The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
MAINE AUDUBON • October 23, 2023
Nick Lund, Advocacy and Outreach Manager at Maine Audubon and Co-founder of the BirdSafe Maine project, talks about how millions of birds are disappearing at an alarming rate and what we can do to help. At Curtis Library, Brunswick, October 23, 7 p.m. Hosted by Merrymeeting Audubon.
MAINE (ORONO) CAMPUS • October 23, 2023
A talk was held at the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions on Oct. 16 regarding the “Productive Disagreement” in Lake Associations and how to be active in conservation for lakes and camps in Maine. The Mitchell Center welcomed Katie Swacha and Elizabeth Payne, an assistant professor and lecturer, respectively, in the English Department at UMaine. The purpose of the talk was to bring awareness to everyday people about what they can do to preserve the environment for all camps, lakes and waterside recreation areas.
ENERGY NEWS NETWORK • October 23, 2023
A former Maine conservation commissioner says he’ll vote against creating a public power utility, arguing fighting climate change will require large private investment.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 23, 2023
Maine has been designated a federal Forest Bioproducts Tech Hub and could receive $50 million to $75 million to accelerate research and development of natural polymers and other wood fiber bioproducts to replace plastics and toxic chemicals, Gov. Janet Mills announced Monday. The designation comes with a $500,000 planning grant and opens the door to significant further investment from the Biden administration, which would signal that Maine’s forest bioproducts sector has the potential for rapid growth in a foundational industry that has been flagging.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 23, 2023
The decline of the North Atlantic right whale could be slowing based on a new population estimate, but scientists warn that a leveling off of their overall number does not mean this critically endangered species is rebounding. Records show the population has lost an average of 12 whales a year over the last decade, but scientists note that about two-thirds of right whale deaths go undetected.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 23, 2023
Over the last 20 years, the Gulf Stream has warmed faster than the global oceans and shifted closer to the shore, increasing the likelihood that the tropical ocean current could suddenly impact U.S. coastal fisheries, according to a new study. Scientists say it is too early to know for sure, but increasingly warm core rings that break away from the Gulf Stream closer to shore could have a significant impact on environmental conditions, and marine wildlife within the Gulf of Maine.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 23, 2023
I ran for office to fight climate change, and I support Question 3 because I believe consumer ownership is essential to securing an affordable and reliable grid in our clean energy transition. The Natural Resources Council of Maine endorsed Pine Tree Power, as did the Sierra Club, Maine Youth for Climate Justice, 350 Maine and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. These Maine-based environmental and climate advocacy groups support Question 3 because they recognize that transitioning to a consumer-owned utility can help Maine meet its climate objectives. Vote “yes” on Question 3 for a brighter Maine future. ~ Rep. Sophie Warren, Scarborough
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 23, 2023
I watched the AARP Webinar about Maine’s Question 3 on the November ballot. It is clear that there are huge unanswered questions that make it too risky to vote “yes” on this proposal to create Pine Tree Power. Instead of putting this question on the ballot, the Legislature should have created a commission to develop the information needed to make an intelligent decision. The biggest unanswered question is “How much will it cost?” The second biggest unanswered question is, “If the vote is ‘yes,’ how long will it take to transition?” I will be voting “no” on Question 3. The webinar was recorded. I hope that everyone who didn’t watch it live will take the time to go to the Maine AARP website and watch the recording. ~ Douglas Robb, Bath
BLOOMBERG • October 23, 2023
Targets for carbon abatement have gotten more ambitious and policies to address the challenge are proliferating. Yet one measure shows how badly these efforts still fall short. Last year, global fossil-fuel subsidies expanded to a new record — $7 trillion, roughly 7% of global gross domestic output. With some of their policies, governments push fossil-fuel demand in the right direction; then, with generous subsidies for pollution and climate change, they push it back. Insisting that people pay full price for fuel would not only reduce consumption and slash emissions. Finally, cutting subsidies raises revenue, which allows for higher spending on worthwhile goals, lower government borrowing and/or cuts in other taxes.
MAINE PUBLIC • October 22, 2023
Extreme temperature drops last winter and spring cost some fruit farmers in southern Maine part of their harvests. In May a late spring freeze ruined Ellen McDougal's Honeycrisp and Evercrisp varieties due to their early bloom time. "We were at full bloom. The 17th of May everything was in full bloom, pink and white. The next morning we went out and they were brown, all the blossoms were brown. Some varieties bloom earlier and those are the ones that were affected," McDougal said.McDougal says the subzero temperatures Maine experienced in February caused other fruits to suffer as well. "We lost all the peaches in February,” she said. The University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture reports that the state's apple crop is about half of what it could have been this year.
SIERRA CLUB • October 22, 2023
Pete Nichols has been named Director of the Sierra Club Maine Chapter. Nichols is a Maine native who for nearly 30 years has worked to protect the world’s waters & wild lands from the redwood forests of northern CA, to the majestic Tigris River in Iraq & the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. He obtained a B.S. in Conservation Biology from Humboldt State University.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
Maine has more than 150 licensed oyster farms stretching from Kittery to Washington County. Maine’s oyster farmers last year hauled in more than 3 million pounds of the bivalves with an $8.3 million value. The Maine Oyster Trail is a tourism initiative featuring an interactive online map and other key info about Maine oysters. Many millennials and older Gen Zers are looking for “green career opportunities.” “Oyster farming is a sustainable living and a great way to produce food with a low impact,” said Afton Vigue of the Maine Aquaculture Association. Of the five oyster species native to the United States, the Eastern oyster is native to Maine. The state has four general oyster farming “regions”: southern Maine, Casco Bay, Midcoast and Down East. The majority of Maine farms are clustered together along the coast and the Damariscotta and New Meadows rivers. The time is right to slurp down some oysters, and celebrate the fruits of Maine’s oyster farms.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
If Question 3 passes, Pine Tree Power will take over the 28,000 miles of transmission lines and other assets of CMP and Versant’s power delivery business, create an elected and appointed board of overseers, and hire a third-party operator to keep the electricity flowing to Maine homes and businesses. But questions around the cost and legality of the takeover, the experience of the new board and new delivery operator, the timeline, and the veracity of promises of lower cost and more reliable power have sown confusion. Opponents say it would cost $13.5 billion. Supporters say the cost would be half that. Supporters say the board would bring decision-making back to Maine. Critics question whether those elected to the board would be qualified to oversee an electric utility. The state’s public advocate estimates that legal challenges could take from five to 10 years to resolve.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
Dandy Ram farm is an LGBTQ+ operated and owned farm offering space to grow crops for just $1 a year. It is n affordable and accessible opportunity for queer people to find kinship, learn to farm, discover their passion and, perhaps most important, feel safe and at ease while doing so. Farm owner Bo Dennis, 33, and the other folks sharing space at Dandy Ram view this dynamic as uniquely queer – a word that embraces people within the LGBTQ+ community and others who reject conventional gender norms and the societal expectations that go along with them. People in the LGBTQ+ community are using the term “queer” (both as a noun and verb) and reframing its long-standing association as a homophobic slur.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
If you enjoy towering pines, both red and white, head to Hancock Pond in the towns of Sebago and Denmark. We recently enjoyed a four-hour circumnavigation of the hourglass-shaped pond; dipping in and out of secluded coves, marveling at the long ridgeline of Pleasant Mountain 7 miles to the northwest, peering westward for glimpses of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. ~ Michael Perry
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
One of the major threats to biodiversity is the loss and degradation of favorable habitats. Like many of you, I seek to improve habitat for birds and other wildlife in my yard. Our 0.25-acre yard is modest against the tracts of natural habitat that are destroyed daily. Nevertheless, by planting plants that provide food for birds and insects, providing water, putting out nest boxes, providing shelter and, of course, providing food in bird feeders, we can improve the lot of wildlife in our yard. The yards of single-unit detached housing occupies 30% of U.S. land area. Compare that to the 7% of the country that is protected in national parks, national forests and conservation land. You can see that improving our yards to benefit wildlife is a huge opportunity that we should be embracing. ~ Herb Wilson
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
Mandatory antler restrictions are among the hot-button deer hunting topics that always bring out strong opinions on both sides of the discussion. They’re not a one-size-fits-all prescription, but under the right circumstances can provide benefit to both hunter and hunted, even when applied voluntarily. Maine currently allows licensed hunters to take a buck with 3 inches or more of antler. Bottom line: it’s your tag and your choice. Success of any size deer is the goal of many hunters and they should be proud of their accomplishment. As they grow older and more experienced, however, many choose to apply greater personal restrictions. ~ Bob Humphrey
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
The Maine Public Utilities Commission is set up to oversee and regulate utilities. If our utilities are out of control, who is to blame? One obvious answer is elected officials, the same folks we’re being asked to hand total control of the power grid. It’s ridiculous to think that government can effectively oversee and regulate something it owns. When we’re done buying out the utilities’ assets, what’s next? Perhaps cable or the phone company! ~ Richard Beaudoin, Scarborough
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
Regarding the report of Oct. 8, “Freight railroads police themselves and inspect their own tracks. Some say a disaster is inevitable,” I do not believe the part about disaster to be true. Just go north to Jackman or Holeb, and you will see railroad tracks in fantastic shape, owned by Canadian Pacific Railway. Those tracks transport many heavy-loaded cars. The Canadian government manages their tracks like no other; they inspect and repair their own, and have forever. Now the U.S. could learn lessons from them on how to maintain and repair effectively. Yes, it can be done right. ~ Bill Perrault, Brunswick
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 22, 2023
Here are two powerful reasons to support a public utility. 1) Pine Tree Power gives us a say about the delivery of our electricity. 2) Pine Tree Power’s shareholders are its consumers. It keeps our money at home in Maine. Let’s take control of our grid and our power. ~ Sorrel Dunn, Bath
