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Jym St. Pierre
Editor, Maine Environmental News

Trump administration to exempt Canadian products used by Maine farmers from tariffs

MAINE PUBLIC • October 23, 2026

The Trump administration is creating tariff exemptions for Canadian products important to some agricultural sectors in Maine, according to Sen. Susan Collins. The exemptions announced on Friday will apply to nine categories of products, some of which are important to blueberry and apple growers, potato farmers and seaweed producers in Maine. But the announcement immediately became fodder for Maine's closely watched U.S. Senate race as Democrats accused Collins of seeking to mitigate economic damage that she helped to cause.

Crayola among companies failing to disclose toxins in kids products

MAINE PUBLIC • October 23, 2026

Crayon maker Crayola is among manufacturers of products for children that failed to tell Maine regulators their goods contained toxic chemicals as required by state law, according to Portland-based nonprofit Defend Our Health. Defend our Health Executive Director Emily Carey Perez de Alejo said Crayola did not disclose that some of its art supplies including markers and finger paint used formaldehyde as a preservative.

Orland campground owner fined $8K over substandard waste piping

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 23, 2026

The owners of an Orland campground have been ordered this month to pay $8,000 in fines over 20 campsites that violated town development ordinances. The owners of Wanderin’ Moose Campground, which sits on the shore of Toddy Pond in Hancock County, have been in a multi-year dispute with the town of Orland after adding 20 unsanctioned campsites that were not part of their original approved site plan. The town alleged that the campground violated local laws about cutting down shoreland-adjacent trees and installing professionally-graded sanitary waste piping and electrical hook ups.

Officials brief public on pilot program to clean up mercury in Penobscot River

MAINE PUBLIC • October 23, 2026

Members of the public received an update Wednesday night on efforts to clean up mercury pollution on the Penobscot river in Orrington. Over the next year, the Penobscot Estuary Remediation Trust said it will monitor a 6-acre pilot effort to cap contaminated sediment and proceed with another test of removing some contaminated sediment to determine if it can be treated and reused. Maine People’s Alliance and Natural Resources Defense Council sued Mallinckrodt more than two decades ago for contaminating the river at its HoltraChem site in Orrington. The contaminated material is now found throughout areas in the southern part of the river. The settlement included nearly $270 million dollars to fund the cleanup. Remediation efforts are going to take a long time.

Fact brief: Are fake spiderweb decorations dangerous to birds and other animals?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 22, 2026

Yes. Fake spiderweb decorations can entangle birds and other wildlife, sometimes causing serious injuries or death. Animals caught in the synthetic fibers may be unable to free themselves, leaving them vulnerable to predators, exhaustion and starvation. Experts recommend only using artificial webs indoors. Outdoor displays should avoid flight paths, trees and shrubs.

Access nature with these 5 new accessible Maine trails

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 22, 2026

Many Mainers like to spend time outdoors on the state’s thousands of trails. Increasingly, more of these trails are being built so that people using wheelchairs, pushing strollers, and with other mobility devices or disabilities can use them, too. Here are five accessible trails that opened within the past year for you to explore.
• All Persons Trail, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Falmouth
• Alewive Access Trail, West Kennebunk
• Universal Access Trail, Windham Community Forest
• Andy’s Trail, Woodward Point, Brunswick
• All-persons trail, Castner Brook Community Forest, Damariscotta

Federal fuel relief offered to Maine farmers and fishermen

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 21, 2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching an $8 billion fuel relief program that offers a one-time cash payment to help food producers manage the strain of high diesel prices and rising operating expenses. The Harvest Relief program breaks ground as the first federal bailout to extend emergency fuel aid to fishermen as well as farmers, according to USDA. It comes at a time when the dock price of lobster remains static.

Maine’s Youth Deer Hunting Days to be held this week

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 21, 2026

Licensed junior hunters are allowed to harvest a deer on Friday or Saturday, an opportunity to try their luck before the firearms season opens for adults. For 20-plus years, the state offered a single Youth Deer Hunting Day. In 2023, Maine expanded that program to two days. Any child under 16 years old can get a junior license and must be accompanied on Youth Deer Hunting Days by an adult who meets certain licensing or safety criteria.

Court rules in state's favor on Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion

MAINE PUBLIC • October 23, 2026

The Natural Resources Director for the Penobscot Nation Chuck Loring expressed disappointment with a Penobscot County Superior Court decision to allow the expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill to move forward. “You know, we still feel like environmental justice wasn't really considered here," Loring explained. Loring said the decision is a setback for the tribe's effort to prevent contaminants from entering the Penobscot River.

Maine proposes change to moose hunting near Moosehead Lake

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 21, 2026

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will seek to expand moose hunting in September near Jackman, but not near Greenville. The proposal is an attempt to balance the interests of hunters with the growth of fall tourism near Moosehead Lake. Sporting camps and hunting guides said expanded hunting in that region would be good for their businesses, spread out their clients in the woods and reduce impacts for private landowners. Hospitality businesses and guides who lead moose watching tours said an added week of hunting in September would curtail their businesses during peak foliage. Jennifer Whitlow, owner of Blair Hill Inn in Greenville, has been a vocal opponent of a September hunt near Greenville because moose watching tours are the top activity for her guests.

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

Where the Wild Things Are: Tactically Tinged Fashion Takes to the Water—and the Woods—in Maine

VOGUE • October 20, 2026

Take one recent late-summer day. Invited to attend a party on an uninhabited island a mile offshore, I looked out the window and saw morning sunshine and blue skies and thought HAHAHAHA, then opened the old sea chest where I keep the fashionable multipurpose gear required to survive a typical summer day on a Maine island. After battling through a half mile of waves in my dinghy, I arrived at the party. I immediately found myself helping fend a bigger boat off the rocky shore, which meant my boots swamped with ocean water, the insoles chilly sopping sponges now. I would have to go barefoot for the rest of the day, which was fine—by the end of summer my feet have toughened up. Still, once they thawed later that night, I’d find deep slices under my toes that already looked infected. I should have packed a pair of rubber clogs, not just extra socks. Every day in Maine is a learning opportunity.

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.