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 AUDUBON • March 1, 2026
The third edition of Maine Amphibians and Reptiles explores the lives of 38 fascinating species—from tiny newts to rarely seen sea turtles—found across Maine and the Northeast. Built on 25 years of research, with expanded photos, regional studies, and engaging writing, it’s perfect for scientists and curious readers alike. Join some of the contributors to this fascinating book for a talk followed by a book sale and signing at the Falmouth Memorial Library. Light refreshments will be provided. At Falmouth Memorial Library, 5 Lunt Rd, Falmouth, ME, March 11, 5:30pm.
MAINE AUDUBON • April 1, 2026
Curious about what critters live in your local streams and freshwater marshes? Learn about Maine Marsh and Stream Explorers, a collaborative community science project between Maine Audubon and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This program trains volunteers to survey for macroinvertebrates, or large aquatic insects, in streams and freshwater marshes statewide. April 22, 7 pm, online, preregister.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • March 28, 2026
If you care about our national parks, urge your US Senators to oppose the destructive and deceptive S. 4103, the “Save Our Sequoias Act” Logging Bill. S. 4103 would:
• allow clearcutting of mature and old-growth giant sequoias in sequoia groves;
• create a timber sales program in National Parks for the first time in U.S. history;
• override and nullify the Giant Sequoia National Monument and the 2001 Roadless Rule;
• implement a dangerous sneak attack that could allow logging in Wilderness Areas.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 28, 2026
Maine’s children carry some of the highest cancer rates in the country. South Portland has schools where young ones breathe fumes from the tank farms. Three federal emissions lawsuits confirm these facilities don’t always operate within even Maine’s permissive standards. More than 600 tons of volatile organic compounds are vented into South Portland’s air every year. The cancer-causing fumes’ dangers are compounded by projected sea level rise. A plan that peers only 12 years ahead is not looking nearly far enough. South Portland’s choices today will determine what kind of city stands at the waterline at 2100 and beyond. A new group has proposed a Shipyard Open Space Monument. The sea is rising. The air is compromised. The community has offered a solution rooted in history, health and hard-won wisdom. The only question left is whether the City Council has the courage to choose it. ~ David Field, South Portland
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 28, 2026
As a Bass Harbor resident who fishes out of Portland, I know firsthand the pressure our groundfish fleet faces. Recently, we were on the brink of a premature and unnecessary shutdown. Regulations to increase the haddock allowable catch by 50% were supposed to be implemented last May. Due to bureaucratic delays, those crucial fish remained off-limits. We faced an existential threat to our businesses. The response from Sen. Susan Collins’ office was nothing short of remarkable. We reached out to her staff on a Tuesday morning; by Wednesday afternoon, the rule was published and our season was saved. ~ John Mitchell, Bass Harbor
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 27, 2026
On a few nights each spring, Mainers help frogs and salamanders cross roads, witnessing the natural pilgrimage in their backyards. Citizens can get involved through the organization Maine Big Night, which has a map of over 100 sites across the state where volunteers can shepherd amphibians across the road. Frogs and salamanders wait for the right conditions to get moving. The nighttime temperature must be above 40 degrees, preferably up to 45 degrees, and there has to be rain. Typically Big Night occurs around mid-April. “It really is a sign that spring has begun and winter is over,” said Greg LeClair, the executive director of Maine Big Night.
MAINE PUBLIC • March 27, 2026
The number of Maine's "species of greatest conservation need" has almost doubled in the latest wildlife protection roadmap released by the state. The 10-year Wildlife Action Plan now includes more than 700 kinds of birds, mammals, fish and invertebrates. For the first time it also includes plants said Alex Fish, endangered and threatened species coordinator with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "So that increased around 300 species there, including endangered, threatened and special concern plant species," Fish said in an interview.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 27, 2026
The Androscoggin River once haunted Mainers with its nauseating odors and clouds of foam. But more than any other river, it inspired Maine Sen. Ed Muskie to push for the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972. Today, we have an opportunity to give future generations a chance to thrive in an uncertain climate by securing a functioning river ecosystem. The Brunswick Dam at the head-of-tide on the river is being reviewed for another 40- to 50-year permit to operate. The dam supplies only about 0.6% of Maine’s power, yet almost completely blocks fish passage, in violation of the Clean Water Act. It is now or never to influence the relicensing process and force the dam owner to adhere to Clean Water Act standards for safe passage of native fish species. The dam has a fish ladder that does not work well. Last year, Free-the-Andro, a grassroots organization of concerned citizens, was formed to influence the federal relicensing process for the benefit of a functioning river ecosystem. We would like to see an outpouring of support for better fish passage. ~ John Lichter, emeritus professor of environmental studies; Scot McFarlane, river historian
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 27, 2026
In the construction business, we deal in realities every day. We know what it takes to build a home, repair a bridge, or expand a local business. We track material costs closely, manage tight timelines, and adjust when prices shift. One factor touches every part of that work: energy. That’s why proposals like Maine’s Climate Superfund bill, LD 1870, raise serious concerns. There is no question that Maine should take steps to strengthen its infrastructure and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Building more resilient communities is something we all support. But how we approach that goal matters just as much as the goal itself. If we want Maine to remain a place where people can afford to live, work, and invest, we need policies that support both sustainability and economic strength. That means focusing on solutions that expand energy options, encourage innovation, and keep costs in check. ~ Larry Grondin, R.J. Grondin & Sons, Gorham, and Associated Builders and Contractors
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 27, 2026
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s revised public benefit determination to expand the Juniper Ridge Landfill (JRL) once again fails to fully consider the well-being of Penobscot Nation and Old Town residents, arguing that public health is worth sacrificing for the sake of having somewhere to dump Maine’s garbage. The technology for removing PFAS from leachate is complicated, largely experimental, and varies in effectiveness. What will happen if PFAS treatment doesn’t work? The DEP has failed to accept accountability for the ongoing harm caused by JRL by continuing to push for expansion. The proposed solutions included in the revised public benefit determination amount to an admission that JRL has been violating the rights of our communities for years. We deserve a Department of Environmental Protection that takes our health and environment seriously. ~ Daisy Goodman, Old Town
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • March 26, 2026
Lisa Pohlmann, NRCM’s CEO from 2011-2022, passed away on Sunday, March 22. Lisa joined the NRCM team in 2000 as a member of the Board of Directors, later serving as board president and then Deputy Director under Brownie Carson. She brought to her leadership of the Natural Resources Council of Maine a deep passion for the environment and a strong history of advocacy for the people of Maine. She believed strongly in the power of connection—whether visiting members in their homes across Maine, speaking at the State House, or standing alongside community leaders and elected officials. Lisa had a rare ability to inspire action and bring people together, always grounding her work in both compassion and conviction. In 2015, Lisa received one of the first “Women in Conservation” awards from the National Wildlife Federation.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 26 2026
A West Bath woman allegedly set fire to a barn that housed goats on her property earlier this month. Grace Burnham, 38, has been charged with arson, failure to report or control a dangerous fire, and animal cruelty. The March 14 fire destroyed the barn, but no animals were harmed. Burnham was arrested Tuesday at her home in connection with the blaze and taken to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.
MAINE MORNING STAR • March 26, 2026
Dozens of farmers who gathered at the State House on Wednesday to urge lawmakers to put a $50 million agriculture bond on the ballot. Holly Noyes said the funding is critical to the future of their family’s longstanding dairy farm in Albion. “Our family’s been farming since the 50s, and this bill they’re going to talk about is really important to us,” said Noyes, who currently runs the operation. In 2018, a storm destroyed several buildings on the farm, and the family was unable to secure financial support to rebuild. The bond proposal would allow farmers to access low-interest loans and other programs designed to help recover from those kinds of losses. “Maine’s agricultural sector faces unprecedented challenges that require investment,” Rep. Bill Pluecker said. “Between shifting federal funding, climate changes like this past summer’s drought — both leave farmers struggling with losses. Farmers are facing a shifting landscape unlike anything we’ve seen in the past.”
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 26, 2026
Data centers use enormous amounts of electricity. The “large language” models being used are not the only ways to implement AI, but are certainly among the most wasteful of energy. The Trump administration’s irrational energy policies notwithstanding, we must still replace the fossil fuel burning used for heating, and especially transportation, if we’re to keep global warming within bounds. Conservation is still the best way to protect humanity’s place on the planet, and AI data centers work in direct opposition to what should be our joint survival strategy. A one-year cooling off period is simply good insurance in what is clearly an overheated market. ~ Douglas Rooks
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 26, 2026
Paper mills have long been considered dangerous workplaces. The state’s remaining mills have been investigated dozens of times for injuries and safety hazards. But deaths in the industry are rare, especially in Maine, and many questions remain about the circumstances of the gas leak. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration could take months to say if the company is at fault. Paul Cyr, a retired investigator who was one of OSHA’s national experts in forest products industries, said his experience suggests the one at Woodland Pulp was very likely predictable and preventable. “This type of incident should never happen in the United States of America today,” he said. Woodland Pulp, meanwhile, has finished its own investigation, said company spokesman Scott Beal, but has not shared its findings publicly.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 26, 2026
Maine is currently served by one passenger rail service: Amtrak’s Downeaster, managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority between Boston and Brunswick. Extending the Downeaster further north to Augusta or to Orono could provide benefits beyond serving as merely a transportation option. A study commissioned by the Maine Rail Group and conducted and published by the Rail Passengers Association reported that extending two round trips of the Downeaster could deliver $61.7 million in economic benefits to the state and projected that the extended service would attract 260,000 additional riders in the first year of operation. With service improvements underway and new equipment coming online, now is the time for the Downeaster to be extended to better serve the people of Maine. ~ Michael Johnson, Bucksport
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 26, 2026
Bryan and Pam Wells bought what they would come to call Wells Demonstration Forest in 2004. The land had been clear-cut, with all the valuable timber taken by logging companies with little regard for best ecological practices. Pam Wells had spent her life dreaming of being a forester, but sexism in the forestry field discouraged her when she was at UMaine in the late 1970s. When she and Bryan bought the woodlot in 2004, it was a chance to build a model for forest restoration that students and the community could learn from. The couple was named the Maine Forest Service’s Tree Farmers of the Year for 2017. Today, the forest has a thriving ecosystem, with an array of mammals and birds making the land their home, and Sunkhaze Stream — the Wells’ forest abuts Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge — running clean through it. A conservation easement on the forest is in the process of being purchased by the Forest Society of Maine, permanently protecting it from development. Pam died in June 2025 after a years-long battle with primary progressive aphasia.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 26, 2026
An extensive downtown Walkable Houlton sidewalk project will finally start on April 20. Funded by Maine’s Department of Transportation, the $1.27 million project includes the reconstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings. Everything is designed to meet all American with Disabilities Act standards.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 26, 2026
Every winter, I read about hikers who died on snowy mountains not far from my home. As an avid hiker, I think long and hard about these tragedies, searching for a way that things could have unfolded differently. What could have saved the person? Wearing ice cleats? Packing an extra jacket? Carrying a map? Hiking with a friend? This line of thinking recently led me to ponder a crucial skill: fire building. On a cold winter night, having the means and knowledge to build a small campfire just might save your life.
