The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
CENTRAL MAINE • August 27, 2025
Robert Gary, 66, of Oakland, was apparently swimming after his floating boat in Ellis Pond (aka Salmon Lake) on Wednesday when he went under and never resurfaced. Rescue personnel were able to recover the body in about 4 feet of water, about 30 yards to 40 yards from shore. They attempted to revive him with CPR, but Gary was unresponsive and died at the scene.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2025
In 25 years, a king tide or storm surge could flood significant portions of the Pine Point and Higgins Beach neighborhoods in Scarborough. In 75 years, those floods could happen even in a normal high tide, with blocks of houses seeing daily flooding. The Flooding Vulnerability Assessment, a report by GEI Consultants that was more than a year in the making, found that the risk of coastal flooding in Scarborough will only increase as sea levels rise.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2025
A New Hampshire woman died in an apparent drowning in Sebago Lake on Wednesday. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 41-year-old New Hampshire woman who was unconscious in the water around 11:35 a.m. Sheriff’s deputies, Sebago emergency medical services workers and the Maine Warden Service responded to the incident near Sokokis Road in Sebago, the sheriff’s office said. First responders attempted “all possible life saving measures,” but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
MAINE MORNING STAR • August 27, 2025
Typically, Maine has fewer than a hundred wildfires throughout July and August, but this year it’s close to triple that. As of Wednesday, the state has already seen 280 fires since July 1, said Terri Teller, a forest fire prevention specialist for the Maine Forest Service. “We haven’t had a year like this in a long time in Maine,” she said. Without much measurable rain and dry soil conditions, the number of fires has ticked up dramatically. For the past two and a half weeks, southern and central Maine have been at an elevated danger.
MAINE MORNING STAR • August 27, 2025
Across the country, state leaders are racing to fast-track wind and solar projects before the expiration of federal tax credits to support clean energy. Maine regulators are moving up timelines to purchase new power, hoping to give developers a head start on construction. And renewable industry leaders are pressing governors and lawmakers to clear bureaucratic backlogs and connect projects to the grid in the narrow window that remains. Federal clean energy tax credits have been essential to the financing of wind and solar projects across the country, and a key part of states’ plans to transition to wind and solar power. In Maine, the state Public Utilities Commission kicked off an accelerated procurement process last month, seeking bids for nearly 1,600 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy. That’s equivalent to roughly 13% of the state’s electricity usage. By moving up the timeline for developers to submit proposals to build new power projects, regulators hope to give them a better chance to start construction before the deadline.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2025
Maine prohibits anyone from taking, catching or possessing Atlantic sturgeon in coastal waters. Any sturgeon hooked must be released immediately, alive and uninjured. Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) are protected because their populations have declined sharply because of overfishing, habitat loss and barriers to migration. Often described as “dinosaur fish,” Atlantic sturgeon are among the oldest living species, dating back more than 120 million years. These prehistoric giants can grow up to 14 feet longand weigh as much as 800 pounds. The ban also applies to the smaller shortnose sturgeon, the only other sturgeon found in Maine. Federally, both species are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2025
Perennial plants are a greener option than annual ones. The secret lies in their roots. Because perennials are planted once and can thrive for multiple growing seasons, they have deeper, more complex root systems than rip-and-replace annuals like marigolds and pansies or corn and tomatoes. These perennial plant root systems stabilize soil and prevent erosion. They aerate the soil and enhance its ability to hold water. They help sink atmospheric carbon multiple feet deep into the soil. And, when perennials are no longer productive in 5, 10 or 15 years, the roots decay and participate in the digestive microbial party alive and well in healthy soil. The belles of the edible perennial ball in Maine are asparagus, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, rhubarb, and herbs like chives, parsley and thyme. Now, Maine farmers are experimenting with a perennial wheat known as Kernza that's an environmental booster. ~ Christine Burns Rudalevige
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 27, 2025
Just 2 inches of rain in 24 hours triggers an automatic closure of all mudflats for shellfish harvesting. Even 1 inch in 24 hours can lead to emergency closuress. These closures affect local jobs, seafood supply chains and the economy tied to Maine’s working waterfronts. Shellfish harvesters, aquaculture farmers, seafood processors and restaurants all feel the ripple effect when polluted runoff makes shellfish unsafe to eat. What causes these closures? Runoff from roads, lawns and parking lots carries pet waste, fertilizers, pesticides, bird/animal droppings and other contaminants into nearby rivers, coves and the ocean. By reducing or eliminating lawn fertilizers and pesticides, planting native vegetation and leaving buffer zones along shorelines and streams, homeowners can help reduce runoff and improve the resiliency of our coastal ecosystems. Properly maintaining septic systems or overboard discharge systems is also a must. Another simple step is cleaning up after pets. And boaters should be mindful of how they dispose of waste. Let’s protect the coast and people who rely on the ocean for their livelihoods, starting from our own backyards. ~ Monique Coombs, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association
MAINE PUBLIC • August 26, 2025
As human-caused climate change warms the planet, summers are getting hotter. The number of days over 90 degrees is expected to at least double across parts of Maine by 2050. During a heatwave, Mainers can head to the beach, the movies, a cooling center or turn on the AC if they have it. But Maine's wildlife don't have that option. On days where the mercury is high and the heat index is even higher, birds, fish and mammals can be at risk. Extreme heat exacerbates the issues wildlife are already facing: drought, habitat loss and the spread of disease. Development prevents animals from being able to flee to cooler areas. Others are likely to take new risks by venturing places they normally wouldn’t, in search of shade or water — this is often why animals, from turtles to moose, are found crossing roads in summertime.
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • August 26, 2025
Join a celebration of The Forest Revealed, a stunning new book by naturalist and writer Kateri Kosek, featuring artwork by acclaimed illustrator Jada Fitch. At The Norwich Bookstore, 291 Main St, Norwich, Vermont, September 25, 7 PM.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 26, 2025
Formed in 1980, the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission is supposed to report to the Legislature on state-tribal affairs and provide feedback on issues that concern the Wabanaki Nations. It is also charged with regulating fishing in certain waters and approving additions to reservations. Gov. Janet Mills, who controls six of the 13 seats, vowed on the campaign trail to restore the commission, which she said had been “too long neglected” under her predecessor, former Gov. Paul LePage. In her first six months in office, Mills filled all of the state’s seats, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe, Penobscot Nation and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians each had two representatives on the board. But for years, the commission has struggled to find its place in state government. Insiders describe it as hobbled by structural limitations; outside observers call it “dysfunctional” and question whether the board is relevant at all anymore.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 26, 2025
Maine farmers who had planned their growing seasons around federal funding were caught off guard in March when the Trump administration abruptly terminated a program that helped food pantries and other hunger relief organizations buy food from them. Five months later, the majority have banded together in a new local initiative, Farm to Neighbor, that’s trying to make up the difference. It represents 75 farms and 125 farmers.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 26, 2025
Gov. Janet Mills has repeatedly clashed with legislative Democrats on tribal rights. The party’s 2026 gubernatorial candidates are breaking with her on the issue. At the heart of the disagreements between the four federally recognized tribes and Mills is a repeated effort to let tribes benefit from federal laws that do not currently apply to them under the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, a landmark 1980 settlement that gave tribes in Maine about $81.5 million in exchange for regulating them essentially like cities and towns. Former Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, and former clean energy executive Angus King III each say they would work to “restore tribal sovereignty to the Wabanaki.”
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August x, 2025
The Orrington trash incinerator owes the town nearly $186,000 in unpaid taxes. Eagle Point Energy Center LLC has a tax bill of $176,243 for its trash incinerator at 29 Industrial Way. The bill was due before July 18, 2024, but the company did not pay it, and $9,708 of interest and mailing costs have since accumulated, according to the lien filed by the town. Evan Coleman has a 75 percent stake through Northern Farms, LLC, and the town of Orrington which owns the other 25 percent. The facility, which has been shuttered since foreclosure auctions in 2023, will start accepting trash as a transfer station this week. Currently, trash from 42 municipalities is collected and taken directly to Juniper Ridge Landfill.
NORTHEAST EXPLORER • August 25, 2025
Rescuers in New Hampshire carried an injured hiker roughly two miles down Mount Moriah on Saturday night. Conservation officers received a report of an injured hiker on the summit of Mount Moriah in Bean’s Purchase at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 23. The 22-year old hiker, from Kittery, Maine, was reportedly descending from the summit when she slipped and suffered a lower leg injury.
UMAINE • August 25, 2025
Maine Outdoor School for All is launching this fall thanks to $450,000 secured from private foundations, and bipartisan legislation establishing the program sponsored by state Sen. Rick Bennett and signed into law in May by Gov. Janet Mills. The program will be administered by University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which will make grants to certified outdoor learning centers, enabling them to provide students in grades four through eight immersive, three-day, two-night outdoor educational experiences. With the establishment of the program in state statute, initial private funding and a campaign to raise an additional $1 million this year, Maine has become one of just four states committed to providing outdoor learning opportunities for all public school students. UMaine Extension expects the program will serve 1,000 additional students in 2025-26. When fully funded at $6 million annually, the program will be accessible to all students in grades four through eight in the state.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 25, 2025
This summer, Scarborough’s beaches were home to 37 pairs of piping plovers, seven more than last year. Counters found 46 fledglings, or birds that are old enough to fly, a slight decrease from last year, which saw 55. The piping plover is an endangered shorebird that builds its nests on the sandy beaches. “They’ve always had a challenge,” said Brad Zitske, a shorebird specialist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “They nest in the same places humans like to recreate. Unless humans decide they don’t want to recreate on the beach anymore, these birds will be endangered.”
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 25, 2025
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has issued 31 summonses to five different people and seized four deer as part of a monthslong poaching investigation started in November 2024. Maine wardens recovered treestands and game cameras and multiple firearms and crossbows during the arrest. Officials were later able to determine that some of the gear had allegedly been stolen from the Unity, Palmyra and Corinna areas. One suspect facing 23 summonses failed to appear in court on the civil offenses and has been issued $2,300 in fines. Criminal charges are still pending. Anyone suspecting illegal outdoors activity related to Maine’s wildlife and natural resources can anonymously contact Maine’s Operation Game Thief by calling 1-800-253-7887.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 25, 2025
A 45,000-ton coal pile on the city’s waterfront that has for years been a source of complaints from neighboring residents and businesses is set to be removed by 2030 thanks to a measure adopted by the City Council on Monday. Councilors voted unanimously to approve an order that will prohibit large coal piles in the city. The pile’s history of spontaneously catching fire, Sarah Southard, a nurse practitioner and member of local advocacy group Coal Free Portland, said earlier this summer. The Cassidy Point coal pile receives shipments of coal by barge about twice a year, and loads are regularly delivered by truck to ND Papermill in Rumford.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 25, 2025
Canadian company Daaquam Lumber has paid $240,000 in fines to resolve wastewater violations at a Masardis mill it once owned. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the company entered into a consent agreement in May. Both the DEP and the state attorney general’s office signed off on the case on Monday, Since 2022, the company has addressed some of the violations, but didn’t stop the discharge of pollutants and raw materials into waterways, according to DEP. It also failed to train employees to minimize pollution and did not collect wastewater samples as directed.
