Brunswick Landing board says fire system shutdown neither ‘legal nor possible’

TIMES RECORD • September 13, 2024

After a tense Thursday press conference where local leaders called for the resignation of Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority Director Kristine Logan and the shutdown Brunswick Executive Airport fire suppression systems, MRRA Board Chair Herman “Nick” Nichols said that the fire suppression system shutdowns are neither “legal nor possible.” “The truth is, MRRA has been relentless in addressing the deficiencies identified in the report even though there is no indication that these deficiencies led to the accidental spill.” Nichols said that MRRA — a quasi-state agency created by the Legislature to manage the redevelopment of the 3,100-acre former Navy air base — has been looking for ways to remove aqueous film forming foam from the Landing and replace it with safer alternatives.

The Biden administration is taking steps to eliminate protections for gray wolves

ABC NEWS • September 13, 2024

The Biden administration on Friday asked an appeals court to revive a Trump-era rule that lifted remaining Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the U.S. If successful, the move would put the predators under state oversight nationwide and open the door for hunting to resume in the Great Lakes region after it was halted two years ago under court order. Environmentalists had successfully sued when protections for wolves were lifted in former President Donald Trump’s final days in office.

How scientists debunked one of conservation’s most influential statistics

THE GUARDIAN • September 13, 2023

The statistic seemed to crop up everywhere. Versions were cited at UN negotiations, on protest banners, in 186 peer-reviewed scientific papers – even by the film-maker James Cameron, while promoting his Avatar films. Exact wording varied, but the claim was this: that 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity is protected by Indigenous peoples. When scientists investigated its origins, however, they found nothing. In September, the scientific journal Nature reported that the much-cited claim was “a baseless statistic”, not supported by any real data, and could jeopardise the very Indigenous-led conservation efforts it was cited in support of. Indigenous communities play “essential roles” in conserving biodiversity, the comment says, but the 80% claim is simply “wrong” and risks undermining their credibility.

Development and rising seas threaten Maine’s salt marshes, a key carbon sink

MAINE MONITOR • September 13, 2024

Maine salt marshes are a key tool in the fight against climate change, acting as a buffer against storms and soaking up planet-warming emissions. These reservoirs of “blue carbon” can be 10 times more effective at absorbing and trapping carbon than tropical forests. Marshes are also some of the state’s richest habitats, home to a wide variety of plants, birds and animals. University of Maine researchers once estimated, acre by acre, a healthy salt marsh anchors a food web “more productive than most midwestern farmland.”  For centuries, many of Maine’s coastal marshes were able to slowly build their surface, moving and growing to avoid rising seas. But as a warming world causes oceans to rise more rapidly and storms to intensify, the marshes are having a harder time keeping up — and as development presses in, they have little place to go. 

Former Maine CDC director Shah: State must prepare for health impacts of climate-driven flooding

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 13, 2024

Maine leads the way in managing tick-borne illnesses and high heat in a changing climate, but it could learn from other states with more experience managing the public health impacts of climate-driven flooding, a federal health official said Friday. This particular health official – Dr. Nirav Shah – should know. He was the top public health official in Maine for four years and participated in the state’s climate action plan before he left in 2023 to become second in command of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Countless birds die each year flying into windows. This group is doing something about it.

NEWS CENTER MAINE • September 13, 2024

According to statistics cited by Maine Audubon, nearly a billion birds in the U.S. are killed each year when they crash into windows. "Birds don’t know what windows are," Nick Lund of Maine Audubon said. "Windows are reflective, so if you’re a bird, you think you're seeing the sky or habitat. Or if lit from within, windows are just invisible." A group called BirdSafe Maine—composed of Maine Audubon, the University of Southern Maine, and the Portland Society of Architects—has been working to raise awareness of the bird strike problem and its solutions. It recently honored several companies, schools, and individuals for taking action that is, happily, not particularly difficult. Merely putting bird-safe decals on windows reduces strikes dramatically.

Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority Board supports Executive Director after toxic foam spill

MAINE PUBLIC • September 13, 2024

The Board Chair of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority said he fully supports Executive Director Kristine Logan, who is facing calls to resign. State lawmakers and others are scrutinizing Logan for failing to disclose the findings of an inspection last year that revealed deficiencies in the fire suppression system at the Brunswick Airport, the site of a massive toxic foam spill last month. Authority Board Chair H.A. Nichols issued a statement Friday saying that he is 110% behind Logan and her team, and that the success of the redevelopment of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station has surpassed all expectations.

Access to PFAS-free water remains an issue in Hallowell

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 13, 2024

While long-term plans are underway to eliminate forever chemicals from Hallowell’s public drinking water, some residents say there are hurdles to obtaining clean water in the meantime. The public water system, the Hallowell Water District, plans to have a $10 million facility constructed by the end of 2027 that would drastically reduce levels of the forever chemicals, or PFAS, in the city’s drinking water to meet new federal regulations. But before the facility is built, the only PFAS-free source of public water for the Water District’s 912 customers — including restaurants and businesses downtown — is a spigot at the Water District building at 52 Winthrop St., where residents are allowed to fill up with 5 gallons per day.

Hallowell to build $10 million PFAS-filtration facility by end of 2027

KENNEBEC JOURNAL • September 13, 2024

Amid concerns from residents about levels of forever chemicals in Hallowell drinking water, the Hallowell Water District is working toward long-term solutions. By the end of 2027, the district hopes to have constructed a $10 million facility to eliminate detectable forever chemicals, or PFAS, in the city’s drinking water. PFAS exposure at even small levels has been linked to health issues.

Ellsworth City Forest hopes to triple in size thanks to new state funding

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 13, 2024

State officials have approved funding for a piece of property near Branch Lake that will help triple the size of Ellsworth’s city forest. The Land for Maine’s Future board has decided to award Ellsworth $92,500 to pay for half the cost of acquiring roughly 280 wooded acres on the eastern side of Branch Lake. The land separates the existing 238-acre lakefront Ellsworth City Forest, which is publicly accessible, from another 285-acre wooded lot that the city owns to the north off Phillips Way. Branch Lake is used as the city’s water supply.

What Maine hopes to learn from its offshore wind research array

MAINE MORNING STAR • September 13, 2024

Last month, the state and the federal government reached an agreement on a lease for an offshore wind research array that will sit about 30 miles southeast of Portland. It will take up about 15 square miles in federal waters and include up to 12 floating turbines that will help inform how floating offshore wind operates and interacts with ecosystems in the water. The next step in that process is to understand how to responsibly deploy the budding industry and actually transmit the energy back to shore, all while reducing impacts to the fisheries that are vital to the economy and culture of Maine.

Opinion: Avangrid case shouldn’t be used for political points-scoring

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 13, 2024

A recent op-ed about Iberdrola’s plan to purchase outstanding shares of Avangrid (“Massive corporate energy deal requires great scrutiny,” Sept. 9) was incredibly disappointing. State Sen. Rick Bennett mischaracterized much of the case that is before the Maine Public Utilities Commission. He also tried to advance positions that regulatory officials have deemed to be “illogical and absurd.” His take on this matter comes down to polished hyperbole, with most of his statements set on scoring political points. Both the discourse and the decision should be left to the experienced experts at the Public Utilities Commission. ~ Kim Harriman, Avangrid

Opinion: Two years into the climate resilience legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 13, 2024

On Aug. 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law – the largest investment in clean energy and climate action in American history. Two years later, NOAA is spending an unprecedented $3.3 billion to lay the groundwork for a climate-ready future. Investments are being brought to life in Maine by a $69 million Climate Resilience Regional Challenge award to support Maine’s award-winning “Maine Won’t Wait” plan. The goal of this plan is to strengthen the resilience of the state’s working waterfronts, restore important coastal habitats – including coastal wetlands – and improve economic prosperity and security in underserved, rural and tribal communities facing existential threats to their livelihoods and ways of living. ~ Richard (Rick) W. Spinrad, Ph.D., NOAA administrator

Column: Be suspicious of flocking birds this winter

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 13, 2024

Birds of a feather flock together. Except that most don’t. From now until next spring, if you see a flock of birds, get suspicious. Few species flock, and you can often identify the flockers before seeing any field mark. The top reason birds flock together is safety. It’s easier for predators to sneak up on one bird than to sneak up on a hundred. Give flocking birds your attention over the next two months. Sparrows work the roadsides. Finches work the treetops. Waxwings work anytime, anywhere. Some worried birds gather just to flee the Maine winter. Misery loves company. ~ Bob Duchesne

Letter: Lithium mining can compromise Maine’s health

SUN JOURNAL • September 13, 2024

In rural Bethel I’m writing about lithium deposits in Newry, Rumford and Hanover areas of the state. People should ask their legislators to carefully consider language in mining bills and laws: guard against the harm it might do to water, people, wildlife and the beauty of life here. The property values of neighbors nearby would go down and the quality of their lives be degraded: constant stress of the noise of heavy machinery mining all day long across the stream or valley from people, wind-borne dust going into that stream and into neighbors’ lungs, and the devastating effect on surrounding wildlife. Voters and legislators should consider their stewardship of natural Maine and its communities in this legislation. ~ Susan Dorman, Bethel

Ridership is rising, but the Lewiston, Aubur n, Portland commuter bus has a long way to go

SUN JOURNAL • September 12, 2024

In almost two months since the pilot service linking Lewiston, Auburn and Portland began, ridership has increased. However, some issues are still in need of improvement. After almost two months, the schedule still lacks a reading guide and is not mobile-friendly. The schedule is color-coded but it’s unclear what the colors mean. The PDF schedule that is on the Department of Transportation website, is not very accessible and it’s a bit difficult to read.

Opinion: U.S. must stop logging old-growth forests

NEW HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE • September 12, 2024

In 2022, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to save old growth trees on public lands. This year the U.S. Forest Service released a draft National Old Growth Amendment (NOGA), which could ultimately require weighing the climate impacts of their logging plans, and a commitment to save old growth forests. But that amendment needs to be strengthened before it is finalized. Contrary to current climate science, the USFS NOGA includes managing old growth forests with extensive logging. ~ Nancy Polan, Sierra Club, Mass chapter

America's Forests with Chuck Leavell: Maine

MAINE PUBLIC • September 12, 2024

America's Forests with Chuck Leavell celebrates our nation's woodlands. On this episode, Chuck visits Maine - the most forested state in the USA. Chuck begins his journey through Maine with a Wabanaki native guide. He goes fly-fishing at the base of Katahdin where private lands welcome public visitors. He visits a state-of-the-art factory making building insulation out of wood chips and tries his hand at competitive tree-felling at the Game of Logging. And he finishes up playing rollicking old-time logging songs given new life by contemporary musicians. Maine Public TV, September 12, 10 pm.

Inspection revelations prompt calls for Brunswick Landing chief to step down

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 12, 2024

State and municipal leaders called Thursday for the immediate resignation of the head of Brunswick Landing for failing to disclose year-old deficiencies in an airport fire prevention system that malfunctioned and spilled more than 50,000 gallons of toxic foam in August. State Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, singled out Kristine Logan, executive director of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, during a news conference outside Brunswick City Hall that was called after a story in the Portland Press Herald revealed the deficient inspection history. The group of Brunswick-area leaders also called for the immediate shutdown of the airport’s two other fire suppression systems that rely on foam containing toxic forever chemicals until they can work with Gov. Janet Mills to adopt a statewide policy to collect the foam, dispose of it and ban its use in Maine.

Maine Calling: Sustainable Forests

MAINE PUBLIC • September 12, 2024

How do we ensure that Maine's forests are managed sustainably and will thrive well into the future? Panelists: Adam Daigneault, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine; Laura Kenefic, Northern Research Station, U.S. Forest Service. VIP Callers: Joshua Henry, Timber HP; Morten Moesswilde, Maine Forest Service; Maddie Eberly, specialist, Low Impact Forestry, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association.