By January 1st of each year, the commission shall submit a report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy and utilities matters on the 
procurement of transmission capacity, capacity resources, energy and renewable energy 
credits in the preceding 12 months under this subsection, the Community-based 
Renewable Energy Act and deep-water offshore wind energy pilot projects under Public 
Law 2009, chapter 615, Part A, section 6, as amended by Public Law 2013, chapter 369, 
Part H, sections 1 and 2 and chapter 378, sections 4 to 6. The report must contain 
information including, but not limited to, the number of requests for proposals by the 
commission for long-term contracts, the number of responses to requests for proposals 
pursuant to which a contract has been finalized, the number of executed term sheets or 
contracts resulting from the requests for proposals, the commission's initial estimates of 
ratepayer costs or savings associated with any approved term sheet, actual ratepayer costs 
or savings for the previous year associated with any procurement, the total ratepayer costs 
or savings at the time of the report and the megawatt-hours, renewable energy credits or 
capacity produced or procured through contracts. The report must also include a plan for 
the succeeding 12 months pertaining to the procurement of capacity resources, energy 
and renewable energy credits, including dates for requests for proposals, and types of 
resources to be procured.
Sec. 4.  35-A MRSA §3402, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 615, Pt. A, 
§2, is further amended to read:
A.  Wind energy is an economically feasible, large-scale energy resource that does 
not rely on fossil fuel combustion or nuclear fission, thereby displacing electrical 
energy provided by these other sources and avoiding air pollution, waste disposal 
problems and hazards to human health from emissions, waste and by-products; 
consequently, wind energy development may address energy needs while making a 
significant contribution to achievement of the State's renewable energy and 
greenhouse gas reduction objectives, including those in Title 38, section 576 576-A; 
Sec. 5.  35-A MRSA §10104, sub-§4, ¶F, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, 
c. 369, Pt. A, §13, is amended to read:
F.  It is an objective of the triennial plan to design, coordinate and integrate sustained 
energy efficiency and weatherization programs that are available to all energy 
consumers in the State and to users of all fuel types. The plan must set forth the costs 
and benefits of energy efficiency programs that advance the following goals, and 
funding necessary to meet those goals:
(1)  Reducing energy costs, including residential heating costs;
(2) Weatherizing substantially all homes whose owners or occupants are willing 
to participate in and share the costs of cost-effective home weatherization to a 
minimum standard of weatherization, as defined by the trust, by 2030;
(3) Reducing peak-load demand for electricity through trust programs by 300 
megawatts by 2020;
(4) By 2020, achieving electricity and natural gas program savings of at least 
20% and heating fuel savings of at least 20%, as defined in and determined 
pursuant to the measures of performance approved by the commission under 
section 10120;
(5) Creating stable private sector jobs providing alternative energy and energy 
efficiency products and services in the State by 2020; and
(6) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the heating and cooling of buildings 
in the State by amounts consistent with the State's goals established in Title 38, 
section 576 576-A.
The trust shall preserve when possible and appropriate the opportunity for carbon 
emission reductions to be monetized and sold into a voluntary carbon market. Any 
program of the trust that supports weatherization of buildings must be voluntary and 
may not constitute a mandate that would prevent the sale of emission reductions 
generated through weatherization measures into a voluntary carbon market.
Except when specifically provided in the individual goals under this paragraph, the 
trust may consider expected savings from market effects not attributable to the trust 
as well as efforts by other organizations, including but not limited to federally funded 
low-income weatherization programs.
As used in this paragraph, "heating fuel" means liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene or 
#2 heating oil, but does not include fuels when used for industrial or manufacturing 
processes.
Sec. 6.  38 MRSA §574, sub-§§1-A to 1-C are enacted to read:
1-A.  Climate action plan.  "Climate action plan" means the state plan adopted under 
this chapter.
1-B.  Gross annual greenhouse gas emissions.  "Gross annual greenhouse gas 
emissions" means the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by all sources within the 
State each year.
1-C.  Net annual greenhouse gas emissions.  "Net annual greenhouse gas 
emissions" means gross annual greenhouse gas emissions less the total amount of 
greenhouse gases absorbed each year by plants and natural ecosystems, including, but not 
limited to, trees, crops, soil and wetlands within the State.
Sec. 7.  38 MRSA §576, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 237, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 8.  38 MRSA §576-A is enacted to read:
§576-A.  Greenhouse gas emissions reductions
1.  Interim emissions levels.  By January 1, 2030, the State shall reduce gross annual 
greenhouse gas emissions to at least 45% below the 1990 gross annual greenhouse gas 
emissions level.
2.  2050 annual emissions level.  By January 1, 2050, the State shall reduce gross 
annual greenhouse gas emissions to at least 80% below the 1990 gross annual greenhouse 
gas emissions level.
3.  Monitoring and reporting rules.  By July 1, 2021, the department shall adopt 
rules to track and report to the Legislature on gross and net annual greenhouse gas 
emissions. As recommended by the Maine Climate Change Council, as established in 
Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 24-G, or as determined necessary by the 
commissioner, the department shall adopt rules to ensure compliance with the levels 
established by and pursuant to subsections 1 and 2. These rules may establish a 
mechanism for crediting voluntary measures that quantifiably and reliably sequester 
additional carbon in forests, farms and coastal lands in the State or by the use of materials 
that sequester additional carbon. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 9.  38 MRSA §577, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 237, §1, is amended to read:
§577.  Climate action plan; update
By July 1, 2004, the department, with input from stakeholders, shall adopt a state 
climate action plan to meet the reduction goals specified in section 576 for greenhouse 
gas emissions.  The action plan must address reduction in each sector in cost-effective 
ways and must allow sustainably managed forestry, agricultural and other natural 
resource activities to be used to sequester greenhouse gas emissions.  The department 
shall submit the action plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over natural resources matters.
1.  Update plan.  By December 1, 2020, and every 4 years thereafter, the Maine 
Climate Change Council, as established in Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 24-G and 
referred to in this section as "the council," with input from stakeholders, shall update the 
state climate action plan under this section and shall include in the plan strategies to meet 
the reduction levels specified in section 576-A.
2.  Evaluation of strategies.  In updating the climate action plan, the council shall 
evaluate strategies to reduce gross and net annual greenhouse gas emissions consistent 
with the reduction levels in section 576-A. The council shall quantitatively analyze and 
report on the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of each strategy.  To fund the 
analysis and work of the council, the council may solicit and receive financial support 
from the public and from private and nonprofit organizations. 
3.  Mitigation strategies. The updated climate action plan must address climate 
change mitigation strategies. The council shall update mitigation strategies for reducing 
the emission of greenhouse gases in the State, including updating the strategies for 
greenhouse gas mitigation included in the plan and identifying new strategies by applying 
the latest scientific and technological information available related to climate change.
4.  Adaptation and resilience strategies.  The updated climate action plan must 
address the impacts of climate change upon the State and provide strategies and actions 
for climate adaptation and resiliency. These strategies must include implementation 
guidelines that:
A.  Prioritize the welfare of the State's citizens and visitors and recognize and foster 
the value of the State's natural resources;
B.  Encourage diversity, inclusion and equity;
C.  Provide education and training opportunities when appropriate;
D.  Build upon existing global, national and state plans and partnerships for 
addressing climate adaptation, emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction;
E.  Encourage investments that prevent and proactively mitigate risk;
F.  Encourage, foster and utilize the most recent scientific and technical information 
available; and
G.  Incorporate means for measuring progress.
5.  Effects of climate change.  The updated climate action plan must provide the 
latest information on climate change effects in the State as well as the sectors, ecosystems 
and communities most at risk.
6.  Submission of plan.  The council shall submit the climate action plan and any 
recommended legislation to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over natural resources matters.  Upon receipt and review of the plan, the joint 
standing committee may report out a bill to the Legislature.
7.  Objectives.  In identifying the preferred strategies to include in the updated 
climate action plan, the council shall give consideration to the following objectives:
A.  Pursuing cost-effective, technologically feasible and equitable greenhouse gas 
emissions reduction pathways and adaptation and preparedness strategies, informed 
by scientific and technical expertise; 
B.  Pursuing actions that minimize deleterious effects, including those on low-income 
and moderate-income persons, to public health and the environment and that support 
economic sectors that face the biggest barriers to emissions reductions and creating, 
when feasible, additional employment and economic growth in the State;
C.  Ensuring equity for all sectors and regions of the State and that the broadest group 
of residents benefit from the achievement of the levels in section 576-A and the long-
term goal in section 576-A, subsection 2, with consideration of economic, quality-of-
life and public health benefits; 
D.  Encouraging the use of natural solutions to reduce net annual greenhouse gas 
emissions and increase resiliency, such as solutions related to forests, farms and 
coastal lands in the State and materials that sequester carbon;
E.  Maximizing involvement in interstate and regional initiatives and programs 
designed to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions;
F.  Supporting industries, technology and training that will allow workers and 
companies in the State to benefit from carbon reduction solutions through jobs and 
economic activity; and
G.  Planning for adaptation and resilience strategies that will prepare the State's 
communities, infrastructure and industries for current and anticipated effects of 
climate change.
8.  Use of existing data.  In updating the climate action plan, the council shall draw 
upon existing state data and studies, including, but not limited to, analyses and data from 
the 2004 climate action plan and the 2010 adaptation plan developed by the department 
and the evaluations of the State's progress toward meeting greenhouse gas emissions 
levels under section 578, the comprehensive state energy plan pursuant to Title 2, section 
9, subsection 3, paragraph C and the Efficiency Maine Trust's triennial plan pursuant to 
Title 35-A, section 10104, subsection 4.
9.  Funding.  The council may solicit and receive financial support, including 
funding from government agencies and private and nonprofit organizations and 
foundations.
Sec. 10.  38 MRSA §577-A is enacted to read:
§577-A.  Maine Climate Change Council
The Maine Climate Change Council, referred to in this section as "the council," is 
created to advise the Governor and Legislature on ways to mitigate the causes of, prepare 
for and adapt to the consequences of climate change.
1.  Membership.  The council's membership consists of the following members:
A.  Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, including 
one member of each of the 2 parties holding the most seats in the Senate;
B.  Two members of the House, appointed by the Speaker of the House, including 
one member of each of the 2 parties holding the most seats in the House;
C.  The Director of the Governor's Office of Policy and Management, or the director's 
designee;
D.  The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services, or the 
commissioner's designee;
E.  The Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, or the 
commissioner's designee;
F.  The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, or the 
commissioner's designee;
G.  The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee;
H.  The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, or the commissioner's 
designee;
I.  The Commissioner of Marine Resources, or the commissioner's designee;
J.  The Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee;
K.  The Commissioner of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, or the 
commissioner's designee;
L.  The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
M.  The Commissioner of Health and Human Services, or the commissioner's 
designee;
N.  The Director of the Governor's Energy Office, or the director's designee;
O.  The director of the Efficiency Maine Trust, or the director's designee; 
P.  The director of the Maine State Housing Authority, or the director's designee; and
Q.  Other members appointed by the Governor representing state interests affected by 
climate change or with expertise in climate change issues, including:
(1)  One member to represent marine fisheries;
(2)  One member to represent agriculture;
(3)  One member to represent municipal governments;
(4)  One member to represent the forestry industry;
(5)  One member to represent expertise in Maine's energy sector;
(6)  One member to represent Maine's tribes; 
(7)  One member to represent building or construction trades; 
(8)  One member to represent the manufacturing industry;
(9)  One member to represent organized labor;
(10)  Two members to represent business, including one member to represent 
small business;
(11)  Two members to represent environmental nonprofit organizations or private 
foundations, or both, with a focus on environmental issues;
(12)  Two members with expertise in climate change science, including a 
representative of the University of Maine System;
(13)  Two members with expertise in resilience, climate change adaptation, 
emergency management or disaster risk reduction;
(14)  One member to represent Maine's youth; and
(15)  Up to 2 other government or public members.
2.  Terms.  The term of a member appointed pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph Q is 
years.  At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed.
3.  Chair.  The Governor shall appoint 2 cochairs from among the members serving 
pursuant to subsection 1, paragraphs C to M.
4.  Removal.  The Governor may remove an appointed member for incompetence, 
misconduct or failure to perform the duties of the position.
5.  Steering committee.  The council shall establish a steering committee composed 
of a subset of the council, including, but not limited to, the cochairs and working group 
chairs.
6.  Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.  The Scientific and Technical 
Subcommittee, referred to in this subsection as "the subcommittee," is established to 
identify, monitor, study and report out relevant data related to climate change in the State 
and its effects on the State's climate, species, marine and coastal environments and 
natural landscape and on the oceans and other bodies of water.
The members of the subcommittee must include at least one member of the Senate and 
one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the presiding officer of the 
respective chamber of the Legislature and the legislative members must include members 
of both of the 2 political parties holding the most seats in the Legislature. The cochairs of 
the council shall appoint as members representatives of scientific and academic 
institutions, affected and involved businesses and industries, nonprofit organizations and 
foundations and federal, state and local governments and agencies.
In carrying out its duties, the subcommittee:
A.  Shall meet at least every 6 months beginning no later than October 1, 2019 and 
establish an annual work plan;
B.  May seek the advice of experts in fields related to its duties; 
C.  May create subgroups to provide data and recommendations on specific subtopics 
related to the subcommittee's duties;
D.  Shall review the direct and indirect effects of climate change, including, but not 
limited to, air temperature changes, sea level rise, ocean and coastal acidification, 
warming ocean temperatures, increased precipitation and changes in salinity and 
dissolved oxygen concentrations;
E.  Shall review, study and analyze existing scientific literature and data on the direct 
and indirect effects of climate change and how those effects have directly or 
indirectly affected communities and public health, marine environments and species, 
agriculture and forestry and ecosystems and species in the State;
F.  Shall identify critical scientific data and knowledge gaps pertaining to the data and 
monitoring of state-based climate changes and impacts and recommend methods for 
monitoring;
G.  Shall identify and monitor the factors contributing to the effects of climate 
change, including, but not limited to, the effects caused by coastal and ocean 
acidification, rising ocean temperatures and changes in salinity and dissolved oxygen 
concentrations;
H.  Shall identify methods and protocols to mitigate direct and indirect effects of 
climate change on the State's species;
I.  Shall establish science-based sea level rise projections for the State's coastal areas 
by December 1, 2020 and update them at least every 4 years;
J.  Shall create maps that indicate the areas of the State that may be most affected by 
storm surges, ocean and river flooding and extreme weather events and make these 
maps publicly available on a website maintained by the Department of Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry, Maine Geological Survey; and
K.  Shall analyze and identify options for quantifying carbon sequestration and 
emissions associated with biomass growth, management and utilization in upland and 
marine environments.
7.  Working groups.  The council shall establish the following working groups:
A.  A transportation working group;
B.  A coastal and marine working group;
C.  A buildings, infrastructure and housing working group;
D.  A working lands and ecosystems working group;
E.  An energy working group; and
F.  Other working groups as needed.
Each working group must include at least one member of the Senate and one member of 
the House of Representatives appointed by the presiding officer of the respective chamber 
of the Legislature and the legislative members must include members of both of the 2 
political parties holding the most seats in the Legislature.  The cochairs of the council 
shall appoint as members representatives of scientific and academic institutions, affected 
and involved businesses and industries, nonprofit organizations and foundations and 
federal, state and local governments and agencies.
Each working group shall meet at least every 6 months, beginning no later than October 
1, 2019 and shall establish an annual work plan.
8.  Consideration of subcommittee and working group actions by council.  The 
council shall consider and prioritize actions of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee 
established in subsection 6 and the working groups established in subsection 7, including:
A.  Developing the State's climate action plan in accordance with section 577;
B.  Developing recommendations for legislation; 
C.  Soliciting input from members of the public when developing the State's climate 
action plan and communicating with the public on progress and actions;
D.  Developing broad public and private partnerships with local, state and federal 
agencies;
E.  Addressing any disproportionate impacts of climate change on low-income and 
vulnerable communities;
F.  Assessing the impacts that climate change may have on the State's economy, 
revenues and investment decisions;
G.  Assessing the need for utilities and other public and private service providers 
throughout the State to adjust their operating practices and investment strategies to 
increase their resiliency to climate change impacts;
H.  Maximizing infrastructure, energy and new technologies for mitigation and 
adaptation options that come from state sources or create jobs in the State, or both;
I.  Assessing the impacts that climate change may have on agriculture, fishing, 
forestry and other natural resource-based industries in the State and how those 
industries might best adapt to preserve those industries and the communities they 
support;
J.  Recommending short-term and long-term strategies to mitigate the causes of and 
prepare for and adapt to the consequences of climate change;
K.  Developing a plan to encourage and prepare for transitions in transportation, 
including both low-carbon and no-carbon technologies, and the changes in 
infrastructure required to accommodate those technologies, as well as infrastructure 
changes required as the result of climate disruption;
L.  Developing and recommending strategies to address and prepare for coastal and 
coastal watershed hazards, including, but not limited to, ocean and coastal 
acidification, increased storm surges, extreme precipitation and other extreme 
weather events, projected sea level rise and increased river flooding and storm water 
runoff and the risks such hazards pose to municipalities, the coastal economy and 
state assets;
M.  Developing and supporting new and existing programs, codes and incentives that 
encourage increased energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions from the State's 
public and private buildings and businesses;
N.  Assisting local governments and other constituents in supporting regional and 
community-scale climate vulnerability assessments and the development of specific 
strategies and integration of specific strategies into local plans and ordinances;
O.  Encouraging programming in State Government and in municipal governments 
that allows the State to lead the way in demonstrating initiatives that reduce carbon 
emissions;
P.  Establishing comprehensive and accountable annual working group work plans 
that set annual goals and performance benchmarks and prioritize new and existing 
climate change mitigation, preparedness actions and initiatives and report these out to 
stakeholders and the public;
Q.  Convening regular steering committee, working group and full council meetings 
to ensure that sufficient progress is being made across all sectors and communities in 
the State; and
R.  Considering other related matters as the council determines to be necessary.
9.  Funds.  The council and the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee established in 
subsection 6 and its working groups established in subsection 7 may solicit and receive 
financial support, including funding from government agencies, nonprofit organizations 
and foundations and other entities, to fulfill their responsibilities under this section.
Sec. 11.  38 MRSA §578, as amended by PL 2013, c. 415, §5, is further amended 
to read:
§578.  Progress evaluation
By January 1, 2006 and by that date every 2 years thereafter, the The Maine Climate 
Change Council, established under section 577-A, or the department, shall evaluate the 
State's progress toward meeting the reduction goals specified in section 576, review the 
cost-effectiveness of the actions taken toward meeting the reduction goals and shall 
amend the action plan as necessary to ensure that the State can meet the reduction goals 
576-A and progress toward implementing the climate action plan in section 577.  The 
department shall submit a report of its evaluation to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters and the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters by 
January 1, 2016 December 1, 2022 and by that date every 2 years thereafter.  The council, 
or the department, may recommend other metrics to share the progress on climate 
mitigation and adaptation strategies with the Legislature and public.  The joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters is 
authorized to report out legislation relating to the evaluation to the second regular session 
of any Legislature. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over utilities and energy matters may make recommendations to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural resources matters regarding 
that legislation.  Starting no earlier than January 1, 2008, the department may recommend 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over natural 
resources matters that the reduction goals specified in section 576 be increased or 
decreased.
Sec. 12.  Meetings of Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.  
Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10, section 577-A, subsection 6, 
paragraph A, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Change 
Council shall meet at least 4 times before July 1, 2020.
SUMMARY
This bill:
1.  Establishes the Maine Climate Change Council to assist Maine to mitigate, 
prepare for and adapt to climate change;
2.  Provides that by January 1, 2030 80% of electricity consumed in the State must 
come from renewable resources and by January 1, 2050 100% of electricity consumed in 
the State must come from renewable resources;
3.  Updates the greenhouse gas emissions reductions required in statute; and
4.  Requires that the state climate action plan be updated by December 1, 2020 and 
every 4 years thereafter.