Letter: Food vs. climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 14, 2023

The COP28 climate summit just concluded in Dubai. The human population explosion of the last century was made possible, in large part, by the burning of fossil fuels. And this comes down to food production. Fossil-fuel derived fertilizers increased crop yields two to five times over the past century. Farm machinery powered by fossil fuels created labor efficiencies impossible through human and/or animal-based labor. How do we feed the Earth’s population without fossil fuels? ~ Tom Meuser, Portland

Letter: William LaRochelle: Climate change is no ‘false doctrine’

SUN JOURNAL • December 14, 2023

In a recent column (“Climate issues call for facts, not militancy,” Dec. 9), Cal Thomas trounced the “false doctrine” of the “climate alarmists” and advised his readers to “avoid a ‘scientific consensus’ on climate change.” So let’s toss the ginormous fact that “more than 99.9% of peer-reviewed scientific papers agree that climate change is mainly caused by humans.” ~ William LaRochelle, Lewiston

Here are the dozen Maine towns with PFAS in 20 percent of drinking water wells

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 13, 2023

According to preliminary results of the department’s survey at least 20 percent of wells in a dozen Maine towns had levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) above the department’s safety threshold of 20 parts per trillion: Benton, Cutler, Unity, Unity Township, Fairfield, Albion, Corinna, Jackson, Knox, Thorndike, Oakland, and Sidney.

LUPC commissioners question if Pickett Mountain is best location for proposed mine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 13, 2023

Members of the Land Use Planning Commission questioned a Canadian mining company’s finances and its plan to excavate metallic minerals in the middle of the state’s waters and wildlife habitat. Commissioners deliberated Wednesday at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer following 11 months of document gathering, public comment and four days of public hearings on Wolfden’s application to change the zoning for 374 acres at Pickett Mountain in northern Penobscot County for a proposed underground metallic mineral mine. The deliberations were held to provide guidance to LUPC staff who will draft a recommendation to either approve or deny the application.

Proposal to add more parking at Portland jetport prompts broader debate about sustainability

MAINE PUBLIC • December 13, 2023

A plan to build another surface parking lot at the Portland International Jetport came under the scrutiny of airport neighbors at a meeting Tuesday night. Jetport officials said the parking is needed to meet the demands of a growing state and changing traveler habits. But for some community members, the expansion flies in the face of the region's climate goals.

High levels of PFAS found in a third of drinking water well samples tested in Unity

MAINE PUBLIC • December 13, 2023

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has found high levels of PFAS, also known as 'forever chemicals,' in roughly a third of drinking water well samples tested in the town of Unity. The DEP's Susanne Miller says the agency is in the process of investigating PFAS contamination at more than a thousand sites where treated municipal sludge was previously applied.

State officials consider metallic mine proposal

MAINE PUBLIC • December 13, 2023

State officials are deliberating on a rezoning request that would allow for a metallic mineral mine in northern Penobscot County. The Land Use Planning Commission discussed the request from Ontario-based Wolfden Resources at a meeting this morning. After several days of hearings on the issue in October, it's the first time commissioners have debated the issue. Several members say they are concerned about environmental impacts from the mine, especially given the history of the industry.

Nearly 200 nations agree to transition away from fossil fuels

WASHINGTON POST • December 13, 2023

Nations reached a breakthrough climate agreement Wednesday, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels in an unprecedented deal that targets the greatest contributors to the planet’s warming. Countries agreed to transition from fossil fuels “in a just, orderly and equitable manner” while “accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.” The deal came swiftly – with no discussion or objection – in a packed room in Dubai following two weeks of negotiations and rising contention. It is the first time a global climate deal has specifically called to curb the use of fossil fuels.

Lawsuit challenges foreign electioneering ban passed by Maine voters in November

MAINE PUBLIC • December 13, 2023

An initiative passed by voters that bans foreign governments and affiliated organizations from spending on state and local referendum campaigns is being challenged in federal court. The suits were filed by Central Maine Power and Versant, and jointly by the Maine Press Association and the Maine Association of Broadcasters. The utilities claim the new law infringes on their right of free speech. The media lawsuit say the law's requirement "imposes a censorship mandate on news outlets." Maine state Sen. Rick Bennett, who chaired a group supporting the foreign campaign ban, said the board members of the companies and media outlets "ought to be ashamed of themselves." They are enabling foreign governments "to threaten the integrity of our elections."

Letter: Let’s get the lead out of Maine’s woods and waterways

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 13, 2023

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule that notes the best available science reveals that lead ammunition and tackle have negative impacts on both wildlife and human health. But the agency is phasing out lead ammunition over three years in just eight national wildlife refuges; that allows hunters to leave behind tons of lead in hundreds of other refuges that will kill animals from 130-plus species. Ask the Maine commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ban the use of lead to protect our iconic wildlife across the state. ~ Gina Garey, Animal Wellness Action, Portland

CMP, Versant and media groups sue Maine over foreign electioneering referendum

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 12, 2023

Maine’s two biggest utilities and two press groups sued the state on Tuesday, saying a referendum that looks to ban foreign electioneering here violates their First Amendment rights. The move puts the utilities and news outlets at odds with the 86 percent of voters who backed Question 2 on the November ballot. It seeks to ban foreign governments and companies that are at least 5 percent owned by them from influencing candidate or referendum elections in Maine. CMP and Versant poured more than $39 million into a successful campaign to defeat Question 3 on last month’s ballot, which would have replaced them with a new utility overseen by an elected board.

The murderous creature you live with is a murderous creature, study confirms

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • December 12, 2023

Scientists reviewed more than 100 years' worth of scientific studies to gain a better understanding of which animals free-ranging cats will prey upon or scavenge. The resulting paper found that free-ranging cats (including domestic and feral) will eat 2,084 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The list of creatures cats have chowed on includes 347 species of conservation concern, including Newell's shearwater, green sea turtles, the northern bobwhite quail and the little brown bat. While cute, cats are skilled predators, so much so that they've been documented as a major threat to the biodiversity of bird species in North America. They're also linked to the extinction of more than 60 species worldwide.

Arctic "report card" points to rapid and dramatic impacts of climate change

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • December 12, 2023

This past summer in the Arctic was the warmest since 1900, contributing to disasters across the wider region, including flooding in Juneau, Alaska and a record wildfire season in Canada. Those are some key takeaways from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual Arctic Report Card, released today. The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average as a result of human-caused climate change, driven primarily by burning fossil fuels. Researchers say changes in the Arctic are an early indicator of what the rest of the globe can expect as the planet warms.

Police probe cut-and-run of treetop at Vassalboro fire station

MORNING SENTINEL • December 12, 2023

The illegal cutting of the top half of a large spruce tree in front of the town’s fire station has prompted a police investigation. Walker Thompson, Vassalboro’s fire chief, said Tuesday, “Somebody had backed up to the tree, taken a saw, and cut the top of the tree off.”

As Maine intensifies ‘forever chemical’ testing, one-third of sampled Unity water wells deemed unsafe

MORNING SENTINEL • December 12, 2023

More than one-third of a sample of residential water wells in town recently were found to contain unsafe levels of so-called “forever chemicals” after state officials recently ramped up efforts to test for PFAS in local water supplies. PFAS contamination could cause long-term health problems. Dr. Gail Carlson, the director of Colby College’s Buck Lab for Climate and Environment, has studied the causes and effects of PFAS contamination for years. She said that years of misguided policy, a lack of regulatory oversight, and the tricky properties of PFAS chemicals have culminated in a pervasive issue for residents of Unity and other rural towns in central Maine.

North Woods Law Maine Cast: Meet the Dedicated Wildlife Conservation Officers

ENERGY PORTAL EU • December 12, 2023

North Woods Law is a popular reality TV show that follows the lives of the Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCOs) working for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. This article introduces the cast members of North Woods Law Maine, shedding light on their roles, experiences, and dedication to protecting Maine’s natural resources. Additionally, a FAQ section addresses commonly asked questions about the show.

Maine Calling: The Spirit of Exploration

MAINE PUBLIC • December 12, 2023

Experts say trying new things is good for our overall well-being. Meet two Mainers who've taken that idea to heart. One is trying something new every day. Another took 100 Maine adventures - and wrote a book about them. We learn about their adventures and why the spirit of exploration can be beneficial. Panelists: Nancy Jordan, editor of educational materials for English language learners; wife, mom of three grown children; she decided at the beginning of 2023 to try to undertake a new experience every day of 2023; Chelsea Diehl, author of Just Up The Road: A Year Discovering People, Places, and What Comes Next in the Pine Tree State; part-time actor; founder of Gadabout Maine, through which she chronicles her adventures across Vacationland and features adventures for all ages.

Midcoast town votes to pause large retail development

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 12, 2023

Lincolnville voters came out in force Tuesday evening to pass a six-month moratorium on the development of large retail stores. Out of the 225 people who checked in to vote at a town meeting, all who participated voted “yes” to the moratorium, said Town Administrator David Kinney. Nobody raised their hands for “no.” The moratorium will go into effect immediately. Lincolnville has been considering the moratorium since October, after a South Portland engineering firm submitted a pre-application for an unspecified retail store.

Elder activists join forces to combat climate change

FORECASTER • December 12, 2023

Retiree Bill Rixon spends his weekdays in front of L.L. Bean’s corporate offices in Freeport and outside Chase Bank in Yarmouth. Weekends, he’s on the sidewalk in front of the L.L.Bean store. At each place, he and other retirees hold signs of protest against big banks’ investments in fossil fuels. Rixon is a member of Third Act Maine, a 2-year-old chapter of a national organization that mobilizes people over age 60 to use their time to stand up against the climate crisis. The chapter has 817 people on its mailing list and usually more than a dozen turn out for the daily protests.

Letter: Maine can be a clean energy leader with offshore wind

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 12, 2023

Sometimes lost in the consideration about offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine is the  innovative work done at the University of Maine. The floating offshore wind turbines in development at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center have the potential to be the best and most important of any in the world. I look forward to seeing these turbines deployed into the gulf, harnessing both the wind and a brighter future. ~ Diantha Grant, New Gloucester