The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • August 16, 2023
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration today announced a total of $35 million going to state and tribal governments to advance 27 projects in Maine. The grants are part of a $196 million package going to 59 Tribal, state, and local governments that will fix or remove 169 culvert barriers to improve fish passage.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2023
Blue crabs, usually associated with coastal Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay, have been showing up more often and in larger numbers in the Gulf of Maine over the past few years. To better understand the shifting population, scientists are now asking fishermen and members of the public to report their sightings through an online survey. Jessie Batchelder, a fisheries project manager with Manomet, said the information submitted by lobstermen, clam harvesters and others who are frequently on the water is key to getting a better picture of the blue crab population.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2023
An exceedingly rare opportunity has arisen to conserve a large undeveloped, contiguous forested parcel within the town of Greenville. The Scammon Ridge Headwaters Project spans a ridge between Lower Wilson Pond in the Penobscot River watershed and Prong Pond in the Kennebec River watershed. The project will permanently conserve 3,000 acres, including nearly two miles of shoreline on Prong Pond and the entire shoreline of Little Mud Pond. A permanent conservation easement will allow careful forest management to continue and since the land will remain privately owned, the property will remain on the local tax rolls. ~ Karin R. Tilberg, Forest Society of Maine
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 16, 2023
In June 2020, California adopted an Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which requires 40% to 55% of all heavy trucks sold by 2035 in California to be electric. Now, the Maine is considering adopting portions of that regulation after a petition was submitted by the Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club and Natural Resources Council of Maine. The problems are numerous. It is not practicable for the construction or logging industries to invest in certain heavy-duty zero-emission trucks when those trucks have no way to recharge at their remote job sites in gravel pits and in the north Maine woods. Furthermore, the use of accessory equipment like snowplows, dump bodies, and cranes, reduces battery life. Zero-emission vehicles are part of the future of transportation, but we cannot rush their adoption. Let the market evolve naturally. ~ Tom Brown, Maine Auto Dealers Association, and Kelly Flagg, AGC Maine
EPA NEWS • August 15, 2023
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that four organizations in New England will receive $346,000 in grants to help address career development, water and air quality issues, climate change and environmental justice. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is getting $96,000 to partner with 8 middle schools from a range of communities reaching approximately 800-1,200 students from across Maine. The work will connect those schools with schools across New England engaged in related hemlock investigations and monitoring efforts. The Maine Campus Compact's Energy Maine project is getting $90,000 to support environmental education efforts that address climate change/air quality and energy efficiency stewardship through problem-based curriculum and activities for Maine elementary school students in underserved communities.
MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2023
This week, a Montana judge sided with 16 young plaintiffs in their landmark court case against the state over its climate policies. Young climate activists in Maine say they're encouraged by the ruling. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argued that the state's fossil-fuel based energy system violated provisions of the state constitution guaranteeing a right to a clean and healthful environment. The State of Montana intends to appeal the decision to the state supreme court.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 15, 2023
CMP and Versant have neglected Maine’s power grid, leaving Maine with some of the most frequent power outages in the U.S. I think Pine Tree Power will be a trusted partner. With a nonprofit utility at the helm, our money could stay in Maine to make the investments required to substantially reduce outages. ~ Penelope Andrews, Hermon
MAINE PUBLIC • August 15, 2023
The running of the alewives is one of Mother Nature's great spectacles. These small anadromous fish power upstream to reach their spawning grounds, and thousands of people flock to streams to witness the drama every spring. This first Borealis story explores the 11 mile pilgrimage Maine alewives take from the salty Gulf of Maine to Highland Lake. Zachary Whitener of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute explains why these fish are crucial to land and sea ecosystems, and how conservation efforts in the last few decades have helped the population recover. Plus, Deb and Mark Wilson talk about the "fish ladder" at Damariscotta Mills and how alewife harvests are crucial to the local economy.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 15, 2023
The state has ordered the permanent closure of a Bucksport landfill that it says has been relatively dormant in recent years and has not been properly maintained. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection notified AIM, the mill’s owner, that the landfill is in violation of its operating permit. The state agency also said that AIM must develop a plan to permanently close the landfill and provide to the state a schedule for completing the work. The landfill was owned by a series of companies that operated the former local paper mill, which ceased operations in 2014. American Iron and Metal bought the property to demolish the mill and sell off the scrap, and at the same time acquired the landfill.
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
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
