Livestock feed scarce, farmers losing money in drought

LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • October 2, 2020

Livestock producers in Franklin County will be feeling the effects of this summer’s drought for months to come. The lack of rain has meant lower yields of animal feeds and much, much more. Producers said yields from feed crops are lower and farm income is off due to not selling hay or lowered milk production. On some farms, the nutritional quality of recently harvested hay is poorer and water for animals has become an issue. All farms are using winter feed already, which could result in a shortage next spring.

Katahdin region towns head toward different economic future

MAINE TOWN & CITY • October 2020 

Two Penobscot County towns that suffered major losses when their paper mills closed are looking for innovative ways to redevelop the sprawling sites that once served as the economic heart of their communities. In Millinocket, a non-profit is working closely with town officials to repair infrastructure, get grant money to clean up the site and attract new business. In East Millinocket, the town itself voted to purchase the mill, laying the groundwork for what town officials hope will be an opportunity for new commercial growth. After months of negotiations, the town closed on the purchase in late July, giving townspeople the opportunity to now ponder not only the future of the town but of the Katahdin region. 

3 groups offer to buy shuttered Hampden waste plant

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 30, 2020

On Wednesday, the Municipal Review Committee announced that three potential investors have made formal offers on the $90 million Coastal Resources of Maine plant, including one that would operate the plant on its own and two that would hire outside contractors to run it. The Hampden plant closed its doors at the end of May after running out of operating funds and failing to secure a $14.7 million loan from the bondholders who have a $52 million stake in the facility. It owes millions in additional debts to contractors that helped run the plant and to the MRC, and a court-appointed receiver is now overseeing its idled operations.

‘We’re running out of time:’ Groups reflect on river pollution

SUN JOURNAL • October 1, 2020

The Androscoggin River was once so polluted that it would lose all of the oxygen in its waters. Fish were unable to breathe and died by the millions. Pulp and paper mills were mostly to blame for this pollution. The Androscoggin was considered among the most polluted rivers in the nation. Today, the river has rebounded, according to Natural Resources Council of Maine CEO Lisa Pohlmann. But there is still more work to be done. Pohlmann spoke at a Zoom meeting Thursday night, a presentation prepared by the NRCM along with Museum L-A, which is presently offering an exhibit about the sordid history of the river called “Our Working Waterway.”

Trump plan to allow seismic blasts in Atlantic search for oil appears dead

WASHINGTON POST • October 1, 2020

The Trump administration’s plan to drill off the Atlantic coast for the first time in more than half a century is on the brink of collapse because of a court development Thursday that blocked the first steps to offshore oil-and-gas exploration, as well as the president’s recent actions that undermine his own proposal. Opponents of the drilling declared victory on Thursday after the government acknowledged that permits to allow seismic blasting in the ocean – the first step toward locating oil deposits for drilling – will expire next month and not be renewed.

Katahdin’s Hamlin Ridge is a lesser-known hiking gem

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 1, 2020

The tallest mountain in Maine, Katahdin features a long ridge that curves around multiple basins and features a number of peaks or highpoints. North of the mountain’s summit, Hamlin Peak and Hamlin Ridge are lesser-known destinations on the mountain, offering stunning views and a quiet alpine experience.

For homeowners, lead hazards can be frightening. Here are some tips to help.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 1, 2020

People who live in older houses who are worried about lead poisoning should not feel hopeless, according to Maine State Toxicologist Andrew Smith. There are steps to take that can sharply decrease the dangers, don’t necessarily require pricey remediation and are attainable for everyone, he said recently. 

5 things to know before canoeing or kayaking in Maine this fall

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 1, 2020

As the days shorten and the weather cools, many people who enjoy canoeing, kayaking and other paddle sports may be looking to extend their season into the fall. Getting out on the water can be a wonderful way to experience Maine’s colorful foliage and observe wildlife as it prepares for the winter. But there are a few things paddlers should consider before launching their boats late in the year.

Maine identifies 7 virus cases tied to Washington County paper mill

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 1, 2020

State health officials have detected seven cases of the coronavirus in people associated with the Woodland Pulp paper mill in Baileyville, making it the second Maine paper manufacturer confirmed to be dealing with the virus right now. There is also an ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 at the ND Paper facility in Rumford. At least 24 cases have now been detected in that outbreak since it was discovered in mid-September, and one employee died after testing positive.

Maine’s first multitown solar project nears completion

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 1, 2020

Construction is wrapping up on what’s being labeled Maine’s first multitown solar power project, a 10,500-panel array in Skowhegan that will offset nearly 85 percent of the electricity needs for five local governments and a school. ReVision Energy has erected the 4-megawatt project to provide power to municipal buildings in Topsham, Rangeley, Dover-Foxcroft, Rockland and Vassalboro, in addition to the Vassalboro Community School.

Maine’s Rivers

MAINE PUBLIC • October 1, 2020

Featured speaker: Laura Rose Day, CEO, 7 Lakes Alliance
Panelists:
Molly Payne Wynne, Freshwater Program Director, The Nature Conservancy in Maine
Joshua Royte, Senior Conservation Scientist, The Nature Conservancy in Maine

Letter: Future generations depend on climate action

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 1, 2020

In order to meet the internationally agreed on goal of less than a 1.5 degree Celsius rise in temperature and avert the worst effects of climate change, action must be taken now. The lives of our young people and future generations will depend on the steps we take now. ~ Steve Ouillette, Morrill

State approves discharge pipes into bay for proposed Jonesport fish farm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 30, 2020

Kingfish Maine, a division of a Dutch firm that is looking to construct a yellowtail farm on a shorefront property in Jonesport, has received state approval to install water discharge pipes that would extend half a mile into Chandler Bay. The permit is a sign of progress for one of three large, land-based aquaculture operations planned for development on the Maine coast. In addition to Kingfish, Nordic Aquafarms has plans to build a $500 million salmon farm in Belfast, while Whole Oceans is looking to develop a $180 million salmon farm at the former Verso Paper mill site in Bucksport.

Luke’s Lobster, Island Institute pool $2.5M to expand Maine fisheries market

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 30, 2020

Maine’s seafood industry is getting a $2.5 million investment aimed at making the seafood supply chain more resilient and giving fishermen and aquaculturists a broader online market during the coronavirus pandemic. The Island Institute, Luke’s Lobster and Silicon Valley Community Foundation said on Wednesday that they will put up the money and partner to expand and diversify the Luke’s Lobster e-commerce business, which sells products from fishermen. The collaboration also involves meeting environmental goals and providing education about the seafood industry.

Maine’s fall storms have intensified in recent years, and climate change could be to blame

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 30, 2020

The frequency of such storms — such as two that struck Maine within two weeks last October, or two that caused power outages just four days apart in April — could be increasing because of the changing climate, as warming oceans are putting more moisture in the atmosphere, according to Sean Birkel, a research assistant professor at UMaine’s Climate Institute.

The ocean and its feast for our senses

WORKING WATERFRONT • September 30, 2020

There is a massive internal migration in the United States from the heartland to the coast. By mid-century, more than half the population will have moved to the edges, mostly into the density of large urban and suburban regions in search of work and social engagement. We will be running out of shoreline—assumed by wealthy estates, water-dependent and marine-related industries, vestigial public spaces like parks and beaches, and remnants of coastal wetlands that have been protected from the constant pressure of development. There is a terrible irony in the statement that the ocean is the last great wilderness when in fact its access is becoming more and more limited by human settlement, its value compromised by intensity of use.

Moose finally captured in South Portland after 2 days on the lam

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 30, 2020

A young bull moose that has been wandering around Scarborough and South Portland for the past two days – walking through school grounds, down city streets and along the beach – was finally captured Wednesday evening in a wooded area near the Southern Maine Community College campus in South Portland. “It’s going to be moved to a safer environment” in an area about one hour outside the city, Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesman for the Maine Warden Service, said.

Column: Nature at peace can be tough to watch

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 30, 2020

Whenever I encounter the “eat or be eaten” situation that exists in the wilds of Maine, I am reminded of conversations with Buzz Caverly, who often described Baxter Park as “nature at peace. Nature is rarely at peace. It’s a killing field out there. ~ George Smith