Column: Birds are making it clear that spring has arrived

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2024

Spring has begun. Here are some early signs. Common grackles and red-winged blackbirds are moving in. Some of our eastern Maine vultures are starting to return. Wild turkey toms are fanning their tails and strutting their stuff for the ladies. The first pine warblers, common yellowthroats, swamp sparrows and chipping sparrows crossed the New Hampshire border a week ago. American goldfinches are beginning to molt into their bright summer colors. Crows are chasing hawks and eagles away from their nests. Northern cardinals are getting pretty noisy, as they turn to thoughts of love. Watch for eagles carrying sticks for a little nest repair. Ospreys will do likewise when they arrive in about four weeks. Every year, I try to guess when bears will come out of hibernation. I hope to bring my feeders indoors before they demolish them. The last two years, the bears have won. ~ Bob Duchesne

Proposed transmission line for renewable power from Canada to New England canceled

ASSOCIATED PRESS • March 7, 2024

A major electrical transmission line proposal intended to carry power to New England from Canada through Vermont and New Hampshire has been canceled. Electric utility National Grid, one of the developers of the proposal, said in an emailed statement on Thursday that it “has determined that the project is not viable at this time.” The proposed 211-mile, $2 billion Twin State Clean Energy Link was one of three projects around the country selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive part of $1.3 billion in investment. National Grid did not say why the project is not viable.

Maine lawmakers opt to study natural gas use, regulations instead of limiting pipeline expansion

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2024

Lawmakers have scaled back an ambitious proposal to limit natural gas expansion in Maine, instead advancing a compromise that would require a trio of state studies about its use. The PUC would have a framework for its oversight of future investments by gas utilities. The Governor’s Energy Office would study the use of natural gas in meeting energy needs of the residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and power generation sectors and in employing Maine workers. And, if the measure passes, a commission of legislators, representatives of various industries, organized labor and others would be formed to establish a framework for a “just and equitable transition” for workers affected by state energy policies and goals.

Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power

WASHINGTON POST • March 7, 2024

Vast swaths of the United States are at risk of running short of power as electricity-hungry data centers and clean-technology factories proliferate, leaving utilities and regulators grasping for credible plans to expand the nation’s creaking power grid. A major factor behind the skyrocketing demand is the rapid innovation in artificial intelligence, which is driving the construction of large warehouses of computing infrastructure that require exponentially more power than traditional data centers. The proliferation of crypto mining, in which currencies like bitcoin are transacted and minted, is also driving data center growth. It threatens to stifle the transition to cleaner energy, as utility executives lobby to delay the retirement of fossil fuel plants and bring more online.

Founder of Madison wood fiber insulation company to be Golden’s guest at State of the Union Address

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2024

Joshua Henry, president and co-founder of TimberHP in Madison, becomes emotional while delivering remarks in July 2023 during a ceremony marking the launch of the company’s manufacturing operations at the mill in Madison. Henry will be U.S. Rep. Jared Golden’s guest at this year’s State of the Union Address on Thursday night. Golden, D-2nd District, said he invited Henry to join him at the U.S. Capitol because the central Maine company’s innovative products have created new markets for one of Maine’s heritage industries and helped to revive the state’s industrial economy.

Opinion: Maine’s ban on PFAS is too broad

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2024

Maine’s leadership on banning PFAS may unintentionally stand in the way of the state’s climate progress. I support efforts to regulate and, where necessary, prohibit any PFAS chemicals found to be a cause for concern. But some substances defined as PFAS are non-problematic (non-persistent, non-bioaccumulative, and non-toxic) and they are used in ways that are tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. I work for a company that manufactures some of those products. Maine’s lawmakers have an opportunity to improve upon the state’s PFAS law. By excluding products that do not negatively impact human health but strengthen Maine’s fight against climate change, we can continue to make progress on emissions reductions without creating unnecessary costs and unintended consequences. ~ Jeff Dormo, Honeywell Advanced Materials

Mainer becomes 1st American woman to complete solo sailing race around the globe

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2024

A sailor from Boothbay has become the first American woman to complete a solo race around the world. Cole Brauer, 29, arrived Thursday in Coruna, Spain, completing her four months alone at sea, according to CBS News. Brauer was among 10 sailors in the Global Solo Challenge, a grueling race that involves navigating the globe’s three capes: Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, Australia’s Cape Leeuwin and South America’s Cape Horn.

Opinion: Offshore wind port can be transformative for working Mainers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 7, 2024

Maine took control of the state’s energy and economic future when the Mills administration announced its decision to recommend Sears Island as the site of a new port to support offshore wind. A new offshore wind industry will support good union jobs in the Midcoast and across Maine, creating a path to the middle class for working men and women, helping to bolster our ability to determine our energy and climate future. While other locations, including Mack Point in Searsport, were considered, it became increasingly clear that Sears Island, which is owned by the state and was purchased with the intent of developing a new port, was the best site. ~ Cynthia Phinney, Maine AFL-CIO, and Jason J. Shedlock, Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council

This is what happens to animals during an eclipse

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 6, 2024

The April 8 solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most Mainers. It’s the same for the birds, animals and reptiles, some of which likely will become confused or unsettled when they are plunged into a mid-day darkness. This will be most noticeable among animals that are nocturnal or have their daily activities scheduled by the sun, according to animal and eclipse experts.

Maine Senate passes food scraps disposal ban

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 6, 2024

The Maine Senate voted 20-12 in favor of the food scraps disposal ban on Tuesday, moving the state one step closer to becoming the final New England state to require commercial and industrial-scale food waste producers to donate their edible leftovers and recycle what remains. “This bill will divert food waste from landfills within the state of Maine,” said Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, the Senate chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee that worked the bill. “Currently 40% of municipal waste in the state is food waste.”

Thomaston cement plant now expected to stay open as distribution center

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 6, 2024

After announcing last year that a Thomaston cement plant was ending production, its parent company now says that it will shift its operations and become a distribution center for an imported version of the material. the news that the plant will stay open using a different business model means that Thomaston will hold onto its biggest taxpayer. It also means that Maine’s construction industry may see the continuation of an important supply chain. Dragon’s executive vice president told Kara George, Thomaston’s town manager, on Feb. 29 that the company will instead begin importing cement from Spain. Starting around May, the imports will be shipped to Searsport, then be stored and distributed from the Thomaston facility.

Warm weather is disrupting northern Maine's winter events

MAINE PUBLIC • March 6, 2024

Warm winter temperatures and a lack of snow are causing problems for organizers behind some of Maine’s public winter events — even in Aroostook County, where snow is usually reliable this time of year. Some events had to adjust, but have forged ahead, while others, including the Can-Am dog sled races, have been cancelled. And some organizers are wondering if this year's weather is an aberration, or a sign of things to come.

‘He’s drowning!’: Boy rescued from river by Westbrook Winterfest attendees

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 6, 2024

Four Winterfest-goers—including Kimberly Tarbox, of Westbrook, chair of the Westbrook Safe Mobility and Access Committee who uses a wheelchair—sprang into action to save a young boy from the Presumpscot River on Saturday. Some community members are calling for better safety along the banks at Riverbank Park, such as fencing.

Former Otis Mill tower collapsed in Jay

SUN JOURNAL • March 6, 2024

The more than 100-year-old brick tower at the former Otis Mill on Mill Street was taken down Monday by a professional demolition company. The original mill was built in 1888 and became the founding mill of International Paper in 1898. The tower had International Paper Co. 1906 in large white letters at the top. The company built the Androscoggin Paper mill on Riley Road in Jay, which began operations in 1960s. Wasuau Paper Corp. operated the Mill Street mill until it closed in 2009 after more than 120 years of papermaking.

Sharing Maine's Wildlife Tales, March 19

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • March 6, 2024

Ron Joseph will captivate audiences with stories from his book, "Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermit Bill: Memoirs of a Wildlife Biologist." At Auburn Public Library, March 19, 1-3 p.m, in-person or Zoom attendance options.

Mud season is here. It's not time to hit the ATV trails just yet.

NEWS CENTER MAINE • March 6, 2024

With the weather becoming nicer as spring approaches, your all-terrain vehicle (ATV) may be calling your name. However, patience is key because trails are still closed for the season. Most ATV trails in Maine won't open back up until late April or early May. If driven on too early, these trails can become damaged due to mud after the snow has melted. Sergeant Kyle Hladik, with the Maine Warden Service, said most likely there isn't a decent place in the entire state to ride at the moment.

Mainers asked to watch out for Zebra mussels in northern rivers and lakes

SPECTRUM NEWS • March 6, 2024

Wildlife officials are on the lookout for an invasive species of mussel that has come uncomfortably close to Maine, and they are enlisting the public’s help. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is seeking volunteers to help monitor lakes and other water bodies in northern Maine. So far, there have been more than 100 people expressing interest. Small as they are, zebra mussels can cause big problems, especially in large numbers. Stankowski said they can wreak havoc on local ecosystems by consuming all the nutrients in an area, denying them to other animals such as fish. 

Letter: Climate action needs to be a priority for Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 6, 2024

Humans are, at this moment in human history, demonstrating the proverbial frog-in-the-cauldron behavior: It appears likely that we won’t have the gumption to get out of that cauldron in time to avert our conversion into a stew. Thank you, BDN, for your efforts to inspire your readership to take constructive action on this climate crisis! Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, and Rep. Jared Golden, should take notice: Climate is a Maine priority! ~ Cynthia Stancioff, Camden

Legislature considers limiting seizure of private land to build power lines

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 6, 2024

Maine legislators are looking for a middle ground between developers of electricity transmission lines needed to deliver clean energy and property owners demanding more of a role in deciding where giant towers are built. Lawmakers on Tuesday took up a proposal that would limit the use of eminent domain – the government’s power to take private property for public use at “just compensation” – to build a transmission line. It’s one of several bills this session that could change how such projects are reviewed and approved.