US House passes bill to remove gray wolf from Endangered Species Act list

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • December 22, 2025

The U.S. House on Thursday passed, 211-204, a bill to remove Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf outside Alaska. The bill, sponsored by Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert, would direct the Interior secretary to reissue a 2020 rule removing ESA protections that delisted wolves other than the Mexican wolf in the lower 48 states, while stipulating it could not be challenged in court. The rule from President Donald Trump’s first administration was struck down by a federal court in 2022. House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Jared Huffman said the bill set a “troubling” precedent by blocking judicial review. “It tells the American people they no longer have the right to challenge unlawful government actions.”

Trump’s return brought stiff headwinds for clean energy. So why are advocates optimistic in 2026?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 22, 2025

There were some highs amid a lot of lows in a roller coaster year for clean energy as President Donald Trump worked to boost polluting fuels while blocking wind and solar. Energy experts said clean energy must continue to grow to meet skyrocketing demand for electricity to power data centers and to lower Americans’ utility bills. Solar builder Jorge Vargas said it has been “a very tough year for clean energy” as Trump made headlines criticizing renewable energy and Republicans muscled a tax and spending cut bill through Congress in July that dramatically rolled back tax breaks for clean energy. Trump called wind and solar power “the scam of the century.” Companies can’t make billion-dollar investments with so much policy uncertainty. Consequently, greenhouse gas emissions will fall at a much lower rate than previously projected. The year ends with subsidies stripped back, a weakened supply chain, higher costs from tariffs and some customers questioning their commitment to clean energy.

Trump administration pauses 5 offshore wind projects on the East Coast

ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 22, 2025

The Trump administration said Monday it is pausing leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction in the East Coast due to unspecified national security risks identified by the Pentagon. The pause is effective immediately and will give the Interior Department, which oversees offshore wind, time to work with the Defense Department and other agencies to assess the possible ways to mitigate any security risks posed by the projects.

Maine must stand up to CMP | Opinion

CENTRAL MAINE • December 22, 2025

To protect Maine people and our environment, state regulators need to push back on Central Maine Power’s massive electricity rate increase and flawed mitigation plan for its transmission corridor. CMP wants to collect an additional $1.4 billion from Maine ratepayers The Public Utilities Commission denied CMP’s rate plan. But CMP will return. Also, CMP had years to develop a required conservation plan but came back with a junker — 50,000 acres of some of the most heavily harvested forestland in Maine, with almost no mature trees and little protection for the few remaining older trees still standing. CMP told regulators to wait 40 years for tall trees to return. Despite the flaws, DEP approved it and wrote that future regulators should ignore the precedent. We should not be hit by electricity price hikes tied to CMP’s profit-seeking, nor should we be left holding the short end of the stick, literally, with a lousy NECEC mitigation plan. ~ Tony Owens, Cape Elizabeth, and Lois Winter, Portland

When birds irrupt, winter wakes up

RANGELEY HIGHLANDER • December 22, 2025

Across the state, from coastal towns like Portland and Boothbay to interior communities such as Farmington and Jay , cold-weather species arrive, behaviors shift and familiar birds become easier to observe in the quiet of the season. For many residents, getting outside to look for birds is both a mental-health boost and a way to stay connected with the natural world when the days are shortest. Across Maine, wildlife officials and conservation groups encourage residents to get outside even briefly during winter. Maine Audubon stresses that time outdoors supports mental health and strengthens people’s connection to the natural world, benefits that become especially important during the darkest part of the year.

Can attendance at Acadia National Park keep growing?

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 22, 2025

Acadia National Park has weathered periods of disruption in past years, but 2025 will stand out. Acadia’s number of staffed positions was slashed this year by President Trump’s administration, and it experienced its longest-ever federal government shutdown in its 109-year history. And, by the end of this month, Acadia is expected to set a new record in annual visitation of roughly 4.08 million visits for the year. As tourists show up in bigger numbers, and as the park’s staff face layoff threats amid federal wrangling over their budget, it feeds into concerns about whether ever-increasing tourism might be more than the park or surrounding communities can bear. “We need the park to be fully funded and staffed to make sure visitors have a positive experience,” said Perrin Doniger, of Friends of Acadia.

Lessons learned as Maine began pushing for heat pumps in mobile homes

MAINE MONITOR • December 21, 2025

Christine Callahan and her husband, John Callahan, hoped that a heat pump for their home in Waterville would reduce their heating costs, but the equipment turned out to be faulty. “We were freezing,” Christine Callahan said. “The pipes froze from the inside. That’s how cold it was.” The breakdown between the Callahans and their contractor prompted rare intervention on Efficiency Maine’s part. A second heat pump wasn’t perfect: Around New Year’s, it started shutting off after only a few hours of use, Christine Callahan said. The system’s air filter was clogged but it was replaced. Efficiency Maine made changes to restrict which houses are eligible for the mobile home rebate program based on their type of heating system. Efficiency Maine Executive Director Michael Stoddard said the agency can’t monitor every interaction between customer and contractor, but it can step in when needed.

Environmental groups challenge CMP power line conservation plan

MAINE PUBLIC • December 20, 2025

A coalition of environmental groups is challenging a conservation plan proposed by Central Maine Power as part of its permit to develop a new electric transmission line through western Maine. The groups filed an appeal with Maine's Board of Environmental Protection asking regulators to require CMP to protect more mature forest habitat. "The transmission line has already caused harm by fragmenting mature forest habitat," said Natural Resources Council of Maine woods, waters and wildlife director Luke Frankel. "We're calling on the BEP to ensure that CMP's conservation plan complies with the requirements in the permit." NRCM was joined in the appeal by Maine Audubon, Appalachian Mountain Club and Trout Unlimited. CMP was required to set aside 50,000 acres of forest in exchange for building the new transmission line to connect Quebec hydropower to the New England electric grid. 

Column: What are we learning from early Christmas Bird Counts?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 20, 2025

The 126th annual Christmas Bird Counts got underway on Dec. 14, with teams of birders attempting to count all the birds within a predetermined circle in a day. There are hundreds of these circles, a few dozen of which are just in Maine. The count runs through Jan. 5, and different counts are run on different days. Only about half of the counts in Maine have taken place, but we are getting some preliminary numbers that give us insights around what is happening with our birds this winter. We were expecting this to be a good year for many irruptive species, like redpoll, pine grosbeak, and snowy owls that come south (to Maine) from the boreal forest. However, that excitement seems to have fizzled. Another noteworthy observation is the lack of gulls around Portland. One important takeaway is the importance of community science projects in monitoring all birds. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox

Opinion: Planned Old Port tower flies in the face of the culture we claim to celebrate

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 20, 2025

I am writing to express my deep concern and strong disapproval of the Portland Planning Board’s decision to approve the Old Port Square tower proposal. This project represents a fundamental misalignment with the values, character and needs of Portland and its residents. First and foremost, approving a 30-story tower in the heart of the Old Port is profoundly disrespectful to the historic identity of this city. The attempt to frame the tower’s design as a “lighthouse beacon” that honors Maine’s heritage is disingenuous and, frankly, insulting. Growth can and should happen, but not at the cost of erasing the character and community that make Portland a place worth investing in. ~ Jenna Valente, Cumberland

Column: Why the chickadee is fitting as Maine’s state bird

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 20, 2025

“The state bird shall be the chickadee.” There it is, written directly into Maine law: Title 1, Chapter 9, Section 209. It’s been our official state bird for 98 years. The recognition is fitting. Chickadees are inherently cordial, industrious and useful. They watch out for their neighbors. They’re backyard birds, both at home and up at camp. Chickadees are quick to assess danger and often decide humans aren’t very threatening. While mourning doves and blue jays scatter the moment someone steps into view, chickadees remain at the feeder going about their business. They may scold, and more than once I’ve found myself asking them, “Why are you mad at me?” ~ Bob Duchesne

Opinion: South Portland residents’ waterfront vision continues to be ignored

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 20, 2025

Community members have been clear over the past three years that they don’t want anyone to live on contaminated soil next to 13 oil tanks in a flood zone on a peninsula that dead-ends on one already congested. Why is that so difficult to understand? This is a safety issue, a human rights concern and an environmental justice alarm, not a vendetta against affordable housing. Yet the Comprehensive Plan Committee has designated the eastern waterfront (Bug Light) as a unique high-growth area. The best use of the Shipyard District is to be protected as a national monument or a state park.~ Barbara Dee, South Portland

Senators Introduce Legislation To Reauthorize Wildlife Crossings Program

NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER • December 19, 2025

A group of bipartisan senators has introduced legislation to reauthorize the Wildlife Crossings Program, a competitive grant program with the goal of reducing Wildlife Vehicle Collisions while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. The crossings program, which is set to expire in 2026, was passed in 2021 to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and support enhanced connectivity to help animals adapt to the changing climate. In Maine, the Department of Transportation was granted $9.3 million to construct a wildlife crossing using a pre-cast concrete arch culvert to provide passage for moose, deer, and other large wildlife in the city of Caribou. The project will improve safety by reducing wildlifevehicle collisions in the area, remove two existing barriers for wildlife and fish passage, and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species.

Can European holiday demand reverse Maine’s lobster export slump?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 19, 2025

Maine is hoping Europeans will once again find a place for its lobster on their Christmas tables to offset dismal sales, with the value of year-over-year exports to the European Union down about 42% through September. Dealers blame the lackluster sales on a combination of factors: a declining catch, the rising price of getting the lobster to market and international trade volatility. In 2017, the first year the U.S. lobster industry was hobbled by the Canadian trade differential, 19% of Maine’s Christmas exports went to Europe; last December, without that tariff handicap, 62% went to Europe.

Maine Calling: Winter Light

MAINE PUBLIC • December 19, 2025

Maine Calling teams up with our colleagues at Maine Public Classical to discuss their holiday special “Night Lights,” which celebrates the magic of light in the wintertime. From the winter solstice to the stars in Maine’s dark skies, festive holiday lights and more, we reflect on this unique time of year. And we’ll hear some of the music and stories that will be part of Night Lights, which will air several times from December 23 to 25. Panelists: Sarah Tuttle, host and producer, Maine Public Classical; Jessica Miller, host, Weekend Edition; radio operations announcer, Maine Public; Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic, associate professor of physics; chair of physics and astronomy, Bates College. VIP Callers: John Meader, astronomy educator; co-founder, Dark Sky Maine; owner, Northern Stars Planetarium; photographer; Pandora LaCasse, sculptural artist who creates the holiday light installations in Portland.

Senate votes to confirm Yvette Herrell's nomination to Trump administration post

ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL • December 19, 2025

Former New Mexico congresswoman Yvette Herrell's nomination to a Trump administration post was confirmed this week by the U.S. Senate, despite both of her home state senators casting "no" votes. Herrell was appointed by the president in June to be an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overseeing the U.S. Forest Service and other departments. Her nomination was bundled with about 100 other nominees for a final confirmation vote. On a party-line vote, the U.S. Senate voted 53-43 late Thursday to confirm the nominees. New Mexico's two U.S. senators joined other Senate Democrats in voting against the nomination package to hold the Trump administration accountable for breaking the law. Herrell, a former Republican state legislator, served a single term in the U.S. House after winning election in 2020. However, she was ousted from Congress by Democrat Gabe Vasquez in 2022, and lost again in a tight rematch in the 2024.

Drought predicted to linger into spring, officials say

MAINE PUBLIC • December 19, 2025

The latest report from the U.S. Drought monitor shows that 100% of the state is still in moderate, severe or extreme drought conditions. At the final Maine Drought Task Force meeting of the year on Friday, state officials, stakeholders and researchers reported mixed updates. Even if Maine gets a lot of snow this winter, officials say an above average snowpack still won't move the needle. "Wintertime rains aren't always beneficial for groundwater conditions, especially because we can't guarantee that that water is going to make its way down into the aquifer if the ground's frozen," said Nick Stasulis of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The big, bad, endangered wolf

PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE • December 19, 2025

The latest threat to endangered species comes from Congress. A House bill would update the 52-year-old Endangered Species Act so it can "better achieve its goals." However, what some lawmakers call an update is being seen more as a remake. Chris Allieri, executive director of the NYC Plover Project, said, this is not warranted, it’s not scientific, it’s not ethical." The bill has made it through several House committees and is still awaiting a full vote. Allieri noted if Congress genuinely wants to reform the law, it should reverse funding cuts to wildlife and environmental agencies. Polls show 84% of Americans want the U.S. to focus on preventing endangered species from becoming extinct.

Hunter helps deer struggling on ice in Belfast

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 19, 2025

Brian Fogg was on his way to work Tuesday when he spotted a deer struggling to cross a frozen tributary of the Passagassawakeag River off Head of the Tide Road in Belfast. The deer kept trying to get up, but fell through each time. “Then it got to the point where it was exhausted,” Fogg said. Fogg walked up to the doe, which was so tired it didn’t seem to mind his presence. He broke the ice with his boots until the water reached his waist, then shed some layers so he wouldn’t get soaked. Fogg, a hunter, always tries to help wildlife he sees in need, but he would not recommend others take the same approach. He said people can sometimes do more harm than good.