Letter: More investment needed to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 13, 2026

In recent years in Maine, there have been more than 6,000 vehicle collisions annually with deer, which can result in injury and death for both animals and people. In the United States, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill 200 people and injure 26,000 every year, and they result in the death of millions of animals. This doesn’t need to continue. Using wildlife crossings — like bridges, tunnels, and culverts — animals are able to safely cross our roads, reducing animal-vehicle collisions by 80% to 90%, sometimes even more. They are a reliable and economically effective way to prevent unnecessary collisions. Let’s do our part to protect wildlife and save lives. ~ Lee Rusiecki, Freeport

Maine towns fight off invasive flowers as they encroach on popular swimming pond 10

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 13, 2026

In its native ecosystems across the Atlantic, loosestrife proliferates when a disturbance like a flood opens up new ground. But there, weevils eventually knock it back, a species that’s not present in Maine. Elsewhere in the U.S., the flowers have been controlled with the introduction of beetles that prey on it. Catching invasive plant populations early also helps get a handle on how quickly they spread and how common the plants can become. Seeds are easily carried by birds and can travel. The Maine Natural Areas Program produces a guide to identifying invasive species.

Opinion: Maine needs more energy storage. It also needs more rigorous environmental review.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 12, 2026

The proposed Western Maine Energy Storage project in Dixfield has attracted attention because it could provide a significant amount of grid-scale energy storage. The project would use pumped-storage technology, moving water between two man-made ponds and generating electricity when demand is high. Unless the ongoing environmental review identifies unexpected impacts or fatal flaws, it is likely to receive the approvals it needs to move forward. The Dixfield project should receive the same scrutiny that Mainers would expect for any other major industrial development proposed in the Maine woods. Hydropower is renewable, but renewable and environmentally benign are not the same thing. Maine needs more energy storage. It also needs rigorous environmental review and an understanding of the tradeoffs that accompany large-scale development. ~ Steve Heinz,Maine Council of Trout Unlimited

Brunswick student group aims to spark next generation of environmentalists

TIMES RECORD • June 12, 2026

Avery Peterson wanted more opportunities to learn about environmental issues and possible solutions. So, she created one — teaming up with the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust to establish an Environmental Youth Leadership Program at her school. In the program’s inaugural year, 12 Brunswick High School students visited local businesses, municipal facilities and research centers and spoke with community members about how the environment informs their jobs and day-to-day lives. “Youth voices matter more than we think,” Peterson said. “People are actually interested to hear what teenagers have to say, and showing up really matters more than we think it does. Everything is impacted by climate change. It can be really positive to see all the good work people are doing around you.”

‘Different this time’: Wind farms and transmission lines poised to come to northern Maine

MAINE MONITOR • June 12, 2026

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has tried to encourage the development of large-scale renewable energy projects in Aroostook County for years. That saga may finally reach a resolution as the commission closes its latest round of bidding today and says it may begin making awards this month. Northern Maine is “a fantastic wind resource,” according to Eliza Donoghue, of the Maine Renewable Energy Association. That wind power could help Maine and other New England states meet rising electricity demand as well as their renewable energy goals as climate change prompts policymakers and the energy system to find ways to shift away from fossil fuels.But Aroostook County lacks transmission lines going south to export that energy, and the state and developers have been “trying to unlock that puzzle of how to make that happen for a long time,” Donoghue said. Northern Maine has its own electric grid, linked to New Brunswick, Canada, rather than to New England.

$1M grant will help Aroostook pallet maker expand to Houlton

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 12, 2026

Nearly $2 million in federal and private matching funds will help a Mars Hill pallet manufacturer expand to a new facility in Houlton. The Southern Aroostook Development Corporation secured a $1 million grant on Friday through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Forest Economy Program to support the Houlton Industrial Park project. The grant funds, combined with $800,000 from private donors, will be used by SADC to develop a modern manufacturing facility that it will lease long-term to Mars Hill-based Kearney Pallet.

Portland Foreside power plant loses first round with PUC

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 12, 2026

The Maine Public Utilities Commission issued a ruling this week preserving its authority to regulate a proposed cogeneration plant that would power hundreds of homes and businesses on Portland’s eastern waterfront. Portland Foreside Development Co. had requested an advisory ruling that the natural gas-fired plant would be exempt from regulation as a public utility. The plant would generate electricity and heat for several properties in the 10.5-acre mixed-use development, including a 132-unit condominium building, a 200-apartment complex and a 130-room hotel with 38 residences that are planned. The plant would be off the public grid and not linked to Central Maine Power Co.

Commentary: Taking on Trump to protect the Atlantic’s only marine national monument

MAINE MORNING STAR • June 12, 2026

The Trump administration has unlawfully opened up the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing. They don’t have the authority to do this. That hasn’t stopped them – so Conservation Law Foundation and our partners will. We just filed a lawsuit with the Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and whale watch naturalist Zack Klyver to block this reckless attack on the jewel of the Atlantic Ocean. As a marine scientist who has studied New England’s canyon ecosystems, I know how incredible this place is. ~ Dr. Gareth Lawson, Senior Scientist, Conservation Law Foundation Ocean Program

Column: How to spend 36 hours on Rangeley Lake

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

Out in western Maine, this tourist destination offers a throwback version of summer, marked by wilderness adventures and the amenities of a quaint downtown. Whether you’re paddling in the lake or overlooking it from a patio, the point is to be outside as much as possible. Here’s how to make the most of a weekend getaway in the region.

Column: How to spend 24 hours in coastal York County

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

The closest Maine destination for most people coming from out of state by car, coastal York County draws summer visitors who return to the same communities year after year. But Mainers from northern locales shouldn’t be deterred by the influx of tourists; this is part of your home state, and you should enjoy it, too. Here’s how to pack a sampling of the area’s offerings into a single jam-packed day (skipping the traffic bottleneck by Ogunquit).

Column: How to spend 48 hours way Down East

CENTRAL MAINE • June 11, 2026

Down East might be quieter than other tourist destinations, but there’s a lot to see in the area, including a U.S. president’s summer home, an iconic lighthouse and a jaw-dropping coastal trail. There are also fishing villages to check out and plenty of spots to get fresh seafood. The long drive from anywhere but Canada filters out many travelers, but anyone from Maine can do it in a long weekend. ~ Leslie Bridgers

Plan for $550M data center in Jay on hold, official says

SUN JOURNAL • June 11, 2026

A plan to convert the old Androscoggin paper mill into a data center appears to have hit a snag. Jay town manager Shiloh LaFreniere wrote in an email Thursday night that the group Sentinel Data Centers have said that they do not intend to move forward with the project. That information, according to LaFreniere, came from the JGT2 Redevelopment, which had been planning to partner with Sentinel on the $550 million project. A groundbreaking for the project had tentatively been set for July.

Deer, dog ticks are abundant in Maine right now. Here’s what to do about them.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 11, 2026

Maine residents are seeing a lot of ticks right now — in their backyards, on hikes, but also even in unusual places like crawling on porches or playground equipment. The reason: The two most predominant ticks in Maine, the deer tick and dog tick, are both in the adult stage of their life cycles. “We have multiple species all active right now,” said Griffin Dill, manager of the Tick Lab at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “It gives the impression that we are inundated with ticks.” Dog ticks have a broader habitat range than deer ticks, and are more noticeable to humans, Dill said. Deer ticks are a public health hazard, transmitting Lyme and other tick-borne diseases to humans. Dog ticks are considered more of a nuisance than a health threat.

Letter: Give cyclists room

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2026

Maine law requires motorists to allow for at least a 3-foot space when passing a bicycle. If the road is straight and there is no traffic coming from the opposite direction, you can and should cross the center line to comply with the law and for the safety of the bicyclist. However, if there is a curve or hill or traffic, you may have to wait two or three minutes until you can safely pass the bicyclist. ~ Jeffrey Lovit, Addison

6-year pause on new lobster rules is enough

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2026

In December 2022, at the urging of the Maine delegation, a rider was inserted into the Consolidated Appropriations Act in Congress that halted new North Atlantic right whale entanglement-related federal regulations for the lobster industry until January 2028. With 2028 approaching, Rep. Jared Golden recently supported a bill ( H.R. 8509) that would extend the pause through 2035. This bill is in bad faith, as it both ignores the facts and side steps the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts. Affected lobstermen could have the option to use on-demand gear if they want to continue fishing within a closed area like lobstermen are already doing in other states. Golden is proposing an unnecessary bill. ~ Bill McWeeny, Maine Coalition for North Atlantic Right Whales, Brooksville

Arrest made in alleged southern Maine ATV dragging

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Maine Game Wardens on Wednesday night arrested a Waterboro man for allegedly dragging a landowner who tried to stop his ATV. Devin Lafrance, 21, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless operation of an ATV, and failing to stop and identify for a landowner. The landowner stopped the driver and told him that he needed to slow down. But when the landowner tried to take a picture of the ATV, the driver accelerated, hitting the landowner and then dragging him 75 feet before getting away.

Feds want to open Ellsworth and Orland fish hatcheries to hunting

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Two national fish hatcheries that raise Atlantic salmon in Hancock County could be opened to public hunting for the first time through a proposal to increase hunting and fishing access on federally managed lands. The Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in Orland and the Green Lake National Fish Hatchery in Ellsworth are the only Maine properties on a federal list of more than 100 in 32 states that could be opened to or expanded for fishing or hunting under a Trump administration directive. Visitors to both hatcheries would be able to hunt upland game, big game and some migratory birds. The proposal also lifts hunting restrictions at National Park Service properties. Residents of Tremont will be allowed to hunt deer in Acadia National Park this fall following a local vote aimed at reducing populations.

Mainer rescued after falling from NH cliff face

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

A Mainer was rescued Tuesday after he fell from a New Hampshire cliff face. Eric Johansson, 65, was climbing Cannon Cliff in Franconia about 10 a.m. when a rock dislodged, causing him to fall, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game. Rescuers hiked to the base of the cliff and found him around noon.

Acadia just recorded its slowest offseason since the COVID pandemic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

The number of visits to Acadia National Park this winter and spring, outside the park’s busy tourist season, was the lowest it has been since before the COVID pandemic representing an 11% drop from the previous offseason. The slow season comes at an uncertain time for the park, which has grappled with federal funding cuts and a wave of policy changes since President Donald Trump was sworn into office in January 2025.

Irving Forest Products in Ashland to expand sawmill operation to double capacity and add jobs

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 10, 2026

Irving Forest Products has announced that it is adding a second sawmill operation in Ashland in Aroostook County. The company says it plans to double production and hire at least 80 more employees. The company applied to the Finance Authority of Maine New Markets Capital Investment Program, which encourages community development entities to find investors willing to invest in low-income areas in exchange for tax credits. Five investors provided $42 million to Irving and received $16.5 million in tax credits in return. The size of the mill is effectively doubling, from 68,500 square feet to 136,500 square feet to accommodate a new, second sawline capable of processing longer logs. Once the second sawline is up and running, the mill will be able to accept an additional 5,000 truckloads per year.