Fire damages Farmingdale firewood business

CENTRAL MAINE • July 23, 2026

Fire destroyed the kiln at a Farmingdale firewood business Thursday morning, drawing a response from several area fire departments. Farmingdale fire Chief Dana Mealey said the kiln at A.W. Allen Firewood was destroyed by the fire, as were the 10 baskets of wood inside the kiln at the time. However, other buildings on the site were saved.

Juniper Ridge expansion opponents argue state again failed to consider environmental justice

MAINE MORNING STAR • July 23, 2026

Opponents of the Juniper Ridge Landfill expansion returned to Penobscot Superior Court Thursday to argue that the state has continued to fail to meet environmental justice standards when considering whether the project would benefit the public. The Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation argued in a hearing that even in its second public benefit determination, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection failed to truly meet the required environmental justice criteria. But Jack Dafoe, attorney for DEP, said the state has closely scrutinized the project.

State plan to expand Maine’s biggest landfill back in court

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

A state judge is questioning whether environmental regulators are equipped to weigh the cultural survival of the Penobscot Nation against the expansion of the largest landfill in Maine. During oral arguments in Bangor on Thursday, Superior Court Justice Bruce Mallonee signaled skepticism over how the Department of Environmental Protection determines environmental justice for a people burdened by a century of industrial pollution. The proceeding is the latest development in the Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation’s effort to block a 61-acre expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town, which is located just northwest of the Penobscot River and the tribe’s reservation islands.

Gorham residents urge DEP to slow down assessment of proposed Amazon site

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday hosted a rare public meeting to hear comments on Amazon’s application for its proposed warehouse and distribution facility near Gorham’s town center. The two-hour meeting, which had to be moved to a larger room to accommodate the approximately 65 attendees, was the second public meeting concerning the project this week. It followed a public hearing on the most recent plan before the town Planning Board on Monday, where residents largely opposed the project.

Juniper Ridge expansion returns to court to face questions of environmental health

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

The state still hasn’t given adequate weight to how more than doubling the size of an Old Town landfill would hurt Penobscot Nation, a lawyer argued Thursday. The Conservation Law Foundation and Penobscot Nation sued the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in November 2024 over the proposed expansion of Juniper Ridge, citing environmental justice. Lawyers for both sides argued for about two hours Thursday regarding the proposal. The ongoing lawsuit is the first test of a 2021 state law that says all people have the right to be protected from pollution and “to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful environment.”

Maine island official asks residents to conserve water amid shortage

MIDCOAST VILLAGER • July 23, 2026

At the height of Maine’s summer tourist season, when ferries arrive full of seasonal residents and visitors eager to enjoy the island’s beaches, trails and quiet coastal charm, Islesboro officials are confronting a challenge that affects everyone who calls the island home, even temporarily: water. Fire Chief Murton Durkee issued a public appeal Friday asking residents to conserve water as the island continues to experience a groundwater shortage brought on by an extended stretch of dry weather.

FERC finds DeepGreen’s preliminary permit application deficient

MAINE MONITOR • July 23, 2026

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has found deficiencies in a preliminary permit application for a controversial underwater artificial intelligence data center in the Bay of Fundy’s Western Passage, north of Kendall Head. In a July 15 letter, FERC requested more information from DeepGreen after finding four deficiencies in its preliminary permit application.

Blue Hill hospital will use a tanker and bottled water after finding excessive PFAS in its well

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 23, 2026

Northern Light Health’s Blue Hill Hospital will use a tanker truck and bottled water after recent testing found excessive “forever chemicals” in its well. Those tests found concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds at 20.1 parts per trillion, just over the state mandated maximum of 20 parts per trillion.

‘Teddy’s Travels’: An intern’s guide to exploring Maine through his lens

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

Breaking news intern Teddy Almond spent much of his first time in Maine exploring. Here are the spots he loved — and the tips and tricks he picked up.

Love for Maine trails: My journey into volunteering

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

A trail is a good metaphor for life. It can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time. A magnificent trail is one that feels like it’s always been there, meandering through forests and meadows, taking you to beautiful vistas, roaring brooks and rocky shorelines. Like every great work of art there is a compelling story behind every trail. It starts with a vision and a story to share about the landscape that it wanders through. Many trails built in the past were built to get from one place to another. Today, trails are mostly about recreation. A well-crafted trail brings joy from the sights, sounds and smells that change depending on the weather, time of day, season and wildlife. ~ Patrick Sandefur, Wiscasset

This guide will help you paddle your way through western Maine

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 23, 2026

Western Maine has an abundance of lakes, ponds and rivers, but public boat rentals are concentrated in only a few communities. Wilton offers equipment beside Wilson Lake, Farmington and Bethel have carry-away rentals, Bethel outfitters run shuttle-supported trips on the Androscoggin River, and Rangeley-area businesses offer rentals lasting from an hour to several days.

More than half of Earth’s migratory bird species are declining

THE CONVERSATION • July 23, 2026

Every year, billions of migratory birds connect the world’s continents, oceans and ecosystems as they undertake epic journeys between their foraging habitats and their breeding grounds. Today, many species are in trouble. Their migrations remain among nature’s greatest spectacles, but the birds themselves are increasingly at risk as the habitats and ecological connections they depend upon are lost or degraded and threats to their survival and ability to reproduce increase. We just published a comprehensive assessment of the status, threats and conservation efforts involving more than 3,380 of Earth’s migratory bird species. The results are sobering. We found that more than half of the world’s migratory bird species are declining because of an array of threats.

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.

Column: A Cool Bird Adventure on a Hot Day in Maine

BOOTHBAY REGISTER • July 22, 2026

There are few better places to be on a torridly hot summer day than the cool ocean waters off the Maine coast. That’s where we found ourselves a few weeks ago during one of those near record-breaking hot days. We were on the upper deck of the Hardy Boat out of New Harbor for the annual Natural Resources Council (NRCM) of Maine puffin trip to Eastern Egg Rock. Long-time friend  Steve Kress (the “prince of puffins”) and his wife Elissa were onboard, Steve providing his colorful narrative describing his story about his half-century long project restoring puffins to Eastern Egg Rock. It was our pleasure to assist Steve in pointing out and identifying the many bird species we saw. Justin Strasberger, the new head of NRCM was there, too, talking with members, showcasing his boundless energy and enthusiasm for protecting Maine’s environment. ~ Jeff and Allison Wells

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.