After sightings of deadly sharks, a Maine town will fly warning flags all summer

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

Harpswell will fly shark warning flags at its beaches all summer, doing away with a policy that took the flags down within 24 hours of each sighting. The town adopted the season-long flag policy nearly six years after a great white shark attack killed 63-year-old Julie Dimperio Holowach while she was swimming off Harpswell, the first fatal shark attack in Maine history. The select board made the change official last week after a string of new shark sightings shut down beaches in several midcoast towns. With no lifeguards to track individual sharks, town officials say the old beach-by-beach system couldn’t keep up with how often great whites are actually moving through Harpswell’s waters. 

New trapping regulations take effect in Maine this fall, including early raccoon season

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

Maine trappers will see several changes this fall, including an early raccoon season and other updates to the state’s rules. The season will begin on the Sunday two weeks before the general fall trapping season opens and end the day before the general trapping season begins. It will coincide with Maine’s early fox and coyote trapping season.

How one Maine family’s 16 big-game harvest restored my faith in the state’s hunting heritage

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

By the early 1900s outdoor enthusiasts were visiting Maine from all over the world to hire guides and outfitters to pursue big and small game, sea and puddle ducks, Atlantic salmon and landlocked salmon and trout. When Canada geese and wild turkey came into the picture in the last few decades, popularity grew further for sportsmen. My dad, an avid outdoorsman, introduced me to cast-and-blast sporting ventures from a young age. Unfortunately, a nationwide decline in hunting sports and license sales over the last 20 years has taken place. The story of the Cushman clan of Mars Hill helped restore my faith in the next generation of Maine outdoorsmen. During last year’s spring turkey, bear, fall turkey and deer seasons, Garrett Cushman and his three sons — Carson, Ethan and Connor — managed to tag 16 big-game animals. They also accounted for dozens of ducks, geese, partridge and rabbits. Maine’s hunting heritage lives on in the Cushman clan. ~ Bill Graves

Why I didn’t shoot the coyote behind my house

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

I’ve hunted coyotes and seen them in the woods while I’ve deer hunted. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a nearby coyote howl. The one on my trail camera was just too close to my house. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s says: “people are less tolerant of coyotes than they are of any other furbearer species.” While I don’t want coyotes around, the more I questioned my gut reaction. Maybe it’s OK to have coyotes nearby if the result is a reduction in deer densities. I can’t guarantee that I won’t shoot a coyote if I see one while I’m out in the woods, but for right now, the one behind my house is safe. ~ Erin Merrill

20 stunning photos from iconic Acadia hiking trails

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 22, 2026

There’s no such thing as a bad view in Acadia National Park. With more than 120 miles of hiking trails and 26 mountains to summit within the park, there are countless places to soak in the sights of Mount Desert Island, the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding Maine coast. We’ve rounded up 20 photos that show just what awaits you on these iconic trails.

Endangered right whales could wait almost a decade for new US protections

ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 22, 2026

New protections for endangered right whales in the North Atlantic would be postponed for nearly a decade under a plan that cleared a key hurdle in Washington last week with the full-throated support from the fishing and lobster industries. Environmentalists say this could spell the end for the vanishing whales, which can drown after getting tangled in fishing gear or being struck by boats. President Donald Trump ‘s administration has thrown its support behind Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, in his efforts to further delay new regulations aimed at protecting right whales.

Advocacy group launches database of products made with 'forever chemicals'

MAINE PUBLIC • July 23, 2026

The Maine-based nonprofit Defend Our Health has launched a searchable database of products that contain PFAS and other harmful chemicals. While the state of Maine has already banned the sale of most consumer products containing the "forever chemicals" earlier this year, Defend Our Health President Emily Carey Perez de Alejo says the directory will hold companies accountable and be useful for other states. "It's hard to figure out exactly which item does or does not have PFAS on your own," she said. "So putting together this searchable directory should help to avoid these materials." PFAS — which have been linked to harmful health effects in humans — have been used for decades in household products like cookware, makeup and fertilizers.

Fact brief: Did the mortality rate of monitored Maine moose calves exceed 70% this year?

CENTRAL MAINE • July 22, 2026

Yes. Maine moose biologist Lee Kantar said 72% of the state’s GPS-collared moose calves died before reaching their first birthday in 2026. Kantar told Maine Public the monitored sample was fairly representative of Maine’s broader moose population, although conditions vary by location. Annual mortality among collared calves has ranged from anywhere between 8% and 87% since monitoring began in 2014. Winter ticks caused this year’s high death rate. 

Sale of Kennebec River dams clears 1 hurdle, faces another

CENTRAL MAINE • July 22, 2026

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has agreed to put a pause on relicensing the Shawmut dam and the license amendment process for the Weston, Hydro-Kennebec and Lockwood dams while FERC continues to consider a request from Brookfield Renewable to transfer the licenses for the Weston, Shawmut and Lockwood hydroelectric stations to newly created holding companies. The entities were created to facilitate their transfer to The Nature Conservancy, which in turn plans to give ownership of the dams to a new nonprofit, the Kennebec River Restoration Trust. The paper mill says it relies on the Shawmut impoundment. The Nature Conservancy has said it is “100% committed” to developing a solution for Sappi’s operations.

Rangeley Logging Festival returns with weekend of logging, forestry events

SUN JOURNAL • July 21, 2026

Despite gray skies, the Rangeley Logging Festival drew crowds over the weekend to take part in a variety of activities from Main Street in Rangeley to the Maine Forestry Museum grounds in Dallas Plantation. This year, the museum marked 45 years of celebrating the logging festival. This year, there was a presentation called the “Working Forest Tour.” Other demonstrations featured on Friday included an educational session about local wood creatures and their habitats by Rangeley Wild, a historic two-man chainsaw demonstration and a lecture on forest mapping. On Saturday, local families and businesses took part in the Logging Parade.

Food, fertilizer, sport: What to do with the invasive green crab?

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

At Wolfe's Neck Farm & Campground in Freeport, a group of 30 volunteers are tromping through the mud flats at low tide, buckets in hand. Their goal is to get as many green crabs out of the environment as possible in one hour. It's called a "green crab derby." Volunteers flip over rocks and rake through seaweed with their bare hands. Rachel Wheeler, who is up from North Carolina camping with friends, brought her young daughter along. There will be prizes for biggest crab, most crabs, and most soft-shell green crabs found. The specimens collected will be disposed of or composted.

Maine plans major energy storage buildout

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

The Maine Department of Energy Resources is seeking regulators' approval for a major buildout of energy storage on the state's electric grid. The department filed a petition with the Maine Public Utilities Commission this week to start competitive bidding to develop up to 360 megawatts of large-scale batteries, which can store electricity when demand is low, then deliver it to the grid at periods of high need. A total 360 megawatt buildout could provide enough power for 15% of Maine's total electric load. Maine has a goal of adding 400 megawatts of energy storage by 2030.

Maine Calling: Squid

MAINE PUBLIC • July 21, 2026

The octopus is in vogue now, thanks to books and films featuring this sea creature. But its cephalopod cousin, the squid, is just as fascinating. Their jet propulsion makes them the fastest marine invertebrate; their huge eyes work like a camera; they can glow and flash to communicate with other squids. Find out about the kinds of squid in the Gulf of Maine, what researchers are learning, how and why people fish for squid, and what the potential is for a commercial squid fishery in Maine. Panelists:
Michelle Staudinger, Darling Marine Center, University of Maine; Owen Nichols, Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Mass; Jessica Blaylock, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

Opinion: Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 21, 2026

Maine’s aging water systems face a growing funding gap that could translate into sharply higher customer bills. After years of deferred maintenance, some rural districts across Maine have raised rates by more than 20% — and in some cases as much as 75% — to pay for long overdue needs. At Portland Water District, water main replacement is one example. Recent assessments indicate we should replace about eight miles of water main each year at an estimated cost of $40 million, compared with roughly $11 million spent today. Without increased investment, aging pipes will continue to deteriorate, and water main breaks are likely to become more frequent, disruptive and expensive. The U.S. Congress is uniquely well positioned to help us close the financing gap. ~ Scott Firmin, general manager of Portland Water District

Opinion: The tragedy of the ‘posted’ commons

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 21, 2026

I am constantly in awe of this land, of this seeming sanctuary of greenery, rivers, beaches, and mountains. Maine’s tradition of public access to land fosters collective appreciation of these gifts. Landowners have a right to determine who comes and goes on their own land, but I applaud every private landowner who commits to honoring this tradition. When the dreaded “Posted” signs pop up in a place that was previously accessible, it has a real and tangible impact on everyone in the community. I hope Mainers recognize how fragile this endowment of natural beauty is, and that the danger is not sudden change but rather the slow erosion of access, heralded by simple signs that read “Posted.” ~ Dan Rhodes, volunteer, High Peaks Alliance

Amazon’s revised proposal in Gorham gets public hearing

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 20, 2026

Amazon has revised some aspects of its controversial plan to build a warehouse and distribution facility near the Gorham town center, but opponents say plans to reduce traffic, noise, lighting, pollution and other environmental impacts aren’t enough.

Freedom wants to curb partying at popular swimming spot

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 20, 2026

Freedom’s select board is trying to crack down on rowdy behavior at a placid pond. At a meeting on Monday night, the Select Board discussed how to address problems at the boat launch and swimming spot on Freedom Pond, also known as Sandy Pond, where residents have complained about partying, drug use, nudity, fighting and people having sex in cars. Earlier this month, the board announced it would restrict access to the pond to Freedom residents and property owners. But the move caused an uproar on social media, with many people from surrounding towns lamenting that they would no longer be able to swim at the pond.

Maine wants to end emerald ash borer quarantine

MAINE PUBLIC • July 20, 2026

Maine officials want to eliminate quarantine rules imposed to stop the spread of invasive emerald ash borer, arguing the continued spread of the destructive beetle make the restrictions ineffective. "The reality is that we knew all along that it would come to this eventually, that there was no way for us to stop it," said state horticulturist Gary Fish, with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. "All we could do is slow it down and we've probably slowed it down as much as we can," Fish added.

A midcoast lobster wharf is back under local ownership

HARPSWELL ANCHOR • July 20, 2026

The owner of the Mackerel Cove wharf Glen’s Lobsters has bought the Angie’s Lobster wharf next door, a move that brings a piece of Bailey Island’s working waterfront back under local ownership. Shawn Baumgartner said he plans to do some repairs to the Angie’s dock and buildings and keep that wharf operating for the foreseeable future. The Angie’s wharf last changed hands just four years ago in 2022, when an Arizona-based fast food restaurant bought it.

Fact brief: Does Monsanto v. Durnell bar Maine from adding differing health warnings to pesticide labels?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 20, 2026

Yes. Monsanto v. Durnell bars all subnational entities, including Maine, from adding health warnings to pesticide labels different from the federal government’s. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 7-2 vote that under federal law states cannot impose labeling requirements “in addition to or different from” those required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.