Bar Harbor investigating ‘unauthorized’ cruise ship visit

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 21, 2023

The town of Bar Harbor is investigating what it says was an “unauthorized” cruise ship visit to the town last week. The American Cruise Lines vessel Constitution, which can carry 170 guests, anchored in the town’s waters on Thursday, June 15. The ship did not have a confirmed reservation when it appeared in Bar Harbor, they said. “American Cruise Lines knowingly took this action over the express objections of the Town and in violation of the Memorandum of Agreement,” the town said in a statement. The alleged unauthorized visit comes at a time when cruise ship visitation has become a hot-button political issue in Bar Harbor, pitting residents who say that cruise ship visits harm the local quality of life against business interests who say that cruise ship visits have become a significant part of the town’s tourist industry and should not be drastically cut back.

'No kill' meat, grown from animal cells, is now approved for sale in the U.S.

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • June 21, 2023

For all of human history, eating meat has meant slaughtering animals. But scientists behind cultivated meat say that's no longer necessary. They produce meat by growing cells extracted from an animal's body. And, today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave its first clearances to sell meat produced this way.

Railroads must alert first responders within 10 miles of derailed cargo train under new rule

ASSOCIATED PRESS • June 21, 2023

Federal regulators want first responders to a train derailment to know exactly what they are dealing with even before they reach the scene, because the dangerous chemicals trains carry might require a specialized response. So the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed a new rule Wednesday that would require all railroads to immediately send the details of everything aboard their trains to every emergency responder within 10 miles, as soon as the railroad becomes aware of an accident.

Opinion: Maine can’t afford to lose our clean-energy momentum now

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 21, 2023

At Dirigo Solar, our mission is to lower the cost of power for Maine by building local solar. Through our work with area businesses and farms, we are able to co-locate solar power, meaning sharing fields with livestock and crops, and have developed enough energy to power about 22,000 homes. Dirigo and other solar developers are making significant investments in Maine’s renewable-energy infrastructure that will benefit Mainers for years to come, but we can’t do it alone. Our state must continue to pass legislation that allows for and builds out infrastructure for clean-energy programs, in which solar plays a critical role. L.D. 1986, An Act Relating to Net Energy Billing and Distributed Solar and Energy Storage Systems, will establish the Distributed Solar and Energy Storage Program to fund cost-effective solar facilities and systems in the state, utilizing federal funding to ensure that low- and moderate-income Mainers benefit directly from the program. ~ Bob Cleaves, co-founder, Dirigo Solar LLC, Portland

A grassroots effort brought heat pump discounts to a rural Maine town

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 21, 2023

Andrea Asken Dunn founded Resilient Harrison Maine to help residents in the small western Maine town figure out how to address climate change. Michael Dunn coordinates the heat pump bulk buy program, which adds another layer of savings on top of federal and state incentives to make heat pumps more affordable. EcoHeat Maine of Norway jumped at the chance to sell in bulk and give buyers a discount. Fujitsu, which manufactures the heat pumps he sells, agreed to allow the discount on top of those credits. The new incentive could be a model for local action on climate change. It is also in line with Gov. Janet Mills’ climate action plan, which calls for installing 100,000 heat pumps across Maine homes by 2025. More than 80,000 have been installed since 2019.

How Wall Street drove the Maine paper industry’s collapse

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 20, 2023

“Shredding Paper: The Rise and Fall of Maine’s Mighty Paper Industry” by Michael Hillard explores how Maine became to the paper industry what Detroit once was to the automobile industry, as well as how the industry fell from those heights. More than 32,000 paper makers and loggers worked in Maine at the industry’s peak in 1967. Today that number is less than 7,000, according to the Maine Department of Labor. In his book, Hillard argues that Wall Street greed drove that collapse. The argument has implications for today’s political and economic moment. Hillard hopes that the history of Maine’s paper industry can help inform discussions about the role of capital and labor. But he also wants to share the history of the workers in that industry before they are gone.

The summer vacation rental market is down this year, Maine rental operators say

MAINE PUBLIC • June 20, 2023

Vacation rental companies are reporting a slowdown in May and June compared to the last two years. Rebecca Richardson, owner of Bar Harbor Acadia Cottage Rentals, said the pandemic drove more people to come to Maine because they couldn't travel overseas or to other parts of the country.

Machias ATV Jamboree will promote Down East trails

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 20, 2023

When outdoor enthusiasts think about Washington County, they often cite blueberries, lobster, scenic coastal venues and productive fishing rivers as some of the key attractions to the region. But the folks who ride all-terrain vehicles want everyone to know that Down East Maine has plenty to offer for those who enjoy motoring along the trails. That’s why Whitney’s Tri-Town Marine has taken the lead to support the Machias ATV Jamboree, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

Expect '21st-century fires,' says author John Vaillant

MAINE PUBLIC • June 19, 2023

Though Maine was spared the worst of it, many areas in the Northeast U.S. have been blanketed by smoke from Canadian wildfires in recent weeks. A new book suggests this may become more common phenomenon. In "Fire Weather," author John Vaillant chronicles a major wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, that forced a major evacuation, and shut the petroleum-producing city down for a month in 2016. Vaillant said he believes that climate conditions will generate more of these fires in the decades to come.

Avoid the crowds at Acadia by hiking this steep trail with granite steps

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 19, 2023

On the steep eastern side of Mansell Mountain is an impressive talus slope, a jumble of angular granite rocks baking under the sun. Adorned with faint blooms of white and green lichen, the rocks vary greatly in size and shape. Some of the hunks of granite are no larger than a book, while others are true boulders, exceeding the height of the hikers who labor past. It would be a tricky area to traverse if not for the stone staircase that strikes right through its center. Such is the magic of Acadia National Park. The trail, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933, is steep and fantastical, its many steps forming a clear path through the wilderness. Yet it almost seems a part of the landscape.

Editorial: Insurance companies buckling under climate risks

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 19, 2023

There’s a new sign that our changing climate is causing unprecedented risks: Insurance companies are refusing to issue new policies in states that have been hard hit by extreme weather, including wildfires and hurricanes, both of which scientists say are becoming worse as the planet warms. The president of one of the world’s largest insurance brokers told members of the U.S. Senate committee that climate change and its consequences were destabilizing the insurance market and would continue to push companies out of high-risk markets. If the risks of climate change were not clear, the insurance industry is now ringing additional alarm bells by indicating that the growing losses may soon be too big to withstand.

You can help with Maine’s annual loon census

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 19, 2023

Again this summer, Maine Audubon will continue its efforts to help make sure loons remain a key element of the state’s wildlife offerings when it conducts the 40th annual Loon Count. Observers will hit the water in canoes, kayaks and other watercraft, while others will watch and listen from shore, from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on July 15. Information gathered during the count helps provide an estimate of Maine’s loon population and helps identify other trends. The data also provide insight about the health of the state’s lakes and ponds while determining specific places where nesting loons may be in need of help and ways to lower the impact of humans on their well-being.

Column: The thrill of paddling this fierce Maine river never gets old

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 19, 2023

My initial descent of the Dead River was in June 1986. It was love at first paddle. In the intervening years, I’ve returned with friends and family more than 200 times. The excitement and allure of the Dead never gets old. ~ Ron Chase

Opinion: Action is the antidote to despair over climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 19, 2023

The unfolding of catastrophic weather events is a global problem. It is caused by so many players well beyond my control: Big Oil; the big banks like Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, which fund new oil infrastructure; big meat producers like Tyson and Cargill. I spent 50 years as a psychotherapist helping people find answers to problems that felt overwhelming and out of their control. Depression, anxiety, addictions: All rise out of feelings of helplessness. Now, I have pivoted from working with individuals on unresolved family, career or self-esteem issues, to the question of what we, as ordinary individuals with lawns to mow and kids to feed, can do in the face of this terrifying global problem. Action is the antidote to despair. ~ Kathleen Sullivan, Freeport

Maine fishermen keep catching rare orange lobsters

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 18, 2023

The odds of catching an orange lobster are about one in 30 million, according to marine experts – but that hasn’t stopped two Maine lobstermen from landing four of the rare crustaceans in just over two weeks. “What’s up Casco Bay? What kind of lobster magic is happening in your waters,” Harbor Fish Market wrote on Facebook.

Maine power companies are spending millions to defeat a vote to dethrone them

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 18, 2023

Maine residents are about to be bombarded with a multimillion-dollar public relations campaign aimed at saving the state’s two dominant electric utilities from being voted out of existence in November. Supporters want to buy out the assets of Central Maine Power and Versant Power – which distribute 97% of the state’s electricity – and replace them with Pine Tree Power, a new not-for-profit distribution utility. The ballot initiative was launched by a citizens group called Our Power. It’s already been outspent 17 to 1 by the parent companies of the two utilities – Avangrid and Enmax. Together, the two legacy power companies have given $18.4 million to three ballot committees to fight the existential threat.

Editorial: Maine must act now to make the most of offshore wind

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 18, 2023

The Gulf of Maine has tremendous potential for wind power. Its development will play a major role in any plan that effectively moves the U.S. toward meeting its clean energy goals and staving off the worst of the climate crisis. How best can our state to capitalize on this monumental and necessary transition – and protect Maine’s natural resources while doing so? Some pretty good answers now sit before our elected officials. One bill, L.D. 1895, under consideration would require the state to purchase wind power produced offshore in the Gulf of Maine while mitigating the impact on ocean life and the lobster industry. Another, L.D. 1847, would set standards for the creation of a port where offshore wind technology could be built and deployed. This industry would be particularly valuable to some of our struggling coastal communities. It has the potential to become another major economic engine in a state that could use one.

Column: Mount Waldo’s views, granite quarries provide so many highlights

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 18, 2023

In the northeast corner of Waldo County there’s a cluster of low hills. In their midst, rising high above them all, is the namesake Mount Waldo, which tops out at 1,064 feet and is the only one with hiking trails. The trail on Mount Waldo’s north side has been a staple in the AMC Maine Mountain Guide for years. A hike on Mount Waldo isn’t complete without a visit to the old quarry on the mountain’s east slope, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Mount Waldo’s gray granite was used in the construction of nearby Fort Knox, built between 1844 and 1864. Mount Waldo granite can also be found in other notable structures, including the Washington Monument, the United Nations building, the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge. ~ Carey Kish

Insight: Subverting the myth of Maine by kayak in Casco Bay

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 18, 2023

We were on Jewell Island, five or so miles from the backshore of Peaks. We’d paddled four sea kayaks across Hussey Sound to Vail, and from there took the straight shot over to Jewell, bypassing the protection of Chebeague and Long. It was so sunny it didn’t feel like October. The water looked like it would chime if you touched a single piece. Maine is the myth of Maine, both object and inspiration. It’s waiting all year for summer and complaining when it comes. I have only to tell you this: Maine is the place where my family lives, and the place where I’ve made friends. I fell in love here, and still live here – longer than I ever thought I would. ~ Luna Soley

Letter: We can’t pave our way out of transit problems

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 18, 2023

Mass transit must be developed in Maine, or we will face the problems of traffic congestion, pollution and vehicular fatalities that come with expanding car infrastructure in growing metro areas. Plus, the well-studied phenomenon of “induced demand” means that no matter how many lanes we add to the highway or arterial road, traffic will always increase to meet and exceed road capacity. Expanding light rail and other transit options in Maine will increase the freedom of drivers, as us folks who prefer other forms of transportation will get off the road and onto a train or bike. ~ Ned Melanson, Portland