Skowhegan River Park construction to kick off with boardwalk project

CENTRAL MAINE • June 24, 2026

Residents and visitors will soon see construction on one aspect of the River Park, after three decades of talks about the downtown development project. Work was set to begin this week on the first phase of a riverfront boardwalk along the Kennebec River. Thanks to a $1 million gift from the New Balance Foundation that comes with naming rights, fundraising for the boardwalk is now complete, according to the economic revitalization nonprofit Main Street Skowhegan.

Franklin County lands $2.37M for trail, housing, ski projects

FRANKLIN JOURNAL • June 24, 2026

Three Franklin County projects will receive a combined $2.37 million in federal funding through the Northern Border Regional Commission, including money for a Farmington trail bridge, ski area upgrades and workforce housing infrastructure in Carrabassett Valley.

Fact brief: Does Maine have the most untouched wilderness in the Lower 48?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

No. Maine does not have the most untouched wilderness in the Lower 48 (the continental states excluding Alaska and Hawaii). One measure is federally designated wilderness: public land Congress has protected under the Wilderness Act. Maine has three designated wilderness areas totaling about 18,600 acres, less than 1% of its land area. California has the most designated acreage in the Lower 48 at 15.3 million. Another measure is the U.S. Forest Service’s list of inventoried roadless areas. These are undeveloped National Forest System lands, but they are not automatically designated as wilderness. Maine has about 6,000 acres, ranking 33rd among the 42 states listed by the Forest Service. Alaska leads with nearly 14.8 million roadless acres. Maine nevertheless is said to be the nation’s most forested state.

Volunteers are mapping Maine's missing mussels

MAINE PUBLIC • June 24, 2026

A community science effort led by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute is mapping mussel beds with the help of this weekend's extremely low tide. By documenting where mussels are thriving or receding due to changing environmental factors, researchers can better understand what's happening along the coast, said Carissa Maurin, aquaculture manager at GMRI. The effort is part of a larger community science project spanning Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Code enforcement officers are a ‘dying breed’ in Maine. That’s a problem.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

By law, every municipality must employ a code officer to enforce state and local ordinances on shoreland zoning, land use, plumbing, waste disposal and building codes. They’re responsible for reviewing permits, conducting inspections, investigating complaints and making sure construction meets safety standards. Like so many industries, though, code enforcement is facing a mass exodus of workers as baby boomers retire. That’s where regionalization comes in. the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments has developed a model that will soon be replicated across the state as part of a three-year pilot program.

Androscoggin River water quality is the subject of a lawsuit. Here’s what you need to know.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 24, 2026

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, a conservation group, filed a federal lawsuit last week seeking stronger water-quality protections for part of the Androscoggin River. The lawsuit challenges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for abusing its discretion under the Clean Water Act “in failing to reject Maine’s unlawful and uncodified actual antidegradation policy.” It also challenges the Maine Board of Environmental Protection for its refusal to recommend to the state Legislature a reclassification of a stretch of Androscoggin River ranging from Gulf Island Pond dams to Worumbo in Lisbon. The lawsuit follows a yearslong debate over whether the stretch of Androscoggin River should be reclassified from a Class C waterway to cleaner Class B status.

Rockland man accused of 17 hunting violations

MIDCOAST VILLAGER • June 23, 2026

A Rockland man entered not guilty pleas Monday to 17 violations of Maine hunting laws. Dustin Dean, 23, was initially charged with night hunting in Rockport. A criminal complaint was filed June 9 charging him with 17 counts that include one count of night hunting, six counts of exceeding the bag limit on deer, one count of fraudulently obtaining a hunting license, four counts of failing to register the animal after it was hunted, four counts of unlawful possession of a wild animal, and one count of hunting an antlerless deer without a permit.

Kennebunkport’s Cape Porpoise Pier renovation completed

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

Kennebunkport has wrapped up an $8.6 million renovation of the Cape Porpoise Pier, which supports approximately 50 commercial fishing vessels and is home to several restaurants. The town will mark the occasion with a formal ceremony Wednesday morning. The pier had a number of structural flaws that were exacerbated by years of storm surges and extreme tides.

Landmark Deal Marks Step Toward Permanent Protection for 500 Acres of Rare Oldest Forest in Northern Maine

NEW ENGLAND FORESTRY FOUNDATION • June 23, 2026

The New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) and Irving Woodlands Maine have signed an agreement to defer timber harvesting in nearly 500 acres of rare, old, natural forest — also known as late-successional and old-growth (LSOG) forest — in Aroostook County, safeguarding carbon-rich ecosystems and rare habitat as part of a broader effort to conserve some of Maine’s most valuable forestland. Under the agreement, NEFF will provide funding to Irving Woodlands Maine in exchange for deferring planned timber harvests while partners work toward a permanent conservation solution for the area. As part of the agreement, NEFF is also providing funds to support practices that will increase future timber production in younger forests, including thinning dense young stands.

Acadia’s citizen advisory commission has not met this year

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

A citizen advisory commission for Acadia National Park has missed its two meetings so far in 2026. The bylaws say the Acadia Advisory Commission shall convene at least three times per year. Usually, those meetings take place in February, June and September. The first two meetings planned this year have not happened, which members and stakeholders said seems to be the result of an administrative problem at the national level.

Maine CDC confirms 1st case of Powassan virus in 2026

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

A Penobscot County resident has contracted a non-neuroinvasive case of Powassan virus, the first acquired in the state this year, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday. This tick-borne illness is considered far more severe than the similarly transmitted Lyme disease. It’s also easier to transmit, with transmission occurring in as little as 15 minutes after a bite from an infected tick.

What to know about the new trail near Portland’s Deering Oaks Park

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

Over the last several weeks, daily commuters along Interstate 295 in Portland have had a front-row seat to the construction of a new multiuse trail along the former Union Branch rail line between Forest Avenue and Hadlock Field. The new trail, considered the first phase of a plan to connect the Bayside and Parkside neighborhoods to Libbytown and the Portland Transportation Center, will have two parallel sections. One is a 12-foot-wide paved pathway, while the other is a stone dust jogging (or cross-country skiing) path installed within the old rail line. The section underway now begins at Forest Avenue and State Street and follows the rail line between the highway and Deering Oaks, Fitzpatrick Stadium and Hadlock Field.

Robbins family selling 1,380 acres of forest land in Montville

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 23, 2026

The family that owns Robbins Lumber is selling forestland in Montville a little over month after a fiery explosion at the company’s mill in Searsmont. The Robbins family is selling 1,380 acres of forest for $2.6 million. The land — which the family has owned for about 30 years — includes 2 miles of waterfront along a pond and bog, a small cabin, an operational sugar house and an active gravel pit. The timber on the property — named the Robbins Family Forest — is valued at $1.2 million, according to LandVest, which is selling the property. About 93% of the land is “commercially operable for forest management activities.” Robbins Lumber has been selling pine since 1881, and the company now owns and manages 30,000 acres of forest.

High Peaks Alliance receives $1 Million NBRC Grant for Sandy River Bridge Project

DAILY BULLDOG • June 22, 2026

High Peaks Alliance is pleased to announce that the Sandy River Bridge project has received a $1 million grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). The funding will help the project move forward toward construction bidding next spring, despite cost increases tied to survey discrepancies, inflation, and required consultations related to Atlantic salmon. The Sandy River Bridge will provide a connection for the Whistle Stop Trail, extending safe pedestrian and snowmobile access into downtown Farmington. The project is designed to improve connectivity to jobs, health care, education, and tourism destinations while strengthening regional recreation and economic activity.

As federal support evaporates, Maine says it's refocusing on achievable climate goals

MAINE PUBLIC • June 22, 2026

The Maine Climate Council is considering ways to make progress on state goals without federal support. Council co-chair Melanie Loyzim told councilors this month that the latest version of "Maine Won't Wait" was written before the second Trump administration stripped funding and resources for climate action. Under President Donald Trump, the federal government has rescinded funding for climate programs, failed to publish federal data on greenhouse gas emissions, halted or put barriers in front of offshore ocean wind and other energy and cut incentives for home energy-efficiency. "Those changes are slowing progress in some areas of the plan but they are not stopping us," Loyzim said.

Specialty crop relief fund could help Maine's wild blueberry farmers

MAINE PUBLIC • June 22, 2026

Maine's wild blueberry growers and other specialty crop farmers in Maine could see some federal relief after last year's historic drought decimated much of the harvest. Farmers who reported their losses to the USDA can apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program until Aug. 7. The Maine Wild Blueberry Commission estimates that growers experienced approximately $28 million in losses during the 2025 crop year.

Border crossings into Maine rise slightly compared to last year, after months of decline

MAINE PUBLIC • June 22, 2026

Border crossings into Maine were up slightly in March and April compared to the same months last year. The increase comes after months of declining border crossings from Canada following President Donald Trump's imposition of tariffs, and threats to make the country a 51st state. Many in the state's tourism industry have prioritized outreach to Canadian visitors, who've historically flocked to Maine's southern beaches in the summer.

For the first time, Maine is reporting climate pollution without federal data

MAINE PUBLIC • June 22, 2026

For decades, Maine and other parties have relied on the federal government to publish comprehensive data on greenhouse gas pollution, the foundation for national and local climate policy. The EPA stopped publishing data last year, when Trump pulled the U.S. out of international climate agreements. It was the first time in 30 years the agency failed to report information on greenhouse gasses. Now Maine is working with partners to compile and publish the data themselves. Maine's biannual "greenhouse gas inventory" estimates the amount of climate pollution such as carbon dioxide and methane released from vehicles, homes and businesses, industry and electricity production. Maine also calculates how those emissions are offset by carbon stored in the state's forests, peat bogs and other natural sinks.

Opinion: Maine’s PUC needs to make CMP earn its rate increase

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 22, 2026

Yet again, Central Maine Power is before the Maine Public Utilities Commission seeking a rate increase. Take a hard look at whether CMP has earned the right to more ratepayer money. From 2016 to 2024, Maine ranked in the bottom five states for the number of outages experienced by its customers and finished worst in the nation in six out of those nine years when major outage events are included. In all but one of those nine years, Maine ranked among the eight worst states for total duration of outages. Maine rarely faces hurricanes, tornadoes, significant flooding or earthquakes. The weather excuse does not explain away nine years of being among the worst in the nation. The focus of the company has shifted from reliable and economic service to Mainers toward generating returns for its foreign parent. It is time for the PUC to hold CMP accountable, demand real performance and ensure that any new ratepayer dollars are invested efficiently and in the public interest. ~ Bill Dunn, retired electric power industry consultant, Yarmouth

Land returned to Mi’kmaq Nation will double tribe’s territory

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 22, 2026

The Mi’kmaq Nation on Friday obtained title to Mesgilg Maqamigew, a nearly 3,400-acre parcel near Bridgewater. It will more than double the tribe’s holdings. “For decades the Mi’kmaq citizens have seen their traditional hunting and gathering grounds disappear to development or private ownership not allowing access,” Chief Sheila McCormack said. “This property will give our people a place for outdoor recreation, a place to teach our children how to hunt and fish, and a place we can pass down the traditions of our ancestors before they are forgotten.” The Conservation Fund purchased the parcel last year from forestry company H.C. Hayne, then held it on behalf of the tribe. The organization worked with the Wabanaki Commission on Land and Stewardship and First Light to secure $1.9 million for project.