South Portland halts disputed tree removal near jetport

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 7, 2025

City officials have halted a nearly finished tree removal project by the Portland International Jetport along Interstate 295 that may have violated municipal, state and federal land use regulations. A jetport contractor began removing trees last week to clear a runway approach as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. The project was approved by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, which owns the property in a wooded area to the rear of Calvary Cemetery. But it’s unclear whether the work has complied with a site plan issued by city planners in 2019; a municipal tree protection ordinance approved in 2022; or wetlands protection laws overseen by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Column: These big birds hunt smaller ones at backyard feeders

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 7, 2025

Accipiters are a family of hawks that primarily hunt small woodland birds. They have relatively short wings, enabling them to accelerate quickly. They have long tails that act like rudders, allowing them to maneuver swiftly through forests. They hunt by ambush, flashing in suddenly to snatch an unwary victim. There are three accipiter species in North America. Maine has all three. Sharp-shinned hawks are the smallest. Cooper’s hawks are medium-sized. American goshawks are brutes, roughly the size of a red-tailed hawk. ~ Bob Duchesne

Farmers and lawmakers hope to secure future of Maine’s PFAS support program

MAINE MORNING STAR • February 7, 2025

Thanks to a $60 million allocation in the 2021 state budget, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has developed a program to assist farmers and respond to high levels of PFAS in agricultural land. In the years since, the department has made significant progress on those efforts and learned that most contaminated farms can remain viable with the proper support, said Beth Valentine, director of the department’s PFAS Fund. LD 130 would enshrine in statute Maine’s existing response program for PFAS contamination on farmland, which has been touted as a national leader. The PFAS Response program currently has seven full-time staff members who provide technical and financial assistance to more than 80 farms with varying levels of contamination. 

Interior Secretary’s new order sparks concerns over national monument protections

AZ PUBLIC MEDIA • February 7, 2025

Environmentalists say that a new order issued this week by the new Interior Secretary puts national monuments at risk. On Monday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a Secretarial Order, prompting an internal review of agency actions related to oil, gas, and mining regulations on public lands. The order requires all assistant secretaries to submit an action plan within 15 days, outlining how to comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy.

Regulators seek approval to cut bills for Mainers who use electricity during off-peak hours

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 6, 2025

Maine lawmakers on Thursday began to dig into the details of how to charge less to electricity ratepayers who plug in an electric vehicle in the middle of the night or run a washing machine before breakfast. The concept, called time-of-use rates, incentivizes people to use electricity at odd hours to reduce the load on the region’s electric grid. Reducing the load frees up the grid to accommodate greater use of electric vehicles, heat pumps and other electrification to replace fossil fuels. It would also reduce the need to upgrade or build costly transmission lines that are billed to ratepayers.

Auburn hires David Hediger as its new planning director

SUN JOURNAL • February 6, 2025

Auburn announced Thursday that it has hired David Hediger as its new planning director. Hediger has more than 20 years experience in comprehensive planning, code enforcement and project management. He previously served as director of planning and code enforcement for Lewiston, leading municipal planning initiatives and managing zoning and land use regulations. Most recently, he was a senior planner for the Land for Maine’s Future program.

Opinion: LD 183, An Act to Cap Publicly Owned Land Area

MACHIAS VALLEY NEWS OBSERVER • February 6, 2025

I’m headed to Augusta for a Feb. 6 public hearing of some consequence to Washington County, rural Maine, the 2nd Congressional District, and Maine as a whole. LD 183, An Act to Cap Publicly Owned Land Area at No More than 50 Percent of Any County, is sponsored by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, and the entire Washington County delegation. Regardless of how much of Maine is actually in Public Conservation Ownership, the 30% goal cannot be achieved without continuing to emphasize acquisitions in the 2nd Congressional District. LD 183 is the first of three bills Leader Faulkingham has submitted in response to the climate alarmist policies being promulgated by Governor Mills and the Democrats. The other two address the fundamental lack of honesty, transparency, and effectiveness in our climate alarmist policies. ~ Jonathan Reisman

Conservationists: Study of Atlantic menhaden critical to preserving species

PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE • February 6, 2025

A small forage fish near the bottom of the food chain has a significant effect on the survival of several iconic predators along the Atlantic Seaboard, including striped bass, bluefish and ospreys. A coalition of conservation groups is supporting a renewed push for studies on the ecology, fishery impacts and economic significance of the Atlantic menhaden. Jaclyn Higgins, forage fish program manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said scientists lack current data on the number and condition of menhaden fisheries. "This is the largest fishery on the Atlantic coast. It's the third-largest fishery by volume in the U.S..”

Attacks on Environmental Laws and Investments Pose a Threat to Maine

NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • February 6, 2025

Over the past two weeks, the Trump Administration has released a flurry of proposals aimed at increasing our use of expensive fossil fuels, undermining bedrock environmental laws, eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and attempting to override the role of Congress to decide how the budget of the United States will be spent. These actions have been deeply disturbing, potentially unconstitutional, and have caused widespread concern across the nation. Here in Maine, they could have dire consequences on the health of Maine people, businesses, and communities. We encourage you to contact Maine’s Congressional delegation and urge them to oppose the Trump Administration’s attempts to undermine environmental and health protections for the American people. 

Casco Bay scientists tackle eelgrass loss

TIMES RECORD • February 6, 2025

Largely hidden from sight, eelgrass, or Zostera marina, plays a vital role in coastal environments. It shields shorelines from erosion, removes nitrogen through respiration and provides habitat for dozens of juvenile species, from lobsters to bay scallops. In Maine, more than half of native eelgrass has receded, drawing scientists’ attention. Many factors have contributed to this, including stormwater pollution, warming waters and invasive green crabs munching on the grass beds. However, there are still many unknowns. 

Tree steward joins Oxford County conservation district

SUN JOURNAL • February 6, 2025

Haydn Suske-Funk has recently joined the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District as a community tree steward. Funded through AmeriCorps and the U.S. Forest Service, Maine’s Community Tree Steward program offers opportunities for individuals to lead forestry resiliency projects that engage residents in underserved communities. Program applicants are placed at host sites through the Maine Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to the conservation and preservation of Maine’s environment and natural resources.

Farmington alliance receives $8K grant from foundation

CENTRAL MAINE • February 6, 2025

The High Peaks Alliance has been awarded an $8,000 grant from the Quimby Family Foundation to support its general operations. This grant aims to help further the alliance’s mission of keeping the High Peaks region wild and accessible through conservation, access and collaboration.

Letter: Maine’s symbols deserve greater respect

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 6, 2025

The Press Herald is continuing its tradition of treating discussions about Maine state symbols with irreverence and dismissiveness. It’s nothing new. The discussion of state symbols has always been derided. On March 24, 1927, at a time when the Maine Federation of Women’s Clubs was pushing the Legislature to adopt the black-capped chickadee as our state bird, the Press Herald published an article about the pushback, “Women Resent Idea Chickadee Bill is a Joke.” The bill passed anyway. Can anyone name any other legislation that passed in 1927? It takes just a few moments of the Legislature’s precious time to vote in favor of a state symbol and the impact lasts much, much longer. We should be proud of our state symbols, and also proud to take the time to decide them. ~ Nick Lund, Cumberland

Salmon Farms Under Fire on U.S. East Coast After Being Shuttered on West Coast

GOOOD MEN PROJECT • February 5, 2025

This month Washington became the last state on the U.S. West Coast to reject salmon aquaculture over environmental concerns. A new lawsuit now takes aim at operations on the country’s East Coast — the only commercial netpen salmon farms left in the country. On Jan. 14, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a lawsuit against Cooke Aquaculture, the owner of more than a dozen salmon farms in the northeastern state of Maine, under the U.S. Clean Water Act. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of illegal discharges from the farms that create “toxic” marine conditions. CLF seeks to force Cooke to hire more staff for monitoring and inspection of the marine environment. Sebastian Belle, executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Association, another trade association, defended Cooke and criticized CLF, implying that the nonprofit was made up of “ambulance-chasing lawyers.”

USAID is going away, and along with it cocaine-fighting efforts and Amazon rainforest protection

ASSOCIATED PRESS • February 5, 2025

The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development will deliver a major blow to efforts including conservation efforts in the Brazilian Amazon. Even if some foreign aid resumes after the 90-day suspension ordered by President Donald Trump, many USAID-backed projects focus on areas he has derided as ideological: climate change, biodiversity and minority and women’s rights, so several recipients fear their projects are now dead. Now everything is at risk, Edinho Macuxi, the leader of the Indigenous Council, said. In recent weeks, his organization, which represents some 60,000 people, laid off workers and canceled activities due to lack of funds.

The Future of Sears Island: A Conservation Conversation, Feb. 25

PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • February 5, 2025

The Campaign to Protect Sears Island/wahsumkik and Upstream Watch are cohosting a short presentation followed by a community conversation about the status of the wind port and the conservation effort. Presenters include campaign volunteers David Italiaander and Chris Buchanan, and Jill Howell, executive director of Upstream Watch. Att Mermaid Plaza, Searsport, Feb 26, 7 pm.

2025 Climate Series begins with 'From Global to Local: Planning and Action for Climate Change'

PENOBSCOT BAY PILOT • February 5, 2025

The Rockport Conservation Commission hosts a presentation entitled, "From Global to Local: Planning and Action for Climate Change.” Panel: Amalia (Molly) Siegel, Maine Climate Council Coordinator; Jeff Runge, Professor Emeritus of Oceanography, UMaine; Jenny Carter, Rockland sustainability and community development coordinator. At Rockport Public Library, Feb 19, 6 pm, free.

Landowner Motivation Tied to Land Use, Study Finds

MIRAGE.NEWS • February 5, 2025

Many U.S. forests are privately owned, particularly in the Eastern and North Central part of the country. This makes control of invasive plants and pests challenging because efforts must be coordinated across landowners. A new study of Maine and New Hampshire family forest landowners explores how differences in ownership motivation affects willingness to control, and how economic incentives can be implemented most efficiently. Study author Shadi Atallah, an associate professor in Agricultural and Consumer Economics, found that in most scenarios, the recreationist would not control an invasive shrub without cost-share payment, while the timber owner would choose to control regardless of subsidies. "My conclusion is that we should provide the subsidy to the weakest link, which in this case is the recreationist.”

Letter: We all can do our part for the environment

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • February 5, 2025

I am a boomer and boomers sometimes get a bad rap for not caring about the environment because we won’t be around to suffer the consequences of environmental mismanagement. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our hearts are breaking when we hear “Drill baby drill” and other anti-environment venom. The government is obviously not going to solve our problems, so we need to take responsibility, right here and right now. If we exploit our limited resources, our children and grandchildren will no longer have those resources. However, if we make a concerted effort to conserve, natural resources will continue to be available. ~ Regi Robnett, Portland

Letter: Don’t sell Maine shrimp out of state

CENTRAL MAINE • February 5, 2025

I was pleased to see that Maine has decided to do a test on Maine shrimp by allowing seven fishermen to go shrimping starting in February. The shrimp caught should only be sold to Mainers. I don’t think they should be sold out of state at all! It has been many years since we have had a taste of those sweet treats from the sea! ~ Louise Marcoux Bowker, Waterville