Maine fishermen will be able to haul in a small shrimp harvest this winter

ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 17, 2024

New England shrimp, long lost from the marketplace as waters have warmed, will come back to seafood counters in small amounts next year due to a research fishing program. Also called Maine shrimp or northern shrimp, the small pink crustaceans were long beloved by seafood fans in winter. But for a decade now, the seafood industry has been under a fishing moratorium for the shrimp because of concerns about low population levels, which scientists attribute to climate change and warming oceans.

Opinion: The bipartisan promise of a carbon tax

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 17, 2024

If we were to imagine a policy that not only reduces carbon emissions and stimulates the economy but also unites arguably the largest divide in the U.S. – the polarization between the Republican and Democratic parties – we wouldn’t be dreaming; these are the promises of a well-designed carbon tax. Such a policy could help bridge the partisan divide in the U.S. because it would align with conservative and liberal priorities. It would incentivize a reduction in carbon emissions due to the promise of increased economic efficiency while generating government revenue for social redistribution. To mitigate financial inequality some of the government revenue raised by the tax could be used for recurring payments to low-income Americans. ~ Will Childs and Nico Schermer, students at Bowdoin College

Opinion: Maine employers must promote themselves – by promoting Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 17, 2024

Maine employees are retiring en masse and their shoes need to be filled by younger workers. To deal with the labor shortage, businesses should use the state's excellent work-life balance as a selling point to recruit more working-age people from other states and countries, in addition to retaining young workers who are born here. There is a golden branding opportunity for Maine’s businesses on two fronts. The first is employer branding, whereby Maine companies make the case for employees to come to them – from their mission statement to pay, benefits and perks. The second is branding Maine itself, explaining why the Maine way of life is the best livelihood for Gen Zers and millennials. In Maine, our proximity to natural wonder is one of a kind, so employees have unique opportunities to unplug outside of work. ~ Nancy Marshall, Marshall Communications

Letter: Bipartisanship emerging on climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 17, 2024

Despite the climate change-denying attitude of the incoming administration, good climate news is emerging. In the U.S. Congress, climate change is starting to be recognized as a fact rather than a political issue. More Republicans are facing the climate crisis and are interested in doing something about it. There is a bipartisan effort to pass a permitting reform bill in this lame duck session. If S4753 passes, it will allow the U.S. to modernize its electrical grid quickly and expand renewables. Let’s hope pluralism prevails and Congress works together on this bill. ~ Nancy Hasenfus, Brunswick

Auburn City Council supports using rail line for Casco Bay Trail

SUN JOURNAL • December 16, 2024

The City Council moved ahead Monday night with its support of using the inactive St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad between Auburn and Portland as part of a proposed 72-mile multiuse trail system. A resolution passed 6-1 by councilors supports a proposal that would turn the line into an “interim trail,” meaning the tracks and ties would be removed and converted into a trail, while the corridor would remain available for possible future rail use. The Casco Bay Trail is a proposed 72-mile off-road trail loop connecting Portland, Lewiston-Auburn, Brunswick and Freeport.

Conservation efforts keep Maine’s Hilton Family Forest wild

PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE • December 16, 2023

A national land trust has purchased 44,000 acres of forest in Northwestern Maine to keep it wild and free for generations to come. The Hilton Family Forest near Jackman contains mountain peaks, waterfalls and vital habitats for rare plant and animal species like the golden eagle. It is also a popular recreational area for hiking, biking and fishing. Tom Duffus, vice president and northeast representative for The Conservation Fund, said the land will remain open to the public. "We want to just keep things the same," Duffus explained. "What we've learned from this community so far is how important the stability of these landscapes is to them."

Biden establishes a national monument for Frances Perkins, the 1st female Cabinet secretary

ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 16, 2024

President Joe Biden on Monday established a national monument honoring the late FDR-era Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet and a driving force behind Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs after the Great Depression. Perkins is “one of America’s greatest labor leaders, and that’s not hyperbole,” Biden said. Perkins “cemented the idea” that “if you're working a full-time job, you shouldn't have to live in poverty,” Biden said. The outgoing Democratic president signed the proclamation establishing the monument in Newcastle, Maine.

Residents in Denmark adopt a water extraction ordinance to protect the town's resource

MAINE PUBLIC • December 16, 2024

Residents of the town of Denmark have adopted a water extraction ordinance intended to strengthen protections of the town's resource. But some think it could have gone further. Against the backdrop of a changing climate, the ordinance is specifically intended to ensure that water withdrawals by Poland Spring and its new parent company, Primo Brands, are sustainable. But two members of the committee that worked on the ordinance for more than two-and-a-half years said it doesn't go far enough.

Frances Perkins Center designation adds a new draw to Damariscotta region

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 16, 2024

President Biden’s designation Monday of the Francis Perkins National Monument in Newcastle is expected to generate new interest among visitors to the Midcoast region who want to learn more about the first woman to become a Cabinet member. As secretary of labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945), Perkins was instrumental in establishing programs as part of the New Deal package that pulled the nation out of the Great Depression. The Frances Perkins National Monument is one of only a dozen or so that are dedicated to women’s history. Locals say that will attract new interest to the region as well. The home is the second site in Maine to become a national monument. Former President Barack Obama designated over 87,600 acres of forestland in the North Woods as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in 2016.

Caribou and Maine DOT want to improve downtown pedestrian and cyclist access

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 16, 2024

Caribou and state leaders want to gather public feedback on a proposed project aimed at improving pedestrian and cyclists’ access to downtown. On Dec. 19, Caribou and the Maine Department of Transportation will host a meeting at 6:30 p.m. as part of their recent Village Partnership Initiative, which works with municipalities to increase the likelihood that pedestrians and cyclists can access downtown services and businesses, improve safety and enhance economic growth.

Brunswick Landing authority completes hangar code inspection

TIMES RECORD • December 16, 2024

The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority has completed inspections and testing for three of its aircraft hangars, including the one that malfunctioned and released toxic foam into the environment in August. The Brunswick Fire Department noted that the reports identified “system deficiencies that require attention,” which it said MRRA plans to address once parts for repairs are made available.

New government report highlights toll fast fashion takes on environment

MAINE PUBLIC • December 13, 2024

Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree is highlighting the findings of the federal government's first-ever report on textile waste in the United States. The Government Accountability Office’s report, requested by Pingree is recommending that Congress take action and that several federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency do more to reduce textile waste. Every second, a dump truck of textiles ends up in a landfill, according to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The decomposition of that waste leads to the contamination of air, water and soil ecosystems. The fashion industry is reportedly responsible for nearly 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions — more than the aviation sector and maritime shipping combined.

Homestead of Frances Perkins, ‘a titan of Maine,’ designated national monument

MAINE MORNING STAR • December 16, 2024

President Joe Biden on Monday designated the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle a national monument to honor the legacy of the first woman to serve in a presidential Cabinet and longest-serving secretary of labor. The designation comes after a strong push from Maine’s congressional delegation as well as members of the public. Under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906, Biden’s decision will safeguard the 57-acre property along the Damariscotta River where Perkins spent her childhood summers and returned to throughout her career for respite. 

Generations of midcoast poultry farmers have kept this rare duck breed alive

LINCOLN COUNTY NEWS • December 16, 2024

A flock of eight German Pekin ducks (aka European Pekins) on Jefferson’s Goose Hill Road are among the only representatives of their kind in the region, according to legacy poultry breeder Sarah Merrill, who is striving to keep their lineage alive. Maintaining rare breeds like the German Pekin is important to conserve genetic diversity and agricultural history, Merrill said. The breed is currently listed as endangered by the German Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds.

Fishermen’s Association turns to art to stabilize Midcoast groundfish markets

TIMES RECORD • December 16, 2024

Brunswick creator Abigail Putnam proves art can do more than celebrate marine life. It can raise awareness of unfamiliar fish species, reaching new audiences in eye-catching ways. Her anatomically correct collection is based on first-hand observation — think science meets art — and is sold at Brunswick’s Lemont Art Collective. While the exhibit has evolved — demonstrating seasonal variations, such as two-tone brook trout scales and movement, leaping versus swimming — Putnam has never teamed up with a local nonprofit until now. 20% of proceeds from the extended wooden fish collection will be donated to the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association to educate customers about the abundant and often underutilized species that call the Gulf of Maine home. 

Now is the time to cut out browntail moth webs

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 16, 2024

December through March is prime time to start clipping the webs of browntail moths, the pesky creatures that shed poison hairs as caterpillars and cause painful rashes for people. It is a timeframe when the moths, clustered in the white webs they weave at the tips of branches, lie protected until spring, when they emerge as brown caterpillars with orange dots near their rear end. It is a good time to kill them before they can do damage.

Bangor sues mall over sewage leak into nearby stream

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 16, 2024

The city of Bangor is suing the Bangor Mall after a broken sewer line caused human excrement to flow into a nearby stream. The mall’s owner failed to address a nearly 5-foot wide stormwater pipe that broke and caused a cascade of issues, which ended with human excrement flowing into stormwater ponds that drain into the Penjajawoc Stream, according to a lawsuit filed Friday. This is the second lawsuit the city has filed against the mall’s owner this year. The lawsuits come as the mall has struggled to retain businesses for years due to its deteriorating conditions.

Aroostook researchers focus on how PFAS might affect farmland

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 16, 2024

Researchers in Aroostook County say early studies have revealed unsafe levels of forever chemicals, commonly known as PFAS, in waterways used for irrigating crops. So far, the presence of the chemicals has not disrupted or shut down crop production in Maine’s northernmost county, known for its abundant and economically vital potato farming. More research is planned. Fifty-nine Maine farms in central and southern Maine had confirmed contamination from PFAS at the beginning of 2024, largely due to sludge containing 18 types of PFAS spread on farm fields.

Frances Perkins Homestead National Monument

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • December 16, 2024
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standards, Social Security, and shorter workweeks. Her impressive career and accomplishments, including as Secretary of Labor, opened the door for other women to hold high government positions. Planning a visit to Frances Perkins Homestead National Monument? Check out important information to help you make the most of your visit.

Federal hostility could delay offshore wind projects, derailing state climate goals

MAINE MORNING STAR • December 16, 2024

Numerous East Coast states are counting on offshore wind projects to power tens of millions of homes and to help them transition to cleaner energy. But putting wind turbines at sea requires the cooperation of a powerful landlord: the federal government. Soon, that government will be led by President-elect Donald Trump, who has frequently disparaged offshore wind and said he will “make sure that ends on Day 1.” Lawmakers in Maine and other states have established mandates requiring their states to produce certain amounts of offshore wind power in the coming years. State leaders say they will continue to pursue offshore wind but realize there may be delays during the next four years.