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Young people have grown up with climate change as a constant presence in their lives. We are the generation that has never known a Maine without warming winters, stronger storms, flooding, and rising costs tied to climate damage. We’re the generation being asked to plan our futures — our careers, our homes, our families — while living with the consequences of decisions we didn’t make.
And yet, instead of accepting that as inevitable, young Mainers choose to lead.
We’re organizing. We’re telling our stories. We’re showing up at the State House to express our beliefs — not because it’s easy or comfortable, but because the stakes are too high not to.
From Wells to Skowhegan and so many communities in between, Maine experienced historic storm damage in 2023 and 2024.
Those storms caused over $90 million in damage to public infrastructure and countless more in damage to homes and businesses. Currently, Mainers are footing the bill for storm recovery and adaptation projects through state or federal tax dollars. The Legislature has appropriated nearly $100 million for storm recovery and adaptation efforts over the last two years.
Why should it fall on us, the Maine taxpayers, to pay for the costs of cleaning up a mess that isn’t ours?
That responsibility should lie with the world’s largest fossil fuel entities, which collectively account for a majority of global greenhouse gas emissions. They caused this crisis — and they knew it, too.
It’s time to make polluters pay by passing LD 1870: the Maine Climate Superfund Act.
Jason Chadwick
Bangor
