It's Time for a Consumer-Owned Utility in Maine

This month’s election saw one of the highest turnout rates for a referendum-only ballot in Maine’s history, and much of that was propelled by the very controversial CMP corridor debate. CMP and its partners spent over $60 million to sway voters in its losing bid at the ballot box.

Mainers overwhelmingly rejected the corridor in a 59-41 vote. But CMP isn’t giving up that easily. At the risk of losing its profit on the project, Avangrid (CMP’s Connecticut-based parent company) has sued to challenge the constitutionality of the referendum. Avangrid is a subsidiary of Spanish power giant Iberdrola.

And then there’s CMP’s track record with its customers. According to J.D. Power, CMP has ranked dead last in customer satisfaction for the past three years, with Versant (Maine’s other major utility company) not doing much better. CMP’s 2020 score was even lower than Pacific Gas & Electric in California, responsible for last year’s Camp Fire and this year’s Dixie Fire. The low ratings have a lot to do with CMP’s ever-growing price tag, combined with its poor track record for customer service.

It’s clear that Central Maine Power is not here for the people of Maine. If it was, it wouldn’t be spending $60 million to pass Question 1 and then sue when they don’t get their way. Rather than maintaining a company that prioritizes its shareholders and out-of-state business over its customers, it’s time we make the push for a public-owned utility to deliver more affordable electricity to Maine families.

There are several ongoing grassroots campaigns promoting the creation of a consumer-owned utility company in Maine. Our Power started its Citizen Initiative project in August to gather signatures and put Pine Tree Power Co., vetoed by Governor Mills in July, on the ballot in 2022. The organization argues that CMP and Versant currently charge their customers 58 percent more than one would pay to a consumer-owned utility, which also offers a more reliable grid, a faster transition to clean energy, and accountability to the people of Maine. Maine Public Power has also begun canvassing to collect the signatures needed for the referendum. Additional support has come from the Maine chapter of the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

As we transition away from fossil fuels, having access to affordable electricity is becoming more and more critical for Maine’s working families. Mainers deserve a say in where their power comes from. They deserve a consumer-owned utility.

How Can We Support Maine’s Veterans?

Veterans Day is an opportunity to honor the brave people who have served our country. Our veterans gave all of themselves for us, but when they return home, they’re too often left behind. We need to do everything we can to help them readjust to life at home while giving them the time and support they need to heal.

A statewide Paid Family & Medical Leave program is crucial for our veterans, so they can care for themselves and support their loved ones without losing their job.

David Katende is one of Maine’s brave veterans who discovered how a lack of Paid Family and Medical Leave left him behind:

“I joined the National Guard, and I enrolled in the University of Southern Maine. I was eventually accepted as a project engineer for Cianbro. I felt like I achieved the American Dream. Then, one of my sisters who still lived in Uganda fell ill. I knew I had to return to care for her. When she recovered, I returned home to Maine. I had no job, and therefore, no insurance…[In Uganda,] paid leave is a given when it comes to caring for family.”

WATCH: David Katende on Why Mainers Need Paid Family and Medical Leave

No one should have to choose between their health or their job. Paid Family and Medical Leave will allow everyone to live a better life, while ensuring that our workplaces, schools, and communities stay safe and healthy.

Sign if you agree: Maine needs Paid Family and Medical Leave.

Should Children Be Vaccinated for COVID-19?

With the recent announcement that the FDA and CDC have approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, parents rightfully have a lot of questions about the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, and whether it’s even necessary given the lower rate of serious infection in kids. We’re here to answer any questions you may have about the impact of these vaccines on children and their families.

First thing’s first: Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for children ages 5-11?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccines have been thoroughly tested in clinical trials focused specifically on their effects on children. The results have shown that the vaccine is 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children ages 5-11.

For more information on the clinical trials, visit this site from the Mayo Clinic.

Additional Sources: Cleveland Clinic, NPR

How does the children’s COVID-19 vaccine differ from those available to adults?

Pfizer’s dosage for ages 5-11 is one-third of the dosage used for teens and adults (10 micrograms versus 30 micrograms). Other than that, the process is the same: two vaccines, three weeks apart, with full immunization two weeks after the second dose.

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic

Kids are less likely than adults are to get seriously ill from COVID-19. Why do they need to be vaccinated?

There are two major reasons why children should be vaccinated, sooner rather than later:

1. While children generally experience milder cases of COVID-19, there’s still a chance that they can require hospitalization. According to the CDC, the rise of the Delta variant actually resulted in a massive surge of children hospitalized with the virus this summer. Kids may also experience long-term effects following recovery, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). MIS-C is associated with a surge of inflammation of the blood vessels, specifically with the heart and coronary arteries, and can cause serious organ damage.
   

2. Even if children don’t show symptoms of COVID-19, they can act as asymptomatic carriers. This means that a child who interacts with someone infected with COVID-19 can pass the virus onto others, including family members, classmates, and teachers (all of whom can then spread the virus further). Research suggests that children may even be likely vessels for the virus to evolve new variants, ones that could make all of us sicker.

Additional Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, NPR

What if my child already had COVID-19? Do they still need to be vaccinated?

Yes. We still don’t know how long immunity lasts in children, so getting them vaccinated is still the most effective way to keep kids healthy and protected in the long run and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Sources: Boston Children’s Hospital, NPR, CNN

What are the side effects?

The vaccine’s side effects in children mirror those in adults, although milder: injection site pain and redness, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, nausea, swollen lymph nodes, and temporarily feeling lousy. These symptoms generally occur about two days after getting the shot, and they can last 1-3 days.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Boston Children’s Hospital, CNN

Can my child be vaccinated if they are allergic to eggs or latex?

Yes. None of the vaccines contain eggs or latex.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Allergic Living, Allergy & Asthma Network

My child is scared of vaccines/needles. How can I help them?

A great question, and one that many parents have asked.

The best advice for helping children get vaccinated is to keep them calm and distracted. Ask them to look away from the needle, take slow, deep breaths, or hold your hand, and remind them of the good things they can do once they’re vaccinated. Maybe have something fun planned for afterward. CNN has more great tips.

And a pro tip from the author, who was petrified of needles all the way through high school: Ask for or invest in a reusable shot blocker. It stimulates the nerves around the injection site, so your child is less likely to feel the needle. A pediatrician’s office is more likely to keep one on hand, but they can be found online at Amazon and eBay.

How can I get my child a vaccination appointment?

MaineHealth recommends that children receive their vaccines through a school-based clinic and offers a list of sites. Walgreens also offers vaccines for kids ages 5-11. NewsCenter Maine has provided a comprehensive, up-to-date list of additional options.

Expanding access to vaccines for everyone ages 5 and up marks an incredible step in beating this pandemic. Roughly 94% of all Americans are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, getting us that much closer to post-COVID freedom. Vaccinations protect you, your loved ones, and your community.