Opinion: Big oil should pay for the climate mess it has made

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 24, 2026

As a society, we’ve decided you can’t just throw trash from your car and you can’t dump chemicals in the water. So why is it that we let oil and gas corporations off the hook for the mess they’ve created? As early as the 1950s, there was knowledge among oil producers that CO2 would warm the planet, but things got really damning by the 1970s. Exxon hired its own science team to investigate and model the impact of fossil fuel emissions on the Earth. Despite this knowledge, Exxon went on to fund climate misinformation campaigns and kept pushing its product as safe for the Earth. Now, Maine has a mess to clean up in the form of the costly damage created by more extreme storms, higher sea levels, droughts and other climate disasters. LD 1870 would require oil and gas corporations to pay us back for the damage that they caused. ~ Keith Carson, director of environment and science communications, Maine Conservation Voters

House of Representatives to vote this week on bill to gut energy efficiency standards

ENVIRONMENT MAINE • February 23, 2026

Although many Americans are trying to save energy in their homes, this week the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a bill that, if it becomes law, would likely lead to more energy waste. The legislation, H.R. 4626, would endanger the current U.S. appliance efficiency standards by giving the executive branch new powers to amend or roll back those requirements. It would also direct the Department of Energy to “evaluate” standards in the two years after they are finalized – creating immediate uncertainty for manufacturers, who invest in upgrading their product lines to prepare for set compliance dates. The bill also threatens the government’s ability to adapt efficiency standards to technological improvements. 

'Conserving the Magalloway' topic of Georges River Trout Unlimited meeting, March 10

PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • February 23, 2026

Jake Metzler, Vice President of Stewardship and Conservation for the Forest Society of Maine, will speak about the Magalloway Project, a collaborative effort to conserve 78,000 acres in Western Maine. Hosted by Georges River Trout Unlimited. At Sea Dog Brewing Co., Camden, March 10, 7 p.m.

Trump's EPA could approve bee-killing pesticides

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH • February 23, 2022

Over the last few decades, the populations of critical wild bee species have PLUMMETED: The Rusty-Patched Bumblebee population has dropped by 87%, the American Bumblebee by 89%, and the Western Bumblebee by 93%. Research points to neonics as a leading cause of these massive bee die-offs. The most widely used insecticides in the world, neonics have made U.S. agriculture nearly 50 times more toxic to insects – and they are extremely DEADLY to bees! Bees are essential for our food chain and way of life. We rely on these helpful little pollinators for 1 out of 3 bites of food that we eat and 75% of the world’s most nutritious food crops like fruits, veggies, and nuts.But Trump’s EPA is still preparing to APPROVE these DANGEROUS pesticides for ANOTHER 15 years. Your message to the EPA can help stop that from happening.

Windham installs solar-powered information kiosks

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 23, 2026

Windham is installing solar-powered information kiosks to relay messages and support local initiatives and economic planning by connecting residents to local businesses and events. Kiosks were installed at the Town Hall and Lippman Park last week, with another to be placed at the Lowell Preserve this spring.

Column: Rockland tree poisoning case reminds us you can’t put a price on reputation

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 23, 2026

Stephen Antonson is one of the most scorned men to summer in Maine. The Brooklyn artist came to the public’s attention after he was credibly accused of poisoning a half dozen of his elderly neighbor’s trees in 2022 so he could get a better view of Rockland harbor from his own home. Although Antonson has never admitted responsibility for boring holes in the trees and injecting a deadly herbicide, the state’s Board of Pesticides Control is prepared on Feb. 27 to accept a settlement in which he acknowledges that “a court could find that he committed the violations.” His penalty? A $3,000 fine. Antonson’s neighbor, Ruth Graham, died two years ago. According to her son Steven, the incident caused her “a great deal of distress” in her final years. A $3,000 fine amounts to “pocket change found under the sofa cushions,” in the words of Douglas Cole, chair of Rockport Parks and Beautification, who noted that to charge so little for trespassing and destroying a neighbor’s land sends a message “that crime does pay.”

High Peaks Alliance expands outreach, events and conservation efforts

RANGELEY HIGHLANDER • February 23, 2026

The High Peaks Alliance is partnering with the Natural Resources Council of Maine to host a civic engagement event in Kingfield later this month, while also celebrating a major grant award and highlighting local conservation efforts and wildlife observations across the region. The civic engagement gathering will be held Feb. 25 from 5-7 p.m. at Longfellow’s in Kingfield. The event, led by NRCM Regional Outreach Coordinator Olivia Ruhlin and co-sponsored by the High Peaks Alliance, will focus on helping residents develop practical skills to engage in public policy and advocate for conservation initiatives.

East Millinocket may get 150 acres from state to use for housing

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 23, 2026

A bill facing the Maine Legislature would see more than 3,300 acres in East Millinocket put up for sale or lease. The state acquired the land in 2011 after Katahdin Paper Co. declared bankruptcy, but is now looking to sell or lease it. Through an agreement made during the purchase of the mill site, East Millinocket would receive 150 acres for free, but any additional land would have to be bought at market value. This opportunity comes while East Millinocket officials are attempting to revitalize the town more than a decade after the Great Northern Paper Co. mill shut down. The roughly 300-acre site, which shuttered in 2014 and was later bought by the town, has received multiple grants and possible reuse prospects in the five years the town has owned it, including a $300 million data center, but no large developments have materialized yet.

Column: Why crow hunting is more fun than you think

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 23, 2026

I’ll shoot woodchucks without a second thought whenever they invade our vegetable garden, and I hunt crows even though I have never eaten one and never had the desire. I’ll target them when our vegetable gardens are starting to ripen or are ready to harvest. I also hunt crows just for fun. Because of their non-migratory status, lead shot and shotguns loaded with more than three shells are legal, and a migratory waterfowl stamp is not required. A Maine hunting license is all that is needed. Whether it is a full-blown passion or occasional pastime, there are reasons to give hunting crows a try. I personally like the fact that crows are intelligent. ~ Al Raychard

This forestry practice makes ugly scenery on Maine hiking trails

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 23, 2026

A new forestry practice is confounding hikers deep in the woods of Orland. It’s strange. It’s ugly. But it’s working. I recently stumbled upon it while hiking Great Pond Mountain and Oak Hill in Orland, in a swathe of conserved land known as the Wildlands. Throughout the forest, trees were sawed off a few feet above the ground, leaving thousands of hip-high stumps. High-stumping is a forestry method used to get rid of diseased, canker-filled beech trees. “By cutting up high, the root system thinks there’s still a tree up there and doesn’t root sprout,” said Landon Fake, the land trust’s executive director. “It continues to send nutrients up the trunk.” The tree then dies without sending out dozens of sprouts like it normally would if it were cut near the ground. And this allows other tree species to grow.

Mast Landing Spring Clean Up Day, March 21

MAINE AUDUBON • March 1, 2026

Volunteers are welcome to join Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for a morning of sanctuary clean up at Mast Landing Audubon Sanctuary in Freeport, ME. Come work alongside Maine Audubon staff to clean up the sanctuary parking lot, spruce up the picnic pavilion area, and help clear the trails of any lingering winter debris. Volunteers should be willing to hike up to 2 miles and feel comfortable using hand tools such as folding saws, loppers, rakes, and shovels. Maine Audubon will provide all the necessary tools and will have a water cooler on site for bottle refills. March 21, 9 am - noon.

Roads, Rain, and a Couple Thousand Amphibians; Call it a Big Night!

MAINE AUDUBON • March 1, 2026

 With spring rain and warming temperatures, frogs and salamanders move to their breeding grounds by the truckload. However, these miniature migrations often put them in harm’s way on roads. How we can assist and protect these ancient populations will be the subject of this presentation. Join us to hear how you can get involved in this important work. Volunteer kits will be available on-site at Fields Pond and Gilsland Farm for check out. Greg LeClair is the creator and Director of the “Maine Big Night” community science project where he coordinates the collection of statewide data on Maine’s amphibian migrations. March 5, 6 pm, online, preregister.

Winter Tracking, Feb 28

MAINE AUDUBON • February 22, 2026

This online program will cover the basics of winter tracking, including prints, scat, and other signs of wildlife. Following this program, there will be companion walks at both our Gilsland Farm and Fields Pond centers on Saturday, February 28. Please register separately for online and in-person programs.

Saturday, February 28, 10:30 am-12:30 pm: Winter Tracking at Gilsland Farm >

Saturday, February 28, 11:30 am-1 pm: Winter Tracking at Fields Pond > 

Conservation + Youth Lobby Day, March 3, 2026

MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES COALITION • February 22, 2026

What: This is your chance to show Maine lawmakers just how many Mainers care about acting on climate, advancing environmental justice, and protecting our environment and communities!

When: Tuesday, March 3rd from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Where: Cross Building (Room 216), Augusta, Maine 04330

This year we're combining forces to host a joint lobby day with the Youth Day of Action to maximize our impact. We'll gather to discuss priority bills, hear from legislative sponsors, go over tips and tricks for lobbying, and break into groups. Then we'll take a group picture and walk the short distance to the State House to talk to lawmakers. Your voice is a catalyst for change; together, we can create a brighter future for Maine!

It’s been 25 years since Maine passed a Wabanaki studies law. It’s only partly working.

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • February 22, 2026

Nearly 25 years have passed since Maine lawmakers decided students should learn about Wabanaki history, culture and contemporary life. Still, not all children in Maine receive that comprehensive education. A 2022 report that examined 10 school districts — the five largest in the state and the five closest to reservations — found most were struggling to implement the law with little support from the state. Now, lawmakers are considering whether to provide long-term funding for a statewide Wabanaki studies specialist — something advocates say should have been done years ago.

Maple sugaring 101: From tree to tap to table

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • February 22, 2026

Making maple syrup from the sap that annually flows from Maine’s maple trees is a simple process but mistakes can happen. That seems appropriate considering Maine Maple Sunday, what is now one of the biggest days of the year for maple syrup lovers and producers and inspired other agricultural product-themed days across the country, grew out of a mistake. Alan Greene‘s family has tapped trees at Greene Maple Farm in Sebago for eight generations. Four decades ago, a reporter misquoted his father, Ted, saying the farm would serve pancakes the following Sunday. People showed up looking to have pancakes and maple syrup. That gave Greene’s father an idea. Greene and Arnold Luce, another maple sugarer in Anson, decided, through the maple producers association, to designate a day in 1983 as Maine Maple Sunday when they would open their sugarhouses to the public and share their process and sweet products.

Lambing season brings long nights and signs of spring to Maine sheep farms

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 22, 2026

Lambing season typically runs from late January or early February through the start of spring on Maine farms, bringing new animals that will keep barns lively and businesses running for another year. It’s an action-packed season – “It comes all at once, and then it’s over,” said Tom Hodgman of Waldoview Farm in Winterport – but a rewarding one as the farmers rely on one another to get through the long nights and occasionally complicated births. An evening in the barn is an early sign that spring is ahead and a glimpse into a side of animal agriculture that Hodgman believes has broad potential to be accessible for young Maine farmers today.

Column: Winter is the perfect time to visit Acadia National Park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 21, 2026

Acadia National Park had one of its busiest years ever in 2025, with the National Park Service recording more than 4 million visitors. The 51,000-acre national park may be one of the the smallest but consistently ranks in the top 10 for visitation. Most come to Acadia between April and October, making the winter months a pretty quiet period to enjoy the bountiful beauty of this island and mountain paradise. Digging into the stats a little deeper, somewhere in the neighborhood of 75,000 people visit Acadia during the wintertime, a small fraction of the annual total. So clearly, to have this amazing national treasure seemingly all to yourself, winter is the time to roam free like you own the place, which as Americans we actually do. ~ Carey Kish

Blizzard warnings issued as storm threatens East Coast

ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 21, 2026

Blizzard warnings were issued Saturday for coastal communities along the East Coast as a late-winter storm set to arrive on Sunday threatened to make a mess of the start of a new week. The National Weather Service increased its assessment of the potential severity of a storm that was projected to be less ferocious only days earlier. The weather service said 1 to 2 feet of snow was possible in many areas. The weather service warned that the storm, with steady winds of 25 to 35 mph (40 to 56 kph) would “make travel dangerous, if not impossible.

Opinion: Maine’s electrical grid investment can’t be deferred

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 21, 2026

I understand why many Mainers are protesting Central Maine Power’s proposed rate increase. But the question isn’t whether we’ll pay for grid improvements. The question is when, and how much. CMP’s proposal represents a shift from reactive emergency spending to proactive infrastructure investment. Key improvements include:
• Tree management: Falling trees are our number one cause of outages.
• Smart grid technology: Installing 2,500 smart devices would restore power remotely for up to 400,000 customers.
• Grid interconnection: Creating redundancy means if one path fails, power flows from another while repairs are made.
Our grid isn’t getting younger, our storms aren’t getting milder and emergency repair costs aren’t going down. Every year we wait, our aging infrastructure becomes more vulnerable and more expensive to fix. ~ Arthur W. Cleaves, York County Emergency Management Agency