CMP’s Proposed Conservation Plan Fails to Comply with Permit Requirements

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • June 12, 2025

Central Maine Power’s proposal for conserving land in western Maine as mitigation for its transmission corridor fails to meet the requirements in its permit for protecting and connecting mature forests and safeguarding the region’s wildlife, according to joint comments filed today by several of the state’s major environmental groups. The Maine Council of Trout Unlimited, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Maine Audubon, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine consulted with leading scientists, foresters, and forest ecologists in developing their comments. Those experts assessed the proposal submitted by CMP’s affiliate company, NECEC Transmission LLC, and determined that the plan fails to meet the permit requirements in multiple ways. The DEP must deny it and require a meaningful plan that truly compensates for the significant negative impacts of the NECEC.” The groups also call on DEP to require NECEC to secure 15,000 acres to 20,000 acres of fee acquisition land outside of the proposed plan area that already is in a mature forest condition or approaching mature forest.   

Environmental groups oppose Avangrid conservation plan

MAINE PUBLIC • June 12, 2025

A plan to conserve 50,000 acres of woodland near a new electric transmission line in Western Maine is facing opposition from environmental groups. Critics say the proposal fails to meet state permit requirements designed to protect mature forest and wildlife habitat. Avangrid, the parent company of electric utility Central Maine Power, was obligated to conserve land to compensate for destroying forest to build a new 51-mile transmission line from Quebec called the New England Clean Energy Connect. "Within the permit there are pretty clear requirements to promote habitat connectivity and the conservation of mature forest areas and the plan submitted by NECEC falls pretty far short of these requirements," said Luke Frankel, Woods, Waters and Wildlife Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The council, along with Maine Audubon, Appalachian Mountain Club and Maine Council of Trout Unlimited filed 20 pages of comments on the plan, which is awaiting approval by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Katahdin hiker died of blunt force injuries, medical examiner says

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 12, 2025

The cause of death of one of the hikers who died on Katahdin was released by officials Thursday. Esther Keiderling, 28, died from blunt force injuries, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner said. The cause of death for her father, Tim Keiderling, 58, is pending further studies. Their manner of death was not released, but Baxter State Park officials on Thursday said they believe Esther Keiderling fell onto rocks near the snowy summit. A funeral was held for both Tim and Esther Keiderling on Sunday.

Brunswick educators, land trust partner to revamp science curriculum

TIMES RECORD • June 12, 2025

Brunswick School Department elementary students are getting a hands-on look at local ecosystems with a new curriculum designed by their own teachers, along with educators from the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Kate Furbish and Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary Schools rolled out the new units in K-5 classrooms throughout the school year. Kids are doing “big, messy experiments” — as fifth grade HBS teacher Kate Kovach describes — digging in the garden, hunting for decomposers in the woods, tracking the sun’s path and more. Lesson plans were designed over two years by BTLT’s Cathance River Education Alliance and a team of BSD teachers to align with guidelines in the recently adopted Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) — which focus on actually doing science, rather than memorization.

Opinion: Do Maine legislators really want to gut solar power?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 12, 2025

Watching the recent actions of the majority on the Maine Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, I can’t help but ask — do they really understand the damage they’ve set in motion? Their proposal (LD 1777) — gutting Maine’s net energy billing program and retroactively slashing benefits for community solar customers and developers — represents a staggering new direction. The public never even got the chance to weigh in on the final proposal since there were last-minute amendments added. It’s a move driven by the false narrative that solar is to blame for rising electric bills. The real reasons are soaring natural gas prices triggered by global events and the costs of recovery from extreme weather caused by burning fossil fuels. Solar is one of the most cost-effective ways to get energy onto the grid, especially in a time of urgent climate need and increasing energy demand. Is this really the legacy we want to leave for Maine’s energy future? ~ Cathy Breen, former state senator, Maine Conservation Voters

Opinion: Maine transportation must become safer, more equitable and less polluting

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 12, 2025

Our state is particularly reliant on cars and trucks, with nearly 80 percent of Maine workers getting to work every day in a single-occupancy vehicle. Cars and trucks account for almost half of the annual climate pollution in Maine. Yet today, decisions about major transportation projects, especially those that expand road capacity and increase vehicle traffic, are not evaluated for how they impact our climate commitments. I’m putting forward legislation to change that, in a thoughtful and practical way. LD 1138 can advance our climate goals, increase access to local economies, reduce air pollution. It needs to pass the full House of Representatives and the Senate to become law. Please join me in supporting LD 1138 by reaching out to your state legislators today. ~ Sen. Stacy Brenner, Scarborough

Letter: South Portland must remain mindful of tank hazards

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 12, 2025

As a naturopathic doctor in South Portland, I have worked for more than a decade with the community to protect public health. In 2013, we fought a tar sands terminal. That victory — the Clear Skies Ordinance —was about safeguarding generations from known carcinogens like benzene and neurotoxins like ethylbenzene and xylene. Our community spoke clearly again when we demanded fenceline monitoring after three EPA lawsuits against tank farms’ alarming emissions violations. As we did with tar sands and fenceline monitoring, we must now insist on proper buffers between industry and homes. On June 12, I urge the council to honor our community’s legacy of protection and request a much more precautionary comprehensive plan. ~ Priscilla Skerry, ND, South Portland

Letter: Water safety cuts put Maine’s summer swimmers at risk

SUN JOURNAL • June 12, 2025

Maine is an occupational and recreational water state — ocean, beaches, lakes, ponds and rivers. Right as our swimming season starts, the Trump administration laid off the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff responsible for tracking and publishing information on drownings. Without the work of the CDC staff, patterns in drowning deaths will not be found and shared. I’m a former Red Cross-trained lifeguard and water safety instructor. I also have young grandchildren. This program matters to me and millions of other Americans. I thought we were a nation with common sense. ~ Ronald Bailyn, Cape Elizabeth

Opinion: Out-of-state waste is fueling environmental injustice to Penobscot Nation

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2025

The Juniper Ridge Landfill sits just upriver from the Penobscot Nation. Every rainfall sends a cascade of chemicals and waste seeping down through the landfill — a poisonous brew. 16 million gallons of this leachate are pumped into the Penobscot River every year. Our people are caught between a landfill and a discharge pipe. This is environmental injustice in real time. And it’s being fueled by waste that shouldn’t be here in the first place. Maine bought the landfill in 2003 with the explicit intent of being able to prevent it from being filled with out-of-state waste. But the loophole was cracked open under pressure from Casella Waste Systems, the for-profit operator of Juniper Ridge. This is more than a waste management issue. It is a public health issue, an environmental justice issue, and yes, a racial justice issue. ~ Maulian Bryant, Penobscot Nation Tribal citizen and executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance

Bowdoin College Students In Advanced GIS Mapping Class Boost Local Conservation

BOWDOIN COLLEGE • June 11, 2025

This spring, students in the course Applied GIS and Remote Sensing at Bowdoin College worked collaboratively to provide the town of Topsham with updated maps and data for key environmental, conservation, and development areas. Biology lab instructor Shana Stewart Deeds, who serves on Topsham's Conservation Commission, said the town's 2010 Natural Areas Plan “guides local efforts to conserve high-quality natural areas and open space identified as important to the town.” A few weeks after the students' presentation to the commission on their findings, Deeds met with the Conservation Commission. She heard only positive feedback from its members. “It's fantastic,” she said. “We had none of this updated information! So all of this is a gift to the Conservation Commission and to the town.” 

Neighbors criticize proposed housing development at controversial Brunswick logging site

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2025

Roughly a year after a highly criticized clearcutting operation on 24 acres off Woodside Road in Brunswick, the property’s owner has submitted plans to build a housing development. Neighbors are pushing back, saying the housing project would encroach on their natural resources, safety and privacy. The proposed development features 122 three-story townhome units. Each townhome would have its own driveway and garage. An additional 80 parking spaces are included in the site design for guest and overflow parking. The property is adjacent to Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust’s Crystal Springs Farm trails.

Nah, we changed our minds: EPA restores $1.6M UMaine PFAS grant

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2025

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reinstated a $1.6 million grant to the University of Maine to research and reduce the effect of forever chemicals on farms one month after canceling it for being inconsistent with EPA funding priorities.

Camden voters approve dam removal

MIDCOAST VILLAGER • June 11, 2025

After years of study, heated debate and controversy, Camden’s townspeople spoke at the polls Tuesday, voting to allow the removal of the historic Montgomery Dam. Residents favored question seven on the town meeting warrant by a vote of 1,391 to 995. The question asked if the town would authorize the removal of the dam “to return the river to a free-flowing river…” Advocates of removing the dam support restoration projects in the river to make possible fish passage for species including alewives. Those opposed to the removal have cited the scenic beauty of the waterfall and reflecting pond created by the dam.

All roads and trails are now open in Baxter State Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2025

You now have full access to Baxter State Park. The park announced Wednesday that all trails and roads within its boundaries are open. Baxter State Park recommends that Katahdin hikers pack a map, compass, headlamp or flashlight (and extra batteries), first aid kit, extra food and water, extra clothing, knife, sunscreen, firestarter, whistle, parachute cord, and more. Katahdin’s weather can quickly change, and hikers should be prepared to encounter strong winds and chilly temperatures near the summit, even in summer.

Opinion: Additional parking spot does little for Willard Beach access

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2025

The South Portland City Council’s recent decision to install a designated handicapped parking space at the end of Deake Street — intended to provide a lookout for individuals with limited mobility — feels more ironic than inclusive, given the city’s ongoing neglect of the public access point and infrastructure at Willard Beach itself. Meanwhile, Willard Beach is facing far more pressing and widespread issues that directly affect community safety and accessibility. Hazardous conditions — broken stairs, a playground in visible disrepair and crumbling infrastructure — have been documented and repeatedly brought to the city’s attention. Yet these dangers remain unaddressed. ~ Lauren Shapiro, South Portland

Kennebunk voters toss Pay As You Throw system

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2025

Kennebunk voters decided Tuesday to get rid of Pay As You Throw, the system that requires residents to purchase town-specific trash bags to dispose of waste. The vote was 1,408 in favor and 1,078 against. In March, the Kennebunk Select Board approved a contract extension with Casella Waste Systems, allowing the company to continue curbside collections for the town. With the decision by Kennebunk voters to remove the pay-as-you-throw program, the net budget increases by $669,527.

Efforts to bolster Wabanaki, African American studies pass chambers, await funding

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 11, 2025

Initiatives to ensure the already required teaching of Wabanaki and African American studies in Maine schools passed both chambers of the Legislature this week, in an effort to bolster learning that proponents say would benefit all students in the state. But nothing is certain to become law until the end-of-session scuffles, the downfall of a similar effort last year, play out. 

Dover-Foxcroft voters overwhelmingly reject spending $9M to repair historic dam

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2025

Dover-Foxcroft residents overwhelmingly voted not to invest millions to repair the Mayo Mill Dam. Residents voted down an article that would have authorized the Select Board to borrow up to $9 million plus interest for the retention and repair of the downtown Piscataquis River structure. The article was voted down by a more than 2-to-1 margin. With the majority of citizens voting not to pay for dam repairs, the Select Board is authorized to remove the Mayo Mill Dam. The town will not use local tax money to remove the dam, instead entering into an agreement with outside parties for the removal of the dam and developing a plan for a restored riverfront.

The best Maine river for an overnight paddling trip

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2025

Forget the St. John, Allagash or St. Croix rivers. As far as I’m concerned, the Machias River is the best tripping river in Maine — maybe even in all of the northeastern United States. A free-flowing river with a large watershed, it begins in the lakes region of northern Washington County. From Fifth Machias Lake, it meanders and tumbles for 80 miles to the sea in the coastal community of Machias. Meaning “bad run of water” or “bad little falls” in Passamaquoddy, the Machias has virtually everything for the adventurous paddler. Narrow, scenic whitewater streams connect five small- to medium-sized lakes in the upper reaches.