10 monsters that dwell in Maine’s waterways

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 27, 2024

Many strange freshwater creatures in Maine often go overlooked. Whether hiding in the shadows or darting across the water’s surface, these real life monsters are more fascinating than dangerous. Their survival tactics and adaptations make them uniquely suited for a watery world, from rivers to swimming holes. Here are just a few of these amazing creatures: Moss animals (bryozoan), water scorpions, bloodsuckers, water striders, green sponges, water snakes, bladderwort, whirligigs, snapping turtles, fishing spiders.

Auburn committee recommending changes to recycling program

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2024

A city committee is recommending a series of changes to Auburn’s solid waste and recycling programs, and will present the report during a public hearing Thursday. The report from the Sustainability and Natural Resources board gives an outline of several changes that should be considered, including a program that accepts all recycling commodities as well as provides wheeled and lidded containers.

Harpswell removes dead humpback whale from water

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2024

Officials removed the humpback whale carcass found off Harpswell from the water on Wednesday afternoon, after it had potentially been floating along the Maine coast for more than a week and a half. This is the second humpback whale carcass found in Maine this month. The other was found June 6 off Cape Elizabeth entangled in fishing gear. A necropsy determined that one likely drowned.

Penobscot Nation and towns get mercury pollution settlement funds

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2024

Various entities, including the Penobscot Nation and three eastern Maine towns, are set to receive funds through a legal settlement with the onetime owner of an Orrington chemical plant over mercury it dumped into the Penobscot River between 1967 and 2000. Those funds, which will help the groups to perform watershed restoration and improvement projects, are part of a much larger settlement that Mallinckrodt U.S. LLC, one of the former owners of the former HoltraChem Manufacturing plant, reached in 2021. It will pay at least $187 million as part of the settlement. While much of that funding will go to remediating the mercury contamination, $20 million of it has been reserved for projects in communities affected by the pollution.

Merrymeeting Bay Bird Walk, Dresden, July 6

FRIENDS OF MERRYMEETING BAY • June 26, 2024

Ornithologist Will Broussard will lead a bird walk along Merrymeeting Bay at Green Point Wildlife Management Area, Dresden, July 6, 7-9 a.m. Hosted by Friends of Merrymeeting Bay.

Video of man smashing turtles at Portland cemetery triggers outrage, police investigation

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2024

A video of a man picking up and smashing wild snapping turtles near Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery ponds on Saturday sparked outrage on social media. Both Portland police and the Maine Warden Service are investigating the incident.

Letter: Support BEACH Act

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2024

An alarming rates of bacteria at local beaches can make our swimmers sick. Fortunately, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree is on the committee that has the power to decide how much money to allocate to the BEACH Act (HR 7203). This act will enable communities to continue beach testing, allowing us to know when there is bacteria in the water. Urge your representatives to support this act. We must fully fund the BEACH Act to ensure communities have all the resources they need. Find more information in the Safe for Swimming? report on Environment Maine’s website. ~ Carly Cohen, Environment Maine, Portland

Letter: Dig holes safely at the beach

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2024

On a beautiful day at Pine Point Beach, I couldn’t help but notice another family digging a large, deep hole in the sand. When they finished, the hole was nearly 6 feet deep. My concern grew as I wondered whether they would fill it in before leaving. This incident brought to mind a tragic event earlier this year in Florida, where a child lost her life due to a smaller hole. While it’s common for beachgoers to dig holes, these seemingly innocent activities can pose serious hazards. Let’s work together to enjoy our beaches and ensure every visit is safe and enjoyable for everyone. ~ Katherine Ghantous, Gorham

A $50,000 state grant would bring trees to Lewiston’s Tree Streets neighborhood

SUN JOURNAL • June 25, 2024

The city has conditional approval for a proposal to plant more trees in its Tree Streets neighborhood over the next two years. “This grant opportunity comes from the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation, and the Future,” said Jacqueline Crucet, a neighborhood development planner with Lewiston’s Department of Economic and Community Development. The project could start later this summer.

You can pledge to help monarch butterflies with local towns

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2024

As with many pollinators, monarch butterfly populations have been declining in recent years due to a number of factors. But local towns like Trenton and Lamoine have been stepping up to help the butterflies by signing the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. Towns that sign the pledge commit to taking certain steps during the year to make their towns more pollinator-friendly, such as growing pollinator gardens, hosting butterfly festivals and changing mowing practices in public areas.

Protecting 1.2% of Earth would prevent most extinctions, study says

REUTERS • June 25, 2024

Setting aside an additional 1.2% of the world's land as nature preserves would prevent the majority of predicted plant and animal extinctions and cost about $263 billion, according to a study published on Tuesday. The world is racing to meet a goal to protect 30% of the world by 2030 to protect wildlife that is being decimated by climate change, pollution and habitat destruction.

Whale found dead off Harpswell was a humpback

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2024

A whale carcass spotted floating in the water off Harpswell on Monday was a humpback, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration determined. It is the second humpback whale found dead in Maine waters this month. The cause of the whale’s death is and the carcass is too decomposed to conduct a full necropsy. Local officials plan to remove the carcass from the water Wednesday.

After decades-long legal fight, Penobscot River rehabilitation to begin

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 25, 2024

More than a dozen projects have been given the green light to start efforts to address long standing mercury contamination in the Penobscot River Estuary. These projects, chosen by the court-appointed Trustee, will be funded with settlement money paid by the former owners of an Orrington chemical plant that from roughly 1967 to 2000 released mercury into the water. That settlement was reached in 2022 and requires Mallinckrodt, formerly Holtrachem, to pay at least $187 million to restore the river after it was sued by Maine People’s Alliance and the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2000. 

High Peaks Alliance launches Scenic 7 Hiking Challenge

DAILY BULLDOG • June 25, 2024

The High Peaks Alliance is thrilled to announce the launch of the Scenic 7 Hiking Challenge, inviting outdoor enthusiasts to embark on a memorable adventure in the heart of Maine’s High Peaks Region. The Scenic 7 Hiking Challenge features seven exhilarating landscapes that will push hikers to their limits while rewarding them with breathtaking views and serene moments in nature. Participants are required to reach the summits of all four mountains and explore the three scenic trails designated as Challenge locations.

Looming flood threat: Maine coastal infrastructure at risk as soon as 2030

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2024

Maine won’t have to wait long before it begins to lose valuable coastal infrastructure to high-tide floods. Forget king tides and storm surges. A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists predicts sunny-day floods caused by rising seas will hit critical infrastructure as soon as 2030 under a business-as-usual emissions scenario. “Even without storms or heavy rainfall, high-tide flooding driven by climate change is accelerating along U.S. coastlines,” the report concludes. “It is increasingly evident that much of the coastal infrastructure in the United States was built for a climate that no longer exists.”

Healthy Lakes, Healthy Communities: We all have a seat at the ‘kitchen table’

CENTRAL MAINE • June 25, 2024

“Social movements begin around kitchen tables.” My first “kitchen table” was with the president of a lake association as he invited me to take on a leadership role caring for his lake. The second was learning the ropes as I assumed duties of treasurer. The third through 10th or so was with the secretary of that lake association, a veteran conservationist who taught this newbie almost everything I know about caring for a lake. Whether your passion is for conservation or some other important cause, try the kitchen table approach. Feel the power of people doing good as they brainstorm, haggle, discuss, and bandy about their ideas based on the knowledge of their lived experiences. ~ Doug “Woody” Woodsum, volunteer, 7 Lakes Alliance

How Maine farmers can help prevent avian flu from spreading among cattle

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2024

Avian influenza hasn’t been detected in dairy cows in New England like elsewhere in the country, but if it is, federal officials say human activity is more likely to be responsible for it spreading than wild birds. Three months after it was found in U.S. dairy cattle, Maine’s industry remains vigilant and concerned but not disrupted, according to Sarah Littlefield, executive director of the Maine Dairy Promotion Board. The 145 farms represented by her group have not seen notable changes in demand, supply or milk pricing this year, she said.

Eastport residents shocked by council’s ATV vote

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2024

A surprise vote by the Eastport City Council about allowing all-terrain vehicles on certain local roads has residents up in arms, but council members say it will be a while before the issue is settled. The topic of allowing ATVs on local roads was not on the council’s meeting agenda last week, but the council voted 3-2 on Thursday in support of a proposal to allow ATVs on local roads in the city’s bow-hunting district.

Whale carcass found floating in Harpswell cove

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2024

A whale carcass was spotted floating in the waters of a Harpswell cove on Monday next to the Cribstone Bridge, which connects Orr’s Island and Bailey’s Island. The town has not yet determined what species of whale it is.

Climber rescued from cliff in Acadia National Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 24, 2024

A climber was rescued from a cliff in Acadia National Park on Monday. The 24-year-old man was climbing on South Bubble Mountain during the day when he slid and fell about 50 feet and became stranded. The National Park Service and MDI Search and Rescue responded and evacuated the man to safety in what Pollock called a “high-angle rescue” using a litter, which is a type of portable stretcher. The man was able to walk off the trail with park rangers and declined medical assistance at the site, instead driving himself to the hospital.