It’s Maine’s free fishing weekend and the biggest schedule of derbies this season

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 15, 2024

Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby, which was the largest tournament in Maine until last year when Long Lake in Aroostook took over, will use all Cumberland County lakes and ponds except for Sebago this year. Sebago has no ice. It’s one of a handful of derbies affected by ice conditions. The third annual kids ice fishing derby on Little Ossipee Lake in East Waterboro is canceled this weekend. Inconsistent temperatures and a recent warming trend are playing havoc with the ice fishing season. The smelting season in Merrymeeting Bay has ended early due to lack of or thin ice. But there are several free derbies this weekend, and participants don’t need to worry about getting a fishing license to take part. Mainers can fish for free this weekend in the state’s annual bid to get people interested in the sport. They must follow all other fishing laws though.

It’s time for Northeast to prep for floods; climate change is why

ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 15, 2024

Many scientists who study the intersection of climate change, flooding, winter storms and sea level rise say last month’s storms that destroyed wharfs in Maine, eroded sand dunes in New Hampshire and flooded parts of New Jersey still coping with hurricane damage from years ago are becoming more the norm than the exception, and the time to prepare for them is now. In the Northeast, the problem of climate change is especially acute because of forecasted sea level rise here. January’s onslaught was devastating for working waterfront communities in Maine where dozens of docks, buildings and wharfs were damaged or destroyed.

Climate Change and Rising Sea Levels: A Call for Resilience and Strategic Planning in the Northeast

MEDRIVA • February 15, 2024

The recent onslaught of storms in the Northeast has left a trail of devastation, highlighting the escalating impact of climate change and the pressing issue of rising sea levels. Scientists warn that these events are becoming more frequent and severe, posing a significant risk to communities. Coastal states like Maine and New Hampshire are already experiencing the effects of sea level rise and are preparing for future challenges. Their experiences underscore the need for resilient infrastructure and strategic planning in the face of increasing flooding and erosion. The urgency to address the impacts of climate change is evident, and coastal communities are faced with difficult choices for the future.

Here’s the 1st known right whale to die after injuries from Maine fishing gear

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 14, 2024

The whale that died and then washed up on the shore of Martha’s Vineyard on Jan. 28 was a three year-old female identified in the New England Aquarium North Atlantic right whale catalog as #5170. It is the first right whale known to have died after suffering injuries that officials say were inflicted by Maine commercial fishing gear. The death is noteworthy because of arguments and lawsuits filed back and forth between Maine lobstermen and environmentalists over the impact that the fishery has on the species, which has an estimated population of around 360 individual animals. Of that estimate, fewer than 70 are reproductively active females.

Franklin County resident unanimously confirmed to state planning commission

SUN JOURNAL • February 14, 2024

Thomas DuBois was appointed Franklin County’s representative to the the Maine Land Use Planning Commission on Wednesday, more than a month after his nomination was rejected. LUPC serves as the planning and zoning authority for the unorganized and deorganized areas of the state, including townships and plantations. DuBois, an engineer for 35 years, has been pastor of the Western Mountains Baptist Church in New Portland for 17 years.

Rope removed from right whale found dead last month was from Maine, NOAA says

MAINE PUBLIC • February 14, 2024

Federal fisheries officials said Wednesday that the rope found on a dead right whale that washed ashore on Martha's Vineyard last month is from Maine. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found purple markings on the gear recovered from the young female, known as right whale #5120. NOAA officials said the rope and its markings are consistent with those that Maine lobstermen and pot and trap fishermen use. Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Kehiler, said, “It is also the first right whale mortality with known Maine gear that DMR is aware of since the establishment of the Take Reduction Plan."

Rezoning for proposed Penobscot County mine denied

MAINE PUBLIC • February 14, 2024

The rezoning request for a controversial metallic mineral mining proposal in northern Penobscot County was denied today by the Land Use Planning Commission. Ontario-based Wolfden Resources first asked state officials to rezone nearly 400 acres for a mine just over a year ago- a proposal that would be the first test of Maine's strict mining regulations. But after hearing concerns from residents and environmental groups, the Land Use Planning Commission voted five to two to deny the rezoning, prompting cheers from project opponents in the room.

State rejects plans for Pickett Mountain mine

MAINE MONITOR • February 14, 2024

After several years of back-and-forth, regulators on Wednesday rejected Wolfden Resources Corporation’s plans to mine for zinc and copper in northern Penobscot County, a densely forested area east of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. In a 5-2 vote, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission denied an application to rezone 374 acres near Pickett Mountain that would have opened the door to metallic mining in the area by allowing Wolfden to apply for a mining permit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Maine, with some of the strictest mining and water quality standards in the country, prohibits digging for metals in open pits larger than three acres. There have not been active metal mines in the state for decades, and no company has applied for a permit since a particularly strict law passed in 2017. Wolfden was the first company to attempt metallic mining in Maine since the regulations were passed.

Winslow group eyes rebuilding at Fort Halifax Park after December flooding destroys structures, warps land

MORNING SENTINEL • February 14, 2024

Town officials are looking to rebuild and revamp Fort Halifax Park after the destructive flooding December washed away gazebos, toppled trees and nearly breached the historic fort. The Kennebec River swelled more than 20 feet during the flood’s peak. The park, accessible off Bay Street, forms a peninsula at the confluence of the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers. The fort was built from 1754 to 1755 at the start of the French and Indian War. All that is left of the structure is a wooden blockhouse that has the distinction of being the oldest of its kind in the United States.

Maine lobstering gear linked to right whale death for first time

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 14, 2024

A federal regulatory agency has confirmed that the right whale found dead on Martha’s Vineyard in January had been tangled in Maine lobstering gear. It is the first time Maine gear has been found on the carcass of a North Atlantic right whale, an endangered species. The discovery has reignited the contentious debate about the lobster fishery’s impact on the endangered North Atlantic right whale, and whether stricter regulations are warranted. And lobstermen, who say such regulations could wipe out the industry.

Tribes, environmental groups celebrate rejection of proposed mine near Katahdin

MAINE MORNING STAR • February 14, 2024

A state commission on Wednesday rejected a proposed metallic mineral mine near Mount Katahdin that environmental advocates and tribal leaders argued would have serious public health repercussions. By a 5-2 vote, the Land Use Planning Commission rejected a request from Canadian company Wolfden Resources to rezone 374 acres near Pickett Mountain, not far from Baxter State Park in northern Maine, to develop and operate a mine. The effort comes after Wolfden decided to withdraw a previous rezoning application in 2021 that the LUPC said contained many errors.   

State panel rejects proposed mine near Baxter State Park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 14, 2024

The planning and zoning board that oversees Maine’s most rural areas has rejected a proposal from a Canadian company to open a metallic mineral mine about 20 miles east of Mount Katahdin in what would have been the first real test of the state’s strict mining regulations. The Land Use Planning Commission voted 5-2 Wednesday to deny a 374-acre rezoning application from Wolfden LLC of Ontario. Last week, board staff concluded the proposal did not offer enough sustainable economic opportunity to justify the risk to the region’s high-value natural resources.

LUPC decision stops Canadian company’s attempt to mine Maine mountain

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 14, 2024

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission denied a Canadian mining company’s rezoning application for a proposed mine on Pickett Mountain in northern Penobscot County. In a 5 to 2 vote on Wednesday, the eight-member commission stopped Wolfden’s attempt to build a metallic mineral mine at the Pickett Mountain site. Rezoning of 374 acres from limited use to industrial use was the first step before the company could apply for a mining permit from the state. Wolfden cannot move forward with the mining project without rezoning approval. The decision apparently ends Wolfden’s stab at opening a mine in Maine after years of attempting to do so.

Opinion: Peace is necessary to give the climate a chance

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 14, 2024

Last semester, as a professor of German and European studies, I taught two courses — one on European perspectives on climate change, and another on antisemitism on social media. After the attacks on Oct. 7, I realized that, in comparison to the conflict in Israel-Palestine, the climate crisis seems utterly solvable. And that these crises are, of course, connected. If we invest meaningfully in changing course away from fossil fuels, we also make wars driven by feuds over land and resources less attractive and less profitable. The United States has spent more than $14 trillion on military engagements since 2001. Imagine if we invested those trillions of dollars in a just transition away from fossil fuels instead of continuously feeding the violent terror that then comes back to haunt us. ~ Sabine von Mering, Public Voices Fellow on the Climate Crisis, Yale Program on Climate Change

Plans for new Roux Institute campus on Portland waterfront anticipate sea level rise, storm surge

MAINE PUBLIC • February 14, 2024

The developers of the new Roux Institute campus on the Portland waterfront say their latest plans account for sea level rise, storm surge and other impacts from climate change at the site of the former B&M Baked Bean factory. The former cannery building will be converted to office space. But the developers acknowledged the first floor of the former B&M Baked factory will be vulnerable to flooding, and they said nonessential services, such as indoor bike storage, will be located there. The latest plans for the first phase of the project call for a 238,000-square-foot academic building, a parking garage with 625 spaces and a day care center that would serve 50 children. Neighbors close to the proposed site of the new Roux campus in Portland said they're concerned about traffic and parking in the area, particularly when school lets out in the evenings.

Letter: Mining operation a dangerous proposal

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 14, 2024

I am writing in opposition to the Wolfden application to rezone a portion of northern Penobscot County for metal mining. Historically, metal mining is a sad story of severe environmental degradation, including the poisoning of lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, the destruction of critical fish, waterfowl and wading bird habitats, the pollution of deep aquifers and surface water recharge sites and lasting harm to human beings. Metal mine tailings and the handling and disposal of mining wastewater pose immediate and continuing long-lasting environmental threats. I urge all Mainers and the Land Use Planning Commission to join me in opposing this dangerous mining proposal. ~ John Loyd, Harpswell

The next invasive that threatens Maine’s fishery is at the border

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 14, 2024

The discovery of mature zebra mussels on the hydroelectric dam in Edmundston, New Brunswick, at Maine’s border where the Madawaska River flows into the St. John has put the state’s biologists on higher alert. Zebra mussels could already be establishing themselves in the St. John River, according to an invasive species biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Zebra mussels are filter feeders that very quickly drain nutrients from a body of water, which would endanger some of Maine’s prime fisheries.

Wildlife biologist seeks input on whether there’s too many deer on Cousins Island

FORECASTER • February 13, 2024

A state deer expert will meet with Yarmouth residents next week to get a handle on the extent of “the deer problem” on Cousins Island. Scott Lindsay, regional biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said he’s had multiple reports from residents concerned that they are seeing more deer than usual on the island, and the Feb. 21 listening session at 6:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin will help him determine whether he needs to pursue solutions. Deer can damage gardens, increase the potential for exposure to Lyme disease and cause car crashes.

Column: The hunter is not an endangered species in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 13, 2024

All of us who care about and place value on the hunting legacy, wonder about the future of recreational hunting. We glance at the statistics every once in a while looking for a glimpse into the future. In 2002, there were 211,238 licensed hunters in Maine; 20 years later, in 2022, Maine reported 233,443 licensed hunters. Despite the national downward trend in hunting license sales, Maine has the highest number of licensed hunters since 1982. On the national level an increasing number of women have taken up recreational hunting. Here in Maine some rod and gun clubs have programs to introduce youngsters to the challenges and enjoyment of recreational hunting. When it comes to safeguarding, and even nurturing, Maine’s hunting legacy, we in the Pine Tree State are doing something right. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

Maine regulators to vote on Wolfden mine Wednesday

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 13, 2024

After a year of extensive analysis, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission is scheduled to make a final decision on the Wolfden Pickett Mountain Mining project on Wednesday morning. Canadian junior mining company Wolfden filed its rezoning application with the LUPC last January. It was their second attempt at getting 374 acres at Pickett Mountain in northern Penobscot County rezoned to allow for a proposed underground metallic mineral mine. Following December deliberations, the LUPC staff, in a 100-page draft final decision, recommended that the commissioners deny the Wolfden application.