Richmond Days tours of Swan Island are canceled, but August ferry service is still on

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • July 26, 2024

Guided tours across Swan Island are canceled during this year’s Richmond Days celebration, but people will still have the chance to explore the island on their own on the weekends through August. The first island tour was scheduled for Saturday, during the town’s annual Richmond Days event. But Thursday that the event was cancelled after the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife declared the island’s pier unsafe last week. However, the ferry service will still run on weekends through the end of August by using a different dock. For years, a ferry service brought people back and forth from the island to enjoy its campsites and explore the wildlife preserve, but in 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the service following a failed inspection.

Project 2025 would undermine conservation and environmental programs

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • July 26, 2024

Project 2025, a roadmap for the next Republican administration prepared by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, calls for massive changes to national conservation and environmental protection programs, including for example:
• shrinking Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument in Maine
• legally defending a President’s authority to reduce the size of national monuments
• repealing the Antiquities Act to stop the presidential designation of future national monuments
• sabotaging science-based policies that address climate change
• circumscribing the structure and mission of the Environmental Protection Agency
• increasing logging in national forests
• ending input by species specialists in the Endangered Species Act program
• letting states take over management of endangered species

‘Lost on a Mountain in Maine’ movie now slated for November release

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 26, 2024

The cinematic adaptation of the classic survival tale “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” is now slated to hit theaters this November. Blue Fox Entertainment, which acquired the distribution rights for the film produced by Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions, will begin its theatrical run on Nov. 1, according to Variety. “Lost on a Mountain in Maine” was previously expected to hit the big screen this summer. The movie — filmed in 2022, directed by Andrew Kightlinger and written by Luke Paradise — tells the true story of Donn Fendler, who became lost for nine days at age 12 in the Katahdin wilderness in 1939, surviving only off his wits and determination.

U.S. agriculture chief announces $4 million for Maine solar projects

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 26, 2024

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Friday more than $4 million in grants and a loan guarantee to advance solar and heat pump projects in Maine. Vilsack joined Gov. Janet Mills, U.S. Sen. Angus King and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree at a ceremony at the Brunswick Farmers Market to celebrate Maine’s agricultural industry and the small farms that power it. Vilsack touted the federal program as an effort to help family farms cut costs. Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, said federal agriculture policy aims to develop “climate smart” practices that help reduce farms’ energy costs and seek to spur market demand for sustainably made products.

Checking in on Maine’s dams: Here’s what you need to know

MAINE MONITOR • July 26, 2024

Like floodwaters released during a breach, dam news in Maine seems to come all at once. In the past month, a federal court reasserted Maine’s role in the relicensing of a major Kennebec River dam, a Downeast town secured funding for the removal of its aging ice retention dam, and the owners of three Bucksport-area dams announced intent to forfeit their ownership. These shifts in the long-term management of all five dams lead back to a question that the state is addressing more and more often: What futures lie ahead for the structures that have shaped Maine’s environment and communities for centuries?

'National forests are not national parks': Logging debate in Whites divides forestry experts, environmentalists

NH PUBLIC RADIO • July 26, 2024

The Liberty Trail on Mt. Chocorua is one of the most popular hiking paths in the White Mountain National Forest. The trail, flanked by thick woods, laces through the Sandwich Range, a swath of public land along the forest’s southeastern ridge that’s beloved by hikers for its acres of undisturbed wilderness. “This forest,” said Zack Porter, a local conservation advocate, “is unique regionally for having much older and healthier forests than we have on private lands around New England.” But the recent approval of a 600-acre logging project in late June in the Sandwich Range has animated long simmering tensions over the best way to manage the national forest. In some stands, clear cuts are planned. Many see the White Mountain National Forest as similar to a national park — a place of nature protected from development and extraction. But national forests are managed with economic considerations front of mind.

Maine awarded $69 million grant to address climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 26, 2024

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Friday it is giving Maine a $69 million grant to help underserved communities develop and implement new strategies to protect themselves from the impacts of climate change, including flooding, storm surge, and extreme weather events. Federal officials hailed Maine’s “ambitious vision to become a national leader in climate resilience.” The Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future will use the $69 million — the state’s largest ever climate grant — to focus on nature-based solutions, strengthen Maine’s working waterfronts, and build enduring capacity to prepare for and respond to climate change impacts.

Canadian wildfire smoke may drift over Maine on Friday

CBS 13 • July 26, 2024

There are active wildfires to our far west in Canada that have sent some smoke to Quebec. This smoke will likely combine with burning fires in North Quebec and creep its way into our state from the north late Friday. This will bring the particle pollution levels to moderate for both Friday and Saturday.

Opinion: Green lake? Maine has a blueprint for that

CENTRAL MAINE • July 26, 2024

When a lake is “sick,” it turns green. Often these days, green lakes are appearing throughout Maine. The culprit is algae blooms. As I travel Maine with my boat and trailer, I see literature posted at boat ramps. I repeatedly see an aerial photograph of Lakes A and B. Lake A is sickly green with algae bloom. Lake B is a healthy dark blue. The contrast is striking. Because more lakes are threatened with algae blooms due to Climate Change, we are invited to take steps to support our favorite bodies of water. You can join a lake association. You can make sure your shorefront property is well-buffered to prevent run-off. The best thing you can do is to support land conservation. Undeveloped land is 10 times more protective of water quality than developed land. ~ Doug “Woody” Woodsum, 7 Lakes Alliance

Letter: Remote control locomotives wrong for Rigby Yard

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 26, 2024

I oppose CSX’s plan to introduce remote control locomotives at Rigby Yard in South Portland. A remote control operation poses serious safety risks. Rigby is a bustling rail yard, full of hazardous and explosive materials. In 1989, a tank car carrying muriatic acid ruptured and released toxic fumes, forcing evacuations of over 100 households. I urge the South Portland City Council to consider an ordinance banning remote control locomotives from moving hazmat cars and operation on tracks that connect with Amtrak passenger service. Prioritize safety and uphold our environmental responsibilities. ~ Dave Stevenson, New England Legislative director, SMART-TD

Column: Think of the Gulf of Maine as a saltwater Serengeti

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 26, 2024

Before I acquired the wisdom of age and experience, I looked at the ocean the way most people do — as a flat, uniform expanse of water. In reality, it’s the saltwater equivalent of Africa’s Serengeti, teeming with life. You just have to know where to look. Bait balls are a defensive tactic used by schools of small fish to discourage attack. The fish pack themselves into a tight spherical formation, which makes each fish a more difficult target and makes the whole mass look deceptively big. This tactic helps fish evade small predators. But for seals, porpoises, whales and birds, it’s a banquet table. Birds watch each other. When one gull flies toward a bait ball, others follow. Getting offshore is an awesome birding experience. I highly recommend it. ~ Bob Duchesne

Of Cod and Communities

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • July 25, 2024

An exhibit, “Of Cod and Communities” by Linda Buckmaster, will be on display in the Camden Public Library during the month of August in the Picker Room Gallery. On August 3, 4 pm, Linda will give a “tour” of the exhibit, which is adapted from her book Elemental: A Miscellany of Salt Cod and Islands, a finalist in the Maine Literary Awards.

Farmington flower grower starts with bouquets, looks to expand choices

LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • July 25, 2024

Xiaofang Shi Clark has always liked flowers, has learned to grow and sell them and now is bringing her experiences to those who are seeking freshly cut arrangements. Clark has named her business Virginia’s Garden after her daughter. She currently sells bouquets, single stems and other floral selections from her home at 155 Middle Street and can sometimes be found at the Farmington farmers markets. Clark raises some of her flowers at her Mosher Hill Road location. Eventually she hopes to expand and offer cut your own flowers there.

Maine regulators direct utilities to make power grid more resilient against storms

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 25, 2024

Maine regulators on Thursday announced their priorities for utilities in a decade-long grid planning process, calling for greater investment in resilience against storms and leaning into technology to help rein in rising costs. “This is a pivotal time for Maine’s electric distribution grid, which requires substantial investment to continue to serve customers safely and reliably, particularly in light of Maine’s beneficial electrification goals,” said PUC Chairman Philip Bartlett II.

As temperatures rise, local summer camps turn to the sun

TIMES RECORD • July 25, 2024

Harpswell Neck Physical Education Association President David Chipman organized a group of volunteers to create a solar demonstration. Last week, the camp’s new fridge was up and running, powered by two solar panels and a battery to keep treats comfortably cool even at night. The improvements cost nothing and will continue to be paid for by an endlessly renewable source: the sun.

National study finds PFAS in 14% of pesticides

MAINE PUBLIC • July 25, 2024

A new national study concludes that PFAS chemicals are getting into pesticides in a variety of ways, as active and inert ingredients, but also leaching from containers and other unknown sources. The study, published this week in Environmental Health Perspectives, found a variety of PFAS present in pesticides, including PFOA and PFOS, two of the most toxic PFAS. Sarah Woodbury with Defend Our Health said the findings are disappointing, given that pesticides are not just used in agriculture, but also in forests and gardens. The paper also found that PFAS chemicals make up 14% of active ingredients in U.S. pesticides, and nearly 30% of all active ingredients approved by the Environmental Protection Agency in the last ten years.

Wind farms’ benefits to communities can be slow or complex, leading to opposition and misinformation

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 25, 2024

While wind power can contribute millions per year to rural communities, an independent Associated Press analysis found, these economic arguments have at times been drowned out by health and safety concerns, as well as accusations that wind is taking away from a local economy in other ways. Local laws effectively blocking wind or solar projects are increasingly common. Many anti-wind coalitions cite declines in local property values, but those values rebounded after construction finished. Other debunked claims include: Studies have found no significant impact of turbines on bird life. And there is no established link between low-frequency noise from wind turbines and human health.

Midcoast tuna tournaments pitch in with science

TIMES RECORD • July 25, 2024

In 2012, local fishermen, tournament directors and scientists teamed up to pursue a common goal: data collection. Now, commercial tuna stocks, once depleted by overfishing, are on the rebound thanks to new management proposals informed by data from the University of Maine at Orono’s Pelagic Fisheries Lab. Blaise Jenner, a team member and scientist at the Maine Department of Marine Resources, is studying bluefin foraging ecology. He said that stomach samples from local tournaments play a key role in identifying the species’ diet, informing a management framework to better protect predator and prey. 

Companies are reshaping operations to cope with changing climate

WASHINGTON POST • July 25, 2024

Major utilities are relocating substations to escape rising waters and wildfires. Manufacturers are establishing redundant production lines to guard against storms that could idle their plants. And a top investment bank is stress-testing portfolios to see if they would survive a warming climate’s wrath. The moves illustrate how companies are changing the way they do business to cope with increasingly frequent episodes of extreme weather.