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

These signs mean Maine’s fall salmon run is getting started

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 21, 2026

Landlocked salmon are one of Maine’s top freshwater fish, typically ranking right behind brook trout in surveys occasionally taken over the years. And they should be. They are one of Maine’s true natives, originally found in only four river basins, including the St. Croix, Union, Penobscot and Presumpscot. Stocking in other Maine waters started as early as 1868. Today, salmon fisheries, either self-sustaining or supplemented and maintained by stocking, are found in approximately 300 Maine lakes and about as many miles of rivers. Genetically, landlocked salmon are closely linked to Atlantic salmon. There is one important factor when it comes to fishing the fall run. When will the run commence?

Juniper Ridge wants to treat its toxic runoff 20 miles away

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 21, 2026

The operators of the Juniper Ridge Landfill have alarmed environmental and community groups with plans to move a proposed PFAS treatment system to an offsite location, requiring the facility to truck its toxic runoff 20 miles away. The treatment system is a key requirement for approval of a 61-acre expansion permit that environmental organizations and abutters are currently fighting in court. Opponents learned of the plan to truck leachate from the landfill in Old Town and Alton to the Pine Tree Landfill in Hampden through a document filed in court and with state regulators by the company that runs Juniper Ridge. “That brings into question new environmental and public health concerns because you’re transporting massive amounts of leachate 20 miles south,” said Nora Bosworth, a lawyer for the Conservation Law Foundation.

Letter: Maine’s rare and fragile fisheries require discretion

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 20, 2026

The Sept. 13 report “Could Arctic char be restocked in Rangeley Lake?” was profoundly irresponsible. Broadcasting the exact location of a rare, fragile fishery like Long Pond is not good journalism; it’s reckless “spot-burning” and completely careless to conservation. The author broke the angler’s code in the worst possible way. There is a cardinal rule in the Maine woods: never expose a good fishing spot. This isn’t local greed, it is vital preservation. ~ Sara Smith, Rangeley Plantation

Watch out for these fuzzy caterpillars in Maine this fall

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 20, 2026

Several caterpillar species in Maine can cause skin reactions, including the invasive browntail moth. One of the most common caterpillars in the fall — the hickory tussock moth — can cause skin irritation if touched. At first glance, they may look almost cute, but don’t be fooled.

Maine’s Arctic char are showing off their stunning fall colors

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 20, 2026

Maine’s fall foliage isn’t the only place to find spectacular colors this time of year. Some of Maine’s rarest fish are now showing the brilliant orange-red colors they develop for their fall spawning season. Arctic char — also known as blueback trout and Sunapee trout — are native to only two states: Maine and Alaska. Maine has 14 lakes and ponds where Arctic char populations remain, most of them in the northern and western highlands. Several of those waters are state heritage fish waters, which are managed to protect native fish populations.

Column: Donnell Pond Public Land offers all the views, without Acadia crowds

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 19, 2026

Looking for an Acadia-like hiking experience without the crowds of Mount Desert Island? Head farther Downeast through to Donnell Pond Public Land, which spans the towns of Franklin and Sullivan and the unorganized townships of T9 SD and T10 SD. Amid the unit’s 15,500 acres, you’ll discover mountains, trails, views and elbow room aplenty. ~ Carey Kish

10 surprising facts about Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 19, 2026

Katahdin, Maine’s tallest peak, has long been a source of awe and adoration. Over the years, I’ve learned some interesting things about the mountain’s history and habitats. Here are just a few of those fascinating facts.

Toxic algae bloom suspected in midcoast shellfish die-off

HARPSWELL ANCHOR • September 19, 2026

Clam diggers and other harvesters are reporting huge shellfish die-offs in mudflats around Harpswell. The town’s harbormaster and marine resources administrator, Darcie Couture, said it may be linked to a type of algae that’s not toxic to humans but is known to kill shellfish. Clam digger David Wilson, who is the chair of Harpswell’s Marine Resources Committee, said he noticed “a wicked smell” as he approached the mudflats yesterday near Pennellville, on Middle Bay in Brunswick. He said at first he thought it might be a dead whale that had washed ashore, but as he and the diggers he was with got closer, they saw dead and dying clams spread across the mud.

Column: Rare birds turned up on this wild Maine boat trip across the Canadian border

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 19, 2026

I spent last week birding Grand Manan. Prior to that, I spent three days birding Campobello. I can testify that the area around Cobscook and Passamaquoddy Bay is some of the best birding in or near Maine, due to the abundant variety of habitats influenced by the strong tides and maritime climate. Ocean birding on both sides of the border has been above average this month. After several down years, the number of sooty shearwaters offshore has rebounded. Jaegers from the Arctic and south polar skuas from the Antarctic are mixing it up out there. It’s a fine time to be an adventurous international birder. ~ Bob Duchesne

State Forester Patty Cormier recognized with Public Service Award by Maine Forest Products Council

DAILY BULLDOG • September 19, 2026

The Maine Forest Products Council recognized Patty Cormier, Director of the Maine Forest Service, with the organization’s prestigious Abby Holman Public Service Award at its Annual Membership Meeting. Presented by Maine Forest Products Council Vice President Alex Ingraham, the award recognizes Cormier’s dedication to sustainable forest management, wildfire prevention and community leadership.

Tri-Town recreation workshop set for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1

ADVERTISER DEMOCRAT • September 18, 2026

A workshop on Recreation Economy for Rural Communities will be held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Spruce Mountain Ski Lodge, bringing together residents and community partners from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls. The workshop is intended to help the three towns advance recreation and economic development projects while building on the region’s 2025 recreation and facilities master plan and exploring ways to create inviting public spaces and experiences.

Clinton Thompson’s Journey From Maine Marine Patrol to Schiller’s Boat Captain

BOWDOIN (COLLEGE) ORIENT • September 18, 2026

Clinton Thompson has spent more time in Casco Bay than most people have spent in their backyard. For 25 years, the Maine coast was his patrol territory as a Marine Patrol officer for the state. Now it’s the water he drives Bowdoin students through to do research for classes. As marine operations manager at the Schiller Coastal Studies Center since 2023, Thompson runs the boats that make most of Bowdoin’s hands-on coastal science possible, from eelgrass surveys to eider duck tracking. Students who spend a semester or a single lab period on his boats get to know him well.

Unidentified body found on Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 18, 2026

An unidentified person was found dead on Katahdin on Monday, according to the Maine medical examiner’s office. The body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy, spokesperson Lindsey Chasteen told the Bangor Daily News on Friday. The cause and manner of death are pending further studies. Baxter State Park has not released any information about the death. Maine State Police and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife were both unaware of the death.

'Trap and truck' — Meet the aquatic Uber helping to restore Maine's Atlantic salmon

MAINE PUBLIC • September 18, 2026

For the last two decades, Maine has tried to restore salmon on the Kennebec by trapping fish at the Waterville dam and carrying them by vehicle almost 60 miles away to lay eggs in the rich spawning grounds of the Sandy River. It's called "trap and truck." A Maine Department of Marine Resources team is on call 14 hours a day, almost 6 months a year, to collect fish almost as soon as they get to the dam. Timing is important. If the salmon linger too long in the warm water below the dam after an exhausting migration they could drain their energy reserves or even compromise their fertility. A driver will show up every time there's a call, even if there's just one salmon. Advocates acknowledge that trap and truck is inefficient, time consuming and expensive. But unless and until the Kennebec River dams are removed, it's the only way to ensure this run of endangered Atlantic salmon doesn't disappear forever.

Is it time to rethink the Northeast’s cap-and-trade system?

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 18, 2026

Twenty years ago, a group of Northeastern states signed on to a plan to reduce the greenhouse gases spewing from power plants by making generators pay for the carbon they release. Since then, the region’s power sector emissions have dropped by half, and states have reaped more than $10 billion in revenue to invest in energy programs. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, looks like a success. Two decades in, however, the price power plants pay for each ton of carbon emissions is more than 12 times what it was at the beginning, clean energy development in the region faces daunting challenges, and emissions have started creeping back up. A growing chorus of voices is now questioning whether RGGI is still worth the investment at a time when soaring power prices are straining household budgets.

Opinion: Work across the aisle will protect Maine’s night sky

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 18, 2026

Maine’s night sky is one of those assets that sets our home apart from other places. That’s why we two very different legislators — a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican — partnered this past session to advance a modest and practical new law to help ensure that our children will enjoy the same night skies that we love. The Maine Legislature enacted that law, effective this Oct. 1. The world is experiencing a biodiversity crisis, with 40% of animals and 34% of plants at risk of extinction. Unnecessary and overextended use of outdoor lighting will only continue to place ecosystems at risk if we don’t put protective measures in place. The new law requires government-owned and publicly funded facilities to follow those responsible practices for new or replacement lighting. ~ Sen. Stacey Guerin, R-Penobscot, and Rep. Laurie Osher, D-Orono

South Portland air monitoring shows elevated toxin levels

MAINE PUBLIC • September 18, 2026

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department for Environmental Protection have released their findings from a six-year study of air quality in South Portland, which is home to more than 100 oil tanks. The findings show that while there is little short-term health risk for residents, the long-term health risks are somewhat elevated. Officials have said the overall health risk to residents is likely minimal but warrants further study. Maine DEP and CDC officials will hold a public meeting at the South Portland High School next month to present the report to the community, answer questions and explain next steps.

Midcoast town wins dispute with CMP over solar project proposal

MIDCOAST VILLAGER • September 18, 2026

After months of regulatory uncertainty that town officials said cost Northport much of a summer’s worth of solar power, the Maine Public Utilities Commission has sided with the town in its dispute with Central Maine Power over a proposed municipal solar array on Beech Hill Road. In an advisory ruling issued Sept. 15, the three-member commission unanimously determined that a provision of Maine’s recently revised net energy billing law does not prohibit Northport’s proposed 38-kilowatt solar project from participating in the state’s net energy billing program.

Environmental groups argue transmission corridor failing to meet conservation standards

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 18, 2026

Despite more than four hours of discussion on the conservation requirements for the long-embattled New England Clean Energy Connect project, the state environmental board held off on making a final ruling on the issue. Instead, the Board of Environmental Protection on Thursday directed department staff to review its proposed order and add additional analysis before it is revisited. Last year, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection approved the project’s conservation plan as part of the construction of 53 miles of new transmission line through western Maine. An appeal of the department’s decision—filed by the Appalachian Mountain Club, Maine Audubon, Natural Resources Council of Maine and Trout Unlimited—said the conservation plan “categorically fails” to meet the standards set by the board, calling it a “shell game on multiple levels.”