Column: When searching for deer, the answer is blowin’ in the wind

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

Wind direction is a critical component of any deer hunt. The best option is often – though not always – to have the wind in your face. Deer know far better than we do how to use the wind to their advantage, so more often than not they’re going to beat us. However, they may be more likely to make a mistake when the advantage seems clearly in their favor. And sometimes, we just get lucky. A buck that approached my stand in the fading daylight came from almost but not directly downwind. It didn’t end well for him.~ Bob Humphrey

Column: A perfect finish to the paddling season at Cape Neddick River in York

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

We are putting the final touches on the 2023 paddling season with a two-hour exploration of the Cape Neddick River in York. At 3.7 miles in length we are not talking about the mighty Amazon here. Only the 1-mile tidal portion of the river is navigable. You will want to explore the river within the timeframe of two hours before and after high tide. This time of year the river is a staging area for a variety of birds. ~ Michael Perry

Column: If only that was the end of Pine Tree Power

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

Pine Tree Power wouldn’t have done anything to affect electricity rates, service or quality. It was simply a power grab by corrupt insiders to get their hands inside our wallets and our lives. Last Tuesday’s results haven’t killed the insane Pine Tree Power idea. Instead, they simply ensured that the concept will be resurrected in the future, fought under different rules and on a different terrain. Let’s hope, when that comes to pass, that the people of Maine are smart enough to reject it again. ~ Jim Fossel

Editorial: Rejection of Pine Tree Power opens the door to reform

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

As the dust settles on the Pine Tree Power bid, it’s time for Maine to bring the regulation of its electric utilities up to snuff. A thumping majority of voters last week rejected the proposal to create a new publicly owned electric utility that would have replaced investor-owned incumbents Central Maine Power and Versant. It would do a grave disservice to the state, however, to treat the defeat of this first-of-its-kind proposal as an endorsement of the way things are. Increasing the number of PUC commissioners to five, and taking exaggerated care to ensure that those commissioners come from complementary backgrounds, and new backgrounds, has the potential to give it the teeth it needs. The commission would also benefit greatly from the addition of in-house consumer advocates.

Commentary: Business investment in climate solutions should be promoted, incentivized

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

The world is burning, and while climate scientists and advocates are sounding the alarm, others remain cool and quiet, even those who may hold the keys to our salvation. More businesses are talking about climate change in board rooms across America, but others are “greenhushing” – a practice by which companies keep their corporate mouths shut about their environmental goals and actions out of fear of public backlash. Greenhushing is the opposite of “greenwashing” companies that hype and spin sustainable credentials that they don’t have or cannot achieve, often to con consumers into buying their products or services. With the potential economic wealth in “going all sustainable” on the Earth, let’s start the next “Greenrush” in Maine: reducing market barriers, lowering costs and maximizing cleantech deployment as quickly as possible. ~ Jeff Marks, ClimateWork Maine

Letter: Impossible to have a bad time in the magnificent Maine woods

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • November 12, 2023

As someone who, beginning in the winter of 1971-72, with friends, slept atop some 25 Maine mountains over January and February holiday weekends through the ‘90s, I enjoyed Carey Kish’s column, “Annual trek with friends grows into special outing,”Nov. 5. Bring friends together in the magnificent Maine woods, and it’s impossible to not have a great time. The harsher the weather, the better. As chronicled in detailed photo essays by legendary Telegram environmental reporter Bob Cummings, who joined many a trip, the Maine winter woods could be as enjoyable as any other – even in deep below-zero temperatures. ~ Michael Petit, Portland

The middle class is not buying electric vehicles as hoped. What happened?

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY • November 11, 2023

Automakers are learning an important lesson: Not all car buyers are wealthy environmentalists. This should be obvious but apparently isn’t, which is why the auto industry is now wringing its hands over electric vehicle sales problems. This was obvious for Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, founders of Tesla Motors. By driving the streets of the wealthy suburb of Palo Alto, California, they found tucked between the $2 million homes Priuses. Economists have identified this as “conspicuous conservation,” a way of displaying green virtue. Eberhard and Tarpenning concluded they could sell electric cars to the affluent. Now the time has come for the EV to trickle down — and it’s not happening. Middle-class consumers need their vehicles to go to work, to Grandma’s, to college and to go on vacation. Yet they need them to be inexpensive. An EV’s initial cost is still too high and its practicality too low, especially for the less affluent.

Thousands of Miles Away From Home, This Steller’s Sea Eagle Couldn’t Be Any More Lost

SMITHSONIAN • November 10, 2023

A rogue Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) has captivated birders once again as it soars eastward thousands of miles away from its home in Asia. The raptor was recently spotted in Nova Scotia on Canada's east coast on November 3. The sea eagle, native to Asia—specifically China, Japan, Korea, and Eastern Russia—has been spotted thousands of miles away from its range in places as far south as Texas and as far North as Alaska. The bird was first spotted in the United States on Alaska's Denali highway, about 4,700 miles away from its native range, in August 2020. In July 2021, the eagle was spotted in New Brunswick and Quebec, Canada. The first sighting in Nova Scotia was reported by Phil Taylor, a biologist at Acadia University, while scanning for ducks in Falmouth, Nova Scotia.

New Visitor Center in Kennebunk to showcase the contributions of Rachel Carson

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • November 9, 2023

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is building a multipurpose center in Kennebunk, Maine, that will serve as a focal point for connecting people to nature in southern Coastal Maine and celebrating the life and work of Rachel Carson. The 11,666-square-foot facility will feature exhibits showcasing the conservation efforts conducted by the Refuge and the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program and the life and contributions of Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1966 to protect valuable salt marshes and estuaries for migratory birds. Located along 50 miles of coastline in York and Cumberland counties, the refuge consists of 11 divisions between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth.

Poland hunter finds bucks locked in combat in Weld

LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • November 9, 2023

Mark Lohmann of Poland came upon a most astonishing sight while hunting in woods near Route 142 this month. It was two bucks with their antlers locked together. “I told myself I had to take the shot, you can’t leave them like that,” he said of the 10-pointer standing. The other one, an eight-pointer, died of a broken neck in the fight.

ReVision Energy acquires Massachusetts solar company

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 9, 2023

Maine's ReVision Energy announced Thursday that it's acquiring the Massachusetts company Sunbug Solar. According to a press release, the acquisition will allow ReVision to better serve Massachusetts customers with all aspects of electrification, including solar power, heat pumps and battery storage. It will also be better positioned to meet Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's plans to dramatically increase solar power, and put a million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. ReVision, which is employee-owned, has 400 employees, and this acquisition will add another 60.

Maine Transportation Department to rebuild — rather than replace — controversial Machias dike bridge

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 9, 2023

The Department of Transportation announced plans Tuesday to rebuild, rather than replace, a controversial dike that carries Route 1 over the Middle River in Machias. Meanwhile, the aging structure is deteriorating quickly, forcing the DOT to make temporary repairs. The so-called dike bridge is equipped with culverts and valves that block tidal flow and fish migrations into the river. As it has deteriorated, salmon advocates and federal regulators had hoped to see it replaced by a bridge. But some upstream landowners objected, and want the dike to be rebuilt instead.

Editorial: Metal mining has no place in future of Katahdin region

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 9, 2023

Pickett Mountain in Penobscot County has what one company has identified as the country’s largest undeveloped reserves of an ore containing valuable and beneficial metals. The site of the deposit is just a few miles away from Baxter State Park and the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and within the life-giving Mattawamkeag River watershed. The uncertainty inherent in the mining of metals means a proposal now before regulators should not go forward. There is simply too much for Maine to lose. The mine proposed for Pickett Mountain would bring tremendous profits to Wolfden, but it’s very hard to see what it would do for anyone else, or for the future of one of Maine’s most treasured areas.

Opinion: It’s now time for CMP to put energy into what matters

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 9, 2023

At Central Maine Power, our priority continues to be delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity while building a modern electric grid. By the end of 2023, we will submit a Climate Change Protection Plan to the Maine Public Utilities Commission that outlines ways we propose to identify and quantify risk to the grid. These changes won’t happen overnight. By leveraging the national network of our parent company as well as our global network, Iberdrola, Central Maine Power we can and will make progress toward accomplishing these goals. ~ Joe Purington, chief executive of Central Maine Power

After defeat of Question 3, it’s time to work together to meet Maine’s energy goals

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 9, 2023

Mainers rightly expect and deserve responsible electric utilities that are focused on providing reliable, affordable service while facilitating our state’s efforts to accomplish our ambitious energy goals. We take that responsibility seriously. Versant Power has interconnected more than 75 megawatts of solar energy to the grid since 2020, enough to power more than 12,000 homes. We are currently working with the owners of almost 450 active projects to integrate an additional 500-plus megawatts of renewable energy in northern and eastern Maine. This week, voters got to make an informed choice about the energy future they want for our state, and they decided that a forced takeover of our state’s electric utilities is not in Maine’s best interest. We are eager to build consensus and momentum for meeting Maine’s energy and climate goals and delivering the best possible service and value for our customers. ~ John Flynn, Versant Power

Letter: Auburn residents need to stay vigilant about protecting lake

SUN JOURNAL • November 9, 2023

A year’s worth of work on issues around Lake Auburn will be handled in one meeting, including rezoning the area between Gracelawn Road and the yet-to-be established watershed boundary from the Agriculture and Resource Protection Zone to General Business/Community Development. All interested persons should attend this meeting. Public input about the future of Lake Auburn should not be a formality to be checked off as quickly as possible. It’s important to let the Planning Board know, as was demonstrated by the municipal election, that many Auburn citizens do not support development on our lake. ~ Renee Cote, Auburn

New Poll Shows United Support for National Park Wildlife

NPCA • November 8, 2023

New polling shows that Americans are united in the belief that more needs to be done to safeguard national park wildlife. The poll, released by the National Parks Conservation Association, examined park wildlife threats and opportunities related to climate change, development, wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity, ocean plastics and overfishing, the Endangered Species Act, air pollution, and a sampling of species-specific issues. The polling found that most Americans (85% of Republicans, 91% of Democrats) believe more needs to be done to protect national park wildlife.

After voters reject public power, Maine’s path to utility reform is unclear

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • November 8, 2023

By a margin of 70% to 30%, Maine voters on Tuesday rejected an attempt to buy the assets of Central Maine Power and Versant Power that together provide electricity to 97% of Maine. Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York, a member of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, has proposed performance-based ratemaking, which links electric utility revenue and profit to specific performance goals. Currently, revenues and profits are linked to traditional rate-setting based on a utility’s capital spending. The practice is getting attention in some states, but has run into opposition in Maine from the backers of Pine Tree Power. The lopsided result rejected the creation of an alternative utility, but is not seen as a vote of confidence in CMP and Versant. Patrick Woodcock, president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, implicitly acknowledged that CMP and Versant must change.

Maine voters reject utility takeover after heavy spending from CMP and Versant

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 7, 2023

Maine voters on Tuesday rejected an effort to replace Central Maine Power Co. and Versant Power with a new electric utility overseen by an elected board, giving the unpopular utilities a political victory. The no side of Question 3, the highest-profile referendum among the eight questions on Tuesday’s ballot, had 68 percent of votes to 32 percent for the yes side when the Bangor Daily News and Decision Desk HQ called the race at 10:03 p.m. Tuesday. Mainers also on Tuesday were poised to back the CMP-backed Question 1, which aimed to hinder Question 3 if it passed by requiring voters to approve a public utility borrowing more than $1 billion. There would have been a legal showdown if both questions passed, but Question 1 is expected to have little effect by itself.

Maine backs foreign electioneering ban despite Janet Mills’ constitutional concerns

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 7, 2023

Maine voters easily passed a ban on foreign electioneering on Tuesday despite concerns from Gov. Janet Mills and media groups that it would violate the First Amendment. The yes side of Question 2 had 86 percent of votes to 14 percent for the no side when the Bangor Daily News and Decision Desk HQ called the race at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.