UMaine taps into satellite data to help oyster farmers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 3, 2026

The University of Maine is rolling out a free satellite-driven model to help oyster farmers predict when their crop will reach market size, bringing high-tech precision to the hunt for the best tidal sites along the state’s coast. Using satellite data from NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey and the European Space Agency, the model is the foundation of a January research study in the journal Aquaculture. The accuracy was verified by testing it against oyster growth rates at five Maine oyster farms. The online dashboard is coming out at a time when Maine’s oyster sector is booming.

Congress funds work to rebuild Deer Isle Causeway over rising seas

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 3, 2026

Work to rebuild the only road connecting Deer Isle and Stonington to the mainland, so it is more resilient to climate change, is set to start in late spring 2027 after years of anticipation. The project has become more urgent in recent years as high tides more frequently flood the Deer Isle Causeway during storms. The multimillion dollar project was dependent on $12 million in congressionally directed spending, which was included in an appropriations bill in the summer of 2025 but not secured until last month.

How a change to net energy billing could cost a few Mainers tens of thousands

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 3, 2026

Gregory Anderson thought he’d done everything right. In 2021, the Litchfield resident bought shares in a community solar development from ReVision Energy. With a one-time investment of about $16,000, he was able secure about 2.5 kilowatts, enough to cover nearly all of his household’s power needs. In the years since, his family bought a plug-in hybrid car and switched from propane to heat pumps, driving up the household’s electricity usage. To keep pace, Anderson bought another share last year: about 7.5 kW for more than $25,000. But a recent change to the state’s net energy billing rules could force Anderson to forfeit one of those shares — and all the energy savings it promised. For an unlucky group of about 100-200 Mainers who purchased multiple shares in solar farms, a Public Utilities Commission interpretation could cost them thousands in energy savings and turn investments of tens of thousands into wasted cash, said Public Advocate Heather Sanborn.

10 ways to get outside in Maine this March

MAINE PUBLIC • March 3, 2026

March in Maine can be cold, long and lonely. But the last month of winter also means taking advantage of the snow before it melts. So don’t let snowy conditions and freezing temperatures stop you from getting out of the house. Bundle up and get some fresh air at a ski mountain or put on your dancing shoes for a night of contra dancing. Try a new sport or sample syrup at your local maple farm. Here’s a list of some of the events happening across Maine this month. For other events happening in March, check out Maine Public’s community calendar. 

From paperboy to paper magnate: Hugh Chisholm’s mills helped supply America’s postal system

LIVERMORE FALLS ADVERTISER • March 3, 2026

Hugh J. Chisholm rose from selling newspapers as a boy to building paper mills, railroads and industrial communities that helped supply the newsprint and postal cards used across the United States, tying western Maine directly to the nation’s communications network. Chisholm expanded into paper manufacturing in 1888 when he founded the Otis Falls Pulp and Paper Company in Livermore Falls. Located along the Androscoggin River, the mill used water power, regional timber and rail access to produce newsprint, the primary paper used by newspapers across the country. His operations later became part of International Paper Company, formed in 1898 through the consolidation of major paper manufacturers. In 1903, the Oxford Paper Company mill in Rumford secured a federal contract to manufacture postal cards for the U.S. Post Office, producing them at a rate of millions per day. Chisholm also helped develop the transportation infrastructure needed to support large-scale paper production.

Opinion: Legislature should not reverse course on Maine bottle bill

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 3, 2026

The Maine Legislature is considering LD 2141, a bill that would take $4 million of unclaimed deposits away from local beverage distributors. The unclaimed deposits are the nickels from containers our customers recycle through their municipal recycling system. Local distributors have used the unclaimed deposits as an offset against bottle bill costs since the program began. Beverage distributors recycle approximately 847 million containers each year. To do that, we pay $50 million annually in bottle bill handling fees to redemption centers. We also pay $20 million annually in pick-up and processing costs — sending trucks to more than 300 redemption centers across the state. The bottle bill doesn’t work unless we pay these costs. We’re proud that our recycling rate (roughly 75%) is one of the highest in the country. If passed, we believe LD 2141 would be a stunning and unjustified reversal by the Legislature, and a serious setback to maintaining a stable, predictable environment for Maine businesses. We hope a majority of the Legislature won’t break the promise they made to us. ~ Jason Largay, Northern Maine at Pepsi Beverages Company in Hampden; Jasper Walsh, Maine Distributors in Bangor

He was Baxter State Park’s 1st ranger when Donn Fendler disappeared on Katahdin

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 3, 2026

On July 17, 1939, Baxter State Park’s first ranger began searching Mount Katahdin for a lost 12-year-old boy from New York. That ranger was my grand uncle. I was reminded of that story recently when I saw the film “Lost on a Mountain in Maine.” My grand uncle Richard “Dick” Holmes was a smart and humble man who loved the outdoors and navigating its wildness. We shared the same hometown on Mount Desert Island. But Dick was a rare breed, taking his passion for the outdoors to a level few ever reach. In early June 1939, he packed his meager worldly possessions into a 1929 Model A Ford and left Northeast Harbor. His home for the season was the campground at Katahdin Stream, where he lived in a canvas tent as the park’s first and only ranger. Dick helped organize a massive search effort for Donn Fendler, with as many as 600 people scouring the mountain and its base. Eventually, young Fendler reached the East Branch of the Penobscot River, where his cries for help were heard. Dick went on to teach arctic survival skills in the Rocky Mountains. He later graduated from engineer officer candidate school. After the war, he moved to Aroostook County to work as a surveyor. ~ Gregory Burr

Column: Oregon ballot measure targeting hunting raises questions for Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 2, 2026

I like to think hunting and fishing will be around forever, especially since our first-in-the-nation Right to Food amendment was enshrined in the Maine Constitution. It included the right to harvest food, often interpreted to include hunting. But a proposal in Oregon would remove exemptions in state animal cruelty statutes and, as opponents argue, could criminalize practices involved in hunting, fishing, livestock slaughter, animal husbandry and animal testing. Organizers are working to qualify it for the November 2026 ballot. Is what is happening in Oregon happening here in Maine? I think I’m justified in believing Maine’s hunting and fishing are under constant threat. Rich, largely out-of-state individuals and organizations who would like to see hunting, trapping and perhaps fishing disappear are just biding their time, waiting for the right timing and for the demographics to change. It would be a good idea to get wildlife management issues out of the referendum process and to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the Maine Constitution. ~ Al Raychard

Opinion: Senate should reject unqualified national park nominees

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 2, 2026

Our national parks and national wildlife refuges stand as a remarkable reflection of our nation’s heritage. This assemblage of protected natural and cultural resources has served as a model for many other nations, with great positive impact on conservation worldwide. It is an alarming disconnect for our current leadership to disfavor our national parks and refuges and those who manage, study and understand them. Scott Socha has been nominated to be director of the National Park Service. An executive in the hospitality industry, he appears legally unqualified based on the requirements in the law. I am also opposed to the nomination of Kevin Lilly as assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks. He is a corporate executive in the financial sector with no experience in the management of our fish, wildlife and parks. Everyone who loves our national parks and refuges should voice their concern to Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King, and the president. ~ Michael Soukup, retired National Park Service chief scientist and past CEO of Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park

Opinion: How to bring more Canadian tourists — and more jobs — to Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 2, 2026

Maine’s summer economy depends on tourism, and Canadian visitors are one of its most important pillars. In 2024, roughly 800,000 Canadians visited our state and spent close to $500 million in our communities. They fill our hotels and motels, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, buy gas, attend attractions and support tens of thousands of seasonal jobs. But Maine is quietly becoming too expensive, and too politically complicated, for many of the Canadian visitors Maine depends on most. Recent federal trade actions and tariff disputes have angered many Canadians and hardened public attitudes toward the United States. People are less inclined to spend their vacation dollars where they feel unwelcome, overcharged or politically alienated. Maine should adopt a one-year suspension of the 9% lodging tax for Canadian visitors during the summer of 2026. ~ Peter Guidi owns the Seagrass Inn in Old Orchard Beach

Owners of award-winning Maine farm hope to give it to non-profits

NEWS CENTER MAINE • March 2, 2026

The owners of Hidden Valley Farm are looking for a group to maintain and preserve their land. David “Tracy” Moscowitz said, “This is now 1,200 acres. We’ve been tending the forest for (nearly) 50 years." Moscowitz and Bambi Jones bought the original farm in 1978, after moving to Maine. Tracy Moscowitz, a lawyer and engineer, took a job with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Jones was completing law school. But they were drawn to a back-to-the-land movement. Bambi began farming, eventually growing four acres of organic vegetables for sale to local restaurants and markets. Tracy worked his day job and learned how to work the woods using sustainable forestry. Over time, they acquired adjacent land from neighbors. The total grew to more than 2,000 acres. They worked to improve the forest and also built miles of trails. In 2016, they split off 1,000 acres to create the Hidden Valley Nature Center. A local land trust bought the Nature Center for a bargain price. Both are now in their mid-70’s, and face a decision about the future of Hidden Valley Farm. They have invited about a half-dozen conservation non-profits to submit proposals, detailing how they would use the 1,200-acre farm, as well as a significant endowment the couple plans to provide. They want the land they’ve worked on for so long to be used and loved as they have done.

New marine science center rises on Quahog Bay

HARPSWELL ANCHOR • March 1, 2026

Construction of a new marine science center for Harpswell’s Quahog Bay Conservancy is well underway, with work continuing on the waterfront site of the former Quahog Bay Inn. Laura Campbell, the conservancy’s executive director, said the project was about halfway done as of early February. Quahog Bay Conservancy founder and President Patrick Scanlan said in a statement. “Quahog Bay Conservancy was founded to restore and protect the bay through science, stewardship and community engagement, and the Marine Science Center is a natural extension of that mission.” The facility will include a saltwater laboratory, housing for students and researchers, and offices. It also will include a new wharf and a seafood market for the conservancy’s Snow Island Oysters brand.

Insights into Coyotes in Maine

MAINE SPORTSMAN • March 2026

If you’re bothered by the idea of coyotes combing the woods of Maine, you aren’t alone. There are a lot of conflicting views surrounding Canis Latrans and the reputation the predator carries in the Pine Tree State.

Nova Scotia study finds high-speed ferry to Bar Harbor is worth the investment

MAINE PUBLIC • March 1, 2026

A new study commissioned by Nova Scotia officials finds that the annual subsidies paid by the province to run a high-speed ferry to Bar Harbor are worth the investment. According to the report, the Yarmouth-Bar Harbor CAT ferry has a positive economic impact in southwest Nova Scotia and across the province. American and non-Nova Scotian ferry passengers spent "considerably more per capita" while visiting the region compared to other visitors who arrived by air or car, the report said. The current contract with operator Bay Ferries Ltd. runs through the upcoming 2026 sailing season, but after that, the future of the service is uncertain.

Snowmobiling as an economic driver in Maine faces a bumpy future

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • March 1, 2026

Snowmobiling is big business in Maine, generating hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Beyond the snowfall, the industry depends entirely on the goodwill of landowners along the state’s vast trail network, and the work of the thousands of volunteers who take care of those trails. Experts across Maine say both of those are increasingly at risk. Tensions between landowners and riders who don’t always follow the rules has put that relationship at a “boiling point,” according to Cpl. Kris MacCabe, who handles landowner relations as a state game warden. At the same time, the volunteers who have held the trail network together for decades are getting older, with not enough members from the next generation willing to take on the same task.

Opinion: Maine does not need to choose between tourism and energy

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • March 1, 2026

A recent op-ed, “Maine must not go from Vacationland to Generationland” (Feb. 15), argued that “By offering our best renewable resources to our Southern New England neighbors, Maine is condemning itself to pay much more to decarbonize at a later date.” This misunderstands how electricity systems operate and could lead to policies that increase costs, delay decarbonization and reduce Maine’s influence in shaping its energy future. Any wind project in Maine must connect to the grid and sell into the New England wholesale market, where prices are set regionally. The wind procurement does not transfer ownership of Maine’s wind to other states. Renewable development in Maine lowers wholesale energy prices, reduces exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets, improves reliability and attracts private investment. It generates local tax revenue, land lease payments and community benefits. The key question is whether Maine uses effective tools to align development with affordability, reliability, climate goals and land-use values. Maine does not need to choose between being Vacationland or Generationland — if it plans wisely, it can be both. ~ Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York

Fire quickly extinguished at Baileyville paper mill

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2026

A fire broke out Saturday at a Baileyville paper mill. The fire was reported around 11:45 a.m. at the Woodland Pulp LLC mill on Main Street in the Washington County town. The mill is the site of a January gas leak that resulted in the deaths of two employees and remains under federal investigation.

Opinion: Let’s make a community park a reality for Portland’s Bayside

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2026

Bayside is changing. Hundreds of housing units are under construction or planned, including market-rate and workforce housing. Growth is necessary. But true neighborhood transformation requires more than buildings. It requires investment in amenities that serve the people who live, work and attend school here. Green spaces are vital for everyone. As outlined in the 2000 New Vision for Bayside, residents have long called for grassy areas, trees, benches, picnic tables, exercise equipment for youth and adults and natural space. That vision remains largely unfulfilled. Dedicating just a ¼ acre portion of the site behind Planet Fitness for public park space would still leave roughly three acres available for housing, retail and a parking garage. A small but meaningful green space could anchor the neighborhood, provide safe recreation for students and create a visible sign that Bayside’s future includes balance. ~ Thomas Blackburn, Bayside Neighborhood Association

Maine murders delight crow lovers

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2026

To some, the ubiquitous crow is a noisy nuisance. To others, it’s a bad omen, a sign of death. But to many Mainers, crows are friends. Across the state, people have spent years — and a lot of food — building friendships with crows. Especially in the winter, when crows gather in large roosts, crow photos and stories inundate some social media groups. When thousands of crows darken the sky as the last remaining daylight fades and the cacophony of caws pierces the peaceful silence of dusk, it is hard not to look up with awe and maybe a shiver of trepidation. This spectacle occurs in the winter, when crows gather in large murders. After foraging all day in all directions, they come together at dusk to spend the night. Sleeping together helps protect them from frigid temperatures and predators like hawks. And although it has yet to be proven, some documentation also shows that crows may also communicate with each other in their roosts. 

Obituary: Walter Anderson

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 28, 2026

Walter Anderson set down his rock hammer on Feb. 15, 2026. Walter returned to New England in 1968 where he accepted a position at the Maine Geological Survey (MGS). As Assistant State Geologist, Walter oversaw natural resource investigations of all kinds. He served as State Geologist from 1978 to 1995. During his tenure, he built a modern geological survey, adding programs in hydrogeology and coastal geology to identify areas most susceptible to coastal erosion to better guide development. He initiated Geographic Information System applications to geology, heralding the modernization of data collection at MGS. When the federal government identified two candidate sites in Maine for the long-term storage of high-level nuclear waste in the mid-1980s, Walter led the scientific effort to oppose this poorly conceived effort. He also served as Chief Geologist for the International Appalachian Trail.