Auburn officials asked to support Casco Bay rail trail project

SUN JOURNAL • December 11, 2024

City officials are expected to take up a resolution next week in support of using the inactive St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad between Auburn and Portland as part of a proposed 72-mile Casco Bay Trail. During a council workshop earlier this month, city councilors and Mayor Jeff Harmon appeared on board with a proposal to turn the line into an “interim trail,” meaning the tracks and ties would be removed and turned into a multiuse trail, while the corridor would remain available for possible future rail use. However, rail advocates sitting on the Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council have argued for a “rail with trail” approach, where a trail would be built alongside the tracks in order to preserve both uses.

Forestry experts urge action to counter spruce budworm outbreak

MAINE PUBLIC • December 11, 2024

An outbreak of spruce budworm, one of the most damaging forest insects, is threatening hundreds of thousands of acres of forest in northern Maine. About 250,000 acres on the northeast border are at risk from an infestation triggered by moths blown in from huge outbreaks in Quebec and Ontario, according to Alex Ingraham with Pingree Associates one of the biggest landowners in the state. If left unaddressed, the outbreak could quickly spread, he said. State foresters and landowners are anxious to confront the problem early and hopefully avoid a widespread epidemic such as the one that defoliated millions of acres across state and crippled forestry businesses in the 1970s and 1980s.

Regulators plan to roll out new rules for short-term rentals in Maine's unorganized territories

MAINE PUBLIC • December 11, 2024

State regulators are planning to gradually roll out new rules for short term rentals in Maine's unorganized territories. Short term rental owners would first be required to register their properties with the Land Use Planning Commission. Eventually, property owners will have to comply with a set of parking, wastewater disposal and other standards, which state regulators said they plan to address with a second round of rulemaking. Some residents had expressed concerns about noise and trash disposal. A two-year-old study found there were nearly 600 short-term rentals in Maine's unorganized territories, but regulators say that the registration will give them a more accurate count.

$4.3 Million Federal Grant to Help Maine’s Oldest Forests Store More Carbon

NEW ENGLAND FORESTRY FOUNDATION • December 11, 2024

The U.S. Forest Service has awarded $4.3 million to the New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) and its partners to help Maine forest landowners protect Maine’s oldest forests and implement practices on nearby lands that will help store carbon, and protect ecosystem health and biodiversity. NEFF will partner with landowners to defer timber harvesting in forests that are at least 150 years old, known as late successional old growth stands.

Letter: Fishing impacts from offshore wind pale in comparison to climate change

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 11, 2024

It strikes me as odd that there is such concern over the potential (but limited) impacts of offshore wind on the fishing industry in Maine, but little concern about the potential and much more widespread impacts of unmitigated climate change on the industry. Offshore wind may have an impact to be sure, but that impact would be very limited in scope and would be much less impactful than the climate change it could help to prevent. ~ Rowan Smith, Orono

Mainers could play role in preserving monarchs even though state population is stable

MAINE PUBLIC • December 11, 2024

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that it wants to list monarch butterflies as threatened. The agency said populations have declined by more than 95% in the west and 80% in the east. In Maine, monarchs are already listed as a species of special concern. Phillip deMaynadier of the state department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says that concern is largely due to habitat pressure outside of Maine. He said their population in the state is fairly stable.

Letter: U.S. needs a high-speed railway system

SUN JOURNAL • December 11, 2024

I recently read where Vietnam approved $67 billion for a high-speed railway system. We had good roads under President Eisenhower, but since then not much has been done to improve transportation. Maybe President-elect Donald Trump will have a high-speed system by next Christmas to get our population from place to place faster. It’s time for the highly-paid patriots, who own or are CEOs of companies and who have too many freebies, to help in this regard for the good of our USA. ~ George Doiron, Jay

Gift ideas for the Maine homesteader or gardener in your life

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 11, 2024

Gift ideas for homesteaders and gardeners generally fall into two categories: creating more work (a surprise cow, a beehive) or making less work (an efficient tool, a nice cart). If you aren’t sure that they want to take on something new, lean toward the less-work side. A gift card to a hardware store, online supplier, feed mill or seed company is a safe bet. A bundle of books or a year’s subscription to a magazine like Backwoods Home. A pair of wool socks, headlamp, good knife, heavy-duty hand cream, warm sweater, dehydrator, pocket chainsaw, handheld scythe, kerosene lamp, “chicken swing” or poultry picnic table, garden apron. Sourdough and kombucha starters are gifts for newer homesteaders that can literally keep giving forever.

Column: This secluded hike in western Maine offers spectacular views of the White Mountains

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 11, 2024

Albany Mountain is located in Albany Township, a mountainous area between West Bethel and Stoneham and part of the eastern sector of White Mountain National Forest. Unlike many hiking destinations in the area, it doesn’t get much foot traffic. The peak autumn foliage had passed and most of the leaves on the deciduous trees had fallen. Still the downed leaves and dark green conifer trees provided a brilliant array of colors. Since bird hunting season was underway, we wore a combination of hunter’s orange vests and bright yellow tops. At the summit an unremarkable path led to an impressive west facing overlook with spectacular views of the White Mountains. ~ Ron Chase

Maine dog rescued after falling through the ice

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 10, 2024

A dog was rescued Monday after it fell through the ice in Clinton. The dog went through the ice off River Road, according to the Clinton Fire Department. River Road runs along the Kennebec River. Crews donned water rescue suits and went into the water to successfully save the dog.

Funding gap puts Maine's wind port plans in jeopardy

MAINE PUBLIC • December 10, 2024

Maine’s plan for a specialized offshore wind port on Sears Island appears to be in jeopardy after multiple failed attempts to secure federal funding for the project. President-elect Donald Trump’s open hostility to offshore wind also clouds the project's immediate future along with the state’s ambition to lead the industry in the Gulf of Maine. Despite these obstacles, state officials said they are committed to the port, and insist floating offshore wind power is key to Maine's energy future and economic development.

Rumford mill mishap causes discolored snow; residents advised to steer clear

SUN JOURNAL • December 10, 2024

Town officials on Tuesday were advising locals to keep pets and children away from discolored snow that began to appear after a mishap at the Nine Dragons paper mill. Town officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon that a malfunction at the mill resulted in a release of spent black liquor which caused precipitation of brown or tan colored snow. The snow is not toxic, officials said. But steer clear of it, anyhow, was their advice.

Sabattus advises residents of bacteria in town water

SUN JOURNAL • December 10, 2024

Town officials alerted the public Tuesday that the water district received a positive coliform bacteria result during its routine monthly sample in December. The bacteria is harmless, the alert noted, but used as an indicator. “The water district will introduce a low dosage of chlorine to the distribution system as a precautionary measure.”

Amid concern over microplastics, a Maine company creates a kelp-based laundry pod alternative

MAINE PUBLIC • December 10, 2024

Laundry pods may not be biodegradable, green, nor clean. They’re coated with polyvinyl alcohol, a type of soft plastic. While it breaks down in water, that doesn't necessarily mean it disappears. Alexa McGovern may have a solution: replacing the water-soluble plastic with a plastic alternative made of kelp. She founded Dirigo Sea Farms a year ago to develop the kelp bio-refining process, and is working on a patent. Her small lab space in Blue Hill is filled with the briny smell of seaweed. Lab assistant Jack Tennant said the process involves turning the rubbery kelp into a plastic-like film. If all goes to plan, Dirigo Sea Farms' first batch of 10,000 kelp-based laundry pods will be ready for online sales by next spring.

UNE professor part of groundbreaking study on wetland carbon storage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 10, 2024

A University of New England professor of environmental studies is among a global team of scientists who have co-authored a groundbreaking study examining how climate change influences the ability of wetlands to store carbon. UNE’s Pam Morgan, Ph.D., is part of an international team of 110 scientists involved in the research. The researchers deployed over 19,000 tea bags — both green and rooibos — to analyze carbon decomposition rates in 180 wetlands worldwide. The findings reveal that warmer temperatures generally accelerate the decay of organic matter, leading to a reduced ability of wetlands to act as carbon sinks. However, the effects varied by wetland type, with freshwater and tidal marshes showing greater potential for carbon storage compared to other ecosystems.

Letter: Choosing the right electric busses

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 10, 2024

There have been many news stories recently about several Maine school districts that are having serious problems with their electric school buses. The buses were manufactured by Canadian company Lion Electric, a relative newcomer to the school bus industry. The news stories about Lion have unfortunately given people the impression that electric school buses are inherently unreliable and unsafe; however, it is important to know that Lion is not the only manufacturer of electric school buses, and the problems with Lion buses are not endemic to electric school buses in general. All of the “big three” American school bus manufacturers — Blue Bird Corp., IC Bus and Thomas Built Buses — offer electric versions of their buses. ~ Adrian Dowling, South Portland

Officials consider banning lawn mowing, fertilizers around Belgrade Lakes

MORNING SENTINEL • December 9, 2024

Officials are considering a ban on tree cutting, lawn mowing, the use of certain fertilizers and more near the town’s lakes as their water quality continues to decline. Belgrade’s Planning Board is discussing 12 ordinances proposed by the town’s Lakes and Natural Resources Committee that aim to restore water quality in the Belgrade Lakes Watershed.

Many Maine ski areas relatively confident despite uncertain winter

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 9, 2024

The ability to make snow has Maine’s ski areas optimistic about the winter season and confident they can bounce back from the heavy rain and warm temperatures predicted for later this week. Ski Maine Executive Director Dirk Gouwens said., “We really don’t need a lot of natural snow. We do need cold weather, obviously, in order to make (snow).” They might need to, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, which says this winter could bring warmer-than-average temperatures. Pandemic-driven surges in attendance, as well as the availability of energy-minded grants, has enabled many of Maine’s peaks to install new and more efficient equipment in the last few years, he said.

Large numbers of winter ticks expected to impact moose population this winter

MAINE PUBLIC • December 9, 2024

Although last year saw low numbers of winter ticks on Maine's moose population, the state's moose biologist is expecting much higher numbers for the coming winter season. Lee Kantar said that's because the moose population has risen this year, and with more moose come more ticks. Trying to control the winter ticks is a challenge when there are so many variables biologists can't control. "We can put management practices into place like try to reduce the moose population, but at the same time, we had so much survival this past spring, of overwintering calves and probably better reproduction, that the moose population comes right back up," Kantar said.

Skowhegan’s Maine Grains eyes expansion with grants totaling $700,000

MORNING SENTINEL • December 9, 2024

Maine Grains has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants this year to support its purchase of a new equipment line that the company says will build its production capacity and reuse byproducts. The grain manufacturer, which operates its grist mill at the former county jail on Court Street, has received funding from three grants this year that total $700,000, the company said Monday. All three sources of funding are expected to be used toward the purchase of a German-made “specialized cereal extrusion equipment line,” which will be housed in a new, adjacent 80,000-square-foot building.