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Articles on Maine

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Central Maine Power Co. lineman John Baril works to restore electricity in Lewiston, Maine, on March 15, 2023, after a winter storm. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Maine voters don’t like their electric utilities, but they balked at paying billions to buy them out

Power companies can be publicly or privately owned and may report to corporate boards, local governments or co-op members. But there’s no one best way to deliver electricity reliably and affordably.
Packaging for consumer products represents a large share of U.S. solid waste, and barely half of it is recycled. iStock via Getty Images

Packaging generates a lot of waste – now Maine and Oregon want manufacturers to foot the bill for getting rid of it

Maine and Oregon have enacted laws that require makers of consumer product packaging to pay for recycling or disposing of it. Will other states follow?
An orchard near Kettleman City in California’s San Joaquin Valley on April 2, 2021. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Water wells are at risk of going dry in the US and worldwide

The US has one of the highest groundwater use rates in the world. When wells run dry, households may opt to conserve water, find new sources or sell and move.
Maine’s Penobscot River flows freely where the Veazie Dam once stood. Dam removals have reopened the river to 12 native fish species. Gregory Rec/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

When dams cause more problems than they solve, removing them can pay off for people and nature

Thousands of dams across the US are aging and overdue for maintenance. Taking them down can revive rivers, restore fish runs and create new opportunities for tourism and outdoor activities.
With no candidate taking a majority of the overall vote, election officials will be counting ballots again under Maine’s new ranked-choice voting system. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Maine congressional election an important test of ranked-choice voting

The system allows voters to pick their first, second- and third-choice candidates – and could encourage more civil campaigns.
What if this was our choice on Election Day? AP Photos/Gary Landers and Paul Sancya

How majority voting betrayed voters again in 2016

In this year’s election, the system of majority voting didn’t allow voters to express their opinions adequately. If they had, the choice would have been between Kasich and Sanders.
Gov. Paul LePage speaks at a news conference at the State House in Augusta, Maine. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Maine ballot initiative would let voters rank candidates

What if you could go into a voting booth and rank your first, second and third choices? It could happen in Maine, if voters approve.

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