Help Keep the News Coming

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

Juniper Ridge landfill files plans to transfer liquid waste

MAINE PUBLIC • September 25, 2026

Casella Waste Systems, the operators of state-run landfill Juniper Ridge have filed a court document detailing plans to transport liquid waste 20 miles to another facility for processing. Casella says Maine is facing a waste crisis and Juniper Ridge must be expanded as soon as possible to avoid running out of space by 2028. Environmental groups, abutters, and the Penobscot Nation are opposing the expansion. Sarah Woodbury, legislative director for Maine Conservation Voters, says the plan is not sound. "You should have leachate treatment systems at both of those facilities instead of running the risk of some type of spill in between the two facilities," she said. Casella did not respond to a request for comment.

Two years after Brunswick PFAs spill, high levels of forever chemicals detected in Harpswell birds

MAINE PUBLIC • September 24, 2026

Researchers have found elevated levels of forever chemicals known as PFAs in birds that nest in Harpswell, two years after a massive firefighting foam spill at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. Micah Miller with the Biodiversity Research Institute said PFAs levels were four to five times higher in birds within about five miles of the spill, compared with those nesting 40 miles away from it. Conservation research had already been underway on eider ducks and bald eagles in the area, so it was possible for scientists to compare blood PFAS levels before and after the spill. "We actually see the highest concentrations closest to the base, and then they kind of steadily decrease the further you get away,” Miller said. The research shows birds within five miles of the spill site had four to five times the PFAs levels as birds nesting within 40 miles of the spill.

84-year-old boater who went missing near York found dead

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 25, 2026

An 84-year-old boater who went missing near York earlier this week was found dead Friday, according to the York Police Department. Chester Benjamin Wiggins, of Bedford, Massachusetts, was last seen alive leaving Cape Neddick Harbor on a 17-foot boat Tuesday night. The Coast Guard suspended its search Thursday morning, but Marine Patrol and York police officials continued searching via plane and drones and recovered Wiggins’ body Friday afternoon.

Nor’easter to bring hazardous beach conditions, rain to southern Maine coast

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 25, 2026

The nor’easter moving north along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast this weekend will bring hazardous beach conditions, rain and gusty winds to southern Maine. The storm has slowed and was moving into southern New England on Friday. While there may be a chance of rain Saturday morning and afternoon in Maine, the odds increase Saturday night and into Sunday and Monday. “We’ve been so dry lately,” Combs said. “So this is a beneficial rain that we will see.”

Midcoast shellfish harvesters bogged down by deadly algae bloom

TIMES RECORD • September 25, 2026

Shellfish harvesters expecting a bountiful season are now assessing their losses and bracing for what’s next after an algae bloom wiped out most of the stock in certain Midcoast bays. Town and state officials, along with scientists and shellfish harvesters, have been monitoring a significant bloom of the phytoplankton Karenia mikimotoi after it was detected in Casco Bay earlier this month. The algae bloom, which is not harmful to humans, spurred the Department of Marine Resources last week to close shellfish harvesting in Maquoit Bay in Brunswick and the eastern side of Middle Bay in Harpswell, where clam diggers noticed dramatic die-offs of softshell clams and worms. More closures could be coming.

A Southwest Harbor landfill known for contaminating local wells is being capped

MAINE PUBLIC • September 25, 2026

Work is underway to cap a landfill in Southwest Harbor responsible for polluting nearby wells. It's a project that has been planned for nearly 20 years. The unlined landfill contains town waste and construction debris, says Ben Worcester, the president of Worcester Associates. The landfill hasn't been used since the '90s. And while the waste was previously capped, this project caps construction debris. David Madore, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, says water under the landfill will still be contaminated. The state has provided filters to homes with nearby wells that have been contaminated. Those filters will continue to be used while efforts to extend public water lines to affected homes continue. Worcester says his company has been working with the Maine DEP for roughly two decades to get project approval. He says funding was also an issue delaying the project which is expected to be completed by next September.

Maine town raffles off guns to replace fire gear lost in deadly mill explosion

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 25, 2026

Most of us who have ever camped for long in the big woods, have come to know the Canada Jay (aka Gray Jay, Whiskey Jack, Gorby and Camp Robber). These sociable creatures, next to a hummingbird, are the most interesting of all winged critters. They are non-migratory, a part of the crow family and can live up to 18 years. Somewhat tame and very inquisitive, the Gorby likes to stay in familiar surroundings. It gets through the long winters in the coniferous forest by stashing food in various places, demonstrating incredible resourcefulness. Naturalists speak of the bird’s amazing cleverness when it comes to caching food. Canada Jays are also known to mimic the calls of other bird species.

Midcoast Wood Bank prepares to meet huge need as heating oil prices surge

TIMES RECORD • September 24, 2026

The Midcoast Wood Bank is bracing to meet high demand for free firewood as heating oil prices peak and temperatures drop. Midcoast Woodbank founder Bruce Wildes said, “The price of oil is through the roof, and people are struggling with heat and food and fuel for their cars. We are counting on donors and volunteers to help us bring the wood to people who need it.” On Wednesday, volunteers split donated wood into 16-inch pieces, and then used a small tractor to dump it on a pile to dry. This batch likely won’t be ready to burn until the fall of 2027. The organization offers two cords of wood to any household that needs it. The volunteer-run operation prepares firewood in Topsham, stockpiling in the leadup to the winter months. Volunteers meet to work from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

Historic Cape Elizabeth barn gets a new life

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 24, 2026

The air smelled of old wood and remnants of smoke. The dark wood-paneled walls were bare, except for a yellowed birthday poster for Peter Eastman – or Pops to some. The creaky floors were empty. Soon, the approximately 100-year-old barn will be buzzing with activity, a new home to educational programs, movie nights and community events for the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. It will continue the building’s legacy as a gathering space, said Executive Director David Briman.

Will a weekend nor’easter be enough to bust the drought? Keith Carson explores

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 24, 2026

Literally 100% of Maine is in at least a moderate drought, with parts of the coastline in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The good news: We’re actually in better shape than we were last fall, but we still need a lot of rain to officially be out of a drought. Those graphics show us that Maine’s coast would need almost a foot of rain — 11.29 inches, to be precise — in just one month to stomp this drought out. That’s why one rainy weekend won’t fix this. 

Rural Maine road to a popular hiking trail finally being paved after a year-long battle

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 24, 2026

Chick Hill Road in Clifton was regraded Wednesday and will be repaved Thursday and Friday, according to a notice from the town. The road is used by residents and hikers to gain access to the nearby 1,100-foot peak the road is named after. Chick Hill Road was the subject of multiple agenda items last fall for the Clifton Select Board after it was torn up as part of an improvement project but not immediately repaved.

Happytown Farm, Orland, 55 acres protected

MAINE FARMLAND TRUST • September 23, 2026

In late August, farmers Karen and Paul Volckhausen and Angelica “Munch” Harwood celebrated a new chapter for Happytown Farm as Maine Farmland Trust closed on an easement protecting the 55-acre farm in Orland, with support from Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust. Since the early 1980s, the Volckhausens have been producing organic vegetables, meat, poultry, and flowers, and have long been deeply involved with MOFGA, local farmers’ markets, MFT, and mentoring countless young farmers. As they began to plan for retirement, Karen and Paul searched for many years to find new owners for the farm – and with transition planning support from Land For Good, farm employee Angelica “Munch” Harwood recently took over operations under a rolling lease agreement, which should allow her to build the equity necessary to eventually complete the purchase of the farm, while MFT’s and GPMCT’s purchase of the easement on the farm will help to make this arrangement financially feasible for Paul and Karen. The Volckhausens also donated a trail easement across the property.

Deering Family Farm, Scarborough39 acres protected

MAINE FARMLAND TRUST • September 23, 2026

The Deering Family Farm has become the latest in a growing cluster of protected farms in Scarborough. In August, the Deering family five siblings, including longtime MFT Lands Committee member Glen Deering, purchased 39 acres from the O’Donal family while simultaneously closing on a conservation easement with MFT to permanently protect the land. The Town of Scarborough contributed half of the funds toward the easement through the town’s conservation Land Bond.

EPA waives Wilton’s $273,000 match for water main project

SUN JOURNAL • September 23, 2026

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Wilton’s request to waive a $273,000 local match for a water main upgrade backed by $1.09 million in federal funding. The agency said Wilton qualified under financial capacity criteria used for the Community Grants Program. Communities where at least 11.7% of residents receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits may request a waiver. EPA said 13.9% of Wilton’s population receives SNAP benefits and verified the town’s supporting documentation before approving the request.

Opinion: Maine’s outdoor recreation economy relies on access to gear

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 23, 2026

Outdoor recreation is a key piece of Maine’s economic vitality. Over the last decade, our state’s outdoor recreation economy has nearly doubled, generating almost $4 billion per year. While growth has not stalled, it is slowing. In order to keep up the momentum, we must prioritize affordable access to the outdoors. One of the best ways to overcome our current barriers is to increase equitable access to outdoor equipment, from canoes and fishing rods to sleeping bags and hiking boots. What makes Maine’s outdoor recreation economy extraordinary is the opportunity to try and learn an activity and be hooked for life. That’s the economy we need to protect for the future. ~ Jeff McCabe, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation.

Inland Woods + Trails celebrates land donation to Rumford Community Forest

SUN JOURNAL • September 23, 2026

Inland Woods + Trails celebrated on Sept. 19 the donation of 52 acres to the Rumford Community Forest, a permanently protected, nearly 500-acre natural and recreational area at 161 Isthmus Road. Gabe Perkins, executive director of Inland Woods + Trails, said the tract will be called the Lucy and Christy Pachios Woods in honor of the couple whose family donated the land.

Norway Paris Solid Waste board calls for forensic audit as $100K turns up missing

ADVERTISER DEMOCRAT • September 23, 2026

Directors of Norway Paris Solid Waste board voted Sept. 22 to pursue a forensic audit of its books after a review found that more than $100,000 is missing. The board of directors is working to remedy years of poor financial oversight after discovering missing grant funds, bank accounts closed without authorization and account statements that do not match balance sheets, among other discrepancies.

Lobster processor’s waste overwhelms Bucksport water treatment plant

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 23, 2026

An area lobster dealer’s processing facility has strained the limits of Bucksport’s wastewater treatment plant for more than a year, leading the town to require the company to improve its own treatment. Greenhead Lobster, a Stonington-based dealer that is among Maine’s largest, opened its 15,000-square-foot processing plant in Bucksport’s industrial park in 2019. By 2025, it was handling up to 40,000 pounds a day as market demand shifts toward frozen and processed products, rather than whole live lobster.

Waterfront property values just spiked 200% in this Maine town

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 23, 2026

Waterfront property values in Greenville have jumped 205% on average after the lakefront community’s first market adjustment in decades. The increase is pushing up tax bills for many property owners in the Piscataquis County town that has a mix of multimillion-dollar homes and more modest ones surrounding Moosehead Lake, an area where home values have surged since the onset of the pandemic. “The whole Moosehead Lake region is exploding,” Town Manager Mike Roy said.