Category: Blog

This story is the first in a series about the impact of high-speed internet connectivity on Maine’s coast. To learn more about Island Institute’s investments in broadband infrastructure on the coast, visit our Broadband & Digital Equity webpage or reach out to cthorpe@islandinstitute.org. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in a place… Read more »

As more electric outboard motors quietly emerge on Maine’s harbors, lakes, and waterways, a pressing question surfaces: who will maintain and repair them? As an organization dedicated to the long-term goal of electrifying Maine’s working waterfront, Island Institute convened a team of partners to develop a pioneering two-part education and training initiative.

This article is the first in a series by Island Institute exploring the topic of broadband and digital equity in relation to Maine’s municipalities. The series will celebrate many dirigo moments, but also reveal gaps in the funding and resources needed to support municipalities to achieve digital goals.

It’s no surprise that consumers want their power to be reliable and affordable, a duo of attributes that are challenging to balance and achieve anywhere – and notoriously difficult on an island or at the end of long radial power line. In our fourth year as regional partner for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), Island Institute has been busy identifying and evaluating solutions that achieve just those very goals with our community partners and national lab collaborators.

Island Institute hit the road this winter to advance the development of electric marine propulsion along Maine’s working coastline. Advocating for a new technology can take you places: from Machias to Portland, to Long Beach, CA. We’re seeking solutions to support businesses and community transition away from traditional diesel motors and their associated emissions and unpredictable costs.

Last month, Senator Collins secured $500,000 in federal funding to dredge Frenchboro’s Lunt Harbor. The small island located eight miles off the coast relies on marine transportation and fishing for survival, so a safely navigable harbor is critical for the island’s everyday function. The harbor, the main point for commercial fishing activity, is also the only access point for all mainland needs, including mail, groceries, medical services, and other supplies.

Island Institute believes in showing up and listening. A recent community visit tour took President Kimberly Hamilton, Chief Programs Officer Jennifer Seavey, Chief Policy Officer Nick Battista, and Public Policy Director Stephanie Welch to Mount Desert Island, Stonington, and Deer IsleOver two days, the Island Institute staff made 15 stops, visiting with over 31 community members, gaining new insights to address economic, community, and climate challenges on Maine’s coast.