ROCKLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, convened a roundtable at the Island Institute to discuss economic development and energy sustainability for Maine’s islands and remote coastal communities. Comprised of the Institute leadership and staff, as well as stakeholders from local communities, the roundtable focused on the importance of rural broadband, the impact of climate change, the transition toward renewable energy systems, and the role the federal government can play in supporting the communities.

“Maine’s island and coastal communities are resilient, even in the face of grave threats like climate change and ocean acidification, which not only warm the ocean water but also change its very chemistry, affecting where lobster and other fish vital to the local economy can successfully breed and thrive,” said Senator King, a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force. “But people here recognize those challenges and are banding together to take concrete steps to address them. With the help of the Island Institute, they are looking at transitioning to renewable energy systems and working on expanding broadband to help diversify and grow the economy. I will continue to support these efforts at the federal level by working with agencies as a strong advocate for the innovative and transformative approaches being employed in Maine communities.”

 “Our work is focused on ensuring that residents of Maine’s islands and remote coastal towns continue to have access to the jobs, educational opportunities, and resources they need to sustain their communities,” said Rob Snyder, president of the Island Institute. “The Senator’s visit was an opportunity for our staff to brief him on our progress and the challenges that these communities face, as well as a chance for us to hear from him about the opportunities for action that he sees at the federal level."

During the discussion, Island Institute leadership identified climate change and ocean acidification as two of the major challenges confronting Maine’s island and coastal communities, and particularly the fishing industry. Ocean acidity levels have increased 30 percent over the past two centuries, according to a recent report from the Maine Ocean Acidification Commission, and cold waters in the Gulf of Maine are even more susceptible because carbon dioxide dissolves more readily in cold water, speeding up the rate of acidification.

The rising rate of carbon in the atmosphere concerns Senator King. Last year, he called it a “crisis situation.” He also attended the “Our Ocean” Conference hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry, which brought together more than 350 scientific and political leaders from across 80 nations for a discussion on ocean acidification, sustainable fishing, and marine pollution. He has pledged to continue to support federal funding to address ocean acidification and advocate for policies that combat climate change.

The discussion also focused on the importance of expanding access to high-speed broadband as a potential tool to support economic diversification and to connect remote communities to resources that would otherwise be out of reach. One of Senator King’s priorities is to help communities in Maine access faster broadband. Today, at 10Mbps symmetrical connectivity – the minimum standard as identified by the ConnectME Authority – nearly 80 percent of the state is underserved. Senator King is supportive of municipalities, like the Town of Rockport and the City of South Portland, advancing ultra-fast broadband projects through public-private partnerships. He also continues to support local, state, and private efforts to partner with federal agencies – like the Island Institute has done and continues to do – to secure continued federal investment in broadband deployment and infrastructure, as well as to improve broadband connectivity to school and libraries via modernization of the successful E-rate program.

The Island Institute is currently working with several federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to foster economic development, promote livelihood, and establish models of sustainability on islands and remote costal locations in Maine and elsewhere. The strategies developed by the Island Institute provide invaluable lessons and transferable solutions to other areas in our state and nation.

Senator King at the Island Institute (Credit: Island Institute / Jason Mann)

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