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** Dear Friend,
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**
Ahead of our meeting on June 10, we're pleased to announce Sarah Curran as the next co-chair of the Maine Climate Council, working alongside Maine Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim to continue guiding Maine's climate action planning.

Curran replaces former GOPIF Director Hannah Pingree, who served as co-chair until May 2025.
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** Maine Won't Wait
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**
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** What: Maine Climate Council Meeting
When: Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 9-11 A.M.
Where: Virtual only
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**

Topics will include resilience programs and funding, the Efficiency Maine Triennial Plan VI, a presentation from the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, an update from the Green Schools Program, and recent changes to Maine's building codes.
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To request interpretation services (American Sign Language) or spoken language interpretation services (Somali, Arabic, French, Spanish, Chinese-Mandarin, Khmer, Russian, Vietnamese, Portuguese) for this meeting, or to request other accommodations, please email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Newsletter%20interpretation%20request) .
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Register to observe here ([link removed])


** Calling all young Mainers!
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** The Maine Climate Council's working groups and subcommittees are seeking new youth representatives! This opportunity is for Mainers between the ages of 13 and 23 who would like to play a role in implementing Maine Won't Wait.

For more information and instructions on how to apply, click here ([link removed]) .

The deadline to apply is June 30.
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Become a youth representative ([link removed])
Learn more about Climate&Me ([link removed])


** Round 6 Community Action Grant and Service Provider Grant Applications Now Open
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** The Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) is excited to announce the opening of the next round of Community Action Grant and Service Provider Grant opportunities through the Community Resilience Partnership ([link removed]) .
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** This round of community action grants is open to all enrolled communities. Communities with past and current grant projects are eligible to receive a grant award. Enrollment can be completed simultaneously with application submission. A full list of enrolled communities can be found here.
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** Expanded list of community actions eligible for grant funding. The Partnership's List of Community Actions has been updated to include Maine Won't Wait 2024 recommendations, including materials management, land use strategies to reduce carbon emissions and increase resilience, additional community resilience actions, and more. A total of 96 actions are now eligible for grant funding.
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** Available Funding: Using a mix of state and federal funding, the Partnership will make up to $5.3 million available in its next grants round.
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** Maximum Funding Amount: The maximum community action grant award will be $75,000 for individual community grants and $175,000 for joint community grants.
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** Learn more about these grant opportunities, eligible actions for no-match grant projects, application criteria, and more on the Partnership website ([link removed]) .
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**
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Community Action Grant:
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** Register for the Informational Webinar ([link removed]) : June 12, 11 a.m.
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** Application Deadline: August 29, 2025 at 5 p.m.
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** View the Program Statement and Application Form ([link removed])
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**
Service Provider Grant
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** Register for the Informational Webinar ([link removed]) : June 12, 10 a.m.
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** Application Deadline: August 1, 2025 at 5 p.m.
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** View the Program Statement and Application Form ([link removed])
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Learn About Round 6 Grand Opportunities ([link removed])
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** Efficiency Maine Seeks Bids for Rural EV Charging
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Efficiency Maine is seeking bids to install and operate public Level 3/DC fast chargers and/or Level 2/AC chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) in select Maine locations: Presque Isle, Fort Kent, Medway, Baileyville or within 15 miles thereof, Howland, Sherman, Turner, Hermon, Blue Hill or within 15 miles thereof, Milbridge, Caribou, and along Route 11 from Portage Lake to Masardis.

Learn more here ([link removed]) .
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Read more at Efficiency Maine's website ([link removed])


** Maine DEP Issues Air Quality Alerts
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Due to wildfires currently burning in western Canada, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection ([link removed]) has issued air quality alerts about ground-level ozone concentrations in some parts of the state that are unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Some actions you can take to protect your health during such periods include:
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** Avoiding strenuous outdoor activity
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** Closing windows and circulating indoor air with a fan or air conditioner
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** Asthmatics should keep their quick-relief medications and action plan handy
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For updates on air quality and forecasts, visit Maine DEP's website here ([link removed]) or call its Hotline at 1-800-223-1196.
Visit the Maine DEP's Air Quality and Forecasting webpage ([link removed])
See Maine DEP's air quality health effects legend ([link removed])


** MEMA Invites Proposals for Low-Interest Hazard Mitigation Loan Program
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Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is working to help local governments obtain low-interest loans (1 percent interest rate or less) to implement hazard mitigation projects and planning initiatives designed to reduce risks from natural hazards and disasters.

MEMA is collecting this information as a prerequisite to applying for federal funding under the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund ([link removed]) . Any local government who wishes to be considered for future loan opportunities if funding becomes available should complete the online Project Proposal Form ([link removed]) by 5:00pm EST on July 25, 2025.

Types of projects that could be funded through this program include, but are not limited to:
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** Drainage/Stormwater
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** Shoreline Stabilization
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** Building Code Adoption & Enforcement
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** Infrastructure/Utility Protective Measures
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** Aquifer Recharge & Storage
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** Wildfire Mitigation
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** Engineering Studies/Risk Assessments
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** Acquisition/Demolition
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** Structure or Road Elevation
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** Generators for Critical Facilities/Infrastructure
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** Developing Local Hazard Mitigation Plans
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Note: The Project Proposal Form is not a loan application. MEMA is collecting project proposal information in support of a grant application that would allow Maine, if awarded, to build out a low-interest loan fund designed to support county, municipal and tribal government infrastructure projects that reduce risks from extreme weather events and other natural hazards to the extent allowed by federal laws and regulations.
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Learn more about the program here ([link removed])


** Upcoming Meetings
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** June 10, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., Maine Climate Council ([link removed])
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** Sept. 25, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Maine Climate Council ([link removed])
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** Dec. 1, 2025 | 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., Maine Climate Council ([link removed])
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**
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