The most comprehensive online source of conservation news and events in Maine and beyond, edited by Jym St. Pierre
Thank you for reading Maine Environmental News. Each year, we post thousands of news summaries, notices, and links related to important environmental issues from across the state (and beyond). If you find this service useful, you can help us continue to provide it by making a donation. Just click on the button below and contribute whatever you can afford. Thanks again for your generous support!
Sincerely,
Jym St. Pierre
Editor, Maine Environmental News
MAINE ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS • May 30, 2024
See the premiere of a beautiful new wildlife film by Lee Ann Szelog and Thomas Mark Szelog. Touted as a quiet film, a Peace of Forest is a one-of-a-kind cinematic adventure, allowing viewers to experience a wild, peaceful and mysterious world that is filled with complex relationships and ways of wonder. A Peace of Forest celebrates the beauty and intimacy of wildlife in Maine with surprising, tender and exquisite interactions of wildlife during undisturbed moments in Maine’s natural world. At Lincoln Theater, Damariscotta, June 30, 2 pm. Tickets for adults $20, Lincoln Theater members $15, youth 18 and under $5.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 15, 2024
Anyone boating through Muscongus Bay in Bremen in recent weeks may have come across a morbid — and so far, mysterious — site. Three dead coyotes have been trussed and arranged around a navigational marker in the waterway. However, little other information was immediately available about the strange site, including who may have left the carcasses there, or why. The town and the Maine Marine Patrol both referred questions about them to the U.S. Coast Guard, which maintains the marker. Officials with the Coast Guard confirmed that they are looking into the site, as they would with any other problem with a buoy.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 15, 2024
The Portland International Jetport is proposing an expansion of parking to meet growing demand. The new plan would add a net total of 282 new surface parking spaces. Paul Bradbury said that adding parking that's walkable to the jetport would be more environmentally friendly than running shuttle buses to and from the airport and an offsite lot. The project has been scaled back slightly since jetport officials presented an initial proposal to nearby residents late last year. But many of their concerns, which include possible impacts on nearby wetlands and trees that provide a buffer between the airport and their neighborhood, remain and were echoed by members of the Portland planning board.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 15, 2024
Here are some options from Maine to meet the needs of your soil. With permission to harvest, you can gather your own seaweed for composting or tilling into the soil. Many Maine companies also create prepared products like kelp meal and seaweed fertilizer, including North American Kelp in Waldoboro, Gulf of Maine in Pembroke, Living Acres in New Sharon and Coast of Maine in Portland. Waste wool from sheep shearing can be used in the garden as loose fleece or pellets to retain water and slowly release nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and iron over six months. Byproducts from shellfish processing are very rich and produce healthy plants. Peat retains water and releases it as needed, and can also hold onto nutrients, making it useful for sandy soils. It helps break up heavier soils and improve drainage. Ground oyster or clam shells are a source of calcium for soil, similar to eggshells. Using it has been shown to raise the pH levels of acidic soils, and could improve soil fertility for crops.
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • May 15, 2024
Human-caused climate change can push disease-carrying mosquitoes or ticks into new places as temperatures rise, and deforestation can expose humans to viruses circulating in once-isolated species. But despite hundreds of studies investigating human influence on infectious diseases, scientists weren't sure whether certain activities matter more than others for increasing risk. Now, new research clarifies that picture – and suggests that humanity's reshaping of the planet is stoking the spread of dangerous infectious diseases not just for people but also for other animals and plants.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 15, 2024
No one in York questions the town’s longstanding tradition of welcoming summer visitors to stay in rented seaside homes. But whether those properties should be licensed and inspected is being debated as residents prepare to vote Saturday on new regulations. The town is considering an ordinance that would regulate short-term rentals for the first time. Opponents say York’s proposal would amount to government overreach in a town that has had very few documented problems. But supporters say the short-term rental properties have become increasingly disruptive to residential neighborhoods and should be licensed like any other business. “We are a tourist community, and we thrive on that. We just need a few rules in place so everyone can benefit,” said Lee-Anne Leverone, of York Beach.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 15, 2024
In my 34-year career directing Portland’s planning division, I had direct experience in the creation of the original historic preservation ordinance in 1990 and its subsequent amendments through 2015. A formal agreement was signed between the National Park Service and the City that stipulates any changes to the ordinance must be approved by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the National Park Service to maintain certification. Portland has benefited greatly from federal funding available to CLG communities, including 58 grants totaling $919,876. The Portland Museum of Art can argue that its proposed expansion deserves special consideration, but the fact remains that what it wants to do is against the law in Portland and threatens Portland’s CLG status – and all the good work that has been accomplished because of it. It’s not worth the risk. ~ Alexander Jaegerman served Portland as a senior planner, chief planner and planning division director (1981-2015)
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 15, 2024
Targets were set to avoid the most disastrous impacts of climate warming. If we elect candidates who are beholden to the fossil fuel industry and their allies, U.S. progress will be reversed and we will lose four crucial years in a process that has been stalled by disinformation and fossil fuel lobbies for over 35 years. We must prioritize a livable world when we vote. ~ Dorothy Jones, Brunswick
SUN JOURNAL • May 15, 2024
Years ago, swayed by incessant media reports about the environment, I was card-carrying Sierra Club member urging the government to “do something” to steer society toward “green” energy. An older brother heard me out, and politely disagreed. He had done his homework and countered my claims with hard data. Not wanting to admit I was wrong, I did my own research. To my surprise, I learned that he was right; regardless of how good its intentions might be, the government’s push to mothball nuclear and hydrocarbon fuels in favor of solar and wind would be catastrophic both in terms of environmental impact and human suffering. ~ Anthony Shostak, Greene
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Maine wastes nearly 362,000 tons of food a year and the largest single contributor of waste generated by farms and commercial agriculture is Aroostook County. In total food waste from 15 categories, Aroostook is second only to Cumberland County, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s newly released 2024 Food Loss and Waste Generation Study. “Food waste placed in landfills generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, so the Maine Climate Council’s Materials Management Task Force will make recommendations to the climate council on ways to reduce food loss and waste,” said David Madore, deputy DEP commissioner.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
The University of Maine is home to the nation's largest team of engineers dedicated to floating offshore wind. In the next decade, UMaine researchers envision turbine platforms floating in the ocean beyond the horizon, stretching more than 700 feet skyward and anchored with mooring lines. “These structures are massive,” said Anthony Viselli, chief engineer for offshore wind technology at the university’s Advanced Composites Center. “These would be some of the largest moving structures that humankind has endeavored to create. And there would be many of them.” Floating turbines are the only way U.S. states can capture offshore wind energy on a large scale. In the U.S. alone, 2.8 terawatts of wind energy potential blows over ocean waters too deep for traditional turbines that affix to the ocean floor. That’s enough to power 350 million homes.
ASSOCIATED PRESS • May 14, 2024
President Biden slapped major new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment on Tuesday, taking potshots at Donald Trump along the way as he embraced a strategy that’s increasing friction between the world’s two largest economies. The Democratic president said that Chinese government subsidies ensure the nation’s companies don’t have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade. The Chinese government was quick to push back against the tariffs, saying they “will seriously affect the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation.” “Joe Biden’s economic plan is to make China rich and America poor,” Trump said.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
A passenger vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer hauling honeybees north on the Maine Turnpike between the Kennebunk and Biddeford exits on Tuesday. The car was burning when crews arrived, but there were no serious injuries to anyone. Firefighters simulated a rainstorm to calm the agitated bees and get them to return to the hive. “No honeybees were harmed by our response.” Last Thursday, a tractor-trailer carrying 15 million bees rolled over on Interstate 95 in Clinton, injuring the driver of the truck but leaving the bees largely unharmed and contained.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 14, 2024
A Maine-based organic farming group announced Monday that it plans to join a lawsuit contending that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has failed to regulate harmful forever chemicals found in the sludge that Maine farmers used as an agricultural fertilizer for years. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, or MOFGA, claims that federal law requires the EPA to regulate toxic pollutants in sludge and take steps to prevent them from harming humans and the environment. Its failure to do so has put us all at risk, said MOFGA Director Sarah Alexander.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 14, 2024
About a dozen years ago, the Gulf of Maine experienced an ocean heatwave unlike any other. Today, scientists are puzzling over new data that suggest the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock. Data collected from buoys placed in the Gulf of Maine show that over the last six months, deep water temperatures are noticeably lower than the long-term average. "It's not just cold in the deep waters right now, it's really cold," said Nick Record, a senior scientist with Bigelow Laboratory. The Gulf of Maine is still one of the fastest warming oceans on the planet, Record said. The ocean heatwave that hit the Gulf of Maine in 2012 served as a prime example of the kind of surface temperature warming that much of the Atlantic has been experiencing. But climate change creates more unpredictable conditions, and Record said the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock.
MAINE PUBLIC • May 14, 2024
Last year, the Public Utilities Commission terminated an agreement on the construction of a 1,000 megawatt wind farm in Aroostook County, and a high-voltage transmission line that would connect the wind project to the New England power grid. The deal was killed after months of negotiations, with a dispute over pricing with transmission line developer LS Power serving as one of the primary points of disagreement. But last week, the commission issued an order asking developers to share their interest and provide information on potential new bids related to the Northern Maine project.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
A group in Camden is misleading people into thinking that fish will migrate up the Megunticook River if the dams are gone. I’m confident they won’t since they apparently never did. And the cost of these changes are astronomical. I hope those who want to preserve the beauty and history of Camden will vote to oppose the dam destruction. ~ Jo Ann Simon, Camden
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Maine stands on the cusp of a transformative opportunity with the burgeoning offshore wind industry. Gov. Janet Mills’ recent announcement selecting Sears Island as the preferred site for a port facility supporting this industry reflects the state’s commitment to renewable energy. However, Sprague Energy, a longtime energy resource for the state, proposes an alternative that merits serious consideration. The Sprague Lower Impact Mack Point Terminal plan provides several compelling advantages over both the original Mack Point and the Sears Island plans proposed by the state’s contractor. ~ James Therriault, Sprague Energy
BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 14, 2024
Baxter State Park will reopen to vehicle traffic on Wednesday. While the Togue Pond and Matagamon gatehouses open to vehicles, there will be limited access to some sections of road, according to Baxter State Park. Staff continue to clear and repair the roads. Roaring Brook Road sustained “significant damage” during the winter, Baxter State Park said earlier this month. That has delayed its reopening. As a result, reservations at Roaring Brook Campground for May 15-23 have been canceled, and there will be no access for vehicles to the campground and to trailheads to Katahdin Lake, Russell Pond and the east side of Katahdin. You can check the daily conditions report to see what sections of road remain off limits to vehicles on Baxter State Park’s website.
