Author: David Stevenson

The Big Picture Since 2005 Maine’s carbon dioxide emissions have fallen 41 percent, three times faster than the United States as a whole and eight times faster than other developed countries. Maine is covered almost ninety percent by pine forests, or nearly 18 million acres. Each acre sequesters 1 to 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 18 to 45 million tons per year. This far outweighs Maine’s 15 million tons of yearly manmade emissions. Seventy-five percent of electric generation is from carbon dioxide-free sources, including hydro and nuclear power, one of the highest rates in the country. Eliminating…

Gasoline taxes may rise 17 cents a gallon and go up from there until everyone is driving an overpriced electric car. Delaware, Maine and nearly a dozen other northeast governments have participated in drawing up the plan, and will work to implement this tax with or without a legislative vote.  It is modeled after a carbon dioxide tax on electric power that has been in place for a decade, raised electricity prices and didn’t reduce emissions. Even if it works, it will lower global temperatures by only one one-thousandth of a degree by 2100. Policy experts around the region have…