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Food, fertilizer, sport: What to do with the invasive green crab?

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

At Wolfe's Neck Farm & Campground in Freeport, a group of 30 volunteers are tromping through the mud flats at low tide, buckets in hand. Their goal is to get as many green crabs out of the environment as possible in one hour. It's called a "green crab derby." Volunteers flip over rocks and rake through seaweed with their bare hands. Rachel Wheeler, who is up from North Carolina camping with friends, brought her young daughter along. There will be prizes for biggest crab, most crabs, and most soft-shell green crabs found. The specimens collected will be disposed of or composted.

Maine plans major energy storage buildout

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

The Maine Department of Energy Resources is seeking regulators' approval for a major buildout of energy storage on the state's electric grid. The department filed a petition with the Maine Public Utilities Commission this week to start competitive bidding to develop up to 360 megawatts of large-scale batteries, which can store electricity when demand is low, then deliver it to the grid at periods of high need. A total 360 megawatt buildout could provide enough power for 15% of Maine's total electric load. Maine has a goal of adding 400 megawatts of energy storage by 2030.

Opinion: Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 21, 2026

Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap that could translate into sharply higher customer bills. After years of deferred maintenance, some rural districts across Maine have raised rates by more than 20% — and in some cases as much as 75% — to pay for long overdue needs. At Portland Water District, water main replacement is one example. Recent assessments indicate we should replace about eight miles of water main each year at an estimated cost of $40 million, compared with roughly $11 million spent today. Without increased investment, aging pipes will continue to deteriorate, and water main breaks are likely to become more frequent, disruptive and expensive. The U.S. Congress is uniquely well positioned to help us close the financing gap. ~ Scott Firmin, general manager of Portland Water District

Opinion: The tragedy of the ‘posted’ commons

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 21, 2026

I am constantly in awe of this land, of this seeming sanctuary of greenery, rivers, beaches, and mountains. Maine’s tradition of public access to land fosters collective appreciation of these gifts. Landowners have a right to determine who comes and goes on their own land, but I applaud every private landowner who commits to honoring this tradition. When the dreaded “Posted” signs pop up in a place that was previously accessible, it has a real and tangible impact on everyone in the community. I hope Mainers recognize how fragile this endowment of natural beauty is, and that the danger is not sudden change but rather the slow erosion of access, heralded by simple signs that read “Posted.” ~ Dan Rhodes, volunteer, High Peaks Alliance

Amazon’s revised proposal in Gorham gets public hearing

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 20, 2026

Amazon has revised some aspects of its controversial plan to build a warehouse and distribution facility near the Gorham town center, but opponents say plans to reduce traffic, noise, lighting, pollution and other environmental impacts aren’t enough.

Freedom wants to curb partying at popular swimming spot

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Freedom’s select board is trying to crack down on rowdy behavior at a placid pond. At a meeting on Monday night, the Select Board discussed how to address problems at the boat launch and swimming spot on Freedom Pond, also known as Sandy Pond, where residents have complained about partying, drug use, nudity, fighting and people having sex in cars. Earlier this month, the board announced it would restrict access to the pond to Freedom residents and property owners. But the move caused an uproar on social media, with many people from surrounding towns lamenting that they would no longer be able to swim at the pond.

Maine wants to end emerald ash borer quarantine

MAINE PUBLIC • July 20, 2026

Maine officials want to eliminate quarantine rules imposed to stop the spread of invasive emerald ash borer, arguing the continued spread of the destructive beetle make the restrictions ineffective. "The reality is that we knew all along that it would come to this eventually, that there was no way for us to stop it," said state horticulturist Gary Fish, with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. "All we could do is slow it down and we've probably slowed it down as much as we can," Fish added.

A midcoast lobster wharf is back under local ownership

HARPSWELL ANCHOR • July 20, 2026

The owner of the Mackerel Cove wharf Glen’s Lobsters has bought the Angie’s Lobster wharf next door, a move that brings a piece of Bailey Island’s working waterfront back under local ownership. Shawn Baumgartner said he plans to do some repairs to the Angie’s dock and buildings and keep that wharf operating for the foreseeable future. The Angie’s wharf last changed hands just four years ago in 2022, when an Arizona-based fast food restaurant bought it.

Fact brief: Does Monsanto v. Durnell bar Maine from adding differing health warnings to pesticide labels?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 20, 2026

Yes. Monsanto v. Durnell bars all subnational entities, including Maine, from adding health warnings to pesticide labels different from the federal government’s. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 7-2 vote that under federal law states cannot impose labeling requirements “in addition to or different from” those required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Oystercatchers, known for sharp bills and beady eyes, are making a comeback thanks to conservation

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 20, 2026

American oystercatcher were largely wiped out in New England by the turn of the 20th century due to hunting and egg collecting but their numbers are rising. About $10 million was raised over a decade in a nationwide effort to restore the oystercatcher’s population along the coasts of the Americas. Much of the campaign focused on educating beachgoers about the presence of the quirky birds known for their piercing calls and habit of using their razor sharp bills to crack open oysters and mussels. Measures were also implemented to protect their ground nesting sites from predators and pets on beaches, sand dunes, salt marshes or tide wrack deposits.

Maine hiring contractor to run packaging waste reimbursement program

MAINE PUBLIC • July 20, 2026

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is hiring a contractor to run a new program that makes manufacturers and companies responsible for the cost to get rid of packaging waste. The department issued a request for proposals this month for a "stewardship organization" that will oversee the day-to-day operations of its extended producer responsibility, or EPR, program. The program would shift the costs of disposing packaging waste from municipal taxpayers to packaging producers, said Vanessa Berry, sustainable Maine program director at Natural Resources Council of Maine.

New vision for Simard-Payne Park in Lewiston includes outdoor concert venue

MAINE PUBLIC • July 20, 2026

The developer behind Thompson's Point in Portland wants to transform Simard-Payne Park in Lewiston into an outdoor venue space that could attract national touring acts. A proposed letter of intent details a potential partnership between the city of Lewiston and Eco Hospitality Consultants. Eco Hospitality would have the 10-year rights to bring concerts and other seasonal programming to Simard-Payne Park, which sits on the bank of the Androscoggin River. It would also redevelop the historic Red Shop, which currently stores boats and other equipment, into a food, beverage and event venue, with the city having future rights to repurchase the property under certain conditions. And the proposal contemplates the expansion of an existing hotel on Lincoln Street or the construction of a second one.

Bucksport wants vacant downtown lot back after development promise falls through

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Bucksport is trying to reacquire a vacant lot from a developer who did not follow through on an agreement to build a mixed-use development on Main Street in exchange for a $1 purchase price. But Ellsworth-based SFS Development LLC has not responded to multiple letters from the town, which plans to escalate, according to a town official’s report to councilors earlier last week. The lack of development on the still-vacant site is a bump in the town’s long-running efforts to diversify its downtown and bring in new businesses for visitors and its tax base since the Verso paper mill closed in 2014.

The state says Greenville approved 89 housing units last year. The reality isn’t even close.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

The State of Maine Housing Data Portal shows Greenville in Piscataquis County approved building permits for 89 housing units in 2025. That’s 53 new homes per 1,000 residents, and nearly triple the number that Bangor approved last year. But Mike Roy, Greenville’s town manager, said that’s not correct, and he has “no idea where 89 came from.” Roy said the community’s planning officials approved building permits for 29 new homes. The error reveals flaws in the state’s database, which was heralded as the best way to understand whether the state is meeting its housing production goals.

I’ve fished this remote Maine trout pond for more than 50 years. This trip was unlike the rest.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Back in early June my sons and I made our annual pilgrimage to Timbuktu and “the pond” for our trout fix. There was no disappointment. The brookies were as accommodating as they have always been this time of year over the more than half a century that I have fished this Heritage Water. This year, for the first time ever, Scotty and I decided to try the pond in early July. Of course, we realized that the fishing might be slow due to warming waters. We got on the pond with fly rods just before dark, but no matter how much you gink up your fly, it’s not easy to get a good float in a steady drizzle. That special pond near Timbuktu is not going anywhere, and one fishless July day there does not dampen our passion. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

This Maine archipelago is a sea kayaker’s dream

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 19, 2026

Our destination: Mussel Ridge Islands, an archipelago of secluded islands off the coast of South Thomaston, just south of Owls Head. To get there, we’d need to kayak about 2.5 miles across open water, but we were confident. Our group included an experienced sea kayaker who lives in the area and has explored the islands many times. We paddled between Dix and High islands, then around Birch Island to Hewett Island. There our group decided to split up. Three of us would continue about 2 miles to Two Bush Island Light. The cluster of islands is a popular place for sea kayakers to explore because it’s fairly accessible and is home to a variety of wildlife, plus small, sandy beaches. However, beware that currents can be strong in Muscle Ridge Channel. ~ Aislinn Sarnacki

Opinion: Returning land and care of it to Wabanaki Nations yields great opportunity

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 19, 2026

Last month the Mi’kmaq Nation acquired 3,400 acres of forest, wetland and streams. This new property, called Mesgilg Maqamigew, is located in Bridgewater. It more than doubles the land held by the Nation. Held within the “bigness” of Mesgilg Maqamigew are forest, fields, wetlands and miles of South Whitney Brook, known locally for its brook trout. Mesgilg Magamigew is nestled between the two largest populations of Mi’kmaq citizens (Houlton/Littleton and Presque Isle /Caribou) and is located only a mile off Route 1, making it very accessible to the Nation’s citizens. The size and accessibility of this land make it a place rich with possibilities for practicing culture. This is the sixth completed project in the Tributary Land Returns, a collaboration between the five federally recognized Wabanaki tribes and seven non-native organizations, to return over 50,000 acres to Wabanaki communities across 11 different projects. ~ Brett Ciccotelli is First Light’s core staff member for land return; Shannon Hill is the environmental health director for Mi’kmaq Nation

Auburn’s Misfits Rehab, a haven for hurt wildlife, needs help: ‘I have never met a more selfless human being’

SUN JOURNAL • July 19, 2026

Like so many of the animals she’s saved over the years, Jennifer Marchigiani is in a spot of trouble. The home she has always shared with an amazing variety of critters is in rough shape and her animal rescue, Misfits Rehab at 850 Garfield Road, is in peril. “If it weren’t for running my wildlife rescue out of this house, I’d try to sell it and get out from under the burden,” Marchigiani said, “but I’m not ready to give up on rescuing wildlife yet.” For Marchigiani, no creature is too wee or insignificant to be deserving of help when help is what that creature needs.

Maine has tallied 40 railroad fires this year. Most of them happened in Oakland

CENTRAL MAINE • July 19, 2026

Oakland is home to just under 7 miles of railroad track, just a tiny fraction — 0.006% — of the Maine’s railroad track network. So far this year, 70% of the state’s railroad fires have happened on that stretch. That’s a 360% increase over last year. The Maine Forest Service is investigating.