A budding recycling industry tackles ‘tsunami’ of solar waste

ASSOCIATED PRESS • August 1, 2023

North America’s first utility-scale solar panel recycling plant has opened in Yuma, Arizona, to address what founders of We Recycle Solar call a “tsunami” of solar waste. Plans to address climate change rely on massively scaling up clean, solar electricity. Other companies are starting to get into the business. For now, solar recycling companies are still figuring out how to make money.

Column: Why banning North Zone bass tournaments is a good thing

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2023

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has proposed prohibiting bass tournaments in the North Zone. I support this. Nonnative fish are the number one immediate threat to Maine’s wild native salmonids. They have forever changed the ecological face of the southern half of the state, and have imperiled numerous wild native salmonid populations in the northern half of the state, an area that is critically important habitat for wild native brook trout, Arctic charr and Atlantic salmon. As part of the recent proposal to remove protective regulations on bass from 14 waters in the North Zone, four waters that straddle the border between the North Zone and South Zone would be moved into the South Zone for regulatory purposes, which would allow for the issuance of bass tournament permits going forward. ~ Bob Mallard

Gorham woman rescued from New Hampshire mountain

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2023

A Gorham woman was rescued from a New Hampshire mountain on Sunday. Mary Ervin, 42, was hiking Mount Lafayette in the White Mountains about 5:45 p.m. when she began suffering from a “medical issue” between the summit and the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Greenleaf Hut in Franconia. She was able to reach the hut with help from an AMC crew by 7:10 p.m. But her condition began to worsen, and she needed to be evacuated as soon as possible. The New Hampshire Army National Guard helped hoist Ervin aboard a helicopter from Greenleaf Hut about 10:42 p.m. and flew her to Littleton Regional Healthcare for evaluation and treatment.

Man allegedly hit moose with stolen vehicle, fled and then stole 2nd car

CBS 13 • August 1, 2023

Authorities are looking for a man who hit and killed a moose while driving a stolen vehicle in the Rangeley area and then stole another vehicle and fled. The driver crashed a stolen Ford Ranger into a moose around 1:30 a.m. on July 24 on Route 4 in Sandy River Plantation, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. The moose was killed, and the driver continued to drive the Ranger until it could not go any further. He then allegedly stole a Chevrolet Suburban from a driveway in Rangeley. Witnesses reported seeing the Suburban being driven by a man with a bloodied face. Around 2 a.m., a 36-year-old Yarmouth woman, crashed into the dead moose that was laying in the middle of the road and rolled her vehicle over. The stolen Suburban was later recovered in New Vineyard.

Commentary: Coastal real estate can’t seem to price climate risk

BLOOMBERG • July 31, 2023

Asset prices are supposed to reflect risk, but the coastal real estate market has been challenging that notion for years. Not only is the threat of rising seas not “priced in,” but many of the most vulnerable markets in the country are also among the frothiest. Logically, buyers must either lack information about the climate threat or they’re intentionally choosing to disregard it, perhaps under the influence of climate change-denying politicians. New research shows, the best way forward is to get specific actionable information into the hands of every would-be home buyer – leveling the playing field and helping nudge property demand toward less disaster-prone areas.

Penobscot River Atlantic salmon returns on pace to be highest in 10 years

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2023

The rain and wet conditions during the spring and early summer may not have been good for outdoor recreation, but it likely helped with the return of Atlantic salmon, which are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, to the waters of the Penobscot River. An estimated 1,489 salmon have passed through either the fish lift in Milford or the Orono dam so far in 2023 as of July 22, said Jason Valliere, marine resource scientist for the Maine Department of Marine Resources. That continues a positive trend for Atlantic salmon returns. It marks the most fish counted since 2012.

Work on the CMP corridor is restarting but you won’t see it

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 1, 2023

Work on the corridor that aims to bring hydropower from Canada through western Maine is set to resume Thursday, but not with crews flocking to different areas across the 145-mile transmission line. Only 10 to 20 employees are expected to work inside the Lewiston substation that will convert direct current from the line to alternating current for consumer use. A court in April cleared the way for the project to restart, but obstacles remain. Political and legal challenges to the corridor delayed it long enough to jack up the price 50 percent to $1.5 billion, largely because of inflation. There is no hard timeline for when work in the woods to install poles and wires will resume.

Letter: What if we all worked together to address climate change?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 1, 2023

The Earth is heating up. It’s math, it’s science, and it’s happening now: wildfires, heat waves, warmer waters, ice melting and extreme weather events. We are fortunate in Maine; however, the signs are here. In 2023, we still allow tyrants to hold the free world hostage. Innocent people are losing their lives. People are starving. There’s cruelty to animals, racism, discrimination, random acts of violence, etc. We need to come together. Global warming and climate change must be addressed collectively as a species. The Earth is not concerned with where you live, what religion you are or your political views. Let’s take care of our home for us, the animals, our children and generations to come. ~ Paul Stratis, Scarborough

Letter: Dealing with the climate crisis requires radical changes

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 31, 2023

The only way to stop the climate crisis is to completely change our consumption-based lifestyles. Unless we take radical and emergency steps, we are doomed, and so is most life on our planet. We must drive our cars only for necessary trips. We must use planes only for family emergencies. We must stop buying unnecessary “stuff” that we really do not need. We must end our meat and dairy consumption. We must sell our second homes and camps to reduce the need for driving. We must encourage young people to have no more than two children – and there’s so much more that governments and industry can do. ~ Len Frenkel, Portland

Lawmakers tour Maine before negotiating next federal farm bill

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 31, 2023

Lawmakers about to rewrite the nation’s agricultural policy got an earful Monday from Maine farmers, who say the next U.S. farm bill needs to be flexible enough to assist small, specialty farmers, fishermen and foresters who produce food, clothing and shelter. About 60 Maine farmers, food suppliers and rural development officials who spoke up to try to shape that policy at a field hearing of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee in Freeport. The lawmakers heard compelling stories about Maine’s front-line struggle with so-called forever chemicals, how they have ravaged the state’s farming community, and repeated calls to incorporate The Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act into the next farm bill.

Bucksport wants more tourists to step off the beaten path

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 31, 2023

Some Bucksport newcomers want to see people stop in their town more often. That’s why Lisa Gant and Alex Pelling installed two large banners at the intersection of Route 1 and Main Street in Bucksport. And the banners are getting a lot of attention — the kind the former mill town needs. They greet motorists on Route 1 crossing the bridge from Verona Island on their way east. Gant pointed out that Bucksport has everything available elsewhere like restaurants, ice cream shops, antique shops and hotels. “But here you can also find parking,” Gant said. “We love Acadia and Blue Hill. We don’t want anyone to not go to those places. We just want them to stop here, too.”

Georgetown groups and KELT host talk on local marshes

TIMES RECORD • July 31, 2023

Georgetown Historical Society, Georgetown Conservation Commission and the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust are co-hosting a talk focused on Georgetown’s marshes at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1. This free program is focused on the history of marsh management, how that translates to the way marshes look today and how restoration work today takes that history into account. The talks features presenters Jack Witham and Geoff Wilson, who have expertise in marsh history and restoration.

Maine's beach towns see slow start to summer, but hope for sunny skies ahead

MAINE PUBLIC • July 31, 2023

Last month's heavy rainfall has affected some of Maine's largest industries including farming and tourism. In the tourist haven of Old Orchard Beach, businesses reported seeing a noticeably slower June. But business owners and beach goers are hopeful for sunny skies in August. Every summer, nearly five million tourists pack the sandy beaches of Old Orchard Beach.

Large areas of milfoil found in Cobbossee Lake deal latest blow in enduring battle against invasive plant

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • July 31, 2023

Efforts to rid Cobbossee Lake of invasive Eurasian water milfoil took a hit last week when a survey team spotted two large areas infested with the plant in Manchester between the Outlet Bridge on Pond Road and a nearby dam, and an area past the dam, entering Cobbosseecontee Stream. Eurasian water milfoil can spread rapidly, growing several inches in a day. It can restrict boat access and even obstruct people from swimming in the water. The association has asked people to curb the spread of Eurasian water milfoil by avoiding jumping into the lake, swimming and fishing in the area along the shoreline. Officials are also discouraging people from using kayaks, canoes and boats.

Column: Paddling Maine’s small ponds is perfect for spotting wildlife

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 31, 2023

Exploring Maine’s many small lakes and ponds can be stimulating outdoor adventures. Small, narrow bodies of water with numerous islands, coves and inlets that are habitats for a variety of birds and wildlife are particularly appealing. Recently, we’ve had the good fortune to explore Pitcher, Moxie and Runaround ponds. When our friend Bruce Weik recommended Branch Pond in Palermo, we were enthusiastic about giving it a try. ~ Ron Chase

Two rabies cases, including a rare cat case, reported in Kennebec County amid summer uptick

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • July 31, 2023

On July 18, a rare case of rabies was reported in a kitten in Gardiner, prompting officials to post a warning sign in the vicinity of a known cat colony. Cliff Daigle, animal control officer for several towns, including West Gardiner, said a property owner shot and killed a gray fox that later tested positive for rabies.

Researchers, fishing crews, birds clash over all that horseshoe crabs provide

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 31, 2023

The horseshoe crab has been scuttling in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years, playing a vital role in the East Coast ecosystem along with being a prized item for fishing bait and medical research. Its blue blood is harvested for medical researchers. The crabs are used by fishing crews as bait to catch eels and sea snails. And their eggs are a critical food for a declining subspecies of the red knot, a migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The competing interests have set up a clash among researchers, fishing crews and environmentalists over new protections designed to keep more of the crabs in the environment.

Angus King introduces bill to help battle mosquito-borne diseases

MAINE PUBLIC • July 31, 2023

Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine has introduced a bill with bipartisan cosponsors that would boost funding to battle mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus. It's called the SMASH 2.0 Act, and it builds on previous legislation to reauthorize $100 million to the U.S. CDC for mosquito abatement. The bill would also authorize training and education for public health staff and require the CDC to coordinate with other agencies to stockpile products aimed at controlling vector-borne diseases.