Sen. Rafferty bill to support environmental education in Maine becomes law

AUGUSTA — On June 25, LD 1543, “An Act to Establish the Maine Green Schools Network,” a bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk, became law without the signature of Gov. Janet Mills.

“Our state has a rich history of environmental stewardship and serves as a tapestry of knowledge about our natural world,” said Sen. Rafferty. “By building a network of stronger environmental education, we can instill a love of nature in the next generation and demonstrate why it is so important to protect our planet and Maine’s way of life.”

LD 1543 establishes the Maine Green Schools Network within the Department of Education (DOE) to support environmental education and initiatives in public schools. Under the bill, the DOE will administer the network, which will include various relevant stakeholders and government officials.

The network will be responsible for supporting professional development and school projects; increasing the number of educators in Maine who provide training for green schools; and for developing common resources, trainings and metrics to support educators. It also authorizes the Department to develop a grant program to support the network in fulfilling its duties and requires them to report back to the Legislature with findings and recommendations. 

The law will go into effect on September 24, 2025.