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Trump Taps Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to Slash Government; Creating virtual power plants for resiliency during extreme weather, wildfires; Federal funds help power PA produce distributor's rooftop solar; New Nebraska caregiver tax credit has military focus.

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GOP leaders say they're ready for President-elect Trump to return to office. President Biden hosts the Israeli president, amid concerns about blocked Gaza aid, and the labor movement assesses the impact of Trump being back in the White House.

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An urban vote slump, not the rural electorate, tipped the presidential election. Minnesota voters approved more lottery money to support conservation and clean water. And a survey shows strong broadband lets rural businesses boom.

Gas Company Pulls Plans for Midcoast Pipeline Expansion

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Wednesday, March 3, 2021   

ROCKLAND, Maine - Environmental groups are celebrating an announcement by Summit Natural Gas that it's withdrawing plans for a Midcoast pipeline expansion from Belfast through Thomaston.

As the state moves toward a clean-energy economy, said Sarah Leighton, director of the Sierra Club's Maine chapter, there's no reason to invest in more fossil-fuel infrastructure. She pointed out that fracked gas releases nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, as well as methane. The latter is a greenhouse gas some 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide, measured over a 20-year period.

"It's bad for our health," she said. "There have been studies to show that kids that grow up with homes with gas stoves are much more likely to have asthma than those who don't. It kills our trees, and also doesn't make sense financially."

More than 270 Midcoast Mainers signed a petition opposing the pipeline expansion, and more than 150 turned out at a Rockland City Council meeting to voice concerns. In its announcement, Summit Natural Gas said it cannot go forward with the pipeline plans without a consensus about the region's energy future.

According to Leighton, the cost of heating the average home using fracked gas is roughly $2,500 a year, while a solar-powered heat pump for the same home would cost a little more than $1,000 per year. She predicted that Maine and the rest of the nation eventually will stop using natural gas - and households that do would need to upgrade.

"As we move to a renewable-energy economy, all electricity is going to be powered by renewable-energy sources," she said, "and we can only capitalize on that if we're all on electric."

Proponents of natural gas have said the plan would have reduced some greenhouse-gas emissions and cut energy bills for businesses and families. However, Leighton said other, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective power sources are available.


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