Maine hires consultant to price 30 years of fossil fuel damage

Maine residents will soon see a formal estimate of how much climate pollution has cost the state. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a request for proposals in October to hire a contractor for this assessment. The agency will calculate the financial impact of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels sold in Maine over a 30-year period ending in 2024.

This action follows a measure passed by state lawmakers earlier in the year. The DEP delayed this step in 2025 while it watched legal challenges to similar climate superfund laws in Vermont and New York. State legislators originally considered establishing a dedicated fund but waited for those court outcomes before moving forward.

Sean Mahoney, director of the Conservation Law Foundations Maine advocacy center, described the assessment as a necessary first step. He said the goal is to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the climate effects of their products. Mahoney noted that the state will examine impacts on economic growth, natural resources, and public health.

The state intends to model the compensation method on the federal Superfund program. Mahoney explained the underlying principle simply: "If you break it, you fix it." He added that companies causing pollution should be responsible for the costs of addressing it.

The hired consultant has a strict timeline for the work. The firm must submit a draft assessment to the state by July 2027. A final report is due by the end of that same year. This data will inform how Maine structures its recovery efforts for climate-related damages.