The feds no longer protect endangered species habitat. States say they can’t pick up the slack.

YAHOO NEWS • July 26, 2026

Earlier this month, the Trump administration finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for the forests, wetlands, deserts and other critical habitats that many plants and animals rely on. The new rule will open many landscapes to development, logging, mining and oil and gas drilling. Wildlife officials — in both conservative and liberal states — had expressed strong concerns about the proposal, saying it would threaten their plans to safeguard endangered species. Federal officials framed the decision as a move to give "freedom" to state leaders to manage wildlife without burdensome federal regulations. But legal experts and wildlife veterans say that almost no states have endangered species laws on the books that allow state officials to prevent habitat destruction in the name of saving wildlife. 

Bucksport wants vacant downtown lot back after development promise falls through

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Bucksport is trying to reacquire a vacant lot from a developer who did not follow through on an agreement to build a mixed-use development on Main Street in exchange for a $1 purchase price. But Ellsworth-based SFS Development LLC has not responded to multiple letters from the town, which plans to escalate, according to a town official’s report to councilors earlier last week. The lack of development on the still-vacant site is a bump in the town’s long-running efforts to diversify its downtown and bring in new businesses for visitors and its tax base since the Verso paper mill closed in 2014.

The state says Greenville approved 89 housing units last year. The reality isn’t even close.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

The State of Maine Housing Data Portal shows Greenville in Piscataquis County approved building permits for 89 housing units in 2025. That’s 53 new homes per 1,000 residents, and nearly triple the number that Bangor approved last year. But Mike Roy, Greenville’s town manager, said that’s not correct, and he has “no idea where 89 came from.” Roy said the community’s planning officials approved building permits for 29 new homes. The error reveals flaws in the state’s database, which was heralded as the best way to understand whether the state is meeting its housing production goals.

I’ve fished this remote Maine trout pond for more than 50 years. This trip was unlike the rest.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Back in early June my sons and I made our annual pilgrimage to Timbuktu and “the pond” for our trout fix. There was no disappointment. The brookies were as accommodating as they have always been this time of year over the more than half a century that I have fished this Heritage Water. This year, for the first time ever, Scotty and I decided to try the pond in early July. Of course, we realized that the fishing might be slow due to warming waters. We got on the pond with fly rods just before dark, but no matter how much you gink up your fly, it’s not easy to get a good float in a steady drizzle. That special pond near Timbuktu is not going anywhere, and one fishless July day there does not dampen our passion. ~ V. Paul Reynolds

This Maine archipelago is a sea kayaker’s dream

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 19, 2026

Our destination: Mussel Ridge Islands, an archipelago of secluded islands off the coast of South Thomaston, just south of Owls Head. To get there, we’d need to kayak about 2.5 miles across open water, but we were confident. Our group included an experienced sea kayaker who lives in the area and has explored the islands many times. We paddled between Dix and High islands, then around Birch Island to Hewett Island. There our group decided to split up. Three of us would continue about 2 miles to Two Bush Island Light. The cluster of islands is a popular place for sea kayakers to explore because it’s fairly accessible and is home to a variety of wildlife, plus small, sandy beaches. However, beware that currents can be strong in Muscle Ridge Channel. ~ Aislinn Sarnacki

Opinion: Returning land and care of it to Wabanaki Nations yields great opportunity

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 19, 2026

Last month the Mi’kmaq Nation acquired 3,400 acres of forest, wetland and streams. This new property, called Mesgilg Maqamigew, is located in Bridgewater. It more than doubles the land held by the Nation. Held within the “bigness” of Mesgilg Maqamigew are forest, fields, wetlands and miles of South Whitney Brook, known locally for its brook trout. Mesgilg Magamigew is nestled between the two largest populations of Mi’kmaq citizens (Houlton/Littleton and Presque Isle /Caribou) and is located only a mile off Route 1, making it very accessible to the Nation’s citizens. The size and accessibility of this land make it a place rich with possibilities for practicing culture. This is the sixth completed project in the Tributary Land Returns, a collaboration between the five federally recognized Wabanaki tribes and seven non-native organizations, to return over 50,000 acres to Wabanaki communities across 11 different projects. ~ Brett Ciccotelli is First Light’s core staff member for land return; Shannon Hill is the environmental health director for Mi’kmaq Nation

Auburn’s Misfits Rehab, a haven for hurt wildlife, needs help: ‘I have never met a more selfless human being’

SUN JOURNAL • July 19, 2026

Like so many of the animals she’s saved over the years, Jennifer Marchigiani is in a spot of trouble. The home she has always shared with an amazing variety of critters is in rough shape and her animal rescue, Misfits Rehab at 850 Garfield Road, is in peril. “If it weren’t for running my wildlife rescue out of this house, I’d try to sell it and get out from under the burden,” Marchigiani said, “but I’m not ready to give up on rescuing wildlife yet.” For Marchigiani, no creature is too wee or insignificant to be deserving of help when help is what that creature needs.

Maine has tallied 40 railroad fires this year. Most of them happened in Oakland

CENTRAL MAINE • July 19, 2026

Oakland is home to just under 7 miles of railroad track, just a tiny fraction — 0.006% — of the Maine’s railroad track network. So far this year, 70% of the state’s railroad fires have happened on that stretch. That’s a 360% increase over last year. The Maine Forest Service is investigating.

How to avoid falling while hiking in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2026

Maine trails are filled with thick tree roots and jagged rocks, which makes tripping easy. And in the fall, a fresh layer of papery leaves makes the terrain even more challenging to navigate. A dusting of snow does the same thing — and it often conceals ice, too. It’s important to prepare for any potential fall by carrying survival gear, including first aid. Hiking with a companion boosts your safety. Plus, you should always tell someone at home where you’re hiking and when you plan to return. My advice is: Slow down. Stop hiking if you’re observing wildlife or enjoying a view. Stop hiking if you’re using your camera, binoculars or phone. ~ Aislinn Sarnacki

Voters will consider ordinance changes to give Kingfish Maine more time to begin construction in Jonesport

MAINE MONITOR • July 17, 2026

The Board of Selectmen calendared an Aug. 5 special town meeting for voters to consider proposed changes to the town’s Shoreland Zoning and Land Use ordinances to give Kingfish more time and latitude for its proposed $100 million land-based aquaculture plant. In 2021, Kingfish Co. bought 9 Dun Garvin Road — about 95 acres of oceanfront property on Chandler Bay in Jonesport — and applied to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to build an aquaculture facility that would eventually produce 8,500 metric tons of yellowtail kingfish a year and provide between 70 and 100 jobs. The project has since weathered multiple appeals from opponents concerned about its environmental impact and there has been no construction at the site to date.

Western Maine group conserves riverside woods in Strong

SUN JOURNAL • July 17, 2026

A 124-acre property along the Sandy River has been permanently conserved, protecting forest, farmland and river habitat while securing public access to the land. High Peaks Alliance announced the conservation of Walrath Woods on South Strong Road about a mile south of the village. The property includes 1.7 miles of river frontage and will eventually be home to the Sherry Walrath Memorial Trail, a roughly 0.8-mile out-and-back path with river access, viewpoints, kiosks and benches.

Woman injured after falling off cliff at Acadia National Park

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2026

A woman was injured late Friday morning after falling about 30 feet off a cliff near Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park. The Coast Guard was notified at about 11:50 a.m. and responded by boat from Southwest Harbor. The woman, who has not been publicly identified, is believed to have fallen into the water and may have been pulled out by others at the scene. “The initial assessment is that she had a head laceration and potential broken bones and bodily bruising.”

New regulations to protect right whales may be paused until 2035

MAINE PUBLIC • July 17, 2026

A bill cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine's 2nd District that would further delay new protections for North American right whales has advanced out of Committee. Golden has cited government layoffs and other slowdowns as reasons for extending a moratorium on new regulations from 2028 to 2035. But Gib Brogan of ocean protection nonprofit Oceana said the science is clear. "All of the available evidence shows that the protections that are in place right now are not enough to support the recovery of North Atlantic right whales." Brogan said swift, decisive action is needed to pull the critically endangered right whale back from the brink.

Blue crabs are showing up in Maine waters. What could that mean for green crabs?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 17, 2026

Green crabs have been an invasive scourge in the Gulf of Maine since arriving from Europe a century ago, hitching rides in the ballasts of ships. They rip up eelgrass habitats and devour soft-shell clams, harming vital fisheries and ecosystems. But in the past few years, fishermen have started to notice another unwelcome crustacean in Maine waters — the invasive blue crab. Native to the mid-Atlantic and moving north as the Gulf of Maine rapidly warms, scientists wonder if the blue crabs could help bring their invasive counterparts to heel, but also worry about the damage the blues might cause.

New England solar projects cut millions in costs during July heatwave, report says

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 17, 2026

Rooftop solar saved New England ratepayers more than $130 million in electricity costs during the region’s early July heat wave, according to a report from the Acadia Center. Jamie Dickerson, one of the report’s authors and senior director of climate and clean energy programs for the environmental nonprofit, said it’s a clear economic case for the benefits of solar power.

Maine’s air quality will be worse Saturday

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2026
Maine on Saturday will get a small taste of the smoke from Canadian wildfires that turned skies apocalyptic orange from Minnesota to Maryland. Particulate pollution will be slightly elevated statewide, posing risks for sensitive groups, including people with heart or lung disease, older adults, asthmatics and people who work outdoors,

Nearly 200 acres of wild blueberry land in one town among fields listed in coastal Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 17, 2026

Milbridge-based Wyman’s, the state’s largest blueberry company, has recently listed hundreds of acres on the midcoast and in Hancock County that it acquired with the 2021 purchase of Ellsworth-based Allen’s Blueberry Freezer. In the Hancock County town of Penobscot, the company currently has an active listing for a 90-acre parcel on Leach Road for $679,000. Two other blueberry fields in the town owned by individuals have also sold this year; a 12.5-acre property on North Penobscot Road with 7.5 acres of harvestable blueberry land, and a 208-acre parcel featuring 50 acres of producing blueberry fields on Dunbar Road. Such scenic properties are appealing for home developers.

Paper mill was the source of Maine river oil spill

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 16, 2026

An oil spill discovered in the Kennebec River in Clinton in late April came from the Skowhegan paper mill up the river, the U.S. Coast Guard found. The paper mill’s management initially denied that the oil belonged to it. But a mill spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that it is aware the oil has the same “chemical signature” as the fuel oil used at its Somerset Mill and has cooperated fully with regulators.

Study Backs Marine Conservation Farming as Tool for Atlantic Salmon Recovery

SEAFOOD NEWS • July 15, 2026

A newly published study on the Fundy Salmon Recovery (FSR) project is adding momentum to calls for Canada to adopt new tools to restore wild Atlantic salmon populations, arguing that habitat work alone will not be enough to reverse declines. The research, published in Fisheries Research by scientists from the University of New Brunswick, Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, found that salmon raised through the project’s marine conservation farming approach produced more than four times as many offspring as fish reared entirely in traditional ways.

New Monmouth trail is only the start, officials say: ‘This is the first one’

CENTRAL MAINE • July 15, 2026

Construction on an “all-persons” trail four years in the making is underway, with the goal of opening in October a path that accommodates people of all ages and mobility levels. The idea for the trail came from a survey four years ago that found residents wanted to spend the town’s Tax-Increment Financing funding on outdoor recreation and trails. Chuck Cohen, chair of the Monmouth Trails Committee, said, “This is going to be a great project and it’s going to get people excited about getting out and walking and using this trail. This is huge for our town.” There will also be an outdoor learning classroom for Monmouth students along the trail, and it will enhance recreational sporting opportunities in the area. “We’re looking at this as a backbone for a trail system in the town of Monmouth.”