The vast majority of US rivers lack any protections from human activities, new research finds

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • January 9, 2026

The U.S. boasts more than 4 million miles of rivers, peppered with laws and regulations to protect access to drinking water and essential habitat for fish and wildlife. But in the first comprehensive review of river protection, research co-led by the University of Washington shows that the existing regulations account for less than 20% of total river length and vary widely by region. Beefing up protections doesn’t mean cutting off access to rivers. “We can use regulatory action to support equitable access to the numerous benefits rivers provide human society,” said Julian Olden, a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences. “Protected rivers support recreation, freshwater biodiversity and cultural value. It’s a win-win-win.”

“For the Joy of Winter: 25 Years of WinterKids” to air on Maine Public Television

DAILY BULLDOG • January 9, 2026

WinterKids is proud to announce that “For the Joy of Winter: 25 Years of WinterKids” will air on Maine Public Television as part of the Maine Public Film Series on Thursday, January 22 at 9:00 p.m., with encore showings on January 23 at 1:00 a.m., January 24 at 2:00 p.m., and January 25 at 4:00 p.m. The documentary follows WinterKids’ 25-year journey from a small grassroots idea to a statewide movement helping 16,000 children (annually) discover the joy and lifelong benefits of outdoor winter activity. What began as one simple vision has grown into a vibrant community of thousands, all connected by a shared love of learning, playing, and growing outside together.

Busting the 5 biggest myths about renewable energy

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC • January 6, 2026

Scientists are clear that reigning in the greenhouse gasses that are warming the planet require major shifts to renewable energies. Fortunately, the world is increasingly adopting these technologies. In 2025, coal dropped below renewables like solar and wind as the primary source of global electricity. Still, myths about renewable energy are commonplace. Here are some of the major myths and what the science actually reveals:
Myth #1 Renewable energy is unreliable.
Myth #2 Rooftop solar is super pricey.
Myth #3 Wind power inevitably kills wildlife.
Myth #4 Electric cars can’t go far without recharging.
Myth #5 Renewables are on track to solve the climate crisis.

What does the Trump administration’s review of wildlife refuges mean for Maine?

MAINE MONITOR • January 9, 2026

National wildlife refuges have played an important role in American conservation efforts for over a century. Late last month, as many people were winding down for the holidays, the Trump administration quietly announced a “comprehensive review” of both the National Wildlife Refuge System and the National Fish Hatchery System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Brian Nesvik ordered top agency officials to “look for refuges or hatcheries established for a purpose that no longer aligns with the mission” of the agency, and for “opportunities to achieve efficiencies in the areas of governance, oversight, and span of control.” The directive was not announced publicly by the agency, and few details have been released. Advocates fear the administration is trying to eliminate or significantly scale back wildlife preservation sites.

Judge sides with Penobscot Nation in Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion

MAINE PUBLIC • January 9, 2026

A superior court judge has ruled in favor of the Penobscot Nation in an appeal over the expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill. The court ordered the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to redo a study that determined there was a public benefit associated with expansion. Justice Bruce Mallonee found that the DEP did not complete fact finding critical to its public benefit determination for the expansion of Juniper Ridge, the state-owned landfill in Old Town. He's now ordered the department to consider the cumulative environmental burdens placed on the Penobscot Nation and on the tribe's intimate relationship with the Penobscot River. By not considering those factors originally, the DEP failed to properly apply environmental justice standards required under Maine law. The Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation had appealed the DEP's public benefit finding.

Trump admin summons Forest Service supervisors to DC

E&E NEWS • January 9, 2026

The Forest Service will gather dozens of forest supervisors from around the country next week in Washington. The agency said it’s a training session to promote the Trump administration’s goals on active forest management and expanding timber production, which the reshuffling is intended to make more achievable.

L.L.Bean taps retail executive as new president, CEO

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 9, 2026

L.L.Bean has promoted a longtime employee to be the next president and chief executive officer of the 114-year-old retail company based in Freeport. Greg Elder, who began working for L.L.Bean in 2007, will transition into the new roles in late February, the iconic Maine retailer announced Friday. “This brand has shaped who I am,” Elder said, “not just as a leader, but as someone who deeply believes in the power of the outdoors to bring people together.”

UMaine student finds Maine leads nation in PFAS regulations

SPECTRUM NEWS • January 10, 2026

What started as a student paper has become a roadmap for dealing with the harmful chemicals known as PFAS. For nearly two years, University of Maine undergraduate student Eddie Nachamie has been researching Maine’s response to the so-called “forever chemicals,” which have contaminated wells and farmland across the country. Certain levels of PFAS may also lead to cancer, immune system disorders and other health problems. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial and industrial products. Through his verified work, he’s discovered that the state of Maine is leading the nation in PFAS regulation. Nachamie said, “There’s been the most robust response in Maine out of any other state.” Maine also has more supports for those who have been affected by the chemicals. His work can now be used as a framework for other states that are still figuring out how to implement PFAS legislation.

United States’ Announced Intention to Withdraw from Participation in IPBES

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • January 9, 2026

The Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) regrets the deeply disappointing news of the United States’ intention to withdraw its participation in IPBES, along with more than 60 other international organizations and bodies. The United States is a founding member of IPBES and scientists, policymakers and stakeholders – including Indigenous Peoples and local communities – from the U.S. have been among the most engaged contributors to the work of IPBES since its establishment in 2012, making valuable contributions to objective science-based assessments of the state of the planet, for people and nature. Unfortunately, we cannot withdraw from the fact that more than 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction. Nor can we change the fact that the global economy is losing as much as $25 trillion per year in environmental impacts or restore the missed opportunities of not acting now to generate more than $10 trillion in business opportunity value and 395 million jobs by 2030.

Wild Seed Project hires new executive director

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 9, 2026

This week the Wild Seed Project, a North Yarmouth organization dedicated to promoting and restoring native plants in Maine through sharing seeds, announced Alice Friberg will be its new executive director. Friberg began her career in planting as a small business owner, running an organic farm in Whitefield for 11 years raising both crops and livestock. She served on the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s board of directors for eight years as well. In 2014, she joined Fedco Seeds, a cooperatively-owned agricultural supply business in Clinton, where she worked as a department manager, marketing chair and chief financial officer. 

Crews battle fire at Maine Wildlife Park shop

CBS 13 • January 9, 2026

Crews battled a fire at a Maine Wildlife Park shop in Gray late Thursday night. When crews arrived just before 11:30 p.m., they found a Maine Wildlife Park shop building was fully involved and a second-alarm was struck. Maine Wildlife Park is operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The park is home to more than 30 species of Maine wildlife that cannot be returned to their natural habitats. The park is closed for the season.

Maine sues Milford property owner for blocking a stream to build a driveway

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 9, 2026

A man who moved to Maine with dreams of opening an animal sanctuary is being sued by the state for damaging a stream and clearing vegetation without permission. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is suing Robert Altieri for three violations of the state’s laws to protect natural resources that he allegedly committed when he started work to build a home in Milford. Altieri built a driveway across and in Otter Stream and cleared land without permits or approval from the Maine DEP. The property had wetlands and habitat for “high value” inland waterfowl and wading birds. He dreamed of opening an animal sanctuary mainly wanted to help dogs but was interested in helping “horses, cows, tigers, whatever.”

Experts say Trump pullout from UN climate fighting will hurt world and leave US out of green surge

ASSOCIATED PRESS • January 8, 2026

President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the entire United Nations climate-fighting apparatus takes America’s environmental isolation to another level and is likely to damage both the United States and the world as the planet flirts with ecological tipping points, experts say. Leaders from around the world say the United States will be left behind as more than 190 other nations join in what they call a blossoming green economy that is transitioning from polluting coal, oil and gas to cleaner and cheaper solar, wind and other renewable energies.

Broker sues Westbrook indoor farm over unpaid fees

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 8, 2026

Vertical Harvest, a hydroponic farm in downtown Westbrook, is being sued for allegedly failing to fully pay back a broker that secured a $48.75 million federal loan to get the farm started. The lawsuit alleges Raiven Fund Management, a Canadian venture capital firm, misled the broker, Waterside Commercial Finance, into agreeing to defer payment of 2% of the proceeds of the USDA loan, which amounts to about $975,000. Waterside is seeking full payment of damages, attorneys’ fees and any other penalty the court finds appropriate. Vertical Harvest is a four-story hydroponic farm that expects to produce 3 million pounds of leafy greens annually. It received nearly $60 million in financing. CEO Nona Yehia said Thursday, “the claims being asserted are inaccurate and materially misleading.”

Forever chemicals found at Gorham mobile home park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 8, 2026

The residents of a large Gorham mobile home park have been left without safe drinking water for two weeks since learning their community wells tested just over the state limit for harmful forever chemicals. The state is working with the owner of Friendly Village to address the problem. To comply with Maine law, the park must now either install a water treatment system, drill a new clean well or hook up to the municipal water system. Because Friendly Village was not tested as part of Maine’s sludge spreading investigation the cost of resolving the problem falls to the park owner, not the state. Maine has spent more than $100 million as it became a national leader in the fight against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, but state officials say dwindling funds will soon force it to make difficult choices about whom to help.

Feds announce disaster loans for Maine businesses affected by heavy rain last spring

MAINE PUBLIC • January 8, 2026

Small businesses and nonprofit groups in Maine that were negatively affected by abnormally rainy and cold conditions last May can now apply for federal disaster loans. The U.S. Small Business Administration Tuesday announced loans of up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4%. The agency says they can be used to pay debts, payroll, and other expenses directly related to the abnormal weather conditions. Parts of Maine received double the normal amount of rainfall in May, and a rare late spring nor'easter hit the state just before Memorial Day.

Former Portland lawmaker Denise Harlow dies at 55

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 8, 2026

Former state Rep. Denise Harlow, 55, a progressive who represented Portland and an elite marathoner who qualified in 2000 for the U.S. Olympic Trials, died Sunday from cancer. Harlow represented Portland in the Maine House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. She was most passionate about nature, and served on the Legislature’s committees dealing with the environment and inland fisheries and wildlife.

Opinion: Maine must learn from its energy policy mistakes and successes

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 8, 2026

In 2019, Maine seemed poised to be a leader in promoting energy alternatives. It hasn’t worked out. Heat pumps have been a winner. Electric vehicles, not so much. Gov. Mills’ predecessor, Paul LePage, also liked heat pumps. On all other energy matters, LePage’s views resemble President Trump’s, whose opposition to wind, solar and energy storage has been irrational. Whatever energy policy Trump is espousing, Maine should do the opposite. But what can be done, in the face of massive federal hostility? First, we can acknowledge Maine’s failures in energy policy, while building on promising initiatives. Mills’ confidence in plug-in cars was misplaced as was spending at least $1 billion entirely on the highway system, not even investigating greater use of buses, trains, ferries, pedestrian access and ride-sharing. It will take investment, and lots of it, to actually achieve our energy goals. ~ Douglas Rooks

I spent a night ice fishing and learned anything is possible

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 8, 2026

Thanks to cold temperatures to start the year, coastal smelt camps are opening after several years of poor ice conditions. A true cottage industry, these camps spring up almost overnight when the ice is safe and are busiest on weekends. You can usually tell which camps are hosting a few drinks by the increasing noise as the night goes on. My longtime fishing partner told a story of a drunken angler who fell into his race hole, only to pop up in a shack downstream. Another time, a muskrat popped into his shack, looked around and then departed. I guess anything is possible on the ice. ~ Tom Roth

Patten Free Library hosting youth-led climate solution talk

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 7, 2026

On Wednesday, Jan. 14, Bath Climate Conversations will focus on how young people can unite communities for local solutions to the climate challenge. The event will happen in the Community Room of the Patten Free Library, both in-person and on Zoom, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Leia Lowery, cofounder and director of The Climate Initiative (a Maine-based nonpartisan organization), and Jackson Chadwick, advocacy director of the Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ), will talk about successful efforts to get young people engaged with their communities through climate action.