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Jym St. Pierre
Editor, Maine Environmental News

Opinion: Before Maine looks for an economic ‘secret sauce,’ it should look inward

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 21, 2026

At a recent Maine Blue Week in Portland revolved around one idea: an “ocean cluster” informed by the experiences of others in Massachusetts, Alaska and elsewhere. Borrowing a model is harder than it looks. So what might Maine do instead? Treat its blue economy strategy the way a Bigelow scientist or a startup founder treats a promising hypothesis. Run small experiments. Measure the results. Take the data seriously (even when it’s unwelcome), and adjust. Hard-won local knowledge will likely serve the state better than imitating somewhere else’s pathway. ~ John Surdyk, Waterville

Opinion: Soaring diesel costs have Northeast’s loggers running on fumes

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 20, 2026

The mood across the Northeast’s logging industry is grim. Soaring diesel prices could be the final blow for many companies already on the brink of closing. “Nothing was improving,” said a central Maine logging company owner who recently shut down after 10 years in business. Diesel costs finally forced the decision. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to get any better anytime soon.” So far, little has been done at the federal or state level to ease the burden. Major mills in New York and New Brunswick have announced closures. Loggers need relief from soaring diesel costs soon, and lasting solutions must also address the underlying economic pressures threatening their businesses, because right now too many are simply running on fumes. ~ Dana Doran, Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast

UNE begins clearing trees as part of pier project

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 20, 2026

The first step in the University of New England’s research pier project is underway after the Biddeford Code Enforcement office approved a permit last week for the university to begin tree clearing. The university was authorized to remove 49 trees to create an access road to the pier, Biddeford spokesperson Danica Lamontagne said. The university is authorized to clear trees, but not to remove stumps, Lamontagne added. That permit is separate from the pier construction approval. The permit from the city also requires UNE to replant 50 trees and 28 shrubs, Lamontagne said. Despite express approval from the city, some residents are still concerned that by beginning tree removal, UNE is not following legal procedure.

Portland officials urged to advocate for residents affected by CMP transmission project

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 19, 2026

Mayor Mark Dion will prepare and submit testimony to the Maine Public Utilities Commission in response to growing public concern over a Central Maine Power proposal to upgrade its electric grid in North Deering. Public outcry over the project has snowballed over the last few weeks as residents have learned about the project. Last week, the town of Falmouth passed a resolution opposing the project, asking regulators to consider alternatives.

Interest in trapping grows in Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 19, 2026

In recent years, the state has seen a surge of interest. In 2020, Maine had 4,381 licensed trappers, according to department data. By 2025, that number had increased to 5,345. New trappers are less interested in selling fur for profit than they were in decades past. In general, they want a trapping license in order to be more self-sufficient, whether they plan to harvest meat for their family or manage pests and predators on their properties. “The No. 1 choice was to expand on their hunting and outdoor activities and broaden their outdoor skills.”

Column: Celebrate bats, our unsung heroes of the night

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 18, 2026

Oct. 24 marks the beginning of International Bat Appreciation Week, which was founded by a coalition of conservation organizations and government agencies across North America. It taps into this moment when bats are already on our minds to help educate the public about these incredible and ecologically important animals. Maine is home to eight species of bats. Yet they face serious threats. Chief among them is white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease first documented in Maine in 2011. Habitat loss adds to the pressure on these populations, making the preservation of natural lands paramount. How can you help these ecologically valuable creatures? Put up a bat house, plant a native, pollinator-friendly garden and avoid disturbing hibernating bats by steering clear of caves and mines in the winter. And share what you’ve learned about bats to help correct misinformation. ~ Ethan Gilardi, Biodiversity Research Institute

Old Orchard Beach park removes more than 500 trees to fight invasive insect

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 16, 2026

Guild Park looks jarringly bare from the road, a noticeable clearing catching the eye. Until recently, the park was chock full of trees, with a vast canopy that gave way to little sunlight. But in the past few years, an invasive insect moved in, and more than 500 trees were recently removed in an effort to keep its impact on the forest at bay. The hemlock woolly adelgid has likely been plaguing the trees for years, attacking the sap and needles of a tree until it dies. Guild Park was designated as a conservation easement and has been acting as a park since the late 1800s.

Maine Wildness is the name of the state’s new women’s soccer team

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 15, 2026

The name was announced and was immediately greeted by an extended and hearty ovation. The Maine Wildness, the newly named amateur women’s soccer club that will be a sister team to the Portland Hearts of Pine, is already a hit. And so is the club’s logo, a blend of new imagery with a clear connection to the Hearts. Club personnel spent hours and hours going over 300-plus names and then shaping the asymmetrical crest logo that pays homage to Maine’s wilderness with stylized imagery of Katahdin, flowing waters and wildflowers. Wildness, according to a club press release, connects the physical characteristics of Maine and “the trailblazing spirit” of Maine women.

State studying if electrifying operations at Maine cruise and cargo ports could reduce air pollution

MAINE PUBLIC • October 15, 2026

The Maine Department of Transportation and its partners are studying whether electrifying cruise and cargo ships could reduce air pollution at Maine ports. The group is collecting emissions inventories in Portland, Searsport, Eastport, and Rockland using a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Ports Program.

Bipartisan permitting bill in Congress could speed energy projects, but draws green critics

MAINE MORNING STAR • October 15, 2026

Suddenly there’s hope for cutting the reams of red tape that can make getting new energy projects a seemingly endless slog. Top Republican and Democratic senators have unveiled a 417-page bill to overhaul the approval process, a pathway for what’s known as “permitting reform.” Reformers will have to fight environmental groups, who tend to appreciate today’s detailed, often lengthy process for reviewing energy projects. They worry that streamlining reviews will make it easier for energy-gulping and air-and-water-polluting projects to proceed. It’s a battle that is likely to continue for months and perhaps even years.

Opinion: A blueprint for disaster for Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 15, 2026

Once again, the notorious, dangerous and ultra-conservative Maine Policy Institute has gone out of its way to attempt to undermine the safety and security and well-being of Maine families. Its newest approach is described in 2026 Maine Policy Blueprint. Its proposals will threaten the lives of children and families while undermining communities and, ultimately, the state. It suggests reforms in every sector, including Environmental: End “state-level hostility toward fossil fuel and nuclear power” while removing regulatory and permitting barriers; end vehicle inspection mandates; repeal all emissions reductions goals as well as nuclear referendum requirements; reduce funding for water quality by 15%; ban subsidies on EV sales. ~ Luisa S. Deprez, Ph.D., professor emerita of sociology and social policy at the University of Southern Maine

Gorham group asks court to overturn town’s approval of Amazon facility

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 15, 2026

A group of Gorham residents is asking Cumberland County Superior Court to overturn the planning board’s approval of Amazon’s proposed 146,280-square-foot distribution center. The appeal, filed by citizens group Gorham United, alleges that the planning board failed to apply some of Gorham’s land use ordinances in its Sept. 14 approval of Amazon’s project. The group argued the megaretailer’s application did not present full evidence the project would comply with town standards governing traffic, public safety, wetlands and stormwater.

Letter: Who protects the farmers?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 15, 2026

Regarding an Oct. 7 news report (“Maine’s top court rejects eviction appeal by Midcoast farmers”), the farmers’ appeal was reportedly lost because it was found they had “failed to pay rent and grow crops as they had once agreed.” Crops, for most non-farmers, usually means fruits and vegetables. Not all soils in Maine are suitable for growing fruits and vegetables. The Maine Farmland Trust ought to carefully review its policies regarding farmers on leased land; the situation that happened in Harpswell will happen again. It is one thing to protect farmland. Who protects the farmers? No farmers, no food. ~ Jeanne Johnson, Juniper Edge Farm, Brunswick

Cumberland to add 24 acres to Twin Brook park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 14, 2026

Cumberland will purchase a 24-acre parcel abutting Twin Brook Recreation Area, expanding the town-owned park’s size by about 10%. Town Manager Matt Sturgis said that the land’s owners approached the town to see if their property could be added to the park and preserved for the public to enjoy. The parcel consists primarily of woods, rolling hills and streams, said Sturgis, adding variety to the recreation area’s many fields.

Deadly Casco Bay algae bloom dissipating, impacts still being assessed

TIMES RECORD • October 13, 2026

An algae bloom that wiped out shellfish in parts of Casco Bay is dissipating as town officials and scientists assess the extent of the mortality and its impacts on the harvesting industry. Officials have been monitoring a bloom of the phytoplankton Karenia mikimotoi — which is not harmful to humans but puts significant stress on shellfish — since it was reported in Casco Bay in early September. Phytoplankton cell counts are declining in inner Casco Bay, the nonprofit Friends of Casco Bay said in an Oct. 9 update. But some areas are continuing to see fallout from the bloom, as low dissolved oxygen levels suffocate shellfish.

Katahdin is closed to hikers for the season

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 13, 2026

Katahdin is closed to hikers for the season. All trails up Maine’s tallest mountain, as well as Traveler Ridge, closed Tuesday, according to Baxter State Park. The Chimney Pond Trail to Chimney Pond Campground remains open until Thursday.

‘Thousands’ of dead fish discovered along Androscoggin River

TIMES RECORD • October 12, 2026

Local environmental advocates say scores of river herring were killed in the turbines of the Brunswick-Topsham dam while attempting to move down the Androscoggin River recently. Free the Andro, a local group that has been advocating for better fish passage at the dam during its federal relicensing period, has reported thousands of dead herring “lining the shores” along the river. Many of these dead fish are visible along Water Street in Brunswick. “This fish kill is, unfortunately, not a surprise,” said Free the Andro founder Chip Spies. “These occurrences are the reason we founded Free the Andro and are working to create safe and effective upstream and downstream fish passage requirements for the Brunswick dam.”

Opinion: Maine’s energy goals depend on a regulatory process people can trust

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October x, 2026

Our state leaders continue to aggressively promote widespread electrification, economic development, transportation electrification, rapid heat pump adoption and clean energy expansion. Every one of these initiatives drives up the daily demand for electrical infrastructure, heavy-duty service upgrades and overall grid capacity. Meeting these goals requires a larger workforce and a stronger, more resilient grid. There is an inherent contradiction in encouraging a society-wide dependence on electricity while simultaneously creating deep financial uncertainty around the exact investments that such dependence requires. If Maine hopes to build the skilled workforce, modern infrastructure and robust electric system its economic and energy policies require, it must preserve a regulatory process people can trust, rely upon and plan their lives around. ~ Tim Burgess, IBEW Local 104

Opinion: The grave consequences of politicizing science

SUN JOURNAL • September 12, 2026

The scientific community is right to be alarmed by the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed revisions to federal grantmaking rules. The deeper concern is the political capture of institutions that produce knowledge. Throughout history, political movements have sought to shape the institutions that determine how society understands truth, expertise and reality itself. This strategy is effective because it taps into psychological processes that have shaped human survival for thousands of years. Growing uncertainty surrounding federal funding threatens not only scientific discovery, but also the economic vitality, workforce development and medical advances upon which communities across Maine increasingly depend. Protecting scientific independence is about safeguarding one of democracy’s most essential foundations: our collective ability to distinguish evidence from ideology, truth from propaganda and scientific process from political loyalty. ~ Laura Ligouri, Mindbridge