The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
Thank you for reading Maine Environmental News. Each year, we post thousands of news summaries, notices, and links related to important environmental issues from across the state (and beyond). If you find this service useful, you can help us continue to provide it by making a donation. Just click on the button below and contribute whatever you can afford. Thanks again for your generous support!
Sincerely,
Jym St. Pierre
Editor, Maine Environmental News
MAINE AUDUBON • March 1, 2026
The third edition of Maine Amphibians and Reptiles explores the lives of 38 fascinating species—from tiny newts to rarely seen sea turtles—found across Maine and the Northeast. Built on 25 years of research, with expanded photos, regional studies, and engaging writing, it’s perfect for scientists and curious readers alike. Join some of the contributors to this fascinating book for a talk followed by a book sale and signing at the Falmouth Memorial Library. Light refreshments will be provided. At Falmouth Memorial Library, 5 Lunt Rd, Falmouth, ME, March 11, 5:30pm.
MAINE AUDUBON • April 1, 2026
Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Learn about Maine Marsh and Stream Explorers, a collaborative community science project between Maine Audubon and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This program trains volunteers to survey for macroinvertebrates, or large aquatic insects, in streams and freshwater marshes statewide. April 22, 7 pm, online, preregister.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 14, 2026
I’ve been watching, first with confusion and then with anger, as a group of homeowners calling themselves the Friends of Belfort sues to block a 50-unit housing development on the vacant lot next to Talbot School. The project was approved by the city’s planning board last July. It meets Portland’s zoning. Thirteen of the units are designated workforce housing. It’s on a bus route, next to a school, on land that’s sitting empty. It’s exactly the kind of development the city needs. The Friends of Belfort say they support housing — just not this housing, not here, not in this way. These are euphemisms from people who can’t say what they really mean: we have ours, and we don’t want to share. ~ Andrew Shuttleworth Fowler, Westbrook
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 14, 2026
The developers of the city’s eastern waterfront — a 10-acre project that’s been in the works for over a decade — plan to build a natural gas-fired cogeneration plant to provide electricity, heat and hot water to the property. The plant wasn’t part of the master plan that the planning board approved for the Portland Foreside Development Co. in 2023, but it was licensed by the state Department of Environmental Protection last summer. On Tuesday, the Maine Public Utilities Commission will begin reviewing whether the plant should be regulated as a public utility. So far, the developers have completed a marina, office building and historic factory storehouse restoration in a project now estimated at over $1 billion. They’re now ramping up the third phase of the project, which includes a hotel, a 132-unit condominium building and a 200-apartment complex. Barbara Vestal, a former planning board chair who lives near the development, called the plant a “major deviation” from city-approved plans. Others have expressed concerns about emissions.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 14, 2026
Crossing the border from Maine to Quebec is like walking through a magical portal. Suddenly, you’re transported to a foreign land where the inhabitants speak a French dialect and measure in meters. Yet the snowy landscape reminds me of home. And, just like in Maine, the people of Quebec embrace the wilderness through outdoor activities like snowshoeing and skiing, hiking and biking, ice skating and canoeing. On a recent trip that I stopped to explore some of the outdoor destinations the Canadian province offers. Now I’m hooked. I’ve realized that there’s a long list of trails I’ve yet to hike, just over the border. ~ Aislinn Sarnacki
MAINE MONITOR • March 13, 2026
Maine must choose between two divergent paths for how to generate electricity in the coming years, according to two reports released this winter that come to different conclusions. Both reports agree New England’s already high electricity costs are bound to rise. The question is which path leads to smaller increases. One report examines what’s driving the state’s rising electricity rates, largely blaming the price volatility of natural gas used to generate power in the region. It suggests continuing on Maine’s path of embracing renewable energy resources and greater efficiency to blunt those increases. The other analysis, released by a group of conservative think tanks, focuses on developing more natural gas capacity, more nuclear power plants or a combination of the two. Developing more renewables, it concludes, would be the most expensive and least reliable option. Missing from either of these reports is an all-of-the-above energy policy, the idea of encouraging whatever helps meet the region’s growing demand for electricity.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 13, 2026
A data center planned at the former paper mill in Jay may fall victim to a bill being considered in the Maine Legislature even before work on it begins in July. The project’s owner, JGT2 Redevelopment, has an agreement with a national data center company, Sentinel Data Centers, to occupy a total of 1 million square feet on two floors of the former paper mill long owned by International Paper, which was a regional powerhouse employing more than a thousand people before closing in 2023. The planned revamp of the mill has not been previously reported. But a recent bill approved by the Legislature’s energy committee would limit new data centers in the state for about a year. If it passes, the moratorium would effectively kill the project, said Tony McDonald, who is behind the data center project.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 13, 2026
Someone dumped trash in a stream in Mattagodus Stream off Route 169 in Prentiss Township, according to the Maine Forest Service. Mattogus Stream is a tributary of the Mattawamkeag River, which flows into the Penobscot River. Anyone with tips for Ranger Wesley Hatch about who may be behind the dumping can call the Bangor Regional Communications Center at 207-973-3700.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 13, 2026
My father has spent nearly six decades studying wildlife habitat and behavior to successfully trap furbearers in Maine. He has learned that animals are often the first sign that something in the landscape has changed. Habitat changes meant to benefit one species often end up benefiting others as well. My father mentioned that fisher were once thought to live mainly in mature forests. It is now understood that they often thrive along the edges of recent cuts where snowshoe hare are abundant. Fisher will also cruise riparian corridors such as alder runs, tributaries and streams in search of prey. Fox, coyote and mink use these same areas to hunt. He has also learned that forests with a mix of old trees, young trees, dead trees, downed logs, dense growth and openings support far more wildlife than forests made up of evenly spaced trees with little growing on the forest floor. For landowners interested in improving wildlife habitat, MDIFW’s Beginning With Habitat program offers technical assistance and many land trusts in Maine provide educational resources.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 12, 2026
South Portland has been trying to understand and resolve the water quality problems at Willard Beach for more than a decade. Willard Beach was added to the Maine Department of Environment Protection’s list of impaired waters because of persistent bacterial contamination in 2024. This designation does not mean the beach is unsafe for the public, but it does indicate a persistent issue that needs to be addressed. What you can do:
• Have your sewer laterals inspected and repaired.
• Don’t let car wash water run into stormwater drains.
• Only apply fertilizer if necessary.
• Pick up pet waste.
• Don’t dump grass clippings.
• Prevent erosion; soil is the top water pollutant.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 12, 2026
The owner of the Bangor Mall paid the city nearly $39,000 after a judge’s February ruling. Namdar Realty Group paid the mandatory $38,966 to Bangor, after the city had to fix a sewer leak the mall owner did not fix. A judge ruled in February that Namdar must pay $1.1 million for code violations ranging from a sewer leak to roof leaks.
CENTRAL MAINE • March 12, 2026
Concerns about PFAS, or forever chemicals, in Hallowell Water District water have been bubbling for over a year. Now, levels of forever chemicals exceed state standards, and the only access to PFAS-free water in Hallowell — without a potentially expensive filter — is a spigot at the Winthrop Street district building. More than 900 buildings in Hallowell and Farmingdale receive their water from the district, including downtown businesses. Hallowell’s drinking water source — two wells in Chelsea — are partially replenished by the Kennebec River, which is contaminated with PFAS, like most other bodies of water. Those forever chemicals don’t filter out before they reach the aquifer, and the district’s current filtration system can’t catch them, either.
UMAINE • March 12, 2026
Logan Johnson is Executive Director of Maine TREE, which serves as an avenue for collaboration among educators, students, forest professionals, and local communities in Maine. Johnson has dedicated his career to forest stewardship and conservation across a wide range of roles. After graduating from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Johnson worked in conservation with the Downeast Lakes Land Trust, Buzzards Bay Coalition, the Forest Stewards Guild, and the Maine Tree Farm Program and earned his master’s degree in forestry from the University of Maine School of Forest Resources. While completing his graduate studies in UMaine’s School of Forest Resources, Johnson discovered his passion for helping others see the value of forest management and sustainable stewardship, as well as the potential career opportunities these natural resources offer.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND • March 12, 2026
For the second year, University of New England students helped the Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust plant dune grass along their beach to make it more climate resilient. On March 10, more than 16 students from Assistant Professor Will Kochtitzky’s Geographic Information System (GIS) course hammered holes in the beach and buried dune grass stalks purchased by the trust, which turned out nearly 30 volunteers for the effort. The Biddeford Pool Conservation Trust planted dune grass last year with help from UNE students to address the dune loss that resulted from the 2024 back-to-back January storms that caused an estimated $90 million in damages along the Maine coast, according to the state.
TROUT UNLIMITED • March 12, 2026
The U.S. Forest Service recently announced its intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This action would remove protections for 58.5 million acres of national forest land across 39 states that are home to irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat. Roadless areas provide some of the most important habitat for trout and salmon in the United States. They are destination locations for hunters and anglers.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • March 12, 2026
Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced the Agricultural Management Assistance Act to reauthorize and improve the Partnership for Risk Management Education and the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) programs, which help farmers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing, or conservation practices. The AMA program is only available to 16 states that have historically low rates of participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program, including Maine. U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
TIMES RECORD • March 12, 2026
March means the opening of Maine’s elver season — one of the most valuable fisheries in the state — often second only to lobster. These tiny, slithery American eels can be worth as much as $2,000 per pound or more. This state-regulated fishery is one of the most restricted and highly competitive fisheries to get into. For 2026, there were only 20 new licenses available through Maine’s lottery system. While there is plenty to say about the American eel, let’s shift our focus to a different type of eel. While Atlantic salmon populations are still very much in recovery, sea lampreys are an anadromous fish that has successfully recovered. Dam removals and improvements to water quality as well as other conservation efforts have brought them back to record numbers. ~ Susan Olcott
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 12, 2026
Access to Maine’s outdoors depends on mutual respect and responsible behavior. When someone ignores the rules or damages property, the consequences can affect everyone. Someone recently rode a snowmobile on trails reserved for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing within Sebago Lake State Park. In some cases it’s not snowmobiles causing a problem, but trucks or other vehicles driving on groomed trails where they don’t belong. Under state law, wheeled motor vehicles are not allowed on groomed snowmobile trails. But recently a UTV driver had not only driven on the trail but had slid off a bridge, breaking railings and signposts and becoming stuck alongside it. One bad actor can undo the hard work of many volunteers.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 11, 2026
Warmer weather returned to Maine this week — and so did the deer ticks. Griffin Dill, Tick Lab manager at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, said on Tuesday, “We are hearing reports this week of people saying they’ve seen ticks crawling on themselves and their pets,” Dill said. “What is emerging now are adult deer ticks who have survived the overwinter and are now looking for a blood meal.” Deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses to humans. Maine logged a record 4,257 Lyme disease cases in 2025, and also reported 1,604 anaplasmosis and 352 babesiosis cases.
