The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2020
With harvest on the horizon and the summer slipping away, COVID-19 continues to wreak new havoc on Maine farms in diverse ways. Some farmers say the pandemic is dealing blows to their business plans and complicating an already complex labor market — even driving some to the brink of disaster.
MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2020
State regulators have taken a central Maine dairy farm off line after discovering levels of a contaminant as high as 10,000 times the actionable limit. Samples taken in June and early July showed the high levels of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Called P-FOS, it's one of a class of substances found in flame retardants, Teflon and other products that is associated with a broad array of health problems such as infertility, thyroid disease, and low birth-rates. But Nancy McBrady, who directs the state's milk-testing program, says milk from the farm that went to market was blended with a very large amount of uncontaminated milk, and so general consumers were not exposed to toxin levels above the "action threshold."
KENNEBEC JOURNAL • June 24, 2020
The Outlet, at the intersection of Pond Road and Collins Road in Manchester where Cobbossee Stream flows out of Cobbossee Lake, has a fairly short bridge that people like to jump off into the cool water below. It also has rocky area where others like to swim and relax, and where many families take their kids in a part of Maine where it can be a challenge to legally reach the water to take a dip. But neighbors say it has far too many people. They say many are respectful, but others drink beer and smoke pot, occasionally pick fights, leave behind trash, don’t always watch their kids, and put themselves and others at risk by darting into and across the road and bridge, which is just after a sharp corner.
MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2020
Hot conditions since May coupled with very little rainfall have caused not just drier than average conditions in Maine, but actual drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Most of the state, especially in the North and East, is experiencing "moderate drought" which can have negative impacts on agriculture and increase fire danger. In far Northern Maine, the drought is being classed as severe.
WCSH-TV5 • July 24, 2020
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Maine Forest Service (MFS) is still trying to determine the cause of a fire at Baxter State Park in May. The May 21 fire occurred at an area known as T2 R10 Wels and started near the Appalachian Trail on the Penobscot River's West Branch. The blaze consumed 45 acres of land. A log cabin, two outbuildings, and a newly constructed trail bridge over Katahdin Stream were destroyed in the fire. The total estimated cost to suppress the fire is more than $33,000. Statewide, to date, Forest Rangers responded to nearly 800 fires, representing close to 900 acres, the highest fire count in 10 years.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 24, 2020
If you love wildlife and would like to see more of it around your home, you’re in luck. There are many ways to make your yard more attractive to birds, butterflies and a whole host of other wild creatures. But first, be prepared. Make sure this is really what you want because when it comes to wildlife, you usually can’t pick and choose exactly what shows up.
1. Put out a bird feeder
2. Plant native food sources
3. Provide different types of shelter
4. Keep pets under control
5. Offer a fresh water source
ELLSWORTH AMERICAN • July 24, 2020
Scientists at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have discovered that microplastic pollution of the ocean is having an impact on Maine lobsters. In a study published last month, a team of researchers reported its findings that microplastic fiber pollution in the ocean affects larval lobsters at each stage of their development. According to the report published last month in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, the tiny plastic fibers affect the animals’ feeding and respiration and could even kill some larvae.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 24, 2020A bill once aimed at dismantling Central Maine Power Co. and Versant Power and replacing them with a consumer-owned public utility has been converted into a proposal to create a task force to study that possibility. In an 8-1 vote Friday, the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee approved an amendment that struck all the language of the original bill, replaced it with an amended version and forwarded the new bill to the full Legislature.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 24, 2020
Milk from a Central Maine dairy farm contained levels of a harmful “forever chemical” that were 60 to 150 times higher than health standards, triggering a state investigation and raising new concerns about PFAS contamination on farms. The levels of contamination in the farm’s milk are the highest, by far, documented in Maine for an agricultural setting and, at 32,200 parts per trillion, potentially the highest ever recorded in milk in the country. In fact, samples collected from the unnamed farm had 23 times as much PFAS – industrial compounds linked to cancer and other health problems – as were found at a York County dairythat drew national attention to the issue of potentially contaminated milk.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 24, 2020
The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing an additional $750,000 to research how a new hybrid propulsion system performs on a soon-to-be-constructed ferry operated by Casco Bay Lines. It’s the final piece of funding needed to move forward with the diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system, said Hank Berg, general manager of the Casco Bay Island Transit District. Casco Bay Lines estimates that the propulsion system will eliminate up to 800 metric tons of carbon emissions annually, while also reducing exhaust fumes and engine noise and vibrations.
MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2020
Learn how to observe and appreciate natural phenomena during the pandemic, and what to do about wildlife interactions. Also hear about some fun ways—for the young, the old and everyone in between —to appreciate nature, while staying safe. Guests: Nathaniel Thoreau Wheelwright, Professor of Natural Sciences, Biology, Emeritus, Bowdoin College; Sarah Rodgers, educator and school program coordinator, Cathance River Education Alliance; Bob Cordes, wildlife biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 24, 2020
A bipartisan proposal that would help address maintenance backlogs at national parks including Acadia National Park has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposal, championed by lawmakers including Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, would allocate $9.5 billion to address the needed maintenance. Golden said public lands “have taken on new importance for families in Maine” during the pandemic, and it’s time to address the backlog. The Senate passed the maintenance proposal last month.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 24, 2020
Nearly 4 million gallons of partially treated wastewater was discharged into Casco Bay last weekend during a power failure at the East End Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Portland Water District said Friday. The discharge prompted the city to close the popular East End Beach from Sunday to Tuesday while tests were done to determine that contamination levels were not a threat to public health. The amount of wastewater discharged was not immediately known because the power failure interfered with the plant’s computer system.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL • June 24, 2020
“Public power” sounds great, but the policy behind it is anything but. If passed, it would represent one of the most expensive and risky steps ever taken by the state of Maine. That is why cooler heads must prevail. Economically, good things are happening in Maine, and we want to attract private investment. However, what kind of message do we send to businesses when the state of Maine passes a law to take over private companies by eminent domain? In the end, “public power” is a catchy phrase, but Maine simply cannot afford it. ~Dana Connors, Maine State Chamber of Commerce
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 24, 2020
To some, it may have seemed like a win-win situation when a group of more than 100 Maine communities announced early this month that it was planning to send a majority of its household trash to a familiar place: the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. facility in Orrington that burns waste to generate electricity. That has brought new revenue to PERC. But it has also brought steep new costs. lant Manager Henry Lang said, “If I had to guess, I would say that we’re not making a profit on it.” However, while the short-term arrangement may not be sustainable, Lang said that it will be better overall for the environment and will help to preserve Maine’s unused landfill space.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2020
Staff of the Maine Public Utilities Commission on Thursday recommended that the regulator impose a $500,000 penalty against Central Maine Power Co. for violating its consumer-protection rule against winter disconnections. The penalty is to be paid as a bill credit in equal amounts to the accounts of CMP customers who participated in the electric lifeline program in 2019-2020.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2020
Easy to strenuous, depending on how much of Donnell Pond in Hancock County you explore and weather conditions. Exploring the entire waterbody could easily take all day. The paddle would measure about 10 miles. But shorter paddling trips on the pond are easy to plan. A number of beaches and islands make for good destinations and turn-around spots.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2020
Kerry Enos, the owner of Worth the Wait Farm in Denmark, is offering a reward for any information that could lead authorities to whoever stole one of her goats two weeks ago, tortured it and then dumped the mutilated animal’s carcass on her property.
SUN JOURNAL • July 23, 2020
Marty Corey has seen her share of squirrels over the years, but the creature who came sniffing around her bird feeders Wednesday was a first. The young squirrel, noshing on a morsel of food when Corey snapped a photo, is all black, from the top of its head to the tip of its tail, the opposite of an albino. It is a red squirrel that just happens to be black. According to one study, in North America, black squirrels are uncommon, with one estimate putting them at a rate of one in every 10,000.
SUN JOURNAL • July 23, 2020
“Local Foods, Local Places” aims to strengthen access to local food, expand market opportunities and infrastructure for farm and food businesses, and integrate local food and agriculture into city planning and economic development strategies, among other goals. It was developed through St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, with assistance from the U.S. EPA, which oversees the program. The Auburn City Council was set to adopt the plan Monday, but ultimately tabled it for three months. Two councilors argued the 100-plus-page document is too Lewiston-focused. Those who supported the plan said it was developed using a community-driven process featuring a two-day workshop attended by dozens of people from across both cities, including Auburn city and school staff.
