Maine’s environment is not separate from who we are. It is who we are. Our forests, rivers, coastline, and working lands define our identity, sustain our economy, and connect generations of Mainers to this place we call home. I have heard it everywhere I go across the state: people are proud of Maine’s natural beauty at the same time they are worried about whether we are doing enough to protect it, for themselves, for their families, and for the next generation. Whether it is a parent who cannot trust the water coming out of their tap, a fisherman worried about changes in the Gulf of Maine, or a family struggling to afford rising energy costs, all of these challenges are here.
Protecting Maine’s environment has never been easy. It requires us to do hard things, to confront contamination that threatens our health, to invest in new systems that lower costs and reduce pollution, to prepare for disastrous storms and flooding that are only becoming more frequent and more severe, and to make thoughtful choices about how and where we grow. At a time when federal protections are being weakened and states are being asked to do more on their own, Maine cannot afford to wait or hope that someone else will address these problems for us.
This plan is grounded in a simple belief: we can protect our environment, lower costs for families, and build a stronger future, but only if we are willing to lead with urgency, follow the data, and take responsibility for the choices in front of us. As Governor, I will bring a public health approach to these challenges: one that is focused on protecting people and committed to delivering results for communities across Maine.
-Dr. Nirav Shah
Executive Summary
- Reducing PFAS exposure and protecting Maine’s drinking water, treating contamination as a public health emergency, expanding testing and cleanup, and ensuring no family is left without safe water
- Lower energy costs while building a modern, clean energy system, delivering immediate relief for families while investing in long-term solutions that stabilize prices and reduce dependence on fossil fuels
- Prepare Maine for climate disasters and strengthen community resilience, investing in infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and coastal protection to keep communities safe before, during, and after extreme weather events
- Preserve Maine’s lands, waters, and wildlife, protecting the natural landscapes and ecosystems that define our state and ensuring they remain accessible for future generations
- Pursue responsible development that balances growth and protection, building the housing Maine needs while safeguarding our environment through smart, sustainable planning
Reducing PFAS Exposure and Protecting Maine’s Drinking Water
Clean drinking water is not a luxury; it is a basic public health guarantee. As a public health leader, I have spent my career confronting threats in our environment that may be invisible to the naked eye yet can have lasting consequences for their health. At the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I worked on national efforts to understand and respond to emerging environmental health risks, including exposure to toxic chemicals like PFAS.
In Maine, PFAS contamination is one of the most urgent public health challenges we face, with contamination identified across hundreds of sites, impacting soil and food crops at dozens of farms, affecting wild fish and game, and resulting in private wells and public water systems facing costly treatment needs. Too many families cannot trust the water coming out of their tap, farmers have lost livelihoods, and entire communities are living with uncertainty about when they will have safe, drinkable water and safe food to eat. That is unacceptable, and as Governor, I will lead a full-scale effort to reduce PFAS exposure in Maine.
Treat Unsafe Drinking Water Like the Public Health Emergency It Is
When a community in Maine cannot safely drink from its tap, I will treat it as the public health emergency it is and bring the full resources of the State to bear. Measuring the cause and extent of chemical contamination is important for long-term cleanup, but the first step should and will be to provide safe drinking water and stop exposure immediately. As governor, I will:
- Guarantee immediate access to safe drinking water for any impacted household, without eligibility hurdles
- Deploy bottled water, in-home filtration, and rapid response teams within days, not weeks or months
- Provide permanent solutions, including whole-home filtration or municipal water connections, as a matter of right
- Fully fund and streamline response so no family is left navigating bureaucracy
Find It, Track It, and Tell the Truth
We cannot fix what we do not measure, and people deserve full transparency about their water. As governor, I will:
- Expand free, statewide PFAS testing for private wells, public systems, and at-risk farmland
- Proactively test communities near known contamination sources and industrial site and create a public, real-time dashboard so every Mainer can see contamination levels
- Create a public notification system so that when contamination is discovered, those potentially impacted are immediately notified of possible exposure and informed of the steps being taken to fix the problem, including resources such as in-home water treatment systems available to make their water safe
Clean Up PFAS and Hold Polluters Accountable
Maine has taken important steps to respond to PFAS contamination, including cleanup and containment efforts that must continue. But containment alone is not enough. We need to move full speed toward reducing PFAS exposures and stopping contamination at its source. As governor, I will:
- Hold industrial polluters accountable and enforce strong cleanup standards. This will include taking legal action against polluters and manufacturers of PFAS to fund the work needed to protect Mainers
- Accelerate cleanup of contaminated soil, groundwater, and disposal sites across Maine
- Invest in technologies that eliminate PFAS from the environment, not just contain or reduce it
- Identify and shut down ongoing sources of contamination
- Support technological advances in wastewater treatment and disposal to minimize the need for land application of sludge
Support Farmers and Prevent Future Contamination
PFAS contamination has devastated parts of Maine’s agricultural economy. As of late 2025, the state had identified more than 100 impacted farms, including several that have shut down or significantly scaled back operations. That means contaminated land, disrupted food production, and family livelihoods lost through no fault of their own. This is unacceptable. As governor, I will:
- Provide financial support and long-term stability for impacted farmers and communities
- Help transition contaminated land to safe, productive uses and protect Maine’s food supply
- Identify non-impacted farmable land to convert into active agricultural production to provide new farming opportunities and increase the availability of safe local food to Mainers.
- Strengthen restrictions on PFAS in consumer products and industrial use in Maine
- Expand oversight of waste disposal to prevent new contamination
Not Just PFAS!
PFAS is not the only contaminant that may affect Maine water and food. Microplastics are gaining attention as another ubiquitous contaminant in our environment and our bodies and, when combined with PFAS, could potentially create even more harm. As governor, I will:
- Direct Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection to monitor Maine’s soil, water bodies, and drinking water supplies for the presence of emerging contaminants like microplastics.
- Develop remediation and treatment strategies to protect our food and water supplies from these chemicals, so we can stay ahead of the game, rather than having to clean up after the fact as with PFAS.
- Inform Mainers of any new threats and let them know how we are addressing them and what they can do to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy.
Clean Energy & Lowering Costs
Energy costs in Maine are too high, and families are feeling it. In recent years, electricity supply costs have surged, especially during cold winters when natural gas prices spike. New England relies heavily on natural gas for electricity, and when gas prices rise, Maine families pay the price. That same dependence on fossil fuels is not just driving up costs, it is also contributing to the pollution and climate impacts that threaten Maine’s environment, from warming waters in the Gulf of Maine to more frequent and severe storms.
At the same time, Maine’s transmission system requires ongoing capital investment, and current regulations allow utilities to earn a fixed return based on how much they invest in infrastructure. There is no magic switch that instantly lowers prices. Bringing costs down will require both immediate action coupled with long-term investments that stabilize pricing, reduce pollution, and move Maine away from volatile fossil fuel markets.
As outlined in my affordability plan, “Maine’s Affordable Future: A Bold Plan to Lower Costs and Strengthen Maine Families,” I will pursue a two-track strategy: short-term relief for families and long-term structural reforms that both lower costs and accelerate the transition to cleaner, more stable energy sources. Clean energy is not just about climate; it is about lowering bills, protecting our environment, and giving Maine families more control over their energy future.
Long-Term Stability: Build a Modern, Affordable Energy System
Maine cannot control global fossil fuel markets, but we can control whether Maine is prepared for the future. If we want durable price stability, we must reduce our dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets and invest in long-term infrastructure.
Renewable energy, particularly wind, has near-zero marginal cost once built. That means after the initial investment, the cost to produce electricity remains stable and low. Over time, that stability protects families from fuel price shocks while also reducing the pollution that harms Maine’s environment and public health. As Governor, I will:
- Make strategic capital investments to modernize Maine’s electric grid so it can accommodate more renewable energy and reduce long-term costs
- Accelerate the transition to clean energy sources that provide price stability over time
- Position Maine as a leader in offshore wind infrastructure, including port development and working waterfront upgrades
Build a Clean Energy Economy That Invests in Maine Workers
As we build out this system, we must ensure Maine workers and communities benefit. As Governor, I will:
- Invest in workforce development so Maine workers, including union workers, can lead the offshore wind buildout across the Northeast
- Ensure that when federal support returns for offshore wind, Maine is ready to compete for projects and jobs
- Protect working waterfront communities by ensuring development includes strong labor standards and pathways for local workers
Plan for High-Energy Industries Like Data Centers
We must ensure that the rapid growth of high-energy industries like data centers does not drive up costs for Maine families. I would have signed LD 307, a bipartisan bill recently vetoed by Governor Janet Mills, which would have put a moratorium on data center development while we fully assess the impacts on our environment and Maine ratepayers. As governor, I will:
- Prioritize protecting Maine families by ensuring large-scale energy users do not raise electricity prices or shift costs onto ratepayers
- Ensure that data centers, if built, do not consume unnecessary or disproportionate amounts of Maine’s water
- Ensure that any large-scale energy using projects are developed openly and transparently, in concert with their communities
Lead When the Federal Government Falls Short
As outlined in my plan to safeguard Maine from federal rollbacks, states cannot wait while environmental protections are weakened and climate action stalls. As governor, I will:
- Take state-level action to cut pollution and reduce emissions, using Maine’s authority to set strong standards and invest in energy efficiency
- Use state authority to cut pollution and reduce emissions, including setting strong standards and investing in energy efficiency
- Streamline responsible permitting and siting of clean energy projects so Maine can move faster while protecting communities and natural resources
- Ensure Maine is prepared to compete for federal funding and private investment as national climate policy evolves
Resilience Preparing Maine for Climate Disasters
Maine is already experiencing the impacts of climate change and these changes are accelerating. Our state has warmed by roughly 3°F over the last century, precipitation is increasing, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more severe.
In recent years, Maine has experienced historic coastal flooding driven by severe storm surge and record high tides, damaging homes, businesses, and working waterfronts across the state. At the same time, nearly half of Maine’s population now lives in areas at elevated risk of climate-related hazards, including flooding, storms, and agricultural losses.
Maine has taken important steps to prepare, including the work of the Maine Climate Council and its statewide climate action plan. But the scale and pace of change demand more. As governor, I will build on that foundation to ensure Maine is ready to respond to disasters and protect communities before they happen.
Strengthen Community Resilience and Disaster Preparedness
Climate resilience starts at the community level and we must ensure every community in Maine is prepared, not if, but when the next climate disaster strikes. As governor, I will:
- Expand state support for local resilience planning, building on Maine’s climate action framework to ensure every town has the resources to prepare for flooding, extreme weather, and infrastructure risks
- Invest in emergency preparedness and response capacity, including shelters, backup power systems, and rapid recovery programs so communities can respond quickly and rebuild faster
- Modernize infrastructure to withstand climate impacts, including roads, bridges, stormwater systems, and working waterfronts that are increasingly vulnerable to flooding and storm damage
- Harden Maine’s electricity grid as part of disaster preparedness efforts to reduce the frequency of outages during our increasingly severe storms
Protect Maine’s Coastlines, Working Waterfronts, and Water Systems
Maine’s coast and working waterfronts are both an economic engine and one of our most vulnerable assets. Sea levels along the Maine coast are projected to rise in the coming decades, increasing the risk of flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion into drinking water supplies. As governor, I will:
- Invest in coastal resilience and flood protection, including nature-based solutions like wetlands restoration and infrastructure upgrades to protect communities and businesses
- Protect working waterfronts and coastal economies, ensuring that fisheries, tourism, and marine industries can adapt and continue to thrive
- Safeguard drinking water systems from climate impacts, including flooding, contamination, and saltwater intrusion
- Encourage smart land use planning and development strategies at the local level to ensure continued protection of coastal shorelines, sands dunes and sensitive estuaries that buffer our communities from the effects of severe storms and sea level rise
Protect Public Health and Support Vulnerable Communities
Climate change is as much an environmental issue as it is a public health issue.
Extreme heat, flooding, and environmental contamination disproportionately impact older Mainers, rural communities, low-income families, and people with disabilities. These communities are often the least able to recover and the most exposed to risk. As governor, I will:
- Prioritize resilience investments in the most vulnerable communities, ensuring equitable access to resources, planning, and recovery support
- Expand public health preparedness for climate impacts, including heat response, air quality monitoring, and disease prevention
- Integrate environmental justice into all resilience planning, ensuring that no community is left behind when disasters strike
Preserving Maine’s Lands, Waters, and Wildlife
Maine’s lands, waters, and wildlife are at the heart of who we are. From our forests and mountains to our rivers, coastlines, and working lands, these places define our identity, sustain our economy, and connect generations of Mainers to the outdoors and the animals that inhabit them. Protecting them is not just a policy priority, it is about preserving beauty, life, and the natural heritage we are entrusted to pass on.
At a time of growing development pressure and environmental change, we should be intentional about protecting what makes Maine special, not only for economic reasons, but for the sake of the landscapes, ecosystems, and wildlife that make our state unlike any other.
As governor, I will:
- Expand conservation of Maine’s lands and waters, supporting efforts to protect forests, wetlands, and critical habitats, and working toward long-term goals that ensure these places remain accessible and intact for future generations
- Protect wildlife and biodiversity, strengthening habitat protections and supporting science-driven management to ensure Maine’s ecosystems remain healthy and resilient
- Support working lands and outdoor access, preserving the balance between conservation and traditional uses like forestry, farming, fishing and hunting, and other recreational activities that define Maine’s way of life
- Invest in conservation programs and partnerships, building on proven tools to protect open space, safeguard natural resources, and maintain public access to the outdoors
Responsible Development
Maine is facing a housing crisis. Too many families are being priced out of their communities, young people cannot afford to stay in our state, and employers are struggling to find workers because housing is unavailable or unaffordable. We need to build more homes at scale and with urgency. But we cannot have that conversation without also talking about impacts to our environment and how we grow.
Unplanned development can lead to sprawl, strain infrastructure, increase costs for taxpayers, and put pressure on the forests, farmland, and natural landscapes that define Maine. Development does not have to be a choice between growth and preservation. We can build the housing Maine needs while protecting the places that make Maine special.
As governor, I will pursue a balanced approach that delivers more housing, lowers costs, and safeguards our environment for future generations.
- Build more housing in the right places, prioritizing denser, mixed-use development in downtowns, village centers, and existing communities where infrastructure already exists, while preserving rural landscapes and open space
- Promote sustainable, cost-effective construction, including modular and prefabricated housing that can be built faster, reduce waste, and lower costs for Maine families
- Streamline permitting while maintaining strong environmental standards, so we can move projects forward more efficiently without sacrificing protections for clean water, wildlife habitat, and natural resources
- Invest in infrastructure that supports smart growth, including water, sewer, transportation, and energy systems that allow communities to grow responsibly and sustainably
- Encourage climate-smart and energy-efficient design, reducing long-term costs for homeowners while minimizing environmental impact