Wildlife encounter calls are up in Maine, but rabies cases are not

MAINE PUBLIC • September 17, 2026

State officials say calls about human encounters with wild animals are up this year in Maine, but the number of rabies cases has not increased. The U.S. CDC issued an advisory last week about an increase in calls nationwide regarding human exposure to rabies. Officials in Maine said the increase in calls is due to more encounters with bats. State wildlife biologist Tegwin Taylor said part of the reason is that this is a time of year when bat pups leave their roosts. "The other good thing that may be contributing to why we're seeing more interactions lately is that our bat populations are actually increasing in the state," Taylor said. Bat populations were decimated by white nose syndrome several years ago.

Maine environmental board delays final decision on NECEC conservation plan

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 17, 2026

The Maine Board of Environmental Protection delayed final consideration Thursday of the validity of the conservation area associated with the controversial New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line. The board met for five hours in the Augusta Armory to consider an appeal from environmental groups, which argued the project’s conservation plan did not meet standards for habitat connectivity and mature forest conservation. The board had ordered the conservation plan in 2022 to mitigate habitat disruption caused by the NECEC transmission line, which cut a 150-foot-wide swath through 53 miles of rural, forested landscape. Members of the board said Thursday that they need more information from the Department of Environmental Protection staff to determine if the area does, in fact, mitigate the disruption of habitat.

Canaan man charged with manslaughter in boating death of Skowhegan man

CENTRAL MAINE • September 17, 2026

Charles J. Frost, 22, is charged with one Class A count of manslaughter and one Class C count of operating a watercraft under the influence causing death. Frost was driving the boat on the Kennebec River from which Jakub Prokop, 21, was ejected on July 4. Frost told game wardens he and Prokop “were doing circles and jumping waves.” Frost said he did a “sharp turn” when Prokop was ejected. He said he tried to rescue Prokop from the river but could not reach his body while it sank. Prokop was not wearing a lifejacket.

Planning board hears from public on Rumford growth plan

RUMFORD FALLS TIMES • September 17, 2026

The Rumford planning board’s draft town comprehensive plan provides a 10- to 12-year roadmap to guide future growth, land use, infrastructure investment and economic revitalization tied to the area’s natural assets. During a public hearing Sept. 9, resident Jeff Secrest pointed out that data centers are a step into the future and Rumford is in a nice position and could take advantage of this situation “and make it known to industries who wish to create a data center that they can bring their power plants and data center into our midst.”

Fact brief: Does Maine get at least 15% of its electricity from solar power?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 17, 2026

Yes. U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows solar energy accounted for nearly 18% of Maine’s electricity in 2025. Nearly half of that came from small-scale installations such as rooftop solar. EIA estimates Maine generated 1.6 million megawatt-hours from utility-scale solar — facilities of at least 1 megawatt — and 1.3 million MWh from small-scale systems, for a total of 2.9 million. Maine’s utility-scale and small-scale sources generated 16.2 million MWh in 2025. Of that, natural gas accounted for 34.4%, solar 17.9%, wind 17.7%, hydropower 16.3% and biomass 10.8%. State law calls for 80% of retail electricity sales to come from renewable sources by 2030. By 2040, the goal rises to 90% renewable electricity, with the remaining 10% coming from qualifying clean energy resources.

Less than 10% of Acadia Gateway Center visitors rode buses this summer onto MDI

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 17, 2026

Between June 1 and August 31, Island Explorer buses at the Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton have been boarded 6,409 times. The news came after a slight year-to-date visitation decrease this year and 2025’s busiest year in Acadia National Park. The center in Trenton hosts 300 parking spots, is a stop for the fare-free Island Explorer bus, and is meant to be a step toward reducing both pedestrian congestion in the park’s Hulls Cove visitor center as well as vehicular congestion on Mount Desert Island.

Column: Aroostook wind project should spur new public power authority

CENTRAL MAINE • September 17, 2026

If all goes well, Maine will host a gigantic wind farm in southeastern Aroostook County by sometime in the 2030s, producing electricity for the New England grid and advancing the shift to renewable energy the world desperately needs to stave off the worst effects of global warming. Last month, the Maine Public Utilities Commission announced the selection of Clearway Energy to build a 800-megawatt wind farm. That follows a failed 2023 effort by LS Power for a similar contract. This would be among Maine’s largest-ever infrastructure projects, doubling its wind energy capacity. The major alternative, ocean-based wind, was shut down by the Trump administration. Why shouldn’t Maine get more of the rewards? Other states siting large new generation facilities have created public power authorities — to plan, operate and in some cases own these assets. The advantages could be compelling. ~ Douglas Rooks

As concerns mount over Canadian trade war, Maine officials look to maintain neighborly ties

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 17, 2026

As Maine industries face an uncertain future amid the Trump administration’s trade war with Canada, state officials aim to coordinate with their Canadian counterparts to de-escalate the situation. Members of the Maine-Canadian Legislative Advisory Commission met Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in the trade war, and what they can do to support Maine businesses. 

Letter: Maine deserves greater detail on tick-borne disease

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 17, 2026

I read the July 31 report “Model finds high tick risk across Franklin County” with interest and some concern. I’m a Ph.D. researcher in vector ecology. I am glad people are paying attention to tick-borne disease risk; it matters greatly for our state and too often flies under the radar. My worry isn’t with any particular website, but with the uneven or missing scientific foundations that they rest on. When a tool hands the public a “risk score,” that number is only as trustworthy as the method behind it. If the calculation isn’t published, then we are unable to interpret (or even know how accurate) such a number or assertion is. ~ Merline Feero, Waterville

What you need to know about Biddeford’s newest development

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 17, 2026

A new five-building development is coming to downtown Biddeford over the next few years. Billed as a vibrant new neighborhood along the Saco River, Pearl Point will be a mixed-use development with housing, shops and restaurants. It is intended to be an extension of the downtown area. “We’re trying to create some urban design-forward residences that have everything you need within walking distance to everything Biddeford has to offer,” Fathom Companies President and Director Jim Brady said. Pearl Point will be located on the former Maine Energy Recovery Company parcel, which was acquired by the city more than a decade ago. The city’s intention was to tear down the old facility and create a project that would benefit Biddeford and add to its economic growth.

Edward Little greenhouse to provide produce and learning for Auburn students: ‘Getting your hands dirty’

SUN JOURNAL • September 17, 2026

This fall, Auburn public schools will open a greenhouse on the Edward Little High School campus. It’s part of the school department’s effort to provide healthy, local lunches to students — and a hands-on learning experience for students of all ages across district programs. But really, the possibilities are endless, said Amanda Courture, the department’s business manager. “We see this as the beginning of a culture,” she said. “We want our students to have that experience whether it’s just eating the good, local foods or helping learn how to grow them.”

Penobscot Nation secures 11,000 acres near Katahdin

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 17, 2026

The Penobscot Nation completed on Wednesday the acquisition of 11,300 acres near Mount Katahdin. The transfer is the first phase of a vast land return known as Wáhsehtəkʷ — a term for the east branch of the Penobscot River — that will ultimately bring 30,000 acres back under tribal control. It could also lead to a new southern access route into Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

Some South Portland residents seek a bigger park near Bug Light

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 16, 2026

There’s a gravel parking lot with vegetation climbing up the surrounding fence. Nearby, the white petroleum tanks loom. There’s a cracked parking lot leading to a fenced-off pier. Where developers see potential, a small group of dedicated residents see a possible green space, what they call a Liberty Ship Memorial Park at Bug Light. They want to protect the shoreline, create a continuous path between Spring Point and Ferry Village and prevent development. The city doesn’t have the funds or resources to acquire private property in this area, but the City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday that expressed conceptual support for the park.

Falmouth and Cumberland land trusts to celebrate trail connection

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 16, 2026

In celebration of their shared work and trail connections, the Falmouth Land Trust and the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust are hosting the second annual Trail Fest at the end of the month. The fundraiser event on Sunday, Sept. 27, will include guided trail tours of the surrounding land trust property. The event marks the strengthening ties across the land trusts’ properties. “We’ve been working really hard on trying to improve our connectivity,” said Penny Asherman, executive director of the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust.

Jared Golden breaks with party again, this time over Russian sanctions bill

MAINE PUBLIC • September 16, 2026

Maine Congressman Jared Golden crossed party lines this week to help give Republicans the votes they needed to advance a Russian sanctions bill. It was the second time this month that Golden — a Democrat representing Maine's 2nd Congressional District — broke ranks with his party on procedural votes that allowed a package of mostly Republican-backed bills to move forward. In the first instance, Golden said he voted with Republicans on the procedural rule because it contained a bill that he co-authored that will delay new federal gear requirements on lobstermen to protect endangered whales. Democrats oppose granting Trump any additional powers to levy tariffs. Golden, who is not seeking reelection, is among the few Democrats who have supported aspects of Trump's global tariffs.

North Haven fishing boat captain charged with manslaughter in crewman’s death

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 16, 2026

Geoffrey Barrett, 39, of North Haven, was charged this month in the death of Marshall Ames, 57, also of North Haven. Maine Marine Patrol said that on June 18 it responded to reports of a man, later identified as Ames, falling overboard from the fishing vessel Long Faces in Hurricane Sound. A Hurricane Island resident brought Ames to shore on Dyer Island and began performing CPR, but Ames was pronounced dead at the scene.Bar rett, the captain of the vessel, was charged with misdemeanor assault following an altercation with officers at a dock on Dyer Island. He was also charged with refusing to submit to a chemical test and boating under the influence.

Freeport approves plan for pedestrian-friendly village corridor

TIMES RECORD • September 16, 2026

Freeport Town Councilors Tuesday unanimously backed a plan meant to guide growth along Route 1 with a focus on pedestrian safety and housing development. The planned pedestrian improvements to the Main and Bow streets intersection of Freeport as outlined in the Freeport village corridor initiative plan include an all-way stop and increased sidewalk space.

Seabird researchers report good year for razorbills and puffins

MAINE MONITOR • September 16, 2026

There was a record-setting story to tell this summer on Seal Island about razorbills, chunky black-and-white birds that stand about 16 inches tall. Razorbills are cousins of Atlantic puffins and the closest living relative to the extinct great auk. There is no official record of razorbills having historically nested on Seal Island. They were hunted to the extent that Arthur Herbert Norton, a leading expert of Maine’s natural history in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, saw no razorbills in the state from 1894 to 1923. Seal Island saw a record 127 razorbill nests this year, while Eastern Egg Rock saw a record 213 puffin burrows.

Court Upholds Maine’s Stormwater Protections

FRIENDS OF CASCO BAY • September 16, 2026

Maine’s Superior Court has upheld key provisions in a federal stormwater permit that applies to the state’s most urban areas. The court’s action upholds a requirement that regulated municipalities must adopt low impact development ordinances. This is good news for Casco Bay and many other waters in the state because stormwater is one of the largest sources of pollution into our waters. 

Yosemite development scheme recalls admin’s other public lands sell-off efforts

THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY • September 15, 2026

In late August, NOTUS (now The Washington Sun) reported that the Trump administration has been working behind the scenes to give away a piece of Yosemite National Park to a well-connected investment firm. The unprecedented swap would allow an access road for a planned resort, and it’s a priority for political leaders atSecretary Doug Burgum’s Interior Department. The deal harks back to 19th-century robber barons’ efforts to buy up American land and resources, in the days before a strong national conservation ethic could be concretized in law and regulation. But it’s also entirely in keeping with recent proposals, statements and back-room dealings coming out of this administration, which remains fixated on the promise of privatizing, liquidating or trading away millions of acres of our shared public lands (even if they won’t quite say it out-loud).