Opinion: We can fix net energy billing without breaking trust

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 16, 2025

Maine has made meaningful progress in the transition to a clean energy economy and net energy billing (NEB) has played a vital role. But now, the progress we’ve made is at serious risk. The Maine Legislature is considering a bill (LD 1777) that would retroactively change the terms of Maine’s NEB program. Changing the rules after towns, schools, and developers have already made investments isn’t just unfair, it threatens to cause real harm to Maine’s reputation as a place for clean energy investment. This legislation could send a chilling message to the very people and organizations we should be encouraging: towns that want to cut energy costs, businesses that want to go green, developers that want to bring solar projects — and jobs — to Maine. Maine has the chance to lead on climate and energy. But that leadership means creating stability, not chaos. It means encouraging participation in clean energy programs, not punishing those who’ve already signed up. ~ Cole Cochrane, Maine Youth for Climate Justice.

Editorial: Budget megabill looks particularly bad for Maine

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 15, 2025

The “signature” undertakings of the “big, beautiful bill,” the looming federal budget reconciliation package sent to the U.S. Senate by the House, will disproportionately hurt people on low and middle incomes, older people and people living in rural areas. Those categories capture many who live in Maine. The tax cuts outlined by this sprawling bill will need to be offset by absolutely lacerating cuts to essential programs: to health care and food assistance; to the National Park Service. Our senators in D.C. must be absolute in their opposition to this legislation.

15 escaped goats disrupt traffic on Maine highway

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 14, 2025

Maine State Police helped coral 15 goats that escaped from a trailer Saturday afternoon on Interstate 95 in Falmouth. The farm trailer had detached from a Toyota pickup truck and came to rest in the median. There were no significant injuries to the driver or goats, which disrupted traffic on both sides of the highway.

Column: How to become an expert bird photographer

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 14, 2025

I think photographing birds has become a stand-alone hobby, distinct from traditional birdwatching. Perhaps I’m splitting hairs, but birders tend to identify a bird first, and photograph later. Many people now photograph first and identify later. Getting started with bird photography is easy. Gaining expertise is hard. After practicing on the big and close birds, move onto the smaller ones. Adequate photos fill the frame with the bird. Good photos capture the bird in action — perhaps singing, eating a bug, or flying. Great photos set the bird off-center, using the background to set the scene and give a sense of action. ~ Bob Duchesne

Total ban on foam food containers in Maine delayed 2 more years

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025

Maine has delayed for the second time a full phaseout of polystyrene foam food containers. Gov. Janet Mills signed a law, LD 1306, on May 30 as an emergency measure, meaning it took effect immediately. Under the law, two exemptions to the state’s ban on the containers will continue until July 1, 2027, after which no food or drink packaged in foam will be allowed on Maine store shelves. The exemptions apply to food items including raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs that are sold in the foam containers, and retailers can continue to sell food and beverages in foam containers if it was prepackaged at a wholesale level.

What the public lands fight means for Maine

MAINE MONITOR • June 13, 2025

Maine is about as far as you can get from the bulk of America’s federal public lands, the vast majority of which are west of the Mississippi River. But public lands, waters and wildlife are part of our birthright as American citizens, a public domain that we all collectively own. The Trump administration has worked to slash funding for federal land management agencies and conservation programs; open up more public lands to fossil fuel drilling, mining and other extractive development; and lay off or force out thousands of park rangers and other civil servants. The administration prioritizes dismantling environmental safeguards. Meanwhile, Congress is considering federal land sales to help offset Trump’s tax and spending cuts. Since he took office, NPS has lost 13 percent of its workforce and the administration is calls for slashing one-third of its entire operating budget. Sen. Angus King said, “it’s hard to understand how gutting ‘America’s best idea’ isn’t America’s worst idea.”

Ban on state seizure of Wabanaki land passes Legislature, but likely to be vetoed

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 13, 2025

Legislation that would prevent the state from being able to seize tribal land for public use passed with bipartisan support in the Maine Legislature Friday. However, initial votes show that support may not be enough to override an expected veto from Gov. Janet Mills. “This is a no brainer,” said Executive Director of the Wabanaki Alliance Maulian Bryant. “We should have tribal land protected from state seizure, just like other tribes around the country.” The governor’s counsel, Jerry Reid, told the Judiciary Committee that Mills is concerned the bill could prevent the state government from addressing unpredictable future infrastructure needs.

Column: A hike with views of the incomparable Downeast coast of Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025

Shackford Head in Eastport is a rugged promontory extending nearly a mile out from Moose Island into the turbulent tidal waters of Cobscook Bay. Shackford Head State Park protects the 90-acre headland, where some 3 miles of hiking trails lead to fine views. In the 1970s, Shackford Head was the proposed site of an oil refinery, but the project was strongly opposed because of the navigational hazards imposed by Cobscook Bay, as well as the scenic and wildlife values of the land. The Pittston Company abandoned the plan in 1983, and six years later, the property was acquired by the state of Maine with help from the Land for Maine’s Future Program. ~ Carey Kish

Column: Maine wildlife refuges will be hurt by federal cuts and chaos

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025

Here in Maine, you can find National Wildlife Refuges in every corner of the state. Unfortunately, the recent drastic cuts to federal agencies threaten the health of Maine’s lands and wildlife. Thousands of federal workers were terminated with no warning. The mass termination has left massive holes in agencies’ ability to respond to wildfires, floods and hurricanes. While federal court decisions have restored some lost jobs, plans for reductions in force are still being carried out and public servants with decades of invaluable knowledge and experience are leaving in droves. Without knowledgeable natural resource professionals, our forests and wildlife will fall out of balance. The words of Mainer and legendary conservationist Rachel Carson ring especially true: “Man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.” ~ Amanda Mahaffey

Column: Need inspiration? Follow in Frances Perkins’ footsteps

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025

One of America’s most important women spent many of her quieter days on the banks of the Damariscotta River in Newcastle, at a saltwater farm that had been in her family since colonial times. For Frances Perkins, a labor leader who helped create Social Security, the 57 acres of field and forest were a place to escape the rush of public business that normally consumed her. The modest brick house and barn she loved, as familiar to her as anywhere, are the centerpiece of a National Monument created in December, the culmination of years of effort by preservationists and Perkins devotees who knew that by preserving the home they would also succeed in highlighting the memory of the first woman to serve in a president’s Cabinet. The new national monument at her former farm opens to the public on June 21. ~ Steve Collins

Letter: Baxter Woods Park needs our help

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 13, 2025

I write on behalf of the Friends of Baxter Woods and concerned area residents about the state of Baxter Woods Park and adjacent properties, including Deering Pavilion and Stevens Square. It is distressing to see the significant decline of these places that adversely affects their aesthetic value and poses various environmental and safety risks. I strongly urge the city of Portland and owners of adjacent properties to initiate a comprehensive clean-up and drainage project to restore these areas to their former glory. Not only would this effort revitalize a beautiful part of our city, but it would also mitigate safety hazards. ~ Jabrone Thomas, Portland

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