By a two-to-one margin on June 14, nearly 1,500 Kennebunk voters passed a resolution to urge elected federal policymakers
to enact comprehensive climate protection legislation.
“Cashback Carbon Pricing,” the policy underlying the federal legislation, was endorsed in a referendum warrant article in
the town’s annual election (Article 19: Referendum Question Q) and supports the distribution of equal monthly payments to American households from a federal fee on carbon pollution.
Kennebunk’s endorsement is the most recent among a growing number of municipalities across the state to back such climate legislation, either in annual town meetings or by vote of the town or city council. Over two dozen municipalities in Maine have passed resolutions approving of federal climate policy in which fossil fuel producers are charged a “pollution fee” for carbon dioxide emissions, and fees are returned to all households equally. Supporters of this approach, including top economists and climate scientists, believe the resulting price signal will swiftly catalyze an economy-wide shift toward cheaper non-polluting fuels, while the dividends would equitably compensate households.
Tom Berry, a Kennebunk resident, initially sought to present the proposal to the Kennebunk Select Board for approval but was advised that a citizen-initiative approach was the avenue to take. Over a span of nearly two years, Berry and other local
residents gathered more than 650 certified petition signatures to place the article on the recent referendum ballot.
“Although at the beginning it felt a bit disappointing to have to go through this laborious process,” said Berry in a news release, “I fairly quickly became glad that it worked out that way.”
He said that the time spent explaining the merits of “carbon fee and dividend,” including its near immediate impact on lowering carbon dioxide emissions that are warming the atmosphere, was rewarding in its own right and well worth the effort.
“The fact that it was passed by our town’s voters two-to-one tells me that the people of Kennebunk are informed, engaged and are calling out for effective federal action in the unfolding climate crisis,” Berry said in an email. He also noted that many voters had expressed appreciation for the opportunity to take action that would “make a difference,” citing frequent feelings of helplessness about the enormity of the climate crisis.
A climate activist for years, Berry, a member of the local Planeteers of Southern Maine, also volunteers with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for national climate solutions.
Kennebunk’s measure directs town officials to inform the governor, the president, and Maine’s U.S. senators and representatives that the voters of Kennebunk have endorsed this climate policy. With Congress in the final stages of Budget Reconciliation, which is said to include climate-related measures, the timing of Kennebunk’s action – joining 160 municipalities across the nation – could lend it additional significance.
Courtesy of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Maine, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy organization
focused on national policies to address climate change. For more information, visit citizensclimatelobby.org.
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