The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
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
MAINE PUBLIC • January 8, 2026
Small businesses and nonprofit groups in Maine that were negatively affected by abnormally rainy and cold conditions last May can now apply for federal disaster loans. The U.S. Small Business Administration Tuesday announced loans of up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4%. The agency says they can be used to pay debts, payroll, and other expenses directly related to the abnormal weather conditions. Parts of Maine received double the normal amount of rainfall in May, and a rare late spring nor'easter hit the state just before Memorial Day.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 8, 2026
In 2019, Maine seemed poised to be a leader in promoting energy alternatives. It hasn’t worked out. Heat pumps have been a winner. Electric vehicles, not so much. Gov. Mills’ predecessor, Paul LePage, also liked heat pumps. On all other energy matters, LePage’s views resemble President Trump’s, whose opposition to wind, solar and energy storage has been irrational. Whatever energy policy Trump is espousing, Maine should do the opposite. But what can be done, in the face of massive federal hostility? First, we can acknowledge Maine’s failures in energy policy, while building on promising initiatives. Mills’ confidence in plug-in cars was misplaced as was spending at least $1 billion entirely on the highway system, not even investigating greater use of buses, trains, ferries, pedestrian access and ride-sharing. It will take investment, and lots of it, to actually achieve our energy goals. ~ Douglas Rooks
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 8, 2026
Thanks to cold temperatures to start the year, coastal smelt camps are opening after several years of poor ice conditions. A true cottage industry, these camps spring up almost overnight when the ice is safe and are busiest on weekends. You can usually tell which camps are hosting a few drinks by the increasing noise as the night goes on. My longtime fishing partner told a story of a drunken angler who fell into his race hole, only to pop up in a shack downstream. Another time, a muskrat popped into his shack, looked around and then departed. I guess anything is possible on the ice. ~ Tom Roth
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 7, 2026
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, Bath Climate Conversations will focus on how young people can unite communities for local solutions to the climate challenge. The event will happen in the Community Room of the Patten Free Library, both in-person and on Zoom, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Leia Lowery, cofounder and director of The Climate Initiative (a Maine-based nonpartisan organization), and Jackson Chadwick, advocacy director of the Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ), will talk about successful efforts to get young people engaged with their communities through climate action.
MAINE MORNING STAR • January 7, 2026
Lawmakers are considering a proposal that could help Maine renters lower electricity costs through the use of solar energy. State Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock) said LD 1730 would allow for small, plug-in solar units so renters and other Mainers can access the renewable energy source without the large upfront investment of traditional panels and without adding costs to the state or other ratepayers. This focus on costs comes as Central Maine Power and Versant customers are slated to see their bills increase by an average of $13 to $17, according to an analysis by the Office of Public Advocate.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 7, 2026
The devastating storms of the winter of 2023-2024 inflicted an estimated $90 million in damage to Maine’s public infrastructure. Rising temperatures contribute to increasingly intense storms. Even the U.S. Geological Survey — an agency of a federal administration now openly contemptuous of climate action — observes that “with increasing global surface temperatures the possibility of…increased intensity of storms will likely occur.” The Maine Climate Council says that “rising sea levels have caused recent increases in coastal flooding, such as the record-breaking storm events of January 2024.” The Legislature has the opportunity to pass LD 1870, which would establish a Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program Fund, funded by fees assessed to any “entity that was engaged in the trade or business of extracting fossil fuel or refining crude oil between Jan. 1, 1995 and Dec. 31, 2024.” The fund would pay for “climate change adaptation projects in the State. The times call for courage. ~ Nate Davis, Rockland city councilor
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 7, 2026
It will now take about 1,500 truckloads of rocky material and topsoil to complete the final step of a yearslong process to remediate the Callahan Mine in Brooksville, a Superfund site. Work was most recently expected to wrap up there in 2026, but it may now stretch into 2027, according to state project manager Iver McLeod. The last step, capping waste rocks from metal mining that took place in the 1960s and ‘70s, will bring to a close 15 years of active, multimillion-dollar projects to clean up serious environmental contamination. Most of that funding comes from the federal government.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 7, 2026
Smelt shacks on the Kennebec River are now open for the season. While some businesses are located on the main stem of the Kennebec, others operate on tributaries including the Cathance, Eastern and Abagadasset rivers, which are all part of the greater Kennebec River smelt fishery. Poor ice conditions over the past three years have shortened what was once a season that ran from December through March. With climate change and the removal of a dam on the Kennebec, it now takes more sustained cold for the river to freeze solid. Those changes have forced many smelt camp operators out of business.
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • January 6, 2026
A virtual briefing on key environmental issues expected to shape Maine’s 2026 legislative session, including climate, water, wildlife, and outdoor access, with discussion of how the public can stay engaged. Hosted by NRCM, January 29, 12 pm, free.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • January 6, 2026
This six-week online workshop explores how personal storytelling and nonfiction writing can be used to reflect on climate change, local landscapes, and lived experience, guided by New England-based author Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder. Hosted by Maine Climate Action Now, January 27-March 3, 2026, free.
MAINE CONSERVATION VOTERS • January 6, 2026
An overview of the Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition’s agenda for the year ahead. Speakers from Maine Conservation Voters and other EPC member organizations will highlight key legislative priorities, including Climate Superfund, energy fairness, Wabanaki sovereignty, Land for Maine’s Future, conservation funding, and more. The coalition brings together 41 conservation, climate action, and public health organizations working to protect Maine’s natural resources and advance environmental justice statewide. January 23, 12 pm, free.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • January 6, 2026
A conversation on the changing coastal economy of the Gulf of Maine, highlighting innovation, working waterfronts, and community adaptation in the face of environmental and social change. Hosted by Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Jan 21, 2026, 5:30 pm.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • January 6, 2026
High school and college students under 30 are invited to learn how the Maine State Legislature works and advocate for climate justice. Team members will gain experience in grassroots organizing, public speaking, writing, and legislative advocacy, including presenting testimony, lobbying, and writing letters to the editor. Estimated commitment: 4.5–6 hours per month (January–April 2026). No prior experience or resume required. Admission: free.
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • January 6, 2026
Every year, hundreds of bills at the State House impact the nature of Maine. Learn how you can make a difference. January 8, 2026, 12 - 1 PM, Zoom.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 6, 2026
2025 was a tough year for climate action. National priorities shifted, energy incentives were cut and climate mitigation and adaptation programs were phased out. Offshore wind faced major hurdles from inflation and high interest rates, supply chain constraints and new federal policies and executive orders that paused or halted projects. These changes pushed activity to the state and local levels, forcing businesses, government and communities to learn how to work together more collaboratively. The impacts of climate change are palpable in Maine. The pendulum of climate action will swing back toward stronger mitigation and adaptation policies. We must ensure Maine is not just prepared for that shift, but positioned to lead it. ~ Jeff Marks, ClimateWork Maine
MAINE MORNING STAR • January 6, 2026
How quickly things fell apart. Last month, the Trump administration ordered a pause on all five in-progress offshore wind projects in America citing unspecified risks to “national security.” It was the largest blow yet to a once-growing industry that Trump has brought to its knees in just 11 months. While Trump spent much of 2025 slowing the incredible rise of renewables, his unrelenting war on so-called “windmills” has been more vicious and personal. His attacks on offshore wind this past year encapsulate this new era of politics. He throttles long-held norms in favor of retribution and personal grievance. He contorts facts and pushes officials to do the same. Left in the wake are everyday citizens who are losing the prospect of good-paying jobs, access to lower emissions, revitalized ports, reliable electricity, and a buffer against skyrocketing power bills driven by an AI boom.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 5, 2026
Traveling along the bank of Musquash Stream in Nahmakanta Public Lands, a scenic hiking trail visits a series of small waterfalls before turning back into the forest and forming a small loop. This 0.9-mile trail is one of the many hikes located on the state-owned property, which encompasses 43,000 acres about halfway between Moosehead and Millinocket. The waterfalls that the trail visits on the stream are a combination of cascades, slides and stairs, and they’re ever changing, depending on the water level.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • January 5, 2026
One of the world’s rarest whale species is having more babies this year than in some recent seasons, but experts say many more young are needed to help stave off the possibility of extinction. The North Atlantic right whale’s population numbers an estimated 384 animals and is slowly rising after several years of decline. The whales have gained more than 7% of their 2020 population. Researchers have identified 15 calves this winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday. That number is higher than two of the last three winters, but the species needs “approximately 50 or more calves per year for many years” to stop its decline and allow for recovery, NOAA said. The whales are vulnerable to collisions with large ships and entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
MAINE PUBLIC • January 5, 2026
The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the federal government for failing to protect American horseshoe crabs under the Endangered Species Act. Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center, says since 2000, horseshoe crab populations have crashed by more than 70% across their range from Maine to Louisiana. "And the main reason their numbers have crashed is because of overharvest," Harlan said. "They've been decimated by both the bait and most recently, the blood harvest. That's when horseshoe crabs are taken and drained of their blood because that blood is useful in drug safety testing." The state of Maine considers the species at-risk due to development, wastewater effluent, and both unintentional catch and small scale harvesting. While their numbers have historically been relatively small in the state, Harlan said that's changing due to climate change.
