Coastal Maine towns, businesses question whether to rebuild or retreat after January storms

MAINE MONITOR • March 9, 2024

After back-to-back January storms caused millions in damages, ripping shacks from their pilings and tossing piers into the sea, coastal Maine communities are suddenly having to decide how and where to rebuild – if they do at all. Historic structures and attractions up and down the coast were devastated by the storms. A nearly 150-year-old walking path in Bar Harbor that runs along the shore and sees thousands of summer visitors sustained an estimated $900,000 in damages and has been closed since it was hit. Areas of nearby Acadia National Park also sustained heavy damage, including popular hiking paths and large sections of the Schoodic Loop Road, which was undermined in spots. Amanda Pollock, the Acadia National Park public affairs officer, estimated there were roughly 700 downed trees at Seawall Campground and Seawall picnic area, both popular destinations.

Worcester files after-the-fact permits for unpermitted cabins

MAINE MONITOR • March 9, 2024

The company behind the scrapped Flagpole of Freedom project met a March 1 deadline required to keep its campus of 52 cabins, a restaurant and accompanying roads in the woods north of Columbia Falls, at least for now. A consent agreement approved by Maine’s environmental board late last month required Worcester Holdings LLC to submit an after-the-fact site law application by March 1 and fined the company $250,000 for building its “Flagpole View Cabins” without permits. If regulators ultimately approve the application, the company will have to comply with the terms set out by the state or risk losing the development entirely. If Worcester’s application is denied, the company will have to raze its cabins and restore the roughly seven-acre development to its previous condition. Regardless of whether the application is approved, the $250,000 fine will stand.

Join Maine Conservation Alliance for an Earth Day Beach Clean-up, April 20

MAINE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE • March 9, 2023

MCA is partnering with Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation for an Earth Day Beach Cleanup on Saturday, April 20 from 10 AM-12 PM at Old Orchard Beach. There will also be a short presentation on endangered Piping Plovers from the Maine Audubon Coastal Birds Project. FREE “Earth Day” tote bags for the first 50 volunteers who arrive, and Coast of Maine is donating 50 bags of Stonington Blend Organic Plant Food to the first 50 visitors.

Athens voters reject solar ordinance, approve moratorium on wireless transmission

MORNING SENTINEL • March 9, 2024

About 40 people turned out for Saturday’s annual town meeting in Athens where they turned down a request to adopt a solar energy facility ordinance and approved a temporary moratorium for wireless transmission facilities in town. Residents aired concerns about more people wanting to install large solar systems on farmland and entities requesting to install wireless towers that could potentially cause illnesses and other issues if restrictions aren’t in place. There are two solar arrays in town and two more entities have asked for permits to locate there. First Selectperson Hilary Lister said if voters reject the ordinance, the town’s moratorium on solar facilities would remain in place until May. As long as that is in place, no large-scale systems can be developed. Then the town could vote on an updated ordinance at a special meeting. Residents overwhelmingly voted to reject the proposed ordinance.

Saco issues coastal flooding warning ahead of Sunday storm

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 9, 2024

Saco is warning residents of potential power outages and flooding from a storm expected to hit the Maine coast Sunday. The storm is expected to begin overnight and peak at midday Sunday during high tide, according to a press statement sent out by the city. Storm surges and tidal flooding could block emergency personnel from the area for several hours during peak tides, officials said. Residents should prepare for potential power outages by charging electronic devices overnight.

Letter: Rail a better option than Turnpike plan

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 9, 2024

The proposal to build a new four-lane highway from the Maine Mall to Gorham brought to mind a Gorham Connector we abandoned years ago. Much of the right-of-way still exists. A Gorham Connector rapid transit line would have stops near both University of Southern Maine campuses, and terminate in downtown Portland. Park & Ride lots would free drivers from Portland traffic. The proposed Turnpike extension is said to be paid for by future tolls. Why not build rapid transit instead, paid for by future fares? ~ Richard Wallace, Portland

It isn’t just about ice thickness anymore for the Maine fishing community

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 9, 2024

Many ice fishermen have already turned their sights toward open water fishing, turkey hunting, boating or other spring activities. That’s because parts of Maine just experienced one of their  shortest ice fishing seasons ever. There are still people who are finding fishable ice, especially in Aroostook County, western Maine and some parts of Moosehead Lake, but many longtime fishermen are putting away their fishing traps and getting out their open-water gear.

Maine Calling: Spring Birding

MAINE PUBLIC • March 8, 2024

The month of March brings a flurry of bird activity in Maine. Learn what birds are migrating this season, how and where to spot them--and which unexpected species have been sighted recently. Panelists: Derek Lovitch, birding guide and editor of the second edition of “Birdwatching in Maine: The Complete Site Guide;” Adrienne Leppold, project director, Maine Bird Atlas. VIP Callers: Andy Kapinos, Maine Audubon; Pete Colman, birding guide, Spring Birding Festival.

Jay to become a mill town once again

SUN JOURNAL • March 8, 2024

John Godfrey of Godfrey Forest Products, based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, announced at a news conference Friday that he plans to manufacture oriented strand board, similar to particleboard, and bring about 125 jobs to the site of the former Androscoggin Mill. The town will once again be a mill town. Pixelle Specialty Solutions stopped making paper products as of March 9, 2023. It is a highly logical site, Godfrey said. There are plenty of trees in the area, including Eastern white pine used in particleboard and other building materials.

Maine coastal dunes experienced 15-30 feet of erosion during January storms

MAINE PUBLIC • March 8, 2024

Coastal communities are looking for ways to restore their beaches and make them more resilient after two January storms eroded shorelines and demolished seawalls and piers. Dunes up and down Maine's coast experienced anywhere from 15-to-30 feet of erosion, Peter Slovinksy, a marine geologist for the state's Geological Survey said Friday. Coastal muncipalities should consider helping private property owners with dune restoration projects, he added. "Fifteen, 20 homeowners need to get together and restore their dune. Dune is what is going to be protecting those properties.”

Plywood manufacturing coming to former Androscoggin Mill

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2024

Godfrey Forest Products has started the process of building an oriented strand board manufacturing facility at the Androscoggin Mill property in Jay. Oriented strand board, known as OSB, is a common type of composite plywood made from wood chips. John Godfrey, of Godfrey Forest Products, is a Bangor native, who has started other successful OSB manufacturing facilities in North America, including the LP Building Solutions’ LP Houlton plant in New Limerick. Other developers are exploring potential projects on the mill site. The Androscoggin Mill most recently produced paper under the ownership of Pixelle Specialty Solutions. The company shut down the mill in March 2023

Where did winter go? Spring starts early as U.S. winter was warmest on record

ASSOCIATED PRESS • March 8, 2024

Across much of America and especially in the normally chilly north, the country went through the winter months without, well, winter. In parka stronghold Portland, Maine, the thermometer never plunged below zero. On Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that the winter of 2023-2024 was the warmest in nearly 130 years of record-keeping for the United States. This is just the latest in a drumbeat of broken temperature records, national and global, that scientists say is mostly from human-caused climate change from the burning of coal, oil and gas. It was the warmest U.S. winter by a wide margin.

Maine Senate approves proposal to reduce food waste

MAINE PUBLIC • March 8, 2024

A bill that aims to reduce food waste in Maine was approved by the state Senate this week. It would initially require commercial and industrial businesses located within 20 miles of an organics recycler and that generate two or more tons of food waste a week to divert it from landfills. Options include donating to food banks, agricultural use, composting and anaerobic digestion. All other New England states have enacted laws to reduce food waste, which is a contributor to climate change. Maine's proposal has already passed in the House. It would cost roughly $500,000 a year, and now goes to the Appropriations Committee for consideration.

Spanish energy giant Iberdrola offers to buy rest of CMP parent company for $2.5 billion

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 8, 2024

Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, which owns Central Maine Power Co.’s parent company, Avangrid Inc., is making a nearly $2.5 billion play for full control of its U.S. subsidiary and its extensive gas and electricity utilities in the Northeast. Avangrid said Thursday it received a nonbinding proposal, but not an offer, from Iberdrola to buy the more than 18% of shares not already owned by the Spanish company. Iberdrola offered $34.25 a share in cash, 10% above the weighted average price over the last 30 days. Iberdrola, which owns about 81.6% of Avangrid stock, pegged the value of the deal at $2.48 billion.

A Maine scientist helped discover four new species of deep-sea octopus

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 8, 2024

Dr. Beth Orcutt, a geomicrobiologist and vice president for research at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science in East Boothbay, co-led research expeditions last June and December that resulted in the discovery of at least four new species of deep-sea octopus, two of which brood their eggs in hydrothermal springs on the seafloor.

Letter: Maine’s energy transition must include and respect Wabanaki tribes

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2024

Maine tribes must have a real voice in discussions about offshore wind projects, lease conditions, port development, and community benefit agreements. The Maine Labor Climate Council supports the Wabanaki Nations’ right to self-determination. We urge our state legislators to vote “ought to pass” for LD 2007. ~ Francis Eanes, Maine Labor Climate Council, Auburn

Opinion: Support for Maine Trails Bond

BRIDGTON NEWS • March 8, 2024

I am writing today to express my support for Maine’s first-ever Trails Bond. If passed, the bond would invest a much needed $30 million to support our state’s outdoor recreation industry. Maine trails play a vital role in our economy, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The situation is no different here in the Lake Region. At Loon Echo Land Trust, the organization I work for, we annually host over 50,000 users on our trail networks alone. The real number of trail users in the Lake Region is likely double that. ~ Matt Markot, Loon Echo Land Trust

Heavy snow and rain forecast prompts flood watch issued for interior Maine

SUN JOURNAL • March 8, 2024

The National Weather Service reported that the Androscoggin River reached flood stage, 13 feet, at 4:30 a.m. Friday and issued a flood watch through Sunday afternoon. A complex storm system will bring heavy precipitation Sunday to the interior areas of Maine. Heavy, wet snow is expected to start Saturday night in the foothills and mountain regions, then transition to heavy rain Sunday morning. Heavy rain falling on already saturated ground will result in small stream and flash flooding.

Opinion: For the sake of the planet, we need to say yes to some projects, like a wind port on Sears Island

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2024

I’ve spent a good part of my career saying no to bad ideas, and have no regrets. But we have reached a point where we must learn how to say yes. Maine is in the process of picking a location to build a new port that is necessary to develop new offshore wind energy in federal waters off the state’s beautiful coast. Sears Island is undoubtedly a treasured place for many people, and the development of a 100-acre port would undoubtedly transform the setting. Those of us who are serious about stopping climate change and mitigating its worst impacts must be willing to make hard decisions and to say yes to projects that are critical to reducing our carbon pollution and reinvesting in our local economies. Projects like the offshore wind port in Maine give us a fighting chance to stave off the existential crisis of climate change while creating high-quality union jobs, a winning combination. Let’s not miss our shot. ~ Bill McKibben

Opinion: Reducing Maine’s reliance on natural gas will benefit climate, consumers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 8, 2024

Methane gas (deceptively marketed as “natural” gas by fossil fuel companies) has slowly gained ground over the past 20 years as the fossil fuel industry sold this gas as a cleaner alternative to heating oil. This was a part of a decadeslong effort to mislead consumers. As my generation and others close in age look ahead to buying a home, the cost of maintaining methane gas pipeline infrastructure is one thing we don’t need. New gas pipes saddle existing gas customers with higher bills to pay for infrastructure that doesn’t have a place in our clean-energy future. L.D. 2077 asks gas regulators to scrutinize spending on the gas system to better protect gas customers from unending rate hikes. ~ Megan Sauberlich, Maine Youth Action and University of Maine student