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

New Maine Restrictions on Certain Rodenticides and Herbicides Now in Effect

MAINE BOARD OF PESTICIDES CONTROL • June 26, 2026

The Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC) is notifying homeowners, pesticide users, retailers, and applicators that new restrictions on certain rodenticides and herbicides took effect on June 16, 2026. Under the new rules, products containing the following active ingredients are now classified as Restricted Use Pesticides in Maine:
• Rodenticides: Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum, Difethialone
• Herbicides: Tebuthiuron
As a result, these products may only be purchased and used by individuals who hold a valid pesticide applicator license issued by the BPC. General Use Pesticide Dealers may no longer sell products containing these active ingredients, and unlicensed individuals may no longer purchase or use them.

Internal memo tells national parks not to report deaths

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Officials at Acadia National Park may stop reporting deaths in the park. A U.S. Department of the Interior internal memo obtained by the Washington Post instructs staff at national parks not to confirm deaths or provide details about severe injuries on park property. Park staff are only allowed to confirm “that an incident occurred.” Communication from Acadia is in decline. The park has responded less frequently to media queries the past two years, and since late last month has not had a designated spokesperson.

Two hikers stranded on Mount Katahdin rescued by Maine Army National Guard Thursday

MAINE PUBLIC • June 26, 2026

Two technical climbers stranded on Mt. Katahdin Wednesday due to severe storms were rescued early Thursday by a Maine Army National Guard helicopter team. According to Baxter State Park Officials, 35-year-old climbers Dylan Cunningham and Sean Rowan of Virginia were on Mt. Katahdin's Flat Iron Wednesday when severe thunderstorms rolled through Baxter State Park. The pair were stranded on the rough terrain and exposure to the elements left both men hypothermic and dehydrated.

Mi'kmaq Nation to expand lands with new Aroostook county parcel

MAINE PUBLIC • June 26, 2026

The Mi'kmaq Nation has obtained a new land parcel of over 3,400 acres, after several years of land-return efforts by the tribe and local conservation groups. The parcel will more than double the tribe's land holdings. The Mi'kmaq Nation, a Wabanaki Tribe with lands in Aroostook County, hopes to use the new parcel for hunting, fishing and basket-weaving, and to teach those skills to the next generation. The Conservation Fund purchased the parcel last year from a local forester and held the land for the tribe until fundraising for the $1.9 million parcel was completed.

How climate change is reshaping trails in the White Mountains

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 26, 2026

“When the trails…in New Hampshire were laid out, they were laid out to maximize adventure, challenge,” said Matt Moore, senior operations manager for Appalachian Mountain Club Trails. It’s common for trails in the White Mountains to follow direct routes up slopes, eschewing twists and turns, or switchbacks, that would moderate their ascents. The trail crews that charted these routes in the 1920s and 1930s often crafted them to mark a straight path up the slope, Moore said. That approach created some iconic routes up and down the region’s famous peaks — but it also established trails that tend to be aligned with the path of rainfall runoff. That means trails in New England are particularly susceptible to erosion to begin with, Moore said. And as climate change continues to make rain events more intense, that creates a growing problem for hikers and trail crews alike.

Column: New Maine MILL is something every Mainer must see

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2026

In an old mill building facing west toward the Androscoggin River, a $15 million arts and culture museum in Lewiston is about to use deep ties to the community’s past to open the door to a new future for much of Maine. Opening Saturday, June 27, the spectacular Maine Museum of Innovation, Labor and Learning focuses on the industrial heritage of Lewiston and the region with flair and hope. Not so many years ago, the nearby Androscoggin River was a stinking mess so awful that the only people who lived along it were those too poor to live any further from its banks. Following Sen. Ed Muskie’s 1972 Clean Water Act, spurred in part by the senator’s memories of growing up in Rumford, the river is now a delight. The cities built alongside it are now increasingly looking to spur economic growth. ~ Steve Collins

Column: This honor-system farm store in Cumberland couldn’t work just anywhere

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2026

In the corner of a big white barn on Winn Road about a half mile off Route 9, anyone can walk in at anytime of day and comb through coolers of grass-fed beef, grab a carton of eggs or select snacks from the shelves. The farm store at Pine Ridge Acres never closes and has no cashier. Instead, it relies on a log where customers are asked to write down their name, what they’re buying and how they intend to pay for it — by cash or check (slid into a locked box beside the counter), credit card or Venmo. The business model doesn’t seem like it should work, but the store’s shrinkage rate is right around the industry average and, for theft in particular, is far below it. ~ Leslie Bridgers

Poland citizen initiative puts 6-month pause on solar farm project

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2026

A proposed solar electric generation facility in Poland will have to wait after residents voted to put a six-month moratorium on all commercial solar projects. The project proposes a .999-megawatt array covering about 6.5 acres across 21 abutting properties. It would be managed by PE Copernicus LLC of Yarmouth, a subsidiary of a North Carolina-based solar company. The project was given the green light Feb. 10 by the Poland Planning Board and sent to the Select Board for final approval. At a March 3 Select Board meeting, residents registered concerns, which included the speed of the project and environmental impact. The same day, the Select Board voted 3-2 against a moratorium on commercial solar projects. Residents began circulating a petition to put the moratorium up for a townwide vote under a citizen initiative. On Election Day, residents voted 761-611 in favor of the moratorium.

Column: A Maine guide’s summer fishing report: What anglers can expect

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

It’s finally here — summer. We’re almost through June, and the best fishing across Maine is happening right now. Stripers are pushing into the state, hatches are in full swing and fish are feeding on the surface. Remote ponds are on fire as Hexagenia hatches begin — the hatch that makes big brook trout stupid. The smallmouth fishing this year has been outstanding, and we’ve landed some of the biggest bass I’ve seen in my 23 years of guiding. ~ Kevin McKay

Everything first-time visitors should know about Baxter State Park and Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

There’s a lot to know about visiting Baxter State Park. So much so, it can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first trip. First of all, the park is huge. It takes more than two hours to drive from one end to the other. The park’s website has so much information that there’s really no reason to be unprepared. The first time I went, I knew all the locations, estimated travel times and the more difficult trail sections to watch out for. But if you’re not a planner and want as much information in one spot as possible, here’s some of the most pertinent information to know before visiting.

Volunteers pedal people with disabilities along Acadia’s carriage roads

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2026

MDI Wheelers, a Tremont-based nonprofit that grew out of a cycling group after three husbands — two who had strokes and one diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — developed mobility limitations decided to find a way to keep riding together and have since offered dozens of people with disabilities a chance to ride Acadia National Park’s historic carriage roads. MDI Wheelers, which began in 2021, is meeting a growing need in Acadia. As the park’s visitation count continues to rise — more than 4 million visits were recorded last year — some of those visitors are people with different mobility needs. MDI Wheelers are not the only way people with disabilities can enjoy the park. The park’s free shuttle service, the Island Explorer, is wheelchair accessible. The park also has a wheelchair-accessible horse-drawn carriage.

Most of Maine is no longer in drought, but dry conditions linger along coast

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

Drought conditions are continuing to improve in Maine. Most of the state was not in drought as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, though coastal areas remain in a moderate drought or under abnormally dry conditions. It’s a notable improvement from mid-June, when much of interior Maine was still under dry or drought conditions, with only the northern part of the state spared from any designation. It’s an even greater step forward since early May, when all of the state was considered to be at least abnormally dry. Only southwestern York County remains under severe drought conditions.

Windjammers want more Mainers to take schooner staycations

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

The annual Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor was one stop on a six-night voyage for a number of the nine vessels that tour overnight passengers up and down the coast, a tradition that dates back nearly 100 years. This season, some schooners are offering discounts to in-state residents, hoping to attract more locals to a uniquely Maine experience. This year, the nine vessels in the Maine Windjammer Association are offering discounts of between 10% and 40% for Mainers on certain trips. “There are tons of people who think tourism on the coast is just for tourists,” said Maine Windjammer Association manager Jenny Tobin. “We take people away from the tourists out into the beautiful islands.”

Internal memo tells national parks not to report deaths

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Officials at Acadia National Park may stop reporting deaths in the park. A U.S. Department of the Interior internal memo obtained by the Washington Post instructs staff at national parks not to confirm deaths or provide details about severe injuries on park property. Park staff are only allowed to confirm “that an incident occurred.” Communication from Acadia is in decline. The park has responded less frequently to media queries the past two years, and since late last month has not had a designated spokesperson.

Elevated bacteria levels close swimming areas in Raymond, Scarborough and Rockland

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2026

More than 10 swimming areas in Maine are closed due to elevated bacteria levels, including nine beaches and Tassel Top Park on Jordan Bay in Sebago Lake in Raymond and Chickawaukie Lake in Rockland. Elevated bacteria advisories have been issued for nine beaches (Broad Cove Reserve in Cumberland, City Park and Heritage Park in Belfast, East End Beach in Portland, Ferry Beach in Scarborough, Laite Beach in Camden, Lincolnville Beach in Lincolnville, Mackerel Cove in Harpswell and Riverside in Ogunquit) due to bacteria levels being above the EPA recommended threshold of 104 parts per billion. Those nine beaches are still open, but people are cautioned to swim at their own risk.

Maine Outdoor Film Festival, July 21-26

MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2026

The Maine Outdoor Film Festival’s signature flagship event returns to Portland July 21 to July 26 and Maine Public is very pleased to be a Media Sponsor. This year’s MOFF lineup features 97 films from 11 countries, including 18 Maine-made films. Screenings take place throughout Portland—indoors each day at local theaters and outside each night under the stars at our open-air theatre, complete with a 24-foot inflatable screen (BYO chair and picnic!).

Durham gravel pit owner fined $15K as part of agreement with town

SUN JOURNAL • June 25, 2026

The Durham Select Board on Tuesday approved an administrative consent agreement that fines a gravel pit owner $15,000, requires a $100,000 reclamation bond, and imposes travel restrictions on the business’s vehicles. The agreement comes after numerous complaints by neighbors led the town to issue a stop work order May 7 to Brunswick Trucking/Jaiden Landscaping for digging and extraction work that exceeded the 5-acre parcel permit for its gravel pit at 1104 Hallowell Road. The work also had “slight” encroachment on to natural resource buffers.

Stories of First People come alive in ‘Dreamcatcher,’ at Chesterville meeting house

LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • June 25, 2026

Stories of Grandmother Spider, Coyote and Crow will take the stage July 11 when performance artist and story keeper Leland Faulkner presents “Dreamcatcher” at the Chesterville Center Union Meeting House. The 7 p.m. all-ages performance will combine magic, mime, music and regalia to bring traditional tales and magical adventures from the First People to life.

2 men rescued from Katahdin after becoming trapped in severe thunderstorm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2026

Two men, Dakota Cunningham, 35, of Richmond, Virginia, and Sean Rowan, 35, of Chesterfield, Virginia, were cleared to climb Katahdin and left the Chimney Pond Campground at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Conditions worsened during their ascent, and by 2 p.m., they were confronted with a severe thunderstorm, according to Baxter State Park Director Kevin Adam. The hikers were caught in the storm on a section of the mountain known as the “Flat Iron,” which is a difficult climb even for expert hikers. As the storm worsened into rain, hail, high winds and lighting, Cunningham and Rowan became hypothermic and dehydrated. At around 6:45 a.m. Thursday morning, the Maine Army National Guard search crew located the hikers, and airlifted them off the mountain. They were taken to the Millinocket Regional Hospital for necessary treatment.