Maine’s climate plan is facing new challenges

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2023

Quick-developing storms with big effects on smaller areas are having an increasing role on Maine’s weather picture. This is also among the challenges for the state’s climate plan. When it was released in December 2020, the state and world were confronting an uncertain time at the front end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan set a number of standards that the state looks poised to meet, like those on overall emissions and heat pumps, but it remains woefully short of electric vehicle goals. Later this year, the Maine Climate Council initially convened by Gov. Janet Mills and the Democratic-led Legislature will begin updating the state’s climate plan, which will include accounting for the rise of more severe storms. It will also give the state a chance to revamp some of the goals.

Column: There won’t be a return to normal if we pass the climate tipping points

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2023

Ever since 2015, we have been operating with two “never-exceeds.” The big, flashing red lights, with sirens blaring, are at 2 degrees Celsius, because after that we would be crossing lots of tipping points: Arctic sea ice gone, Amazon forest turning into savannah, methane coming out of melting permafrost, lots of things causing rapid, unstoppable further warming. But they also set the lower, “aspirational” never-exceed target of 1.5 degrees Celsius because they were worried that some of the tipping points might activate even before 2 degrees Celsius. “Aspirational” because even in 2015 it didn’t look very likely that we would be able to cut our emissions that rapidly. ~ Gwynne Dyer

Unlike coastal towns, Millinocket is welcoming a fish farm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2023

A proposed Atlantic salmon farm could revive a spark that Millinocket lost when the Great Northern Paper mill that sustained it for a century shuttered in 2008. Katahdin Salmon, whose founders are based in Portland, plans to hatch, raise and process salmon in freshwater tanks on the former mill site owned by economic development nonprofit Our Katahdin. Proposals for farmed salmon and yellowfin operations in Belfast and Jonesport, among other towns, have faced pushback due to their size and effects on the environment. In Millinocket, a town that has struggled to map out an economic upturn, town leaders are supportive of Katahdin Salmon’s plans, which are still in the early stages and could bring 80 full-time jobs.

A remarkable discovery in Maine’s wilderness sparks a debate over the risks and rewards of mining

MAINE MONITOR • July 17, 2023

The world’s richest known lithium deposit lies deep in the woods of western Maine, in a yawning, sparkling mouth of white and brown rocks that looks like a landslide carved into the side of Plumbago Mountain. Mary Freeman and her husband Gary found the deposit five years ago. They want to mine spodumene, crystals that contain the lithium the U.S. needs for the clean energy transition. By 2040, the world will need at least 1.1 million metric tons of lithium annually, more than ten times what it currently produces. The Maine deposit could be worth as much as $1.5 billion, a huge windfall for the Freemans and a boon to the Biden Administration’s efforts to jumpstart more domestic mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements to reduce the U.S.’ dependence on China. But there is strong opposition. Maine has some of the strictest mining and water quality standards in the country, and prohibits digging for metals in open pits larger than three acres. There have not been any active metal mines in the state for decades, and no company has applied for a permit since a particularly strict law passed in 2017.

A recap of the 131st Legislature’s noteworthy environmental bills

MAINE MONITOR • July 16, 2023

There have been messy fights over solar subsidies, long debates over mining, offshore wind, solar power, a high-voltage transmission line, bottled water testing for PFAS contamination and renewable energy credits for waste-to-energy facilities. That’s just a handful of the bills that passed — we also saw new laws encouraging renewable energy development on agricultural land contaminated by PFAS, prohibiting utilities from recovering lobbying expenses from ratepayers, banning the sale of certain lead fishing jigs to protect loons, and prohibiting waste discharges into the Lower Presumpscot river, as well as big changes to the way state conservation funds are managed that advocates say will make funding more consistent and self-sustainable. Here’s a look at a few of the noteworthy pieces of legislation we’ve seen so far.

Opinion: PFAS ban could do more harm than good

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 16, 2023

3M has agreed to pay out $10.3 billion in settlement payments in response to lawsuits claiming that their per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, contaminated drinking water. The funds are supposed to be used to filter PFAS from water supplies where it has been detected, and test for other sites of contamination. This is especially important for Mainers, where legislators have begun a process to ban PFAS in consumer products sold in the state. One might think that the 3M settlement proves Maine is on the right track, but it isn’t that simple. For semiconductors, manufacturers say PFAS are a vital part of the production process. Efforts to ban PFAS may seriously jeopardize chip manufacturing and ultimately make the chip shortage much worse before it gets better.

York could soon become a frontrunner in banning all plastic utensils

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 16, 2023

Plastic utensils, containers, cups and straws are ubiquitous in takeout restaurants in the beachside town of York – but could soon become taboo if voters enact a proposal to ban the sale and use of all single-use plastic foodware at local businesses. It’s an idea from the Eco Club at York High School, which already eliminated the use of plastic utensils in the school cafeteria.

Rate-setting practice for ‘standard offer’ power supply is costing Mainers millions

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 16, 2023

If Maine’s PUC conducted semiannual bids as other states do, most home and small-business customers of Central Maine Power and Versant Power could have seen supply rates fall from roughly 16 cents/kilowatt-hour to 10 cents or so. The average household in Maine will pay a total of $198 extra through December. With nearly 720,000 homes and small businesses on the standard offer, that adds up to a total of $142 million. Philip Bartlett, Maine PUC chair, said the best way to achieve stable rates is to wean electricity production in Maine and the region away from natural gas, a global commodity that has seen prices rise and fall sharply in recent years.

Column: Preserving history in York County

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 16, 2023

The Great Works Regional Land Trust works to protect forests, farmlands, critical watersheds and wildlife corridors in the towns of Eliot, South Berwick, Berwick, North Berwick, Wells and Ogunquit. Over its history, GWRLT has conserved 7,400 acres of land, established 20 preserves and built over 35 miles of recreational trails for public enjoyment. And their mission continues with more projects in the works. GWRLT has a busy year-round calendar of guided hikes, programs and events, plus there are lots of opportunities to volunteer and help support their great work. Get involved, meet some terrific people and have fun. Start with a visit to gwrlt.org. ~ Carey Kish

An idea on mass transit that fits Maine

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • July 16, 2023

I have been following the debate about extending rail service from Brunswick up through Augusta and points beyond. It seems like an either/or challenge of restoring the original rail services or creating a large paved way for local foot and bike traffic. We should consider doing a single, large, paved way that would be used by electric buses on one side and foot/bike traffic on the other. I wonder how the cost of restoring the rail line would compare to a paving project to open up the route for travel. It would allow the trail to be used locally or long distance by dedicated hikers and bikers. Just another thought of a way forward for mass transit in the more urban areas of Maine. ~ John Seksay, Augusta

Replacing your home heating oil: Part two of our starter guide

MAINE MONITOR • July 16, 2023

After doing the efficiency prerequisites, it’s time to consider alternate heating systems to reduce or eliminate your oil reliance: heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, other carbon-based fuels, solar heating, radiant heating, other electric heat options.

Budding US offshore wind industry facing rough seas

MAINE MONITOR • July 16, 2023

Just as the U.S. is plunging into the deep end of offshore wind energy development, the nascent domestic industry is facing major supply chain problems, surging costs, permitting delays and other headwinds that could affect the aggressive installation timelines state and federal governments have targeted. Those obstacles, chiefly triggered by the pandemic, inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, should prompt states to more closely collaborate on workforce development, transmission planning, building a domestic supply chain and other areas where they can work together to help keep costs down, said several panelists at an industry conference this week.

Historic Rockwood sportsmen’s camp for sale

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 15, 2023

Maynard’s in Maine, a sportsmen’s camp in Rockwood that offers cabin rentals and family-style meals, is for sale for $3.9 million after 104 years as a family business. The listing, posted last month, includes the camp’s 13 cabins, main lodge and restaurant on nearly 100 acres of land. The property also has 110 feet of deep water frontage along the Moose River, which links Moosehead Lake and Brassua Lake. At least a dozen interested parties have narrowed down to three potential buyers, all of whom are “extremely well-qualified.”

Lamoine considers moratorium ordinance to temporarily block “glamping” project

MAINE MONITOR • July 15 2023

Lamoine voters are likely to consider a temporary development moratorium at an Aug. 15 town meeting, following months of resident opposition to a proposal for a luxury campground roughly eight miles from Acadia National Park. A petition sparking a proposed six-month moratorium was brought about by a local nonprofit, Growing Lamoine Responsibly, which sprouted in May in response to a “glampground” proposal from Clear Sky Resorts. Aside from the 90 “guest domes,” the campground would feature a restaurant, spa, employee housing and “activity domes” for stargazing and bird watching. Numerous residents voiced concerns over how the resort would affect roadways, drinking water, waste disposal and public safety personnel, and loss of rural character.

Competitor dies during Maine road rally race through forest

SPECTRUM NEWS • July 15, 2023

A competitor was killed in a crash on the first day of a rally race through a forest in western Maine, leading organizers to cancel the event's second day. Erin Kelly, a 48-year-old woman from Marshall, Virginia, was killed Friday when her team's car crashed near Lower Richardson Lake during the New England Forest Rally, where vehicles race along rural backroads and logging tracks near Maine's border with New Hampshire. The American Rally Association, which sanctioned the race, said Saturday that the New England Forest Rally decided to cancel the rest of the event.

Disappointing strawberry season ends on a sweeter note for some

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 15, 2023

Better weather near the end of the strawberry season has helped Maine farms make up for some of the loss in production and pick-your-own sales they experienced early on. But overall, yields and business were down. Strawberry farms around the state were concerned early in the season with the late freeze in May and wet weather throughout June. While some farmers expected lower yields and low turnouts for u-pick days, pickers have rebounded in the last few weeks of the season, and yields were higher than expected.

Column: Hybrids can make it challenging to pigeon-hole a particular species

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 15, 2023

I have learned about a remarkable hybrid of a Rose-breasted grosbeak and a Scarlet tanager. A hybrid should not be able to produce viable and fertile offspring. But we have situations where hybrids are sometimes fertile. We still treat the parent species as separate species in some cases but not others. It’s no wonder that many biologists are moving away from interbreeding as a definition of species to morphological or genetic definitions of species. Nature has no interest in being pigeon-holed. ~ Herb Wilson

Letter: If we’re going to use metals, we should mine them here

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 15, 2023

A typical cell phone uses 62 different metals, including about half an ounce of copper per phone. Considering the number of phones (along with laptops and other devices) we use and dispose of annually, we need large quantities of copper. If we do not mine copper in the U.S., it will come from countries where environmental standards are low to non-existent. People who say “think global and act local” are hypocrites to use metals but refuse to mine them here. ~ Dr. Joseph T. Kelley, Orono

Letter: Green burials provide literal return to the earth

SUN JOURNAL • July 15, 2023

Green burials is not a new concept and is legal throughout the United States. To literally return to the earth in a respectful and quiet manner should be an available option as someone’s final wish. Being buried in a totally biodegradable casket of wood or cardboard, or simply wrapped in a shroud of natural fibers and quietly laid to rest is a beautiful thing to some. It feels horrific to others. It flies in the face of modern day traditions and some established spiritual beliefs. Senior College plans to have guest speaker Chuck Lakin address green burials and alternative funeral options. He is an advisor to the Maine organization, Last Things: Alternatives at the End of Life. A tentative date of Oct. 4 has been set. ~ Monica Mann, Woodstock

Removing PFAS chemicals from wastewater being pioneered in Maine

WCSH-TV6 • July 14, 2023

A system to remove and destroy PFAS, which takes decades to break down in the body and the environment, is being pioneered at the Anson-Madison Sanitary District. There are no systems in Maine that have the capacity to remove these dangerous compounds. "The district wanted to figure out and learn more about how can we treat these compounds and prevent them from getting into the state's water bodies," Steve Woodard, the chief innovation officer with Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies or ECT2, explained. The district is teaming up with the Portland-based company and Dirigo Engineering to develop a centralized treatment system to remove PFAS. The project — utilizing millions of dollars in state and federal funding — is in the first phase.