Letter: Proposed rules on gas vehicles would be devastating

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 15, 2023

Did you know, your ability to buy internal combustion gas vehicles could be limited to 18 percent of all vehicle sales by 2032 if these rules are enacted! On Thursday, Aug. 17 the Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) will hear citizen testimony on rules, to be enacted with the force of law, without legislative oversight based on two groups’ language that will devastate Maine citizen’s choice in vehicle purchases. Forcing the private sector supply and demand of transportation selection is un-American. Dealers are finding that interest in purchasing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) cars and trucks is not keeping up with production. ~ Rep. Dick Campbell, Orrington

More Eurasian milfoil found near island on Cobbossee Lake

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • August 15, 2023

Following the discovery of invasive water milfoil in Cobbossee Lake earlier this month, officials have treated the area with an herbicide but found scattered plants in another part of the lake, near Horseshoe Island. A newly trained volunteer of the Cobbosseecontee Lake Association spotted two areas on the west side of Horseshoe Island infested with the invasive plant that continues to threaten aquatic habitats across the state. More plants were also found along the stretch of Horseshoe Cove. Eurasian water milfoil, if introduced to a water channel, can grow at a rapid rate of several inches in a day. The spread, if not curbed, can thwart water access for humans and harm aquatic life by sucking out the oxygen in the infected area.

The best place to see a moose in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 15, 2023

As our summer in Maine winds down and we continue our photographic quest for moose while exploring the state, we recently stumbled on the captivating village of Kokadjo (pronounced co-CAD-jo) on the eastern side of Moosehead Lake. our efforts to spot moose at Lazy Tom Bog, reportedly a hot spot for sighting moose feeding, remained unrewarded. With many lakes and ponds, large and small, dotting the area, we decided to try moose-spotting from a canoe early one morning. From the far side of the shore, we observed two moose feeding, a cow and presumably her young bull calf. I was able to snap the best moose images so far during our summer in Maine. ~ Nick Thomas

Maine Calling: Maine's black bears

MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2023

Black bears are found all over our state, from the forests to suburban areas, yet they're seldom seen by most Mainers. The state’s top bear experts talk about this cryptic species' biology and behavior, human-bear encounters, current research, and what the state does to manage their population. Panelists: Jennifer Vashon, Bear and Lynx Biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Randy Cross, Bear Biologist (40 years, retired) for Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Jack Hopkins, President, Associate Professor, Center for Wildlife Studies. VIP Callers: Igor Sikorsky, Owner and Guide, Bradford Camps; Katie Hansberry, State Director, Humane Society of the U.S.

Electric vehicle standards force a new political debate in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 15, 2023

Environmental groups are forcing the administration of Gov. Janet Mills to consider a rule change looking to drive long-term electric vehicle adoption here, leading Republicans to mobilize against the change. This comes ahead of a Thursday public hearing on the ideas. It is likely to have all the features of most energy other debates: tension between the short-term costs and long-term benefits at a time of high energy prices and stalled progress toward electric vehicle adoption.

After years of advocacy, rail trail will link Standish-Fryeburg

FORECASTER • August 15, 2023

A long-envisioned 55-mile rail trail between Portland and Fryeburg is moving closer to reality with state approval of a 31-mile segment connecting existing sections in Windham and Fryeburg. Gov. Janet Mills last month signed into law LD 404, authorizing the Maine Department of Transportation to construct a multi-use trail along an unused rail corridor from Standish to Fryeburg. Recent studies by American Trails have shown that for every $1 spent on trails, there’s a $3 return in the form of improved health as more overall physical activity is measured in communities. Other benefits include increased property values and equitable transportation options. Over time, the Mountain Division Alliance hopes to connect the trail to trails in Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire.

Letter: No fan of CMP, but I have questions about the alternative

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 15, 2023

Although I am no fan of Central Maine Power, I have strong reservations about a state-owned and -run electric power system and using small local power sources for electric supply in our state. This is a serious topic and shouldn’t be treated lightly. In winter, our lives depend on having a reliable electricity supply. I don’t feel comfortable that a state-owned and -run power company would provide that. ~ Elizabeth Garnett, South Portland

Opinion: Maine is fuel-rich: burn wood

ELLSWORTH AMERICAN • August 15, 2023

Trees are Maines original solar energy storage system. Maine must place biomass on an equal footing with solar and wind as an alternative non-fossil fuel energy source. Maine taxes CMP and Versant customers to support Chinese solar panel production and German wind turbine makers. Spending the same amount of money on biomass will keep Mainers working and recycle the money back into the state’s treasury. Trees are Maine’s original solar energy storage system. Let’s use them. ~ Michael Hall, Trenton

Report highlights importance of Maine salt marshes and seagrass for carbon storage

MAINE PUBLIC • August 14, 2023

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency underscores the importance of coastal marshes and seagrass in storing carbon. This so-called blue carbon is getting more attention. The EPA report on blue carbon from Maine to Long Island shows that Maine has 54,000 acres of salt marsh and eelgrass habitat, storing about 1.7 million metric tons of carbon. Bates College professor Beverly Johnson, who co-authored the report, says it will be important to continue studying seagrass and salt marsh habitats, to learn not only how they guard against the worst impacts of climate change by sequestering carbon and protecting the shoreline, but also how they might be affected by rising sea levels and other impacts of climate change.

Letter: Support Pine Tree Power

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 14, 2023

I am writing to express my support for the Pine Tree Power campaign. As a lifelong resident of Maine, I fully support this initiative. I recently got my first teaching job in this great state, and I know that this initiative will keep our schools powered in a way that fully supports our student’s learning. Due to the current unreliable system, many Maine residents have complained about frequent power outages that can last for days. In our most vulnerable communities, this can lead to a discrepancy in available educational resources for students who need them the most. ~ Colin Harris, Shapleigh

Wildfires remain a long-term threat to almost two-thirds of the properties in Maine

SUN JOURNAL • August 14, 2023

Maine has a long history of major conflagrations that have over the years left towns in ruins from Bar Harbor to Brownfield. With its many drenching rainstorms this year, there’s little reason to worry unduly about a serious blaze soon. The Maine Forest Service currently rates the entire state as low risk for fire. But history shows that during dry periods, the 17.5 million acres of Maine forest can fuel serious fires.

60th Whale Death Since 2022 Raises Questions Over Offshore Wind Power’s Impact on Endangered Species

MAINE WIRE (Maine Policy Institute) • August 14, 2023

On Saturday, New Jersey lifeguards discovered a dead humpback whale washed ashore, the latest in a string of unexplained deaths of various whale species on the East Coast. Journalist Michael Shellenberger said the whale death was the 60th known death of the large mammals along the East Coast since Dec. 1, 2022. Although no official conclusions have been reached about why the whales are dying at an increasing rate, the spate of deaths does coincide with offshore wind development off the coasts of Rhode Island and New Jersey, where several of the whales have been discovered. Schellenberger thinks there is a connection between the powerful construction equipment used to build the wind turbine platforms and the dying whales. The potential threat presented to marine ecosystems by offshore wind development is significant for Maine. There is an unprecedented effort to construct massive floating wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine.

The Clean Energy Future Is Roiling Both Friends and Foes

NEW YORK TIMES • August 14, 2023

If there is anywhere in the country primed to welcome the clean energy transition, it is Penobscot Bay in Maine. Electricity prices there are high and volatile. The ocean waters are warming fast, threatening the lobster fishery. Miles offshore, winds blow strong enough to heat every home and power every car in the state. Researchers at UMaine are confident they can mass-produce turbine blades the length of football fields and float them miles into the ocean. It is the kind of breakthrough in clean energy technology that is allowing a much faster transition to renewables than many believed possible, aided by state officials eager to pioneer a floating wind industry. Standing in their way are environmental groups and local residents, all of whom are committed to a clean energy future and worried about the rapid warming of the earth. Still, they want the state to pick a different site for its wind port, citing the tranquillity of Sears Island and its popularity and accessibility as a recreation destination. If lawmakers want to ramp up renewables as fast and cheaply as possible, they’ll need to bulldoze or build over some places that people treasure.

Opinion: Don’t end discussion of new Maine wildlife refuge before it even begins

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 14, 2023

During the week of July 24 I had the opportunity to talk with staff members from the offices of U.S. Rep. Jared Golden and U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King about a proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explore the possibility of creating a new National Wildlife Refuge in the High Peaks region of western Maine. Each talked about why we support the process to share more information with and gather feedback from the public about a potential new refuge. Imagine my surprise then when I opened the newspaper one week later to read that Collins, King and Golden had sent a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service calling for an end to this process. Before it has really even begun! Let’s let the process play out, to ensure that all voices are heard, compromises — if needed — can be made and people and wildlife can benefit. ~ Sally Stockwell, Maine Audubon

Column: This is among the most remarkable paddles on Maine’s coast

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 14, 2023

Two Bush Island is the most distant island in the Muscle Ridge archipelago. Located about four miles from Spruce Head, it’s home to historic Two Bush Island Light. The lighthouse, built in 1897, is situated near the heavily trafficked southwestern entrance to Penobscot Bay. Recently, I organized a Muscle Ridge kayak trip with Two Bush Island the primary objective. ~ Ron Chase

Enviros assail Forest Service report, saying it could promote logging

E&E NEWS • August 14, 2023

Activists are condemning a recent Forest Service report to Congress, saying one of its conclusions supports a policy that would worsen climate change by allowing the removal of old trees that absorb large amounts of carbon. The report says aging forests absorb less carbon than younger forests as tree growth slows. But some climate scientists and environmental groups consider the conclusion misleading and largely inaccurate. The debate around the ability of older forests to offset emissions could influence the Biden administration’s forest conservation policy. The Forest Service is drafting new federal rules to better manage forests and grasslands for climate resiliency.

Maine environmental regulators move to ban PFAS in food packaging

MAINE PUBLIC • August 14, 2023

Maine environmental regulators are moving forward with plans to ban the sale of food packaging made with PFAS, joining a small but growing number of states targeting a potential exposure pathway to the “forever chemicals.” For years, many food packaging manufacturers — including some with factories in Maine — have used PFAS coatings to keep paper-based containers from turning into soggy, greasy messes. But the same durable chemical bonds that make PFAS so useful in nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics and food packaging also prevent the compounds from breaking down easily in the body and the environment, hence the nickname "forever chemicals.” A growing body of scientific studies have also linked some PFAS to health problems such as cancer, kidney disease, low birth weight and disruption of the endocrine system.

Volcano eruption is disrupting Maine’s growing seasons

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 14, 2023

When the Tonga volcano erupted 18 months ago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it set in motion a chain of events that Maine growers and homesteaders will deal with for at least the next several years, experts say. The Tonga volcano eruption underwater in the southern Pacific Ocean in early 2022 shot massive amounts of water vapor into the atmosphere. The water vapor produced by the Tonga volcano was enough to warm the planet and impact weather patterns for a decade, While climate experts are not ready to say Maine’s growing seasons are undergoing a permanent change, growing seasons are increasingly unpredictable. Growers now have to be ready to quickly adapt to extreme weather and changes within a single season.

Federal plan for Maine wildlife refuge meets with strong opposition

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 14, 2023

Some residents feel a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to turn between 5,000 and 15,000 acres in the western Maine’s High Peaks region into a National Wildlife Refuge will wrest away the autonomy of local and state groups that already protect the area. Since the Fish and Wildlife Service first floated the idea of a refuge this past spring, towns, Franklin County commissioners, loggers, outdoors groups, Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine’s congressional delegation, Gov. Janet Mills and state lawmakers from the region have all expressed either skepticism of or strong opposition to the federal government’s plan. It mirrors previous battles in the state, such as that over the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument that was vociferously opposed before it was created in 2016.

Lost hiker rescued from Blueberry Mountain

CBS 13 • August 13, 2023

An out-of-state woman was hiking on Blueberry Mountain near Lovell when she became lost about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Maine Warden Service. The woman had cell service, called for help and rescuers were able to track her coordinates. Within a couple hours, she was brought safely to the bottom of the mountain.