Maine orders contractor to price 30 years of fossil fuel damage

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will hire a consultant to calculate the financial cost of climate pollution inflicted on the state.

The department released a request for proposals in October, seeking a vendor to assess damages from greenhouse gas emissions generated between 1994 and 2024. This action follows a legislative measure passed earlier this year. The goal is to quantify impacts on economic growth, natural resources, and public health.

Maine lawmakers debated creating a dedicated climate compensation fund in 2025 but deferred the decision. They waited to see how legal challenges to similar superfund laws in Vermont and New York would resolve. The current hiring process marks the first concrete step toward building that compensation framework.

Sean Mahoney, director of the Conservation Law Foundation’s Maine advocacy center, described the calculation as a necessary precursor to holding oil companies accountable. He proposed modeling the compensation method on the federal Superfund program. "If you break it, you fix it," Mahoney stated. "If you cause the pollution, you are responsible for the costs in addressing the pollution." Environmental groups view this assessment as a key tool for future liability claims.

The selected consultant has a strict timeline. A draft assessment must be submitted to the state by July 2027. The final report is due by the end of that year. This data will inform how the state structures its response to climate-driven harms such as rising sea levels and intensified storms.