Letter: Solar energy centers are working for Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2025

I work at the Farmington Energy Center, one of the largest solar sites in New England. As a solar field technician, I keep the energy center operating efficiently, and daily see how this solar energy center is delivering real, measurable benefits to our community. The energy center is doing what it was meant to do: delivering energy, creating good jobs and supporting the local economy. Solar energy centers like Farmington and Sanford power thousands of homes across the state. It’s part of a broader effort to diversify Maine’s energy mix and keep power affordable and reliable. Working at the solar energy center has shown me that dependable energy can be produced at home. ~ Bradley Greenleaf, New Sharon

Rumford, Skowhegan mills cited as top industrial polluters, but tire burning goes on with state’s OK

SUN JOURNAL • June 26, 2025

Shredded tires serve as an accessible source of energy for ND Paper’s Rumford mill, but they also help fuel its ranking as one of the nation’s dirtiest industrial polluters, according to a new analysis of air emissions data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A report by the Environmental Integrity Project citing EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory data identified ND Paper and Sappi’s Somerset mill in Skowheganas among the top 100 highest-polluting industrial facilities in the country. Both were flagged for their use of shredded tires as fuel for producing on-site energy. While environmental advocates lament the use of tire-derived fuel for energy sourcing, the EPA and Maine Department of Environmental Protection allow the practice as it is considered less harmful than burning coal, another common source for industrial energy.

Bowdoinham receives grant to plant trees at new riverfront park

TIMES RECORD • June 26, 2025

Bowdoinham has received a “transformative” grant to bring new life to its waterfront, reforesting a new park near the heart of town. The town received a $15,000 Maine Forest Service Project Canopy grant to support the first phase of its efforts to reforest the new Bowdoinham Riverfront Park, the former site of the public works department. Around 45 native trees and hundreds of native shrubs were planted in the park using funds from Project Canopy. The new trees will serve multiple environmental purposes, such as erosion control, habitat restoration, and carbon sequestration.

A first look at Aroostook County’s new $65M potato chip plant

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2025

Less than a month ago, the Taste of Maine Potato Chip Co.’s $65 million flagship plant on the former Loring Air Force Base looked like little more than a fenced-in patch of gravel. Today, the frame of the 96,000-square-foot facility towers over the surrounding area as the plant begins to take shape. It marks a significant step forward both for Taste of Maine and the revitalization of Loring, which has seen stagnant development until recent years since the air force base closed in 1994. Owner Bruce Sargent anticipates the plant will open in April or May of 2026. He said it will create around 40 jobs initially, a number he hopes will climb to 60 or 65.

Opinion: NOAA fish stock assessments must move with the times

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2025

NOAA fish stock assessments were once the envy of the world. The agency’s data stream included landings, aging data, skipper interviews, natural mortality estimates and biannual trawl surveys. These inputs supplied a statistical model critical for population analysis. Seasoned NOAA employees who were able to create a picture of the fish stocks in the ecosystem were replaced by private contractors who missed a lot of samples critical to identifying year classes. Logbook information often languished unused in a clunky NMFS database. The model “saw” less fish. There is some good news. The aggregate biomass in New England waters is very high. Fishing pressure is historically low. Given advancements in digital imaging and AI, time stamped and geo-located survey, already under development, can be fully developed and used. ~ Bill Gerencer, retired commercial fisherman, fishery manager and fishmonger

Second Katahdin hiker died from complications of hypothermia

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 26, 2025

The hiker who, along with his daughter, was found dead on Katahdin this month died from complications of hypothermia, officials said Thursday. The death of Tim Keiderling, 58, has been ruled accidental. His daughter Esther, 28, died from blunt force trauma, the medical examiner said June 12. Baxter State Park officials said Esther Keiderling likely slipped and fell on icy terrain and “collided with large boulders” near the Cathedral Cut-off Trail. The weather on Katahdin when the Keiderlings were hiking it “presented climbers with a heightened risk of hypothermia,” with temperatures in the mid-30s and wind chills around 19 degrees.

The state hates these fish, but fishermen love them

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2025

Northern pike were illegally introduced into the Belgrade Lakes in the 1970s, and since then, they’ve dramatically changed the landscape of fishing in Maine. These toothy predators wiped out populations of landlocked salmon and trout in the Belgrades, and the state has spent decades trying to eradicate them—with no success. Now, pike are found throughout the state, both from that original illegal introduction and from others that followed. Despite state efforts, these fish have flourished, and because they grow to impressive sizes, fishermen have embraced them, chasing giants ever since.

Letter: Senate should keep clean energy tax credits

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 26, 2025

Having worked in the construction industry for over 20 years, balancing budgets and practicing fiscal responsibility are two business tactics I believe in. The current budget proposal being debated in the U.S. Senate will hurt businesses and have potentially damaging economic consequences. Repealing the clean energy tax credits at the end of this year — which is what the House bill calls for — will not only harm businesses but it will also cause an increase in energy costs for consumers. The clean energy tax credits have generated $1.2 billion worth of investments in Maine, and that’s not including the additional $5.3 billion worth of “outstanding investments” which are projects that have been announced but not yet started. ~ Glenn Adams, Sargent Corporation, Orono

AI Merges with Underwater Photography to Unveil Ocean

MIT • June 26, 2025

In the Northeastern United States, the Gulf of Maine represents one of the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems on the planet. But even as this ecosystem supports rich biodiversity, it is undergoing rapid environmental change. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99 percent of the world's oceans, with consequences that are still unfolding. A new research initiative developing at MIT Sea Grant, called LOBSTgER - short for Learning Oceanic Bioecological Systems Through Generative Representations - brings together artificial intelligence and underwater photography to document the ocean life left vulnerable to these changes and share them with the public in new visual ways. The project explores how generative AI can expand scientific storytelling by building on field-based photographic data.

Sweltering heat strains New England power grid, nearly breaks record for usage

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Mainers and New Englanders at large were cranking air-conditioning units and fans Tuesday to try to sweat out the record heat that swept through the Northeast. The result of all that power usage? The highest amount of electricity the region has utilized at peak hours since 2013, as well as a low-level emergency that let operators activate reserve resources. Maine saw temperatures in the high 90s, with humidity driving the heat index well into the 100s. Numerous cities and towns hit triple digits, either breaking, equaling or coming within shouting distance of heat records. That included Portland, which hit 99 degrees, and Fryeburg, which hit 100 — both records for June 24. Augusta also reached a 100-degree high, while the Lewiston-Auburn area came just shy at 99 degrees.

Heat likely the cause of Casco Bay Bridge closure Wednesday

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Northbound traffic into Portland on the Casco Bay Bridge came to a halt Wednesday afternoon as workers addressed a mechanical issue. Heat is the likely culprit for the mechanical issue, which has happened in the past. The police department announced that the northbound lane of the bridge was stuck open in a post on Facebook around 4:10 p.m. The post was updated around 4:30 p.m. to note the bridge was back open.

Rising number of jellyfish sightings reported at southern Maine beaches

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Willard Beach received a special summer visitor over the weekend: a 5-foot-wide lion’s mane jellyfish that washed ashore at the popular South Portland destination. That jellyfish was one of an increasing number that Mainers have reported on or near the shore in recent weeks, prompting warnings of caution from officials and experts. There have been many other reports of jellyfish stinging humans or being spotted near land recently. So far this year the vast majority of sightings have been lion’s mane jellyfish, which is one of the largest species. Jellyfish aren’t new to Maine’s aquatic ecosystem, but their behaviors vary. Some years, there are none to be found, but in others — such as this year — they seem to appear everywhere.

Timber HP exits bankruptcy with long-term growth plan

WABI-TV5 • June 25, 2025

After filing for bankruptcy in March, a wood fiber insulation manufacturer announced a successful emergence. Timber HP in Madison will now get back into full swing and officials said they’re strategizing for long-term growth. Cianbro Corporation, who is the general contractor at the mill, remobilized on-site and is near completion of the manufacturing line for the company’s third product -- TimberBoard.

Opinion: Diversifying our energy sources will lower costs for seniors, protect national security

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 25, 2025

Roughly 100,000 Maine households struggle to pay energy bills. Maine residents deserve energy solutions that will drive costs down. Unless our leaders take action, it doesn’t seem like the threat of higher and higher energy prices is changing anytime soon. Older consumers are particularly vulnerable to the burden of high utility bills. our national security is also at stake. Relying on imported, expensive fuel exposes the United States to volatile energy markets overseas and gives our adversaries a leg up. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont together spend $8.2 billion annually on imported energy. What Mainers need are sources that strengthen our grid resiliency and add more American energy to the mix. The answer lies right in front of us: we can lower electricity costs for seniors and protect our national security by diversifying our energy sources. Here in New England, offshore wind is a powerful domestic energy solution. ~ Steve Ball, Retired Colonel, 27 years in the U.S. Army, Windsor

Opinion: ‘Big, beautiful bill’ should not include sale of public lands

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Even those who aren’t outdoorsy can appreciate time outside, so you might be shocked to learn that some politicians in Washington are trying to make such experiences less accessible. Being a conservative Republican, there’s a lot for me to like in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, but there’s nothing beautiful about the portion of this bill which would allow the government to sell public lands. Out West, public land is key to livelihood and quality of life in many communities. The precious few federal lands in Maine include some of the finest in the world, including Acadia and Katahdin Woods and Waters. Keeping our great American public lands in public hands should be important wherever you live. Selling off our nation’s great natural heritage could open the door for Congress to sell public lands whenever it feels like it. If that happens, a fundamental building block of American greatness will have been ground into dust. Once these lands are sold, they are gone. ~ Steve Trafton, Hallowell

Kennebunk advances climate initiatives

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

The Town of Kennebunk is moving forward with its Climate Action Plan initiatives. At a recent select board meeting, the board unanimously accepted a state grant for solar panels and eliminated the use of single-use plastics in municipal spaces. In December of 2024, the town submitted an application to the Maine Governor’s Office of Policy and Innovation for a Community Resilience Partnership Community Action Grant that would fund the installation of rooftop solar panels at the Waterhouse Center in downtown Kennebunk. The total cost of the project is estimated at $107,000, and the grant will cover $75,000 of the price tag. The remaining $32,000 is anticipated to be funded through a clean energy tax credit.

Westbrook group pitches a new splash pad for kids

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Friends of the Cornelia Warren Outdoor Recreation Area released results of its privately-funded survey that sought what residents would like for improvements. The survey showed 75% of 451 respondents favored a splash pad, “if taxes are not affected.” Federal and local funds could be available for improvements without local property tax money, but a city official Tuesday indicated improvements at the recreation area would be complicated. Warren and Fraser fields, both located within the Cornelia Warren Outdoor Recreation Area, are considered by Maine Department of Environmental Protection to be Tier III PFAS sites. Sludge had been previously applied to the fields.

Maine’s local bluefin fishery is healthy and sustainable, experts say

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 25, 2025

Bluefin tuna is one of the Gulf of Maine’s most prized resources, coveted by chefs and savvy home cooks for its superior flavor, high fat content and culinary versatility. Because it’s the most prized of the tuna species, bluefin is more expensive than yellowfin or bigeye. Demand for Gulf of Maine bluefin tuna has been growing. And local bluefin experts and sustainability authorities want you to know there are more than enough bluefin to meet that demand. In the late 1990s, Western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock assessments showed that the fishery was down as much as 90 percent from its numbers in 1970; Eastern Atlantic bluefin harvested off the Mediterranean were suffering as well. There was talk at the time of listing bluefin as an endangered species. A 20-year rebuilding plan enacted in 1998 by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas helped bolster bluefin stock on both sides of the Atlantic.

New laws will help Hancock County towns take over Bucksport-area dams

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2025

A group of towns in Hancock County is making plans to take ownership of two dams that a scrap metal company wants to get rid of. This month the Legislature approved, and Gov. Janet Mills signed into law, three bills that are aimed at allowing quasi-municipal watershed management districts to be formed to own and maintain dams on Alamoosook Lake and Toddy Pond. The towns that surround these lakes — Orland, Blue Hill, Surry and Penobscot — have been worried since last summer that the company that owns the dams could just abandon the properties, risking a severe reduction of water levels.

Letter: Collins should stand up for green energy

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 25, 2025

Sen. Susan Collins’ political party has been taken over by people who want to further enrich themselves during the next few years. They want to stop the development of green energy and make us depend even more on fossil fuels, even though this would doom future generations to weather disasters. It will take a great deal of political courage to vote against this budget, to tell these men they cannot take our tax dollars and keep doing these things. And yet this is what we need Collins to do. ~ Richard Thomas, Waterville