The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 19, 2023
Small, local electricity co-ops and municipally owned utilities in Maine tend to charge customers less for electricity, a fact that’s finding its way into the debate over the future of the state’s two investor-owned utilities. However, a review of rates listed by the Maine Public Utilities Commission shows the claim is true for some electricity customers, but not others.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 19, 2023
A Farmingdale man was bitten twice by a fox Tuesday outside his Blaine Road home, but officials say while the fox was killed, they don’t know whether it was rabid. David Polley was taking the trash out around 9:30 a.m. when he apparently surprised a fox outside. The fox bit him on the leg, and then on the hand when Polley tried to get the animal off his leg. When he arrived shortly after 10 a.m., Andrew Killen, an animal control officer with Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, was able to shoot it with a small caliber rifle.
MORNING SENTINEL • September 19, 2023
The annual celebration of the fall harvest that’s come to be known across the state as the Common Ground Country Fair launches Friday for three days of events featuring more than 1,000 exhibitors and speakers. People were busy Tuesday setting up stages and booths in anticipation of more than 60,000 people who are expected to attend this year.
MORNING SENTINEL • September 19, 2023
A third StoryWalk trail is coming to Somerset County in the spring, thanks to a collaboration between public health advocates and a group of Skowhegan-area high school students. Participants previously built StoryWalk trails in Madison and along Lake George in Canaan. The third and final StoryWalk is expected to be placed in the spring at the community center in Skowhegan. StoryWalks were developed by a Vermont woman as a way for families to read a book together while enjoying the outdoor
SUN JOURNAL • September 19, 2023
Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to have the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands do $15,000 worth of work this year to help repair and stabilize Byron Road in Township 6 North of Weld where Tumbledown Mountain trailheads are located. Bureau representatives told commissioners in Augustthat they would help with washed-outs and other damage from a June 26 storm. It was agreed to spend $5,000 each year for five years for grading and other work.
MAINE PUBLIC • September 19, 2023
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it has received a "historic" amount of funding to conserve and recover critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Roughly $82 million in federal funds will help scientists better track North Atlantic right whales, whose distribution patterns have changed within the last decade due to warming waters. NOAA will use nearly $36 million to better monitor the right whale population, which has fewer than 340 individuals. About $20 million will go to prevent vessel strikes, the second leading cause of death and injury to right whales after entanglement with fishing gear. Nearly $18 million will be used to advance and expand on-demand fishing technology, with a portion of the funds devoted to training and reimbursing fishermen to test out the new techniques. About $5 million will fund NOAA enforcement efforts.
MAINE PUBLIC • September 19, 2023
After discontinuing a curbside recycling program last spring, Auburn city councilors voted unanimously Monday night to approve a new pilot program within designated areas of the city. The council ended Auburn's curbside recycling program in May, citing low participation and cost concerns. But a 2020 report from an ad hoc committee found Auburn didn't have enough data to properly evaluate its recycling program. It also recommended that the city better educate the community about the program.
MAINE MORNING STAR • September 19, 2023
Amid the dueling figures, the TV spots, door-knocking campaigns, demonstrations and recriminations, the fate of one of the most ambitious public power campaigns in modern U.S. history may come down to a simple question. Are Maine’s two largest electric utilities unpopular enough to be voted out and replaced with something brand new? On Nov. 7, Mainers will decide whether to initiate a public takeover of the state’s two investor-owned utilities, Central Maine Power and Versant, which together service more than 96% of Maine’s electric demand, called “load” in industry jargon.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 19, 2023
I am voting for Pine Tree Power because I want my kids to grow up in a livable climate. We already know that a key to addressing the climate crisis is switching to renewable energy, and quickly. CMP has shown, time and again, that it’s not really interested. When a utility is owned entirely by its customers, it puts their needs first. That means things like getting serious about the energy transition. And let’s not forget: It also means lower rates, fewer outages and higher customer satisfaction.Join me in voting “Yes” on Question 3. ~ Caitlin Marshall, Portland
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 19, 2023
Central Maine Power just woke me from a nap with a recorded message informing all that a recent power outage was caused by an event beyond their control – a tree falling on Mosher Road – and that power was restored within 20 minutes to over 1,000 customers. Brilliant! Someone at CMP or their PR consultant should get a bonus. Do they really think sleazy tactics will cause us to vote “No” on the Pine Tree Power vote? ~ David Alexander, Gorham
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 19, 2023
Now that the state has delayed requirements that companies disclose PFAS in their products sold in Maine, regulators can revamp the reporting to ensure it is more meaningful to Maine consumers. Because PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals, are in so many products, collecting this data – and making it useful – is a massive undertaking. Maine was the first state in the country to require such a PFAS registry. However, without consistent information being readily available to consumers, the registry that was envisioned was only of limited benefit in practice. With the delay, lawmakers, the DEP and companies that will be required to report can make the data more user friendly and useful. The delay, however, should not become a tactic to weaken or further stall getting this information to Maine consumers.
KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 18, 2023
Six months after four controversial ordinances were set aside, town residents will have a chance to weigh in on the new drafts at a public hearing Thursday. The Small-Scale Solar Energy Systems Ordinance proposes regulation of solar energy systems that encompass 3,000 square feet or less and/or generate 20 kilowatts of electricity or less. Those systems may be located on the ground or mounted on a roof. The ordinance also bans large-scale energy systems that have not been approved before the effective date of the ordinance.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 18, 2023
Maine fairs were started by farmers who were pretty darn proud of their animals and wanted to show them off to the world. So really, they were the first stars. That’s not to say all the extra trappings that fairs have adopted over the years aren’t thrilling and fun and delicious, from the carnival rides and pop concerts to demolition derbies, corn dogs and deep-fried Twinkies. But this year when you venture off to one of Maine’s fall fairs, you might want to pay extra attention to the animals and all they can do, from giving milk or plowing fields to herding sheep or pulling thousands of pounds of weight.
MAINE PUBLIC • September 18, 2023
As new research shows that climate change is causing foliage colors to peak two weeks later than in 1950, Acadia National Park is urging visitors to plan accordingly. New research by University of Richmond's Stephanie Spera shows that a warming climate has shifted the peak foliage in Acadia to about the third week in October. Acadia Public Affairs Officer Amanda Pollock says, "It's important for people, if they come a bit later, for them to plan their visit accordingly. Our Island Explorer shuttles aren't going to be running after October 9, and we want people to make sure that they know what they're going to be walking into when they come to the park."
ASSOCIATED PRESS • September 17, 2023
Yelling that the future and their lives depend on ending fossil fuels, tens of thousands of protesters Sunday kicked off a week in which leaders will try once again to curb climate change primarily caused by coal, oil and natural gas. But protesters say it’s not going to be enough. And they aimed their wrath directly at President Biden, urging him to stop approving new oil and gas projects, phase out current ones, and declare a climate emergency with larger executive powers.
MORNING SENTINEL • August 17, 2023
Growers across the state marked the beginning of the prime picking season by celebrating the 23rd annual Maine Apple Sunday. Apple farmers across Maine faced a challenging growing season in 2023, with difficult weather making this year’s crop more difficult to grow. Tough and unpredictable conditions have become something of the norm for farmers of all kinds as climate change continues to affect weather patterns and growing seasons.
MAINE MONITOR • September 17, 2023
Maine wants to install hundreds of thousands of electric heat pumps in the coming years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower home energy costs. Maine is more reliant than any other state on that pricey, carbon-intensive fuel. Heat pumps are the state’s favored alternative. These devices work like air conditioners or refrigerators to provide heating and cooling year-round with very high efficiency — meaning you get out much more energy than you put in. Heat pumps’ performance in the coldest weather has vastly improved over the years and, with it, public trust in using this technology in a climate like Maine’s.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 17, 2023
The natural disasters brought about by climate change this year have been both global and extreme. Here are just some of the “greatest hits” of 2023: The forests of Canada have been burning nonstop since May. We had historic flooding in Vermont in July. Extreme heat and drought in southern Europe now followed by extreme flooding. The devastating wildfires in Maui were driven by heat and winds from a nearby cyclone. Extensive floods in Brazil have displaced more than 3,500 people. Hilary became the first tropical storm to make landfall in Southern California in 80 years, dumping half a season’s worth of rain in the worst-hit areas. Hong Kong and the Chinese city of Shenzhen flooded by the heaviest rains on record. Republicans need to get their heads out of the sand and start trying to engage in meaningful negotiations with Democrats on climate policy before it is too late and today’s extreme weather events are no longer considered extreme. ~ Sam Rosenthal, retired engineer, Portland
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 17, 2023
New research suggests that they are reasons for ongoing concerns about our oceans and the fish that live in them. Rising ocean temperatures will shift where fish, especially large predatory fish, eat and congregate, studies say. As a result, fishermen and regulators must be ready to change their practices and regulations to preserve these species. And, to preserve the fishing industries and communities that rely on healthy stocks of fish such as tuna and swordfish. As the oceans continue to warm, there will clearly be significant implications throughout the marine food chain. As fish populations shift, that will impact commercial catches – both for bait fish and fish that end up on dinner plates – and the people and communities that rely on them. Understanding and planning for those changes now can help minimize negative consequences.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 16, 2023
The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine will host a talk, “Unlocking the language of change: Understanding social-ecological challenges in Maine’s wild shellfish fisheries,” at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 25. B Lauer will share her journey in understanding the diverse meanings of coastal and fisheries “access” and how communication plays a crucial role in shaping issues in wild intertidal shellfish fisheries in Maine. Free and offered both remotely via Zoom and in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono. Preregister if Zooming.
