Maine is a state of scenic beauty and hardworking perseverance, where its people find no distinction between innovating for the future and respecting a traditional way of life.
Affordable and reliable natural gas supports the Pine Tree State; it’s a clean, efficient alternative that is boosting Maine’s economy while protecting the delicate ecosystem the state works so hard to preserve.
Natural gas supports infrastructure and industrial production.
Mainers know that in addition to the fishing and lobster trade, industrial production is a forceful economic driver for the state. Natural gas supplies over 12,000 industrial and commercial customers in Maine, powering the production of paper, food, chemicals and equipment, representing 80 percent of industrial demand.
One quarter of power generation in the state comes from thirteen natural gas-fired power plants and over 7,000 jobs are tied to the industry. Because of partnerships with other New England regional suppliers, and the growing partnership with Canadian natural gas producers, Maine is continuing to build infrastructure for this industry. More infrastructure means more jobs, a stronger economy and a stable and reliable energy source for future generations.
The economy in Maine is growing because of natural gas.
The value added to Maine’s economy from natural gas, across all segments from end-use to infrastructure to production, reached over $793 million in 2015. This value came from jobs across various industry sectors including distribution, construction, generation, and manufacturing.
These career paths offered over 7,000 workers a steady job and over $400 million in income – including for induced jobs – to households in one year, helping provide a stable future for thousands of Maine families.
Natural gas helps protect Maine’s scenic beauty.
From Acadia National Park to Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Maine’s protected areas and wildlife refuges are among the most celebrated in the country. Natural gas can dramatically reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, helping to keep Maine’s air clean and its environment healthy. For example, when used to generate electricity, natural gas produces half the CO2 emissions of coal. As the use of natural gas by electricity-generating plants has increased, power sector CO2 emission levels are at their lowest levels in nearly 30 years.
In fact, natural gas can have such a profound impact on emissions that the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that switching to natural gas accounted for almost two-thirds of the CO2 emission reductions from 2006 to 2014. And the environmental benefits associated with natural gas go well beyond CO2 reductions. Greater use of natural gas in power generation will also reduce NOx, SO2, PM, acid gasses, Hg and non-Hg heavy metal emissions. With so much at stake for Maine’s environment, choosing natural gas becomes a straightforward choice.