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
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 10, 2026
Maine’s North Woods range across the state from border to border, encompassing 12 million acres of ecologically-rich wildlife habitat, incredible natural scenery and a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities. A spectacular subset of this terrain is the sprawling expanse surrounding Moosehead Lake, which has been the domain of an indefatigable hiker named Christopher Keene since, well, around the advent of dirt. Over the past 20 years, Keene’s venerable guide, “North Woods Walks: A Collection of Hikes in Northern Maine,” has not only introduced countless trampers to the wonders of this vast forested region but entertained them as well with plenty of wry humor, nuggets of history and some pretty darn good around-the-campfire woodsy tales. The seventh edition of this invaluable trail companion, published last year, features 43 fantastic hikes totaling some 220 miles. ~ Carey Kish
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 11, 2026
Emotions run high when fishing regulations are challenged in court. A recent lawsuit targeting Maine’s fly-fishing-only regulations has sparked exactly that reaction. These rules are not about denying access; they are about matching human use to ecological capacity so fisheries remain viable over time. Climate change only raises the stakes, as warmer summers and lower late-season flows increasingly push cold-water fisheries to their limits. Healthy trout streams also safeguard drinking water, support wildlife and sustain rural economies through guiding and outdoor tourism. Conservation investments ripple far beyond the streambank. Lawsuits short-circuit the management system that has served Maine well for decades. ~ Steve Heinz, Cumberland, a member of the Maine Council of Trout Unlimited
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 11, 2026
Maine’s heating season has begun under colder-than-usual conditions. Early indicators suggest fuel delivery and energy assistance are holding steady, though demand for free firewood appears to be on the uptick. Temperatures across much of Maine have run below normal for about the past month, a stretch marked by increased fuel use.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 11, 2026
As winter settles in and spring edges closer, many Maine residents continue to head outdoors with a four-legged companion at their side. Dogs can be ideal hiking partners; eager, adaptable and happy to be outside, but colder temperatures, changing trail conditions and shared-use paths mean hikers need to plan carefully. Before stepping onto the trail, take one minute to check the basics:
• Inspect paws and nails for cracks, ice buildup or soreness
• Check collar or harness fit and leash clip
• Pack waste bags, water and a small snack
• Note weather conditions and available daylight
That quick check can prevent most common problems before they start.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 11, 2026
The Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby in St. Agatha has been a fixture for the past two decades, and its 21st edition is slated Jan. 24 and 25. This year’s derby promises the largest bounty ever, with prizes worth more than $75,000, including a $26,500 cash purse. But the anticipation of prizes isn’t what hooks many of the stalwarts who return year after year. Gathering on the lake with friends and family, mixing tradition and camaraderie — that’s the strongest pull. Mike Thibodeau of Frenchville, who caught the derby’s largest cusk at more than 12 pounds last year, is a hardcore cusk fisherman. He travels fairly lightweight, with a portable cabin that is easy to move around, an auger, stove and heater. “We have everything we need to make it through the weekend,” he said.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 10, 2026
There are few things that frustrate Maine deer hunters more than the eastern coyote. Hatred toward wild canine species stems from settlers who brought their beliefs about wolves to North America — the only place coyotes are found. One Maine hunter said, “If I see a coyote, I’m coyote hunting.” Coyotes’ existence throughout the state puts them at odds with deer hunters, who frequently blame the coyotes for killing deer they want. But the data is [sic] not clear enough to support these fears, as the state struggles year after year to achieve its deer harvest goals and insists coyotes are critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Biologists believe there are between 10,000 and 12,000 coyotes in Maine, but admit that’s a rough estimate. And while the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife concedes that coyotes kill deer, it doesn’t consider coyotes a threat to game populations, especially given the abundance of deer in southern and central Maine.
DAILY BULLDOG • January 10, 2026
On an early winter walk with my three-year-old in a local town forest, we heard our steps crunch on the frozen ground. The dirt of the trail had been pushed up on delicate columns of ice that looked like a pale sugar candy. “Why is it like ribbon candy?” he asked. We were crunching through a forest of needle ice. These needle-thin columns of ice extrude from the ground in rows and ribbons when the soil type and weather conditions are just right. ~ Rachel Sargent Mirus
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 10, 2026
There are few things cuter than a fuzzy, warm baby chick. But close interaction or cuddling with that same chick or its adult poultry parents can be a real health risk for humans. So, turning a chicken into an indoor house pet is not a good idea. They can carry bacteria very harmful to humans including salmonella and Campylobacter. Both of those bacteria affect millions of people in the United States every year, and both can be fatal in extreme cases.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 10, 2026
Daggett Rock is thought to be Maine’s largest “glacial erratic,” which is simply a fragment of rock that a glacier plucked from an outcropping in one location and deposited in another. The makeup of an erratic is usually different from the underlying bedrock that it rests on. Located on a wooded hill in Phillips, a small town in western Maine, Daggett Rock is thought to have originated from the nearby Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley. It’s approximately 80 feet long, 30 feet wide and 25 feet high, and it may weigh as much as 8,000 tons. The wide trail leading to Daggett Rock is 0.3 mile long and travels gradually uphill most of the way. Overall you’ll climb about 230 feet.
CENTRAL MAINE • January 10, 2026
Those opposed to the planned sale of four Kennebec River hydroelectric dams to a conservation group that intends to decommission or remove them are doubling down, as initial steps to facilitate the transaction have begun to play out in regulatory filings. A slew of businesses, interest groups, elected officials and area residents registered their opposition in recent weeks. Their comments came in response to Brookfield Renewable’s request to transfer federal licenses for three of the four dams to new holding companies in preparation for their sale to The Nature Conservancy. They joined lawyers for Sappi North America, the paper company that runs the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, who accused Brookfield and The Nature Conservancy of trying to bypass regulatory measures in an attempt to quickly close their deal.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 10, 2026
A report from the Portland Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee contains some surprising findings. In the six years following installation of parking-protected bike lanes on Park Avenue:
• All injury crashes, including motorists, were reduced by 44.9%, from 98 to 54.
• Bicycle crashes increased by 11%, from 9 to 10, including one fatality.
• Pedestrian crashes at intersections increased 233%, from 3 to 10.
It seems that the general guiding principle of reducing the road width (known as a “road diet”) is sound when it comes to slowing down cars and reducing serious crashes, but in this case, deficiencies in the design have actually been harmful to bicyclists and pedestrians. Separated bicycle facilities may be the right solution for some streets but infrastructure must be designed to create a seamless network of safe connections for all. ~ Zack Barowitz and Winston Lumpkins IV
DAILY BULLDOG • January 9, 2026
WinterKids is proud to announce that “For the Joy of Winter: 25 Years of WinterKids” will air on Maine Public Television as part of the Maine Public Film Series on Thursday, January 22 at 9:00 p.m., with encore showings on January 23 at 1:00 a.m., January 24 at 2:00 p.m., and January 25 at 4:00 p.m. The documentary follows WinterKids’ 25-year journey from a small grassroots idea to a statewide movement helping 16,000 children (annually) discover the joy and lifelong benefits of outdoor winter activity. What began as one simple vision has grown into a vibrant community of thousands, all connected by a shared love of learning, playing, and growing outside together.
MAINE MONITOR • January 9, 2026
National wildlife refuges have played an important role in American conservation efforts for over a century. Late last month, as many people were winding down for the holidays, the Trump administration quietly announced a “comprehensive review” of both the National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Fish Hatchery System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Brian Nesvik ordered top agency officials to “look for refuges or hatcheries established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the agency, and for “opportunities to achieve efficiencies in the areas of governance, oversight, and span of control.” The directive was not announced publicly by the agency, and few details have been released. Advocates fear the administration is trying to eliminate or significantly scale back wildlife preservation sites.
MAINE PUBLIC • January 9, 2026
A superior court judge has ruled in favor of the Penobscot Nation in an appeal over the expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill. The court ordered the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to redo a study that determined there was a public benefit associated with expansion. Justice Bruce Mallonee found that the DEP did not complete fact finding critical to its public benefit determination for the expansion of Juniper Ridge, the state-owned landfill in Old Town. He's now ordered the department to consider the cumulative environmental burdens placed on the Penobscot Nation and on the tribe's intimate relationship with the Penobscot River. By not considering those factors originally, the DEP failed to properly apply environmental justice standards required under Maine law. The Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation had appealed the DEP's public benefit finding.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 9, 2026
L.L.Bean has promoted a longtime employee to be the next president and chief executive officer of the 114-year-old retail company based in Freeport. Greg Elder, who began working for L.L.Bean in 2007, will transition into the new roles in late February, the iconic Maine retailer announced Friday. “This brand has shaped who I am,” Elder said, “not just as a leader, but as someone who deeply believes in the power of the outdoors to bring people together.”
SPECTRUM NEWS • January 10, 2026
What started as a student paper has become a roadmap for dealing with the harmful chemicals known as PFAS. For nearly two years, University of Maine undergraduate student Eddie Nachamie has been researching Maine’s response to the so-called “forever chemicals,” which have contaminated wells and farmland across the country. Certain levels of PFAS may also lead to cancer, immune system disorders and other health problems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial and industrial products. Through his verified work, he’s discovered that the state of Maine is leading the nation in PFAS regulation. Nachamie said, “There’s been the most robust response in Maine out of any other state.” Maine also has more supports for those who have been affected by the chemicals. His work can now be used as a framework for other states that are still figuring out how to implement PFAS legislation.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • January 9, 2026
The Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) regrets the deeply disappointing news of the United States’ intention to withdraw its participation in IPBES, along with more than 60 other international organizations and bodies. The United States is a founding member of IPBES and scientists, policymakers and stakeholders – including Indigenous Peoples and local communities – from the U.S. have been among the most engaged contributors to the work of IPBES since its establishment in 2012, making valuable contributions to objective science-based assessments of the state of the planet, for people and nature. Unfortunately, we cannot withdraw from the fact that more than 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction. Nor can we change the fact that the global economy is losing as much as $25 trillion per year in environmental impacts or restore the missed opportunities of not acting now to generate more than $10 trillion in business opportunity value and 395 million jobs by 2030.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 9, 2026
This week the Wild Seed Project, a North Yarmouth organization dedicated to promoting and restoring native plants in Maine through sharing seeds, announced Alice Friberg will be its new executive director. Friberg began her career in planting as a small business owner, running an organic farm in Whitefield for 11 years raising both crops and livestock. She served on the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s board of directors for eight years as well. In 2014, she joined Fedco Seeds, a cooperatively-owned agricultural supply business in Clinton, where she worked as a department manager, marketing chair and chief financial officer.
CBS 13 • January 9, 2026
Crews battled a fire at a Maine Wildlife Park shop in Gray late Thursday night. When crews arrived just before 11:30 p.m., they found a Maine Wildlife Park shop building was fully involved and a second-alarm was struck. Maine Wildlife Park is operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The park is home to more than 30 species of Maine wildlife that cannot be returned to their natural habitats. The park is closed for the season.
