MAINE, Maine — In 2020, Governor Janet Mills laid out ambitious climate goals with a series of benchmarks to hit with employment for clean energy jobs, providing Mainers with heat pumps and getting the state to become carbon neutral by 2045.
On Monday at the University of Maine, Tagwongo Obomsawin with the Governor's Energy Office spoke about the state of Maine's climate goals.
Obomsawin said jobs have succeeded to pace with demand according to what the state wants to see, but diversity in those jobs is still needing improvement.
Obomsawin said in her talk that nearly three-quarters of all clean energy jobs in Maine are taken by men.
"It's interesting what the picture is for representation for women... it's issues compounded by a lot of professions that make up the clean energy workforce at every level and you can see that underrepresentation," Obomsawin said.
But the speaker and those in attendance celebrated the job growth in addition to the partnerships the state has made with communities and businesses.
One community helped in that climate project funded by the state is 50,000 dollars to Chebeague Island, which is looking to expand on three projects: a drinking water study, a revitalization of its Stone Wharf, and mapping sea level rise.
For longtime Chebeague resident and town manager Viktoria Wood, this is a full-circle moment.
"It's the most exciting time that I can think of for me to be the town admin of this island because we are adapting and improving to a lot of changes but we're also trying to figure out how to make those changes in the coming future," Wood said in December 2022.
Wood told NEWS CENTER Maine every home on Chebeague Island depends on groundwater pumps, and that studies must be done if the island can efficiently maintain this method with an increasing population.
"We reached that point in the community where we need to have those hard conversations... sustain this amazing community and make sure this is still here for future generations."
It's just one community of dozens helped by the funding. And with another full year of work to help accelerate Maine to reach its climate goals, the state hopes to continue to see examples just like Chebeague.