The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 15, 2024
Targets were set to avoid the most disastrous impacts of climate warming. If we elect candidates who are beholden to the fossil fuel industry and their allies, U.S. progress will be reversed and we will lose four crucial years in a process that has been stalled by disinformation and fossil fuel lobbies for over 35 years. We must prioritize a livable world when we vote. ~ Dorothy Jones, Brunswick
SUN JOURNAL • May 15, 2024
Years ago, swayed by incessant media reports about the environment, I was card-carrying Sierra Club member urging the government to “do something” to steer society toward “green” energy. An older brother heard me out, and politely disagreed. He had done his homework and countered my claims with hard data. Not wanting to admit I was wrong, I did my own research. To my surprise, I learned that he was right; regardless of how good its intentions might be, the government’s push to mothball nuclear and hydrocarbon fuels in favor of solar and wind would be catastrophic both in terms of environmental impact and human suffering. ~ Anthony Shostak, Greene
SPECTRUM NEWS • May 14, 2024
As she walked on a trail in Augusta’s Howard Hill Historical Park, Theresa Kerchner pointed out the tree roots that crisscrossed the path. There were rocks too. And deep ruts good for turning an ankle. “This is really hard for a lot of people to walk on,” said Kerchner, executive director of the Kennebec Land Trust. “It will just be much nicer when it’s level.” Kerchner is working with the cities of Augusta and Hallowell on a plan to turn the path into a universal access trail that can be used by those in wheelchairs or others with mobility challenges. The plan is to raise $1 million to convert a roughly one-mile trail into a wide and level path, build a parking lot near the entrance on Ganneston Drive and set aside some funds for future needs.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Maine wastes nearly 362,000 tons of food a year and the largest single contributor of waste generated by farms and commercial agriculture is Aroostook County. In total food waste from 15 categories, Aroostook is second only to Cumberland County, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s newly released 2024 Food Loss and Waste Generation Study. “Food waste placed in landfills generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, so the Maine Climate Council’s Materials Management Task Force will make recommendations to the climate council on ways to reduce food loss and waste,” said David Madore, deputy DEP commissioner.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
The University of Maine is home to the nation's largest team of engineers dedicated to floating offshore wind. In the next decade, UMaine researchers envision turbine platforms floating in the ocean beyond the horizon, stretching more than 700 feet skyward and anchored with mooring lines. “These structures are massive,” said Anthony Viselli, chief engineer for offshore wind technology at the university’s Advanced Composites Center. “These would be some of the largest moving structures that humankind has endeavored to create. And there would be many of them.” Floating turbines are the only way U.S. states can capture offshore wind energy on a large scale. In the U.S. alone, 2.8 terawatts of wind energy potential blows over ocean waters too deep for traditional turbines that affix to the ocean floor. That’s enough to power 350 million homes.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • May 14, 2024
President Biden slapped major new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment on Tuesday, taking potshots at Donald Trump along the way as he embraced a strategy that’s increasing friction between the world’s two largest economies. The Democratic president said that Chinese government subsidies ensure the nation’s companies don’t have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade. The Chinese government was quick to push back against the tariffs, saying they “will seriously affect the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation.” “Joe Biden’s economic plan is to make China rich and America poor,” Trump said.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
A passenger vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer hauling honeybees north on the Maine Turnpike between the Kennebunk and Biddeford exits on Tuesday. The car was burning when crews arrived, but there were no serious injuries to anyone. Firefighters simulated a rainstorm to calm the agitated bees and get them to return to the hive. “No honeybees were harmed by our response.” Last Thursday, a tractor-trailer carrying 15 million bees rolled over on Interstate 95 in Clinton, injuring the driver of the truck but leaving the bees largely unharmed and contained.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
A Maine-based organic farming group announced Monday that it plans to join a lawsuit contending that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has failed to regulate harmful forever chemicals found in the sludge that Maine farmers used as an agricultural fertilizer for years. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA, claims that federal law requires the EPA to regulate toxic pollutants in sludge and take steps to prevent them from harming humans and the environment. Its failure to do so has put us all at risk, said MOFGA Director Sarah Alexander.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 14, 2024
About a dozen years ago, the Gulf of Maine experienced an ocean heatwave unlike any other. Today, scientists are puzzling over new data that suggest the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock. Data collected from buoys placed in the Gulf of Maine show that over the last six months, deep water temperatures are noticeably lower than the long-term average. "It's not just cold in the deep waters right now, it's really cold," said Nick Record, a senior scientist with Bigelow Laboratory. The Gulf of Maine is still one of the fastest warming oceans on the planet, Record said. The ocean heatwave that hit the Gulf of Maine in 2012 served as a prime example of the kind of surface temperature warming that much of the Atlantic has been experiencing. But climate change creates more unpredictable conditions, and Record said the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 14, 2024
Last year, the Public Utilities Commission terminated an agreement on the construction of a 1,000 megawatt wind farm in Aroostook County, and a high-voltage transmission line that would connect the wind project to the New England power grid. The deal was killed after months of negotiations, with a dispute over pricing with transmission line developer LS Power serving as one of the primary points of disagreement. But last week, the commission issued an order asking developers to share their interest and provide information on potential new bids related to the Northern Maine project.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
A group in Camden is misleading people into thinking that fish will migrate up the Megunticook River if the dams are gone. I’m confident they won’t since they apparently never did. And the cost of these changes are astronomical. I hope those who want to preserve the beauty and history of Camden will vote to oppose the dam destruction. ~ Jo Ann Simon, Camden
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Maine stands on the cusp of a transformative opportunity with the burgeoning offshore wind industry. Gov. Janet Mills’ recent announcement selecting Sears Island as the preferred site for a port facility supporting this industry reflects the state’s commitment to renewable energy. However, Sprague Energy, a longtime energy resource for the state, proposes an alternative that merits serious consideration. The Sprague Lower Impact Mack Point Terminal plan provides several compelling advantages over both the original Mack Point and the Sears Island plans proposed by the state’s contractor. ~ James Therriault, Sprague Energy
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Baxter State Park will reopen to vehicle traffic on Wednesday. While the Togue Pond and Matagamon gatehouses open to vehicles, there will be limited access to some sections of road, according to Baxter State Park. Staff continue to clear and repair the roads. Roaring Brook Road sustained “significant damage” during the winter, Baxter State Park said earlier this month. That has delayed its reopening. As a result, reservations at Roaring Brook Campground for May 15-23 have been canceled, and there will be no access for vehicles to the campground and to trailheads to Katahdin Lake, Russell Pond and the east side of Katahdin. You can check the daily conditions report to see what sections of road remain off limits to vehicles on Baxter State Park’s website.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
John ‘Jack’ Sylvester owns a piece of Barleyfield Point, a 1.45-acre waterfront property on Orr’s Island that has been passed down to an ever-expanding list of shareholders since the 19th century. It’s historically been open to the public for recreation and fishing. But in a legal complaint, Sylvester alleges that the property has deteriorated because it’s “unmanaged and unsecured” with too many owners and “uncontrolled access and use.” In a trial that starts Tuesday, Sylvester is asking the courts to allow him to buy the property from the other 25 owners. The other shareholders are fighting back, saying they fear that Sylvester's purchase could signal the end of another working waterfront in Maine.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • May 13, 2024
The Maine government will spend tens of millions of dollars to rebuild the state’s working waterfront communities after a series of devastating winter storms pummeled the state’s docks, wharves and coastal businesses. The back-to-back storms hammered the Northeast in January and hit Maine especially hard, bringing flooding and heavy damage to dozens of businesses. State officials in Maine said the storms, which were later declared a “major disaster” by President Biden, caused about $70 million in damage in the state. Applications for funding are now available to repair and rebuild working waterfront areas damaged by the storms, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday. The $25 million being made available is part of a $60 million rebuilding package approved by the Maine Legislature for storm rebuilding.
WASHINGTON POST • May 13, 2024
Wildfires in Canada have roared back to life, sending harmful smoke into the northern United States – an unwelcome reminder of last summer’s historic fire season that also repeatedly sent plumes of noxious haze southward. At least 500,000 acres of land have burned so far. Mexico is also contributing to hazy conditions because of rapidly spreading fires fueled by excessive heat and drought. Human-caused climate change intensifies heat, droughts and fire intensity.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 13, 2024
Maine’s moose permit lottery is projected to receive 65,000 to 70,000 entries before Wednesday’s deadline, according to officials. That's in step with 72,446 entries received for last year’s hunting season. 4,105 moose hunting permits will be issued for this fall — the same number issued last year. Around 8% of resident applicants are given a permit per last year's lottery.
WMTW-TV8 • May 13, 2024
The Maine State Aquarium in West Boothbay Harbor will reopen this summer with several new tanks and exhibits - including a touch tank. The aquarium, which is run by the Maine Department of Marine Resources, will open on June 26 during the Windjammer Festival and will remain open through Labor Day. The aquarium will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The aquarium closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then underwent significant renovations and updates. There is even a new 300-gallon touch tank themed as an intertidal pool with an accompanying wave tank.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 13, 2024
Baxter Woods is an asset held in common by the citizens of Portland. Those who love and use the park should take precedent[sic]. Why has the city imposed incoherent rules for using this park? What we have here is poor governance. A rule, enacted to accommodate a vocal few, pleases nobody and angers just about everybody. It’s time the city resolves this issue in favor of those who love and use Baxter Woods – and their pups. ~ John Schaberg, Portland
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • May 13, 2024
Spending at least two hours outside each day is one of the most important things your kids can do to protect their eyesight. "We think that outdoor time is the best form of prevention for nearsightedness," says Dr. Noha Ekdawi, a pediatric ophthalmologist. In the U.S., 42% of people are now myopic – up from 25% back in the 1970s. In some East Asian countries, as many as 90% of people are myopic by the time they're young adults.
