Forest Carbon and Land Conversion
Addressing land clearing and deforestation as a source of carbon emissions must be a pivotal component of the climate change strategy for the Northeast. The state of Maine alone loses up to 10,000 acres annually to road clearing and development, releasing approximately 1 to 1.5 million tons of CO2, or the equivalent of the emissions from 200,000 cars every year.
Background
ENE was among the first advocates to highlight the importance of considering the carbon-related impacts of land use and development decisions through its assessment of the proposed Plum Creek development in Maine. The pioneering study won significant media and public attention. Building on that work, ENE is pursuing opportunities to use state legislation to institutionalize climate and energy considerations as part of development planning and licensing processes. Such policies would complement existing climate action plans and policies.
