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Editor, Maine Environmental News

Preliminary results in major Maine political races

• Governor: Hannah Pingree (D)
• US Senate: Troy Jackson (D)
• US House 1: Chellie Pingree (D)
• US House 2: Matt Dunlap (D) and Paul LePage (R) too close to call
• Maine Senate: Ds 16, Rs 8
• Maine House: Ds 66, Rs 28

Wildfire near Maine border grows to about 1,000 acres

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 4, 2026

A wildfire about a mile from Maine’s border with New Hampshire has grown to about 1,000 acres, the White Mountain National Forest said Wednesday. The Wild River fire is 11% contained and burning about 7 miles southeast of Gorham, New Hampshire. More than 50 firefighters and two helicopters are assigned to the fire.

Opinion: NECEC should not be renegotiated now

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 4, 2026

The debate surrounding the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project has lasted for years. The matter now under consideration is not whether NECEC should have been approved. That decision has already been made, and the line is operating. Nor is the question whether some people would prefer a different conservation approach than the one ordered when the Department of Environmental Protection approved the NECEC and upheld by the Board of Environmental Protection on appeal. The board’s responsibility is determining whether the applicant complied with the conservation conditions imposed. In my view, the answer is yes. The integrity of Maine’s regulatory system depends on the board being willing to say so. ~ Matt Scott, former chairman, Maine Board of Environmental Protection

Letter: Mainers, test your well water

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 4, 2026

My family is dealing with contaminated water — specifically uranium and arsenic in our well water. We tested the water eight years ago when we moved in but the levels of these chemicals have changed dramatically and now pose a serious health risk. We have no idea how long we have been drinking this poisonous water. Our two children have been drinking this water their whole lives. We’re in the midst of a lot of medical testing for all of us. Waiting for the results has been incredibly stressful. I urge everyone on well water to test their water regularly. ~ Ashley Bahlkow, North Yarmouth

Western Maine guide offers tips to families about nature journaling

SUN JOURNAL • November 4, 2026

Biddeford artist and author Rebekah Lowell shares how families can learn from nature year-round through journaling, with tips for fall and winter, guidance on raising monarchs and a simple kit that makes a good holiday gift.

Living with the Land 2026, Nov 12

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • November 3, 2026

This event brings together conservation leaders, community members, and land stewards to explore how creative projects and community initiatives on conserved land can strengthen community health and holistic well-being. Attendees will have dedicated time before the panel to connect with one another and interact with panelists through dedicated time for Q&A. At Johnson Hall, 280 Water Street, Gardiner, Maine, November 12, 5-8 pm, General Admission, $30.

Wildfire in White Mountain National Forest grows to more than 375 acres

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 3, 2026

A wildfire just over the Maine border in New Hampshire has grown. The 378-acre Wild River Fire is approximately 11% contained, Sarah Hankens, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service at White Mountain National Forest, said Tuesday afternoon. The fire is on the northwest side of the Wild River in Coos County, New Hampshire, in an area west of Mount Hastings. As the blaze spread, the Forest Service’s response grew from 40 assigned personnel on Monday to 50 on Tuesday. The cause is under investigation.

Salt Bay Farm interpretive panels explore the region’s rich environmental history

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • November 3, 2026

Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust is pleased to announce the installation of four new interpretive panels along the trails at the Salt Bay Farm Preserve. The displays were funded by the Maine State Archives and the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council through the Maine Semiquincentennial Commission, a grant program that funds inclusive, community-centered initiatives honoring Maine's past and inspiring its future as the nation marks its 250th anniversary. Coastal Rivers’ interpretive signage project invites visitors to explore how natural resources have shaped human life in the Damariscotta region for thousands of years. They connect past and present land use through the stories of oysters, alewives, timber and shipbuilding, and farming. 

The Axe Man’s collection preserves Oakland’s toolmaking history

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 3, 2026

Howard Hardy’s lifelong fascination with axes began in 1965 when, as a 12-year-old, he watched his father chop wood on the family’s 300-acre Farmington woodlot. That early spark was rekindled in 1978. He now has hundreds of vintage Oakland-made axes. From 1900 through the end of World War II in 1945, Oakland, Maine, produced more axes, scythes, and edge tools than any community in the world.

Royal River Restoration

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • November 3, 2026

What a difference a dam removal makes. It's amazing to see the transformation since the Bridge Street Dam was removed this summer. After more than 350 years of dams, the Royal River Alliance is restoring the river's natural flow and opening the way for migratory fish to return to their spawning grounds. Just one more dam to go, at East Elm Street.

Loon study reveals troubling trends, but Maine may be a bright spot

MAINE PUBLIC • November 3, 2026

A new study indicates widespread and long-term declines in loon populations across the birds' southern breeding range. But Maine appears to be a bright spot, where loon productivity — the number of surviving chicks per breeding pair — is growing slightly.

Letter: Buying American has drawbacks for builders

SUN JOURNAL • November 3, 2026

Sen. Angus King recently introduced the Build American Efficiency Act to cut the red tape developers must navigate. While this act could streamline development, it also has drawbacks. The act would require developers to source materials domestically, which can prolong building processes when people need housing now. Minority communities disproportionately feel the effects of the housing crisis; they end up in old structures that often contain unsafe chemicals like lead paint and asbestos. We can encourage our representatives to focus on policies that directly benefit the people they represent, instead of marginalizing those already on the outskirts. ~ Chloe Pierce, Cumberland

Opinion: Congress should take this chance to address climate change and lower energy costs

Congress is about to consider legislation that would significantly reduce emissions, accelerate a transition to clean renewable energy, and lower energy costs for Maine and the nation. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act is a comprehensive package of permitting reforms. The Senate bill advances climate goals and supports clean energy while maintaining important environmental safeguards. Our bipartisan Maine delegation, long champions for climate action and stabilizing prices, should not let this opportunity pass. ~ Peter Dugas, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, and Jeff Marks, ClimateWork Maine

Roughly 300-acre wildfire burning just over Maine border in New Hampshire

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 2, 2026

A wildfire was raging in roughly 300 acres of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire as of Monday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire is on the northwest side of the Wild River, in an area west of Mount Hastings (which is located just over the state border in Maine’s Oxford County). The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Westbrook bans standalone data centers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 2, 2026

The Westbrook City Council voted unanimously Monday night to prohibit standalone data centers. The city updated its land use ordinance to remove the use of data centers from the Rock Row Contract Zone. However, it still allows data centers as an accessory use, like server rooms and IT rooms for hospitals and other large organizations. The move follows the 180-day moratorium City Council passed in June to give the planning board time to review the city’s ordinances and provide a recommendation.

Feds declare drought a natural disaster in much of Maine, unlocking relief in 14 counties

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 2, 2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated seven Maine counties as natural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought, unlocking relief for farmers, businesses and nonprofits throughout most of the state. The primary counties designated as natural disaster areas by the USDA last week are Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo. The USDA also declared Maine’s drought a natural disaster last year, unlocking similar forms of relief.

Letter: Combatting roadside litter

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • November 2, 2026

Now that the election is over, let’s change our focus. Litter! It’s outrageous. The sides of our roads in beautiful, scenic Maine are turning into dumps. Beer bottles, paper, fast food containers, liquor bottles, tires, unidentifiable trash and even full garbage bags. Why do so many people not realize how wrong it is to throw whatever they want out their car windows? ~ Paula McKenney, Woolwich

Maine to calculate climate pollution damages to state

MAINE PUBLIC • November 2, 2026

Environmental groups are encouraged by Maine's first step toward calculating damage to the state caused by burning fossil fuels sold by major oil companies. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is planning to hire a contactor to assess the climate costs to the state from greenhouse gas emissions over a 30-year period until 2024. Sean Mahoney, director of the Conservation Law Foundation’s Maine advocacy center, said that adding up the financial effects on economic growth, natural resources, public health and other issues in the state is a necessary first step to holding fossil fuel companies responsible for the climate-altering effects of their products. The idea is to create a compensation method for pollution modeled on the federal "superfund" program.

Small landowners encouraged to join budworm spray campaign

MAINE PUBLIC • November 2, 2026

The Maine Forest Service is encouraging small woodlot owners in northern Maine to consider joining a free program aimed at blunting a harmful outbreak of spruce budworm in the region. Allison Kanoti, the service's director of forest health and monitoring, said that in communities around Fort Kent, voracious budworm have eaten developing buds of spruce and fir in recent years, causing extensive defoliation. Kanoti said that because of the patchwork of land ownership in the area, there are places that will likely not be treated and remain "hotspots" for spruce budworm overpopulation. Budworm is a native species that goes through periodic population booms.