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As the Durban climate talks come to a disappointing (if predictable) close, Politico takes a look at prospects for federal action on energy issues and breaks the news that with a deadlocked Congress — in a presidential election year — no one should expect anything anytime soon.

For anyone anxious for change, that’s not a pretty picture. And given the fact that a majority of Americans favor an international treaty to curb climate change, and even more want to see an increased investment in renewable energy, the lack of action and dearth of options is teeth-grittingly frustrating.

Unless you live in Maine.

When the newly elected governor (with 39 percent of the vote) threatened to roll back the state’s popular renewable standard, a coalition of local businesses and organizations banded together to do something about it. Taking matters into their own hands, they are putting a 20-percent-by-2020 renewable energy standard on the ballot for 2012. It’s a strong push for renewable energy, with some good energy-efficiency provisions to boot.