28-year-old Portland man missing in Sebago Lake

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 4, 2023

Ahmed Doale, 28, of Portland, had been on a boat with another person on Sebago Lake when their boat broke down Sunday night. The boat drifted into a deep area off the shoreline off Sebago Lake State Park. Doale got out of the boat to push it, and when pushing, he stepped into deep water. Doale became submerged, and a number of people on shore heard yelling and called 911. A search team was unable to locate the man on Sunday night. A dive team and boats, are continuing the search.

Maine businesses expect strong finish to summer tourism season

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2023

A Labor Day weekend of blue skies and balmy temperatures has given a needed boost to businesses that depend on tourism dollars in Maine. Statewide, it wasn’t a banner season for tourism business, “but it hasn’t been a bad summer, either,” said Becky Jacobson, interim executive director of HospitalityMaine. Tourism remains a primary economic driver in Maine, with 15.4 million visitors tallied in 2022. Tourists spent more than $8.6 billion here last year, supporting 151,000 jobs and contributing nearly $5.6 billion in earnings to Maine households. Visitors to the state also saved each Maine household $2,172 in state and local taxes last year. Acadia National Park, one of the state’s major attractions, racked up 3.97 million visits last year, which injected $479 million into the local economy and supported nearly 6,700 jobs, for a cumulative economic benefit of $691 million.

Erosion on Chebeague Island seen as warning to other coastal communities

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2023

A washed-out access road to a popular tidal sandbar on a Chebeague Island is giving coastal residents a glimpse of what is to come in a warmer Gulf of Maine, where sea levels are rising and more frequent and severe storms boost the size of waves hitting the coast. It serves as a reminder that the impacts of climate change mean the next road washout could be much worse. That is why the Greater Portland Council of Governments is working with area communities to monitor coastal erosion around Casco Bay.

Commentary: For environmental and racial justice, listen to the voice of labor

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2023

Workers’ collective actions are not just about wages and working conditions. Organized workers have also built bridges across racial, class and gender divides to address critical issues like environmental climate change, pollution, racial justice, affordable housing and immigration. During the International Paper strike of 1987, the members of UPIU Local 14 in Jay took soil and water samples, documented environmental conditions, and strategized on how to clean up the environment. As a result, the town passed pioneering environmental ordinances. Recently, a coalition of construction trades unions, fisheries and environmental groups worked with legislators and Gov. Mills to pass a law allowing the construction of offshore wind turbines in a way that protects fisheries and creates thousands of union jobs. To address some of the most critical problems we face as a society, we must listen to the voice of labor. ~ Matthew Emmick, Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education, USM

Commentary: Nuclear power could save our air quality. At what cost to the water?

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 4, 2023

Japan started releasing contaminated water that was stored at the now defunct Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. A power plant company in Canada wants to store waste from its nuclear reactors within half a mile of the Great Lakes. Burning fossil fuels sends carbon dioxide into the air, contributing to global warming. Nuclear power advocates would say now’s the time to move aggressively to nuclear, which doesn’t add to greenhouse gas emissions. There are roughly 440 operating nuclear reactors in 32 countries, with upwards of 60 more currently under construction. That may be good news for air quality. Unfortunately, the water we drink is now, frighteningly, up for discussion. ~ LZ Granderson

Letter: Op-ed opposed EVs on shaky grounds

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2023

Concerns relating to pure electric vehicles, such as range and the effects of cold weather on batteries, do not apply to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which are allowed under the initiative. Likewise, the claim that EVs require expensive home charging equipment is also misleading. Level 1 charging equipment, which plugs directly into a 120-volt wall socket, comes standard with EVs. It is usually more than sufficient for overnight charging at home. About half of the CO2 being released into Maine’s air is from cars and trucks. Should we be free to spew carbon into the atmosphere indefinitely, despite the environmental catastrophe we are heading into? “Maine Can’t Afford to Wait!” ~ Robert Dodge, Falmouth

These Maine trails will take you to historic rock monuments

BANGOR METRO • September  4, 2023

Rock monuments are highlights of many public trail networks throughout the state. Here are just a few.
• Good Will-Hinckley Trails in Fairfield
• Mount Battie in Camden
• Vaughan Woods in Hallowell

Cool, wet summer yields Portland’s hottest July and ‘the best’ sunflowers. What gives?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2023

Maybe your garden’s tomatoes and sunflowers were late this summer thanks to so much rain and so many clouds, but there was one perk: The stormy weather kept things cooler, cutting down on the need for air conditioners. And yet, Portland recorded its warmest July on record because the same cloud cover that kept things cool during the day also made it warmer at night. “We never got to 90 degrees (this summer) in Portland, which is very unusual,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Sarah Thunberg. This summer will also go down as the seventh wettest on record in Portland. Augusta broke a record with 52 days of rain.

Summer of 2023 shatters weather records in Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 3, 2023

There are a lot of ways to describe the summer we’ve experienced in Maine. Some would call it wet, humid, warm and cold all at the same time. You would be right to use all those words when describing the three-month period from June to August in the Pine Tree State. Both the records for consecutive days of measurable precipitation and warmest monthly average temperature were broken. This was definitely one of the weirdest Maine summers in recent memory.

Home insurers cut natural disasters from policies as climate risks grow

WASHINGTON POST • September 3, 2023

In the aftermath of extreme weather events, major insurers are increasingly no longer offering coverage that homeowners in areas vulnerable to those disasters need most. At least five large U.S. property insurers – including Allstate, American Family, Nationwide, Erie Insurance Group, and Berkshire Hathaway – have told regulators that extreme weather patterns caused by climate change have led them to stop writing coverages in some regions, exclude protections from hurricanes, wind, and hail from policies underwriting property along coastlines and in wildfire country.

Attorney pushes back on lawsuit to give public full access to Moody Beach

CBS 13 • September 3, 2023

In 1989, a Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruling privatized part of Moody Beach based on that 1647 Colonial law. Now, a group hoping to make the entire beach public again is using that archaic law to try to overturn part of that 1989 ruling. Attorney Benjamin Ford argues the same public access protections in the 1640s for fishing, fowling and navigation still apply today. Beachgoers can walk along the private part of Moody Beach. They’re just not allowed to stay there. Ford also said beachfront owners on Moody Beach aren’t paying taxes on the beach they claim to own. He said they pay the same property taxes as beachfront owners on the public Wells beach. “If they’re claiming to own the beach in front of their houses, then they should be paying taxes on the beaches in front of their houses,” Ford said.

Letter: Please be mindful of bike riders on the road

MORNING SENTINEL • September 3, 2023

My husband and I ride our bikes on the outskirts of Waterville, Oakland and Fairfield. We are always keeping an eye out for traffic and are mindful of our responsibilities on the road. Clearly we are the bane of existence for some folks, who lurk behind us, rev their engines with poor exhaust systems, then leave us in a cloud of foul-smelling, oily smoke when they pass. We have witnessed several dangerous close calls recently. There is enough room for all on our roads if people will please be mindful and share them safely. We thank those who do, and we implore those who take risks to please use common sense, patience and caution rather than speed and hope when passing bikers. ~ Robin Johnson, Waterville

Letter: Thanks to everyone who helps us enjoy the outdoors

MORNING SENTINEL • September 3, 2023

Maine is home to some of the most special outdoor places. These places are kept up and run by staff and volunteers who are stewards of these special places and teach visitors important lifelong outdoor skills. I am thankful to all those who put in many hours and long days to support our outdoor recreation adventures. I also do not forget and I am grateful for the many small businesses that are, at the start or end of a trail, close to a park or are open early on the way to a paddle. Let’s all enjoy the outdoors in the coming months and thank those people who make the experience better for all of us. ~ Jeff McCabe, Skowhegan

21 great hikes in Acadia National Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 2, 2023

Acadia National Park is one of the most famous destinations in Maine, and for good reason. It’s a place filled with natural beauty. It boasts mountains of pink granite, pristine ponds, bubbling brooks, dramatic sea cliffs and one of the state’s sandiest beaches. Acadia is the outdoor enthusiast’s dream, no matter their abilities or skill level. The park features more than 120 miles of hiking trails and over 45 miles of smooth, gravel, vehicle-free carriage roads. This trail system is a work of art, with giant stone bridges, rock staircases, wooden footbridges and historic cairns. And the scenery can’t be beat.

Forestry companies granted state funds despite environmental violations

MAINE MONITOR • August 2, 2023

Two forestry companies that were announced as recipients for hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grant money last December were issued environmental violations at their Maine facilities over the past several years. One of the companies, ND Paper Inc., had a $101,400 state penalty finalized in late August for chemical spills at its Old Town mill in 2020 and 2022. One spill led to a limited fish kill in the Penobscot River and continued issues with high-pH at the spill site near the riverbank, according to Maine Department of Environmental Protection officials. A second company, T&D Wood Energy LLC, operates a wood pellet manufacturing facility in Sanford that was cited for nine violations of DEP regulations between 2019 and 2022, DEP records show. Its violations stem from inadequate recordkeeping and exceeding the facility’s emissions limits.

Column: Remember the stern drain, it’s (now) the law

SUN JOURNAL • September 2, 2023

Our state legislators have conjured up a new stern-drain law that will warm the cockles of your heart. Here it is: Effective June 16th, 2023, boaters are now required to do the following: “Prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters are required to remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers, live wells, ballast tanks) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.” Proponents of this law, no doubt well-intentioned, assert that many other states have this law and that is intended to minimize the introduction of invasive plants and organisms. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

More than 1 million travelers expected on Maine Turnpike over Labor Day weekend

CBS 13 • September 2, 2023

The Maine Turnpike Authority is predicting more than 1 million vehicles will travel on the turnpike this weekend, an increase of nearly 3 percent over last year’s Labor Day weekend.

Opinion: Biden’s EPA is needlessly delaying smog standards until after the election

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 2, 2023

President Joe Biden ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider dozens of actions taken by the Trump administration. One of the most important was the last-minute decision in December 2020 to keep in place outdated health standards for smog. But now, instead of moving to strengthen the nation’s limits on ozone — the lung-searing gas in smog — the Biden administration is delaying action until after the November 2024 election. Reviewing and updating air quality standards every five years to reflect the latest science, as required by the Clean Air Act, is one of the most important environmental actions a president can take. The nation’s limits on ozone pollution are too permissive. Clean air delayed is clean air denied. ~ Los Angeles Times editorial

Commentary: Willard Beach contamination must be put in context

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 2, 2023

Willard Beach is a special place in our community. South Portland takes its stewardship role very seriously. We share the water quality concerns expressed by residents. The city participates in the Maine Healthy Beaches program to ensure that the water at Willard Beach is safe for swimming and to notify visitors via sign and flag systems when it is not. The watershed is densely developed, consisting of 40% impervious surfaces. There is less natural landscape to absorb potential pollutants. During significant rain events, pollutants such as animal waste, lawn chemicals and many others are discharged to the beach water via the stormwater system. Nearly $650,000 has been invested in watershed restoration projects. If the water quality flag at the main entrance is yellow or orange, contact with the water is not advised. If it’s green, it’s safe for swimming. ~ Shara Dee, South Portland’s communications officer, and Fred Dillon, stormwater coordinator

Letter: Climate debate needs a dose of rationality

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 2, 2023

The direct cause of the Maui fire was poor maintenance of the power transmission lines that served the Lahaina area. This included old, thin, sagging posts for the lines, miles of uninsulated live wire and the accumulation of dense, invasive grasses that were allowed to cover the hillsides above the town. Local residents and officials had been warning, for years, that these conditions were a threat, but little was done about them. The fire had little to do with climate change or fossil fuel companies and everything to do with poor local policy decisions. It would be helpful if there were more journalistic skepticism about expansive claims and connections. ~ Martin Jones, Freeport