MAINE MORNING STAR • January 27, 2025
A grasshopper sparrow has made itself a home at the Eastern Slope Regional Airport in Fryeburg. While the presence of that particular bird is precious given its status as an endangered species in Maine it’s also become a nuisance for the airport. Maine Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford) said he considers himself a champion of the environment, but the situation with that sparrow has prompted him to propose certain wildlife regulations be rolled back because of the risk animals can pose to pilots and passengers at airports. The environmental community, on the other hand, worries the change would set a dangerous precedent for eroding conservation and environmental protection standards elsewhere in the state.