Trump team cites wolf ‘de-extinction’ as reason to cut endangered species list

WASHINGTON POST • April 10, 2025

The Trump administration is trumpeting a biotech company’s claim of reviving a long-lost wolf as an argument for slashing endangered species protections. Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences said Monday that it used gene editing to create “de-extinct animals” in the form of three pups with the light-colored fur and musculature of a dire wolf. Many scientists expressed skepticism that the pups could be classified as part of a canine species that went extinct over 10,000 years ago. But Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the achievement demonstrates that it is not government regulations but innovation that will save species.

REI retracts endorsement of Trump's Secretary of Interior, vows to protect public lands

FOX NEWS • April 10, 2025

REI's CEO has publicly retracted the company's previous endorsement of President Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Interior - and issued an apology while doubling down on protecting public lands. After Trump began his second term, REI was part of the "Outdoor Recreation Roundtable" that sent a letter officially endorsing Burgum in January. Trump confirmed his nominee, Doug Burgum, as the secretary on Feb. 1. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur and served two terms as governor of North Dakota. In a video message posted on REI's social media platforms on Wednesday, current REI CEO Mary Beth Laughton described the endorsement as a "mistake." She emphasized, "Our public lands are under attack from the gutting of national park staff to expanded threats of drilling or even selling off our public lands, the future of life outdoors has never felt so uncertain.”

Bowdoin College to open outdoor recreation center named for late student

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 10, 2025

Bowdoin College plans to build an outdoor education center in the Carrabassett Valley that will carry the name of a Bowdoin student who thrived in the wilderness and died in a kayaking accident. The college has purchased 21 acres along the Carrabassett River in Kingfield that will become the Finnegan McCoul Woodruff Mountain Center. The Bowdoin Outing Club will use the space as a base of operations for its camping, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, fishing and other adventures. Brunswick native Finnegan “Finn” Woodruff was the son of Bowdoin Outing Club Director Mike Woodruff and an avid lover of the outdoors. A Bowdoin senior, he died in a kayaking accident on the White Salmon River in Washington in November 2021.

Gulf of Maine scallop fishery likely to close for first time in over 15 years

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 10, 2025

Fishermen are likely to be restricted from hauling scallops from federal waters in the Gulf of Maine for several weeks because regulators have delayed finalizing annual catch limits. The temporary closure, expected in the next five days, would mark the first time the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shut down the regional fishery midseason since the regulations were put into place 16 years ago. Those who dive for scallops near Maine’s coast are unaffected; federal waters begin 3 miles offshore.

‘Envision Resilience’ at Space asks viewers to consider humans’ role in climate change

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 10, 2025

The current exhibition at Space, “Envision Resilience: Shifting Tides and Evolving Landscapes” (through April 26) mixes provocation and beauty. Featuring works by seven Maine-based artists that are unabashedly beautiful, it asks us to contemplate the inevitable — rising sea levels due to global warming — though, to its credit, it does not knock us over the head with polemic. This is not a show for climate change deniers.

2 aggressive invasive fish are both living in a Maine river. Scientists don’t know what will happen.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 10, 2025

Northern Maine has a problem. Northern pike, a voracious invasive fish that kills native species, are moving down from Canada into the St. John River and nearby bodies of water. Except the St. John River is already teeming with muskellunge, an invasive fish better known as muskie. In a first for Maine, the northern part of the state suddenly finds itself home to two types of aggressive invasive fish. What this might mean for the waters supporting both types of pike is a complete unknown, but it isn’t good news for any native fish remaining there.

Despite latest delay, Maine industries concerned about impacts of tariffs

MAINE PUBLIC • April 9, 2025

Maine industries from forestry to retail could be affected by global tariffs. So Patrick Woodcock, of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, said the 90-day pause on most tariffs is welcome news. He said Maine's forestry, retail, seafood, and construction sectors could feel the effects of tariffs. Woodcock said he has seen the decline in manufacturing in Maine, and supports efforts to bring that back, but he's concerned about collateral damage to trade relationships.

Environmental groups blast Trump 'attack' on state climate laws

MAINE PUBLIC • April 9, 2025

President Trump's executive order targeting state climate laws has provoked outrage from environmental groups that charge the White House with unconstitutional overreach. "This is an attack on states' rights to protect the health of our residents and respond to the impacts of climate change in Maine," said Anya Fetcher, a federal policy advocate at Natural Resources Council of Maine. The Tuesday order directs the U.S. Attorney General to identify all state and local laws, regulations and practices that address climate change, environmental justice, greenhouse gas emissions and similar issues. It orders the Attorney General to take steps to stop the enforcement of state laws and continuation of lawsuits that they determine to be illegal.

Donald Trump Signs Executive Order to 'Make America's Showers Great Again'

NEWSWEEK • April 9, 2025

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to remove limitations on water pressure from showerheads, a subject he broached along the campaign trail and during his first term in the White House. Since his first presidency, Trump has hit back at various energy efficiency standards and regulations that he believes hinder household appliances as well as showers. He previously called for an end to paper straws, advocating instead for the less environmentally friendly plastic ones. Deregulation has been a top priority of the Trump administration. In the latest order, he says that "Overregulation chokes the American economy and stifles personal freedom."

Northern Maine resident challenges local dam replacement over flooding concerns

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 9, 2025

The Maine Land Use Planning Commission halted the reconstruction of a dam in Indian Purchase Township on Wednesday following a residential appeal. The panel sent the project back to the commission’s staff for further review. Landowner Robert McNally, who lives near the proposed dam, had filed an appeal in November after staff at the LUPC issued a development permit to Katahdin Forest Management for a replacement dam located between Smith Brook and Smith Pond off Millinocket Road.

Athletes, environmentalists debate proposed statewide ban on artificial turf fields in Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 9, 2025

Proposed legislation, LD 1177, would pause the installation of new synthetic turf statewide for three years while the Maine Department of Environmental Protection completes a study of its environmental and health impacts. Existing fields could remain in use but could not be patched or replaced. Artificial turf has been a topic of heated debate for years. Critics highlight the environmental and health risks. Synthetic turf contributes to microplastic pollution and often contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals like lead and mercury that can leach into the soil and groundwater. It can become dangerously hot in the summer, posing risks to athletes. Supporters like its durability, low maintenance and year-round usability. Synthetic turf doesn’t require watering or mowing, making it attractive to communities looking to save on upkeep costs. It provides a consistent playing surface in adverse weather conditions, like those in Maine.

$300M data center at former Millinocket paper mill is canceled

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 9, 2025

A $300 million data center project expected to boost economic development at the former Great Northern Paper Co. mill in Millinocket has been canceled. Nautilus Data Technologies introduced the planned 60-megawatt data center with great fanfare in 2021. The Millinocket data center had been slated to be running by the end of 2022. But the company was unable to get the artificial intelligence customer it wanted because the data center would not be able to produce enough power. Instead, One North is courting companies without data-intensive needs. EME Biofuels plans to build a liquid biofuels factory using local forestry products and Great Northern Salmon is applying for permits now for a land-based salmon farm. First, more work needs to be done to clean up the former mill site. One Katahdin has been able to tap brownfields funding from the EPA, but it has been under fire by the Trump administration.

Governor opposed to latest change to Settlement Act backed by Wabanaki Nations

MAINE MORNING STAR • March 9, 2025

Discussion of legislation to afford the Wabanaki Nations more authority over their land revealed that Gov. Janet Mills does not support the change, presenting a steep path for a plan that otherwise has bipartisan support. The governor’s counsel, Jerry Reid, told the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that Mills’ concerns stem from the inability to predict the future needs of state government, an issue also raised in written testimony from the Maine Department of Transportation.

Cape Elizabeth Land Trust gears up for Earth Day cleanup

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 9, 2025

The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust will hold its fifth annual Earth Day Community Clean Up from Saturday, April 19, through Sunday, April 27. There are over a dozen locations community members can register to spiffy up, from school grounds to trails to heavily traveled roads. There is also an option for residents to clean up their own streets. “Many groups and volunteers contribute to this cleanup, which is a huge help to the community,” said Patty Renaud, membership and development manager at the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. “We can all strive to keep our shared outdoor spaces clear of waste, reducing litter and leaving places better than we found them.”

Jet fuel spill at Brunswick Landing cleaned up

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 9, 2025

Officials at the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority say they have finished cleaning up a 55-gallon jet fuel spill at Brunswick Landing. The spill happened at around 1 p.m. Monday, according to a release issued by MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson. Jet-A fuel, a kerosene-grade aviation fuel, spilled on a paved surface adjacent to a building containing snow removal equipment. Stevenson said on Tuesday afternoon that cleanup had been completed and the MRRA is awaiting water-testing results from DEP. The spill happened after a pallet of fuel containers being transported by a forklift slipped and toppled over, causing the fuel drums to open.

Lawmakers reject effort to stop all development on Sears Island

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 9, 2025

Maine lawmakers have killed a piece of legislation that would have expanded a conservation easement that now protects two-thirds of Sears Island. The bill would have protected the entirety of the island from development, but the Maine Senate rejected it in a 24-9 vote on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives opposed it 76-68 one week earlier. Currently, about 600 acres of the state-owned Sears Island are now legally protected under a conservation easement that was first approved in 2009, while the remaining 330 acres can be developed for transportation reasons. State officials have pursued a range of development projects on that third of the island over the years, including an ongoing effort to build a port facility for a future offshore wind industry.

Letter: ‘Harnessing the ocean’s power’ begins with personal responsibility

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 9, 2025

Many experimental projects that include dumping massive amounts of magnesium oxide into the ocean to bind carbon dioxide. Other companies are experimenting with “sinking rocks, nutrients, crop waste or seaweed in the ocean” to try to lock away carbon dioxide. It seems backward to do huge experiments on the ocean while we are still pouring greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. If Americans told their legislators they want a quick transition to renewables and continued small-scale experiments on ocean sequestration of CO2, this would become a safer and healthier world. ~ Nancy Hasenfus, Brunswick

Brunswick Landing cleaning up jet fuel spill

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 8, 2025

Officials at the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority say they are working to contain 55 gallons of jet fuel spilled Monday afternoon at Brunswick Landing. The spill happened around 1 p.m. Monday, according to a release issued by MRRA Executive Director Daniel Stevenson. Jet-A fuel, a kerosene-grade aviation fuel, spilled on a paved surface adjacent to a building containing snow removal equipment.

‘Micromanagement at Its Worst’: New Order Sparks Uproar Over National Parks Oversight

FODOR’S TRAVEL • April 8, 2025

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has directed National Parks to “remain open and accessible for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people .” The order prevents local park officials from making adjustments without approvals from the assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. A spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association called the order “micromanagement at its worst.” Earlier this year, Interior rescinded some staffing cuts, but National Parks are still facing significant staffing shortages going into the peak summer visitor season. The Department of Interior has offered employee buyouts ahead of another round of staffing cuts, which could reduce payroll up to 30%. The National Park Service oversees 433 units covering 85 million acres on behalf of the American people, who are ultimately the owners of the country’s federally designated public lands. U.S. national parks set a visitation record in 2024, with 331.9 million recreational visits.

This legislation could have consequences for hunters, anglers and outdoor recreation

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • April 8, 2025

The Maine Legislature reconstituted the Land Use Regulation Commission in 2011 under Republican Gov. Paul LePage. LURC had planning and zoning authority over Maine’s unorganized territories, as well as townships and plantations. It was replaced by the Land Use Planning Commission, which exists today. The policy aim at that time was to grant local control. LD 870 would change the makeup of the commission. LUPC would comprise 13 members instead of eight. The governor would be able to appoint five commissioners instead of just the one already granted by law. The Natural Resources Council and Maine Audubon testified in strong support of this measure. The Maine Forest Products Council and the County Commissioners Association opposed it.