Portland won’t be spared as heat wave sweeps Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 18, 2024

Portland could see some record-breaking high temperatures through Thursday as a heat wave moves into Maine for the first time in two years. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s in Portland on Wednesday and Thursday after hitting the mid 80s on Tuesday, and humidity could make it feel up to 96 degrees in the city. Higher temperatures are often accompanied by poorer air quality and increased ozone levels, prompting health concerns for at-risk populations.

Solar eclipse in April boosted spending across Maine. Here are the numbers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 18, 2024

The solar eclipse on April 8 delivered a powerful boost to Maine’s economy, increasing total spending by out-of-state visitors and in-state travelers more than 23% compared to the previous four weeks, the Maine Office of Tourism, Film and Outdoor Recreation announced Tuesday. Categories with the largest spending increases statewide were bars and nightlife, 79%; gas stations and convenience stores, 45%; outdoor recreation, 39%; pharmacies, 33%; and accommodations, 19%. Overall spending increased 99% in Aroostook County and 48% in Franklin County compared to the previous four weeks. On the day of the eclipse, about 80% of observed visitors were from outside Maine.

Storms have lasting impact on coastal forests

WORKING WATERFRONT • June 18, 2024

During the storms in January, hurricane-strength winds blew out of the southeast, directly at the Maine shoreline. The result appeared like a lot of mess and damage. While shocking to behold, such “windthrows” or “blowdowns” are among the major influences shaping the region’s forests. From an ecological perspective, wind is a disturbance not in the negative sense, but simply as an agent of change that resets forest growth. In Acadia, the National Park Service is repairing the Ocean Path but continues to evaluate impacts in other locations. At Seawall, crews removed some 700 fallen trees that blocked roads and created safety hazards in a popular picnic and camping area, but otherwise the blowdowns are being left in place. Similarly, Maine Island Trail Association’s standard practice is to leave downed trees unless they block a trail or campsite. Ecologists advise leaving downed wood because of its habitat value.

Where to cool off in Maine during the June heat wave

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 18, 2024

Temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s are expected to wash over Maine for several days starting Tuesday, bringing health concerns, particularly for the at least 2,700 unhoused residents in the state. The Maine Emergency Management Agency has a complete list, searchable by county and town, of the nearly 30 cooling centers across the state. 

Commentary: You don’t need a degree to understand climate change, just an insurance policy

CENTRAL MAINE • June 18, 2024

You don’t need to be a scientist to understand the harms of climate change. All you need is an insurance policy. And finding affordable insurance is getting harder in the places hit hardest by climate change. In 2023, 398 global natural disaster events created $380 billion in losses, the highest on record. Insurance companies have raised prices by nearly 40% in the last two years. Decades of denial and delay have proved to be an expensive distraction. Higher premiums are also just the tip of the iceberg of the financial risks of climate change. When state-run, last-resort insurance programs become overburdened, taxpayers end up footing the bill. Rate hikes will not discriminate between those who believe in the dangers of the climate crisis and those who choose not to. ~ Carly Fabian, Public Citizen’s Climate Program

Do ‘fishing, fowling, and navigation’ ring a ‘Bell’?

WORKING WATERFRONT • June 18, 2024

In the words of former Chief Justice Saufley, under current Maine law, a member of the public is “allowed to stroll along the wet sands of Maine’s intertidal zone holding a gun or a fishing rod, but not holding the hand of a child.” Why? Because in 1986, the Maine Supreme Court held, in Bell v. Town of Wells, that by virtue of the 1641-1647 Colonial Ordinance, title to intertidal lands is held by the upland owner, subject only to the public’s right to use the intertidal zone for fishing, fowling, and navigation. What if the long-abandoned Colonial Ordinance was only ever intended to preserve the public’s right to use the intertidal land in a way that balances the upland owners’ interests in accessing the sea with those same interests shared by the public? That is what we will be arguing at the Maine Supreme Court in the latest case in this long running saga. This case isn’t about fishing, fowling, and navigation; it’s about your rights to access and enjoy the intertidal lands.

The fight over public access to Moody Beach is heading to Maine’s highest court

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 17, 2024

A group of Mainers has filed an appeal to Maine’s highest court aimed at overturning an earlier ruling allowing property owners to deny the public access to Moody Beach in what has been a contentious battle over whether property owners can claim ownership of beaches down to the low-tide mark. The appeal pushes forward a decades-long effort to reclaim the right to recreate and walk on the Wells beach – and Maine’s coastline at large.

Commentary: Counting hurricanes in a post-truth world

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY • June 18, 2024

Forecasters expect this year’s hurricane season to be “super-charged.” Conspiracy-peddling voices will politicize the issue of how many hurricanes are expected. Such bearers of misinformation maintain that NOAA intentionally amplifies its forecasts of hurricane activity to drive a climate change agenda. Misinformation can be dangerous. To the extent people in harm’s way ignore warnings about the threat of coming dangers they face from destructive storms, lives may be lost. ~ Jerry Theodorou, director, R Street Institute’s Finance, Insurance and Trade Policy program

Report lays out Maine’s latest climate science: What you need to know

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 18, 2024

Maine scientists submitted their latest climate findings and projections to the Maine Climate Council on Tuesday, providing a broad assessment of changing conditions in Maine and what the state should expect as global temperatures rise and weather patterns shift. The report includes temperature, precipitation and sea level rise projections and their current and future impacts on Maine’s public health, natural resources and the economy. Here are the key takeaways:
• Maine is Getting Warmer and Wetter
• Increased Weather Extremes
• Human Health Impacts
• Social and Economic Impacts
• Vulnerable Populations
• Sea Level Rise and Coastal Storms
• Marsh Loss and Erosion
• Marine Impacts
• Agriculture
• Biodiversity
• Forest Management
• Freshwater Resource Management

Letter: Use Mack Point over Sears Island

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 18, 2024

Offshore wind is necessary for the planet and presents a wonderful economic opportunity for Maine. Why use Sears Island over the already environmentally degraded Mack Point, an ideal location particularly with Sprague Energy willing to offer the site? No one wants to turn Maine’s largest connected, undeveloped island into an industrial site, but another reason, overlooked in the press, is that Sears represents a concentration point for migratory songbirds. On a single morning at sunrise thousands may fly northward across the causeway. Once Sears is irrevocably modified it is gone for good. The loss to the community is tragic, even disregarding the impact on birds. ~ Tom Aversa, Unity

Where to go swimming in Greater Bangor

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 18, 2024

When it comes to staying cool, you’ve basically got two options: find air conditioning and glue yourself to it, or get in the water. Where can you swim in Greater Bangor, that doesn’t involve spending money or hours in the car battling traffic? We’ve got seven great options for you within 40 miles of Bangor with easy swimming for all ages:
• Stillwater River, Orono and Old Town
• Jackson Beach, Hermon
• Alamoosook Lake or Craig Pond, Orland
• Branch Lake, Ellsworth
• Molasses Pond, Eastbrook
• Northern Pond Nature Preserve, Monroe
• Sandy Point State Park, Stockton Springs

Maine is preparing for a future without its iconic pines

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 17, 2024

The health of the iconic evergreen trees that define the Pine Tree State is at risk from climate change. Researchers across the state have begun planting tree species from mid-Atlantic states to replace these trees as temperatures rise, extreme weather intensifies and pests spread. They believe this practice, called assisted migration, will keep Maine’s forests functioning amid climate change. In Augusta, researchers at the Viles Arboretum think that in 50 years our forests will look like the current woods of New Jersey and Maryland. Those states have more oak and hickory hardwood trees. The loblolly pine grows there, but not yet in Maine.

Why recycling containers are overflowing in some Aroostook towns

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 17, 2024

Residents in some Aroostook County communities have filled public containers used to collect recyclables to overflowing because of a month-long delay in repairing equipment used to pick up the material. Aroostook Waste Solutions collects recyclables such as bottles, magazines, catalogs, newspapers and tin cans from 99 igloos at 17 locations in Presque Isle, Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Easton, Limestone, Caswell, Cyr Plantation, Hamlin, Woodland, Stockholm, New Sweden, Sinclair, Portage, Mapleton and Washburn. Despite warning residents to not put recyclables into the igloos, many are overflowing in larger communities.

Portland to spend $4 million on harbor dredging project

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 17, 2024

The Portland City Council voted Monday to fund a long-awaited project to clear sediment from the city’s working waterfront after more than a decade of planning and delays. The city will spend $4 million from tax increment financing to clear built up sediment and improve boat access to commercial piers. The buildup has made the harbor shallower. Some piers are now partly surrounded by exposed mud and silt at low tide, preventing boats from reaching piers to tie up or to load and unload. It will be the first time that parts of the harbor have been dredged in more than 70 years.

Kayaker rescued after breaking leg on Kennebago River in Rangeley

SUN JOURNAL • June 17, 2024

Rescuers bushwhacked their way through woods Thursday to reach a man who broke his leg when his kayak flipped over in rapids on the Kennebago River. “I was the kayaker involved in the accident. I (am) not sure I would even be alive were it not for the selfless dedication of everyone involved in this operation.” said Derek Berlew.

How to help prevent your pets from getting heat stroke this summer

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 17, 2024

Many common pets, like cats and dogs, don’t regulate their body heat the same way that humans do. And even if they did, they have a coat of fur they can’t shed easily. Because dogs pant to regulate their body heat, they will need adequate access to water throughout the day. Avoid leaving your animal unattended in a hot car. If you think your dog or cat is overheating, the first thing to do is to move them to a cooler place. To help your pet cool down, you can spray cool — but not cold or icy — water onto your pet’s fur, making sure that the water soaks into their coat down to the skin. If you’re unsure whether your pet has heat stroke, calling your vet is the best way to receive adequate care for your furry friend.

Maine's first electric trash truck takes to Portland streets

MAINE PUBLIC • June 17, 2024

A new electric trash truck, the first of its kind in Maine, is about to hit the streets of Portland. The super quiet Mack LRE Packer truck cost almost $684,000, nearly twice the cost of a diesel model. But the city said it will be cheaper to run because of lower maintenance and fuel costs. Portland has a goal of using 100% clean energy for operations by 2040. So far, it’s switched over some cars and pickup trucks to zero-emissions versions, but the trash truck is its first heavy duty electric vehicle. Portland will hold a naming contest for the new truck through June 30. The public will then have a chance to vote on the top five names for the vehicle.

Maine awards $2.4 million in grants for community climate projects

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 17, 2024

An additional 54 Maine communities will receive grants to help prepare for climate change and cut carbon emissions as part of a $2.4 million expansion of a state climate change response program. The funds will benefit projects across the state, including installing electric vehicle chargers and rebuilding roads vulnerable to storms, Gov. Janet Mills announced Monday. With extreme precipitation comes major flooding. The Maine Climate Council estimated in 2020 that climate-related flooding from overflowing rivers and streams could cause up to $2.4 billion in building damage alone.

Scientists criticize practices of shuttered Portland carbon-capture company

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 17, 2024

The Portland-based carbon-capture startup that shut down suddenly on Friday after gaining international praise is being criticized for dubious scientific claims and practices. Running Tide purported to deploy chunks of wood waste coated in limestone and kelp spores into the ocean near Iceland, where they would absorb carbon and sink to the seabed or be eaten by marine animals. The startup would then sell carbon credits to big companies to offset their emissions. Running Tide, which had raised more than $50 million from private investors, closed because it could no longer sell enough carbon credits to survive after the market collapsed last fall. “The methods used by Running Tide do not sequester any carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Zero,” said Jón Ólafsson, oceanographer and professor emeritus of the University of Iceland. “All this nonsense is for nothing.”

Record temperatures expected as heat wave blasts Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 17, 2024

This week is going to be a scorcher. This summer might be hotter, too. Temperatures are forecasted to reach the upper 80s and mid-90s throughout nearly all of Maine, potentially setting records as a “heat dome” washes hot and humid air over New England, according to the National Weather Service. Experts say high temperatures this week are just the start of what is expected to be a warmer-than-average summer.