The state’s plan to build in Allagash protected zone raises opposition

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 11, 2024

The state’s plans to build storage buildings and make other changes at three ranger stations in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway has raised opposition from a group including guides led by the waterway’s former superintendent. The Maine Bureau of Public Lands received permits in 2023 to construct storage buildings for housing equipment at the Chamberlain, Churchill Dam and Michaud Farm ranger stations. Citizens for Keeping the Wild in Allagash, a group led by former superintendent Tim Caverly, opposes the construction, saying it violates the prime directive to keep the Allagash as wild as possible, specified in 1966 when the Maine Legislature established the 92.5-mile wilderness waterway.

After court ruling, cruise ship passengers visiting Bar Harbor should be cut in half this season

MAINE PUBLIC • March 11, 2024

Bar Harbor officials say the number of cruise ship visitors allowed to come ashore will be cut in roughly half this year, now that a federal district court has ruled that the town can legally impose such limits. Voters approved an ordinance two years ago that places a cap on the number of cruise ship passengers to 1,000 per day. Ships that made reservations before that vote will be allowed to visit this summer, and there will be no restrictions on the number of passengers that can disembark from those vessels. Cruise ships that made a reservation after the vote will be subject to the daily passenger limits, according to a statement from the Bar Harbor town council.

Choose from 30 southern Maine sugarhouses to visit on Maine Maple Sunday Weekend

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 11, 2024

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend is happening on March 23 and 24, when dozens of sugarhouses will open their doors for tours, pancake breakfasts, maple product sales and more. We’ve compiled a list of about 30 sugarhouses in southern Maine, with information on when they’ll be open to the public and what products and activities they’ll be offering, so you can plan a sweet outing and stock up on the state’s liquid gold.

Column: The relative risks of winter mountaineering

TIMES RECORD • March 11, 2024

Consider the relative hazards of winter mountaineering. Unlike driving, most people are not familiar with climbing mountains in winter. In fact, it’s a relatively low-risk activity compared to other winter sports. For instance, an average of six people die each year snowmobiling in Maine. Sadly, every winter a few Maine skaters, fishermen and other adventurers fall through the ice and drown. There are also occasional downhill skiing fatalities in Maine. Eight years ago, a friend died in Baxter State Park of a presumed heart attack while hiking on park roads in winter. I can’t find any record of a recent winter mountaineering death in Maine due to the elements. As with most endeavors, fitness, experience and equipment need to be factored into the equation. Be well-prepared for the conditions. ~ Ron Chase

Island park honoring North Pole explorer closed for season due to storm damage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 11, 2024

The state has decided to close Eagle Island State Historic Park, the 17-acre summer home of North Pole explorer Adm. Robert Peary, for the summer tourist season after back-to-back winter storms in January washed away the island’s only pier. Despite heavy storm damage across the coast, including a monthlong closure at Reid State Park in Georgetown, Eagle Island is the only Maine park damaged so badly during the Jan. 10 and 13 storms that the state decided it should remain closed for the season.

Using fire to manage forests

MAINE MONITOR • March 10, 2024

While overall a fairly wet state, Maine has seen an increasing number of wildfires in recent years, as droughts intensify, development increases and more and more people venture into the woods. (Almost all wildfires in Maine — 92% — are started by humans. Make sure those campfires are out!) The wildfire risk in Maine is projected to increase “significantly” in coming years, according to the Maine Forest Service, as temperatures rise, droughts increase, and summer soil moisture drops. One of the ways to reduce this risk is by fighting fire with fire. While insurance challenges remain, Logan Johnson, executive director of Maine TREE, said he expects fire to become a bigger part of the forestry management in Maine.

A backcountry skier has died on Mount Washington in icy conditions; 2 others injured

ASSOCIATED PRESS • March 10, 2024

The steep bowl at Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington has long made it a favorite spot for expert skiers and snowboarders who are seeking adventure beyond the comparative safety of the state’s ski areas. But hard and icy conditions on Saturday turned the bowl deadly. Madison Saltsburg, 20, died after falling about 600 vertical feet down the ravine in the afternoon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Two other skiers suffered serious injuries after falling and hitting rocks and ice. The previous night a 23-year-old hiker from Kentucky was rescued from the mountain after going off trail and into the Ammonoosuc Ravine. The hiker “fell and hit his head and face, lost one of his sneakers, and eventually became hypothermic.”

Opinion: Sky gazers, beware – April’s solar eclipse coincides with mud season

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • March 10, 2024

On the afternoon of April 8, a total solar eclipse will pass through the Katahdin region of Maine. Some have expressed interest in watching it from a special spot in the wilderness – perhaps in Baxter State Park, where Katahdin is located. Baxter State Park is closed to most uses during April. The weather and conditions on the ground are impossible to predict, and this year is no exception. All trails on Katahdin are closed during April; all roads in Baxter State Park are closed in April; and the park is completely closed to camping in April. Many excellent viewing locations have been designated as “star parks” in and around our communities, and some businesses and organizations are planning special events for the weekend and on April 8. ~ Kevin Adam, director, Baxter State Park

Letter: Bold climate action requires carbon pricing

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • March 10, 2024

We all need to join forces and compel Congress to take bold climate action, all of which should start with putting a price on carbon pollution. There’s a brilliant policy for doing this swiftly, equitably and effectively by shifting the economy off polluting fuels and onto green alternatives. It is referred to as “cash-back carbon pricing,” and entails fees charged to fossil fuel producers for the CO2 generated in burning the fuels; collecting all fees and returning them equally to every American household monthly. This economic maneuver would swiftly reduce demand for, and thus burning of, fossil fuels. ~ Cynthia Stancioff, Camden

Columbia Falls to vote on land-use plan prompted by park proposal

QUODDY TIDES/MAINE MONITOR • March 9, 2024

Residents of Columbia Falls will vote at their March 19 town meeting on accepting a new land use plan along with a code of ordinances that were developed in response to the Worcester family’s Flagpole of Freedom Park that was proposed two years ago and has now been dropped. Since the $1 billion for-profit patriotic themed park honoring veterans was initially unveiled in March 2022, the town has spent two years doing its due diligence with respect to planning for any largescale commercial building projects.

Solar farm projects downsize to comply with new Maine law

QUODDY TIDES/MAINE MONITOR • March 9, 2024

A 2023 change in Maine law means that two of four Nexamp solar farm projects in Washington County will lose over half of their generating capacity when online. Nexamp Communications Manager Keith Hevenor explained the company is continuing to work within the new framework and will try to modify those projects affected by the change in the net energy billing (NEB) law that now limits megawatt (MW) production for the farms in question to 1 MW or less. Originally the projects in Lubec and Eastport were expected to produce 2.7 MW each, or enough power each to serve about 450-500 average single-family homes. Rebecca Schultz, Natural Resources Council of Maine senior advocate for climate and clean energy, wrote, “This bill puts in place a cost-effective successor program for distributed generation, directs the Governor’s Energy Office to pursue federal funding to focus the benefits of solar on low and moderate income Mainers, and directs the Public Utilities Commission to properly account for both costs and benefits of these small and medium-sized solar projects.”

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.