Yarmouth moves closer to dam removals on the Royal River

MAINE MONITOR • May 19, 2024

Federal officials have proposed a path to remove two historic dams on the Royal River in Yarmouth, the result of more than a decade of studies and discussions. A federal proposal offers a process toward rewilding a span of the river, fully removing the Bridge Street Dam and nearly half of the East Elm Street Dam. Officials presented the plans to the town council last week. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that removing the dams has the greatest potential to improve river habitat and restore fish access toward the headwaters of the Royal River, historic spawning grounds for sea-going fish like alewives that have largely disappeared upstream of the dams.

Fishermen’s association to host ‘Hidden Working Waterfronts’ panel

TIMES RECORD • May 19, 2024

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering sustainable fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and supporting Maine’s fishing businesses, has co-hosted panels to discuss the variety of issues facing Maine’s working waterfronts. The next in the series, titled “Hidden Working Waterfronts,” will be from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Maine Oyster Company’s basecamp in Phippsburg. This will be a discussion of the small working waterfronts that often go unnoticed along the coast of Maine, particularly those in Phippsburg and Georgetown, and their significance to the waterfront economy and heritage of this area.

Never forget, all roads are private in the North Maine Woods

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 19, 2024

With countless lakes, ponds and rivers, miles of hiking trails and scores of campsites, the North Maine Woods is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with more than 100,000 people visiting the region every year. The 3.5 million acres also is a privately owned working forest with thousands of miles of dirt roads, visitors need to know the rules of those roads for safety’s sake. The North Maine Woods road rules include the following:
• Obey all posted speed limits and the maximum speed of 45 mph
• Lights on for safety
• In areas of limited visibility, always drive on the right side of the road and reduce speed
• All vehicles yield the right of way to loaded trucks
• All traffic must yield to equipment working in the road and pass only after operator’s acknowledgement
• Drivers need to be aware of the trucks at all times

Column: Maine’s wolf history is still a hot topic

PISCATAQUIS OBSERVER • May 19, 2024

Wolves were commonplace when settlers first came to Maine. When these wolves were killed off around the turn of the century a “predator void” was left. In time, our present day coyote migrated eastward and filled the niche. A wolf introduction initiative in Maine just wouldn’t work, even if it were desirable. John Glowa, spokesmen for the Maine Wolf Coalition, has, along with his group, lobbied intensely for a wolf reintroduction program for Maine. He says, “The main issue is that wolves were here before and deserve to be here again.” ~ V. Paul Reynolds

The next generation of Roopers redemption is well underway

SUN JOURNAL • May 19, 2024

Maine’s beverage container redemption program, known as the “bottle bill,” took effect in 1978 and has catapulted Maine to fame as the top in recycling in the country, at between 67% to 74% of waste. Maine also recycles the most per resident with an average of 285 pounds of waste recycled per capita. Roopers says it is the largest Maine-owned redemption operation in the state, started in 1992 by founder Steve Roop, who built a small redemption station on Sabattus Street by himself. In 2023, Roopers processed 35 million units of recyclable material — cans, plastic and glass bottles and containers. Across Maine redemption centers have been closing in recent years. But Roopers volume has increased between 5% to 10% a year for the last four years due to two important moves. They invested in TOMRA sorting machines and they started the “Drink Up Drop Off” campaign, eliminating the need to stand in line.

Column: Remote trails and scenic campsites abound in North Maine Woods

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 19, 2024

Norway Bluff rises north of Munsungan Lake astride the boundary of the unorganized townships of T9 R9 WELS and T8 R9 WELS in the northeastern corner of Piscataquis County, just west of Aroostook County. Off the radar for all but the most dogged hikers, the 2,284-foot peak is described for the first time in the 12th edition of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Mountain Guide. The remote hiking, natural beauty, wild character, sublime camping and dark night skies make the North Maine Woods a remarkable place to explore. ~ Carey Kish

Column: Celebrate spring in Maine and the alewives’ annual run

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 19, 2024

Spring is in full swing here in Maine, which means alewives are on their way from the ocean into our rivers, lakes and streams. From mid-May to mid-June, millions of these small, silver forage fish navigate rivers throughout the state as they make their seasonal migrations to their freshwater spawning grounds. Along the way, they serve as prey for a wide range of species – from osprey, eagles and herons to striped bass, trout, otters, minks and more. In areas where there are sustainable runs, alewives are also commercially harvested as a favored bait for the spring lobster fishery. ~ Charlie Foster, Downeast Salmon Federation

Column: Does global warming cause migratory birds to arrive earlier in the spring?

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 19, 2024

We know that average temperatures have been steadily rising since the start of the Industrial Revolution in 1850. The warming leads to springs with earlier appearances of leaves, caterpillars, frogs calling, and hundreds of other biological phenomena. One would expect that migratory birds accelerate their arrivals onto their breeding grounds to keep pace with the changing ecology. Over the past 20 years, several studies have appeared that used archival bird records over decades to see if arrival dates are getting earlier. Data for Maine show relatively few examples of accelerated arrival dates. ~ Herb Wilson

A trust fund for Portland’s climate progress

MAINE MONITOR • May 17, 2024

Many states and cities — Maine and Portland included — are now in the third or fourth year of ambitious climate action plans. These roadmaps pledge steep cuts in emissions, large expansions of renewable energy, bold adaptations to guard against the effects of extreme weather and more. But climate action is easier said than done. As communities hit the adolescence of their decarbonization and adaptation efforts, the challenges of sustained action — and the funds needed to support it — are coming into focus. Portland wants to create a “climate trust fund,” putting proceeds from the sale of renewable energy credits from city-owned solar farms (among other funding sources) toward consulting work and other up-front costs to accelerate climate progress.

State applies for federal grant to build wind port on Sears Island

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 17, 2024

The Mills administration said Friday it’s seeking $456 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to build an offshore wind port at Sears Island, angering local opponents who say the state is bypassing an alternative at nearby Mack Point before a study analyzing both sites has even been started. A study is set to be done assessing Sears Island and Mack Point, which is favored by many local residents because it already has an industrial area. Sears Island has been spared previous development attempts. The project has divided environmentalists who support Maine’s foray into wind power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but disagree on where to build a port to support the project.

Maine seeks $456M from feds for controversial offshore wind port

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 17, 2024

The Maine Department of Transportation announced Friday that it has applied for a massive federal grant that would cover most of the cost to build an offshore wind port on Sears Island in Searsport. It is a major step for Gov. Janet Mills in her quest to make Maine a hub for the emerging industry. The Democrat has faced criticism from fishing interests, Republicans who are generally skeptical of offshore wind development and environmentalists and tribes opposed to the location on the island that is state-owned and partially preserved. It will cost $760 million to develop the port, according to the state.

Opinion: Maine must be better prepared for damaging storms

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 17, 2024

In this past legislative session, I proposed, and the Legislature enacted, a bill authorizing $60 million for rebuilding and recovery from the January and December storms. This represents the single largest investment in storm recovery by any administration in Maine history. But it’s clear, after signing my eighth request for a disaster declaration, that there is more work to do. I am establishing a new commission to review and evaluate Maine’s response to the recent storms, to identify crucial areas for near-term investment and policy needs, and to develop the state’s first long-term infrastructure plan to ensure that we are ready for the harsh storms that we know are ahead. ~ Janet Mills, governor of Maine

The developers of a Millinocket salmon farm say they expect to start construction next year

MAINE PUBLIC • May 17, 2024

The developers of a large land-based salmon farm in Millinocket said they've secured nearly all of the necessary permits and expect to start on-site work later this year. The project was announced two years ago as a partnership between the company Katahdin Salmon and the nonprofit Our Katahdin. It would produce up to 10 million metric tons of salmon each year on the site of the former Great Northern Paper Mill.

Maine is playing ‘catch-up’ to prepare for health impacts of climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 17, 2024

Maine is not as prepared to manage the health impacts of a changing climate as other parts of the country that face far hotter and stormier futures because it lacks the experience and the infrastructure needed to deal with extreme heat and weather. That was one of the major takeaways about the changing climate’s impact on the people who live, work and play in Maine from the first of three scientific briefings about the latest update to the state’s climate action plan. The Maine Climate Council must update the plan by the end of the year.

Opinion: It’s officially hotter than anytime since the birth of Jesus

BLOOMBERG • May 17, 2024

In a new paper in the journal Nature this week, scientists used tree rings to plot summer temperatures for the last two millennia. 2023 was the hottest of them all and our current temperatures are even more of an outlier than we realized. The next hottest 25 have all occurred since 1996. The next runner-up was way back in 246 CE. The world’s understanding of global warming changed dramatically when scientists started to document long-term temperature trends using tree rings, ice cores, sediment layers and other natural temperature monitors. climatologists say it’s not too late to keep global warming within a manageable range. If we listen to what nature is telling us, we can keep 536 CE as the worst year to be alive. ~ F.D. Flam, host of “Follow the Science” podcast

Column: What it means to be an ‘experienced rookie’ in birding

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 17, 2024

I can confidently say that I birded Arizona without much confidence over the last two weeks. I’m proficient in Maine. I have the home court advantage. But drop me into a faraway place, and I’m just a rookie. After a week of mayhem, I started making fewer mistakes. I followed my own birding advice, using the same principles I’ve preached for years in this column. What an amusing relief to learn that my advice actually works. Here are some of those pearls of wisdom. The most common birds are the most common. I learned new species by mentally associating them with familiar ones. Focus on field marks. Get to know the common birds around home. Use what you already know. Focus on field marks. And above all, make mistakes. ~ Bob Duchesne

Letter: Casco Bay Trail deserves support from Lewiston, Auburn

SUN JOURNAL • May 17, 2024

The Casco Bay Trail is a proposed multi-use trail loop through Auburn, Brunswick, Cumberland, Durham, Falmouth, Freeport, Lewiston, Lisbon, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Pownal and Yarmouth. The envisioned trail would be 72 miles in length. It would connect existing trails and link the multiple communities involved. The trail would function as a carbon-free, environmentally friendly transportation option for commuters between the communities involved. It would spur and support economic development along the trail. I urge mayors Carl Sheline and Jeff Harmon and the city councilors of Lewiston and Auburn to actively and enthusiastically support the Casco Bay Trail. ~ Michael Rifkin, Greene, board member of Bicycle Coalition of Maine and Maine Cycling Club

Executive Director Bob Perschel Announces Retirement after 12 Years at NEFF

NEW ENGLAND FORESTRY FOUNDATION • May 16, 2024

Executive Director Bob Perschel plans to retire as Executive Director of New England Forestry (NEFF) by the end of this year. He said, “The NEFF community has truly built something special together—each and every one of us, working together, since I joined this remarkable organization 12 years ago. I’ve spent 45 years as an environmental professional, and I’m glad that in this final stretch, I have been able to help NEFF step fully into a regional leadership role on forest-based climate solutions.”

More than 2,700 acres of critical wildlife habitat conserved in Maine’s High Peaks Region in northern Franklin County

SUN JOURNAL • May 16, 2024

A total of 2,706 acres have been added to the Mount Abraham Maine Public Reserved Land in northern Franklin County, conserving areas between Saddleback Mountain in Sandy River Plantation and Mount Abraham in Mount Abram Township. The 21 parcels included seven owners and were acquired as part of the Keystones project, a collaboration between the state and conservation partners to protect over 2,700 acres of critical wildlife habitat in the High Peaks region. The High Peaks includes 10 mountain peaks over 4,000 feet, the Appalachian Trail, and the largest expanse of high-elevation forest in the state. 

You can watch this ancient fish from shore in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 16, 2024

The season is here for watching sturgeon and the group Upstream Cobbossee has dug out chairs and spiffed them up for people to sit and watch the more than 200-million-year-old species of fish.Maine has two sturgeons: Atlantic, which can get up to 800 pounds and 16 feet long, and the shortnosed, which reach 4 ½ feet long and 60 pounds, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The short-nosed sturgeon is basically unchanged from fossils dated to 65 million years ago. Gardiner is one of several places in Maine where you can watch the sturgeon jump.