Maine wants to end emerald ash borer quarantine

MAINE PUBLIC • July 20, 2026

Maine officials want to eliminate quarantine rules imposed to stop the spread of invasive emerald ash borer, arguing the continued spread of the destructive beetle make the restrictions ineffective. "The reality is that we knew all along that it would come to this eventually, that there was no way for us to stop it," said state horticulturist Gary Fish, with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. "All we could do is slow it down and we've probably slowed it down as much as we can," Fish added.