Commentary: Maine is the new Florida for climate migrants

BLOOMBERG • July 19, 2023

Thanks to growing wealth in the Sun Belt and the increasingly oppressive hot summers of the South, it’s going to get more attractive for southern residents to trek up north to escape the heat. In 2022, more out-of-state homebuyers in Maine came from Florida than from New York, and more came from Texas than Connecticut. There’s an opportunity here to transform some of the communities near lakes or the northern Atlantic Ocean to revolve even more around tourism, catering to southerners who may or may not be familiar with places like Maine. Not all locals will welcome this trend and the increased costs, home values and congestion it will entail, but wealthy southerners looking to beat the heat are going to figure out some way of doing so. ~ Conor Sen

Letter: We’re not doing enough to curtail plastic waste

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 19, 2023

Plastics suffocate our waterways and oceans and get into our drinking water. Plastic packaging fills our trash sites, litters our streets and kills wildlife. There have been minimal efforts to deal with the devastating effects of our increasing use of these petroleum byproducts, mere Band-Aids. Floating islands of plastic waste move about our oceans with the currents. We created this mess. Perhaps we can work to leave our kids a healthier world than what we would otherwise dump in their laps. I implore schools worldwide to educate our kids about how this growing problem will only get worse if we do not act to stop plastics from slowly choking our world. We must do whatever we can to reduce our dependency on this threat. ~ Peter Anderson, Peaks Island

In rebuttal: I just can’t believe CMP is any good for Maine

SUN JOURNAL • July 19, 2023

I don’t buy the one-sided view of Pine Tree Power (“Kurt Pullman: The squeaky wheel gets the grease: Thoughts on why government-controlled power is wrong for Maine, July 16) by someone who works for CMP. The voters of the State of Maine voted down the CMP corridor, yet a power-heavy CMP spent a ton of money to get the courts to reject the wishes of the Maine people. Avangrid sued the people of Maine with money it got or can get from Maine taxpayers. They use our money, their profits, to sue us. Is this really the people we want in charge of our power system? I just can’t believe CMP is any good for Maine. ~ Mark Bogue, Farmington

Anglers surprised by Maine’s strict proposed limits on bass tournaments

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2023

A proposal from the state to end bass fishing tournaments in northern Maine is drawing the ire of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and other fish groups. Opponents to the proposed ban noted small communities in the northern part of the state see an economic boost from the events. The change would only affect about five water bodies that host less than 5 percent of organized bass tournaments here and help the coldwater species. Other proposed changes relate to two State Heritage Fish Waters and an added regulation to protect sea-run Atlantic salmon in a Hancock County pond.

Maine has nation’s only Shellfish & Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship programs

WABI-TV5 • July 19, 2023

Maine now has the nation’s only Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship and state certified aquaculture pre-apprenticeship programs. The Aquaculture Pioneers pre-apprenticeship, sponsored by the Maine Aquaculture Association partnering with Educate Maine and Gulf of Maine Research Institute, is directly connected to the Maine Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Apprenticeship program that launched in the spring. Over a span of one year, apprentices gain industry-specific skills through a combination of on-the-job learning and mentorship, and 144 hours of classroom education at Southern Maine Community College. Students will get hands-on training in the aquaculture industry by learning safety protocols, shellfish and seaweed production, vessel and vehicle operation, and maintenance of tools and equipment.

House Republicans propose planting a trillion trees as they move away from climate change denial

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 18, 2023

The Republican party is no longer denying that global warming exists, yet is searching for a response to sweltering summers, weather disasters and rising sea levels that doesn’t involve abandoning their enthusiastic support for American-produced energy from burning oil, coal and gas. “We need to manage our forests better so our environment can be stronger,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said, adding, “Let’s replace Russian natural gas with American natural gas.” When the speaker was asked about climate change and forest fires, he was ready with a response: Plant a trillion trees. The tree-planting push has drawn intense pushback from environmental scientists who say planting trees does not eliminate “the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Collaboration will bolster training for Maine's offshore wind workers

MAINE PUBLIC • July 18, 2023

A new training collaboration in the offshore wind industry was announced Tuesday that supporters say will, as they put it, "marinize" the workforce. The partnership is between the Maine Community College System, Maine Maritime Academy and Diamond Offshore Wind, a private company planning to build a research array of 10 floating wind turbines, 40 miles south of Portland. The project is partly funded by $3 million in federal spending.

As smoke shrouds Maine skies, scientist foresees more on the horizon

SUN JOURNAL • July 18, 2023

Wildfire smoke that blew in from Canada created unhealthy conditions for some people in Maine Tuesday. “Will this become more common? It is likely,” said Gail Carlson, associate professor of environmental studies at Colby College. “What we are seeing are climate change impacts in the here and now. This is not something far off in the future.” Smoky conditions from nearly 900 wildfires raging across Canada are causing poor air quality in much of the United States. Climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels has resulted in more droughts, leading to more forest fires in dry areas.

High water could affect Maine loon chicks — but don't count them out yet

MAINE PUBLIC • July 18, 2023

For the purposes of Maine Audubon's annual loon count, the sound of the loon isn't enough. You have to actually see one. For 40 years, the count has provided important data about the health of the bird population. It's an ambitious undertaking that happens early in the morning on the third Saturday in July. Hundreds of volunteers fan out across lakes and ponds in canoes, kayaks and motorboats to search for a much loved symbol of Maine: the common loon. And this year, the numbers could be affected by heavy rain and high water.

Maine Summer Adventure Race comes to Brunswick on Saturday

TIMES RECORD • July 18, 2023

Hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts will test their navigation, hiking, biking and kayaking skills while enjoying the natural beauty of Brunswick in the seventh annual Maine Summer Adventure Race on Saturday. Racers can register for the 24-hour race, 8-hour race or 3-hour race, depending on experience level. This year, there are teams from 25 different states and 115 individuals signed up for both the 24-hour and 8-hour race and 50 for the 3-hour race. Teams made of three or four people will use compasses and muscles as they search for checkpoints and complete various tasks, including an oyster-shucking challenge.

School in Yarmouth takes a shot at owning an island

FORECASTER • July 18, 2023

A small school for neurodivergent students in Yarmouth has applied for ownership of Little Mark Island off Harpswell to use as a site for hands-on science instruction and other activities. “We can use it for science, and we’re really big on being outside and helping the environment,” said Jessica Molloy, founder and headmaster of the Whilde School. “We can do so many different things out there, whether it’s aquaculture or gardening.” Molloy has submitted an application to the U.S. General Services Administration for the 1-acre island in Casco Bay that is home to a deactivated 50-foot, beacon-topped granite monument. The lighthouse is one of six being given away by this year to nonprofits, education organizations, government entities or other groups.

Unity land trust looks to transform contaminated farmland into grassland bird preserve

MORNING SENTINEL • July 18, 2023

Farmland that can no longer be tilled because it has been contaminated by PFAS will be repurposed as a nature preserve as part of a broader effort to better protect grassland birds, a conservation group announced Tuesday. The Unity-based Sebasticook Regional Land Trust said it received a grant from Cornell University to help restore grassland bird habitats contaminated with PFAS and other so-called forever chemicals. The trust said the $5,000 grant will help turn the Unity farmland into habitat for grassland bird species that are seeing large population declines.

Column: Cruising the Eastern Trails

TIMES RECORD • July 18, 2023

Cycling is great exercise and a wonderful form of recreation for almost everyone, especially us old people. An outstanding aerobic workout, it’s much easier on the joints than walking and running. Safety is my biggest cycling concern. There are simply too many people driving around texting and nipping. My preference is to get off the roads and ride traffic-free bike trails whenever possible. Two great trail rides in southern Maine are two sections of the Eastern Trail. The northern sector from Scarborough to Saco is 8 miles one-way, while the southern ride between Biddeford and Kennebunk is 6. ~ Ron Chase

South Portland warns of algae blooms in local ponds that are dangerous to dogs

MAINE PUBLIC • July 18, 2023

South Portland announced Monday that pet owners should keep dogs out of the ponds in Hinckley Park after discovering the presence of cyanobacteria. The harmful algal blooms can make both people and pets sick, and can even result in the death of pets when ingested. Fred Dillon, the city's stormwater program coordinator, says cyanobacteria has been found in the ponds for the past several years and it could persist until cooler weather in the fall.

House Republicans want to cut billions in infrastructure spending they had supported

WASHINGTON POST • July 18, 2023

A series of Republican bills would wipe out billions of dollars meant to repair the nation’s aging infrastructure, potentially undercutting a 2021 law that was one of Washington’s rare recent bipartisan achievements. The proposed cuts could hamstring some of the most urgently needed public-works projects across the country, from improving rail safety to reducing lead contamination at schools to federal sources for drinking water and wastewater grants to states.

In Earth’s hottest spots, heat is testing the limits of human survival

WASHINGTON POST • July 18, 2023

As the Northern Hemisphere approaches summer’s peak, heat is testing the limits of human survival in Earth’s hottest spots – and demonstrating the extremes that are increasingly possible and probable against the backdrop of accelerating global warming. “We know these extreme temperatures are killing people right now,” said Cascade Tuholske, an assistant professor at Montana State University. Research has shown the human body loses its ability to cool itself via sweating at 95 degrees on a scale known as the wet bulb global temperature, which factors in a combination of temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover. A study published last year estimates that bar to be even lower, closer to 88 degrees even for young and healthy people.

Opinion: To enjoy local beauty without cars, we need more sidewalks

FORECASTER • July 18, 2023

As an enthusiastic runner and cyclist, I am deeply concerned about the safety risks I and others face. Route 115, Route 88 and Sligo Road offer stunning scenery, but they also come with considerable peril due to the absence of dedicated pedestrian paths. I have been endangered by drivers who, when passing clearly visible pedestrians and cyclists, don’t give them enough space or even slow down. It is crucial that we all have our share of the roads, regardless of whether we drive, walk, run or bike. ~ Abdi Nor Iftin, Somali-American writer, radio journalist and public speaker

For four generations, this Maine family has watched the loon population grow

WCSH-TV6 • July 17, 2023

Hodgdon Island isn’t large, but for the Lund family, it has been the center of summer for more than 80 years. And from their island camp on Cobbosseecontee Lake–known locally as Cobbossee—they have watched the loon population grow. "They were rare," family patriarch Jon Lund said, who began spending summer on the lake when his family moved to the Augusta area in the mid-1930s. The loon population has gone up throughout southern Maine, where Maine Audubon has been doing an annual volunteer loon count for the past 40 years. The 2022 count totaled 3,057 loons in the southern half of Maine. The Lund family—Jon, son Alfred, grandson Nick, and great-grandson Elliot—all share a passion for the birds, and say they spend many hours on and around the lake, watching them.

Wildfire smoke coming to Maine on Tuesday

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 17, 2023

Wildfire smoke from western Canada is expected to flow into Maine on Tuesday, resulting in a drop in air quality. Air quality levels are expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups but are not likely to reach the point that the state would issue recommendations for most people to stay indoors. Maine largely avoided Canadian wildfire smoke in late June. “Maine will not be spared this time,” said Martha Webster, air quality meteorologist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Vanishing right whale’s decline worse than previously thought, regulators say

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 17, 2023

A review of the status of a vanishing species of whale found that the animal’s population is in worse shape than previously thought, federal ocean regulators said Monday. The North Atlantic right whale numbers less than 350, and it has been declining in population for several years. The federal government declared the whale’s decline an “unusual mortality event,” which means an unexpected and significant die-off, in 2017. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released new data that 114 of the whales have been documented as dead, seriously injured or sub-lethally injured or sick since the start of the mortality event. That is an increase of 16 whales since the previous estimate released earlier this year.