Forty-four Maine communities have signed on to a Sierra Club program aimed at "stopping" global warming by encouraging energy conservation.

Waterville, Augusta and Hallowell are among the member cities of the program, known as Cool Communities. Cool Communities National Director Glenn Brand, who is based in Portland, said Maine's partner organizations set it apart from their counterparts across the country.

"What's innovative and exciting about the coalition in Maine is that it is based on collaboration of an interesting intersection of groups," Brand said Friday. "There are other coalitions ... but I think this is one of the strongest in the country."

American Lung Association of Maine, Maine Council of Churches, Maine Energy Investment Corporation, Physicians for Social Responsibility of Maine and Sierra Club's Maine chapter are participating.

First on the Cool Communities action plan for member cities isto take inventory of their respective emissions, set a reduction target and develop an action plan to reach the target.

Other objectives include:

* Adopt and enforce land-use policies

* Promote transportation alternatives

* Increase use of clean, alternative energy

* Make energy efficiency a priority

* Practice and promote sustainable building practices

* Increase the average fuel efficiency of municipal fleet vehicles

* Evaluate opportunities to increase pump efficiency in water and wastewater systems

* Increase recycling rates in city operations

* Maintain healthy urban forests; promote tree planting

* Help educate the public

Different communities chose different routes toward energy conservation, a report released by Sierra Club said.

Waterville, along with Portland, Falmouth and Belfast, joined the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, which provides a software program and technical assistance to enable the communities to take inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions.

The report also spotlighted Waterville's support of Rhode Island developer Paul Boghossian as he seeks to refurbish and restore the historic Hathaway Shirt Factory.

In Hallowell, the executive director of the American Lung Association of Maine, Ed Miller, is trying to put together a local team to cooperate with Sierra Club's program and coordinate various energy saving ventures.