John Kerry, the U.S. climate envoy, to leave the Biden administration

ASSOCIATED PRESS • January 13, 2024

John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate, is stepping down from the Biden administration in the coming weeks. Kerry was one of the leading drafters of the 2015 Paris climate accords and came into the role with significant experience abroad, as secretary of state during the Obama administration and from nearly three decades as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. President Biden’s decision to tap Kerry for the post was seen as one way he was making good on his campaign pledge to battle climate change more forcefully.

Column: Are people too ticked off by turkeys?

SUN JOURNAL • January 13, 2024

When wild turkeys were transplanted in Maine from Vermont stocks in the 1970s, not even our wildlife biologists thought these large birds could establish themselves so pervasively, or prove so tough when it came to winter survival. Maine’s current turkey population is estimated to be an incredible 70,000. For hunting purposes, the wild turkey is considered to be big game, and our spring and fall turkey hunt has provided exciting and challenging hunting opportunities. But, from a public image standpoint, turkeys have been blamed for the worrisome proliferation of the winter tick that has been ravaging Maine’s adult and calf moose. The science vindicates the turkey. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

Flooding smashes Maine’s coast, destroying historic buildings and forcing rescues

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 13, 2024

A massive Saturday storm brought record flooding and high winds to coastal Maine, destroying iconic fishing shacks along a South Portland beach and forcing rescues farther down the coast. Damage was heavy in the Portland area around the highest tide of the season around noon. Some of the biggest casualties were three fishing shacks that sat on Fisherman’s Point and had interior timbers that are more than 200 years old. They were washed away as the high tide came in around noon Saturday.

Maine coast walloped by flooding amid rainfall, astronomical tides

MAINE PUBLIC • January 13, 2024

Just days after a powerful storm ravaged the Maine coast, another round of heavy winds and rain landed a second blow to the state Saturday. The winds, with gusts up to 60 mph, combined with rain and an astronomical high tide caused significant flooding, inundating low-lying areas that are still trying to recover from damage caused earlier in the week. In Portland, the high tide broke a record set back in 1978. Meteorologist Michael Cempa at the National Weather Service in Gray says around noon it reached 14.57 feet, above the record 14.17 feet set more than four decades ago and slightly higher than expected.

What you need to know about historic flooding bearing down on Maine’s coast

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 13, 2024

The second storm of its kind this week is bearing down on coastal Maine Saturday, threatening to bring record flooding and high winds that spell even more danger for oceanfront property. Flooding should peak around noontime up and down the coast. Things look like they will be worse Down East and in coastal Hancock County, where the strongest gusts are expected. But the entire coastline is under a coastal flood warning, and areas that took damage during Wednesday’s powerful storm are more vulnerable this time. Here’s what you need to know about the storm and how to prepare.

Storm arrives in Maine with high winds, threat of historic coastal flooding

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 13, 2024

A winter storm that could bring serious flooding to coastal Maine already had closed several roads and brought wind gusts upwards of 60 mph in some places Saturday as residents braced for impacts ahead of the noon high tide. Forecasters have warned that the storm could bring unprecedented flooding as it coincides with the monthly astronomical high tide. It also comes on the heels of another wind and rain storm that caused damage in many parts of the state earlier this week.

Warmer, wetter winters are hurting Maine businesses that count on snow and ice

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 13, 2024

Warmer, wetter winters have disrupted outdoor activities in Maine and businesses that depend on snow, ice and consistently cold temperatures. Indeed, it’s getting harder for many winter operations to be profitable, including snowplowing services, logging companies and farms that maintain cross-country skiing trails. And that also means lost revenue for gas stations, convenience stores, hotels, short-term rentals, restaurants and other businesses that benefit from cold-weather activities.

Letter: Time to dispel EV confusion

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 13, 2024

Recent letters raise questions about electric vehicle use and can be  easily answered. The grid has untapped capacity. The life of EV batteries in my Ford and new Tesla is 8-years, not 5-7. Our electricity is not “primarily created by burning fossil fuels.” In 2022, 64% of Maine generation was from renewables. It’s also crucial to understand that the proposed mandate is not a requirement for consumers to purchase an EV — it’s a mandate on manufacturers and dealers to sell EVs. ~ Daniel Smith, Yarmouth

Maine is full of small waterfalls that take you by surprise

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 13, 2024

Waterfalls are magical, especially when you aren’t expecting them. I stumbled across a waterfall that I’d never heard of while hiking along the famous Appalachian Trail in Monson this week. Goodell Brook Falls is an enchanting landmark that’s easy to visit. Ice makes a surprise waterfall even more majestic. During hikes I’ve run into a number of small waterfalls I didn’t expect. Peters Brook Falls in Blue Hill is among my favorites. And nearby, Patten Stream Preserve in Surry has some lovely step falls and rapids. Recently, I discovered a few waterfalls at Amherst Mountains Community Forest. If you have a favorite mini waterfall, one that doesn’t make the guidebooks, I’d love to hear about it. Or keep it to yourself.

State may expand number of free moose permits for critically ill kids

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2024

A bill that will be heard on Jan. 22 would expand the number of free moose permits issued by the state annually to five and allocate three of them to critically ill Maine kids who want to hunt. Current law allows for two such permits. The three additional permits would be given to Maine kids through a new limited liability company called Moose Maine Kids Dream Hunts.

Canton residents approve moratorium on solar farm projects

RUMFORD FALLS TIMES • January 12, 2024

Eighteen town residents approved a moratorium for solar farm projects in town without any questions or comments during a special town meeting at the Town Office on Thursday. The moratorium of 180 days will allow time for the town’s planning board to “develop suitable regulations governing such facilities,” the meeting article stated. Currently, there is one solar farm on Edmunds Road in Canton, but there are “at least three other possible (solar farms)” interested in having their businesses in town, Selectman Chair Brian Keene said.

Portland Harbor dredging project to finally move forward

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 12, 2024

A long-awaited dredging project along the Portland waterfront is finally moving forward after more than a decade of planning, advocacy and delays. The Maine Department of Transportation said Friday that it will put the multiyear project out to bid this spring and hopes to begin work this fall. The project will restore berthing space and boat access along the working waterfronts where sediment has gradually built up between the commercial finger piers. It will be the first time that part of the harbor has been dredged in more than 70 years.

Mainers batten down for another round of historic flooding

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2024

High winds and massive storm surges swept away whole homes on Wednesday in this town along Maine’s midcoast. On Friday, residents raced to clean up debris a day before a similar storm was set to strike. Maine’s coast will be hammered around midday Saturday with storm surges of up to 4 1/2 feet that will combine with the highest tide of the season. The potential for flooding along the Down East coast is the highest observed in more than a decade, the National Weather Service in Caribou said.

Maine companies look to biochar as a climate solution, to capture carbon and improve soil health

MAINE PUBLIC • January 12, 2024

In a former biomass plant in Greenville, wood chips are flowing from hoppers into long tubes about three feet in diameter. Pat Jones is the president of Clean Maine Carbon, which burns wood in high-temperature, low-oxygen conditions known as pyrolysis. “It starts out as wood" he said. "And as you can see when we come over here what comes out the other end is biochar.” In the quest for climate solutions, Jones is among the Maine entrepreneurs banking on this charcoal-like substance. They say it can bind up carbon for decades, and improve agricultural soils at the same time. A second biochar facility, Standard Biocarbon in Enfield, hopes to start production in the next few months, and aims to produce about 1,200 tons annually.

Coastal Maine could see a nearly 15-foot high tide during Saturday storm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2024

The Maine Emergency Management Agency is warning Mainers to stay alert to changing weather conditions ahead of the weekend storm. Gov. Janet Mills has also declared a state of emergency for coastal communities that were impacted by Wednesday’s storm. Officials are urging residents to stay away from the coast when possible, as major coastal flooding is expected. Many areas are continuing to recover from flooding that swept through coastal regions during Wednesday’s wind and rain storm.

Storm closes Reid State Park and access to Lily Bay is limited

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2024

One state park is closed because of storm damage and access to another is limited due to a staffing shortage, according to a spokesman for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Reid State Park in Georgetown saw the most damage in Maine’s park system from Wednesday’s storm. Lily Bay State Park in Beaver Cove will offer limited access this winter due to lack of staff.

More frequent storms erode the luster of living on Maine’s coast

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 12, 2024

While beachside living will never go out of fashion, some Mainers are beginning to factor proximity to the Maine coast into their housing decisions. Stronger storms and rising sea levels will sharply raise coastal flooding risks over the next 30 years, and the same areas hit hard by floods earlier this week may see an even bigger storm on Saturday. “I knew better than to have oceanfront property, because I respect Mother Nature for what she can bring, and we’re seeing it,” said Mike Haggett, a weather forecaster who lives two miles from the Maine coast in Kennebunk and has a devoted following on his Pine Tree Weather website. Maine has seen sea levels rise 8 inches since 1950. They are expected to rise another 1.5 feet by 2050 and 4 feet by 2100.

Maine’s historic landmarks under siege from powerful storms

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 12, 2024

With another storm looming Saturday, efforts to cleanup rubble from the midweek storm and stabilize what remains is adding a sense of urgency at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and other hard-hit areas along the state's coast.

Dover-Foxcroft committee wants to replace town’s iconic dam with a park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 11, 2024

A committee responsible for finding a solution to Dover-Foxcroft’s deteriorating dam and connected facilities wants to remove them and build a riverfront park. The town partnered with three groups in 2022 to study the Mayo Mill dam and plan for its future. The Atlantic Salmon Federation, Nature Conservancy in Maine and Inter-Fluve looked at how to make the dam compliant with state and federal regulations and improve fish passage. The town acquired the dam on the Piscataquis River in downtown Dover-Foxcroft in 2007. The 12-foot-high, 150-foot-long concrete structure is aging and faces challenges, including fish migration and long-term maintenance and operations costs.

Appointment to state board stalls in Legislature following concerns from mining opponents

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 11, 2024

The nomination of Thomas Dubois to the Land Use Planning Commission stalled in the Maine Legislature on Thursday, days after environmental advocates and an Augusta lawmaker raised concerns before the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on Monday. The committee voted 7-5 Monday against endorsing Dubois’ nomination before sending it to the Maine Senate, which took the rare step of sending the nomination back to the committee Thursday. The Land Use Planning Commission is a nine-member board with planning and zoning authority in the state’s unorganized and deorganized territories,