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There are more than 1,300 species listed as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, including the piping plover, a shorebird found on sandy beaches in southern Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

New Endangered Species Act rules consider climate impact on ME wildlife

Conservationists in Maine said reinstated protections of the Endangered Species Act could help wildlife already struggling to adapt to climate change…

The Atlantic herring is one of the most important fishery resources in Maine, supplying the primary bait used in its iconic lobster industry. It is also an important forage species for seabirds, marine mammals and a variety of larger fish species, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Anglers seek trawler buffer zone as Atlantic herring stock declines

Recreational fishermen in New England say commercial trawlers are threatening the survival of smaller businesses relying on a healthy stock of Atlanti…

Local and federal resources for Mainers who have been affected by the damaging storms that hit Maine on December 18, 2023, and January 10, 2024, are available through the Maine Emergency Management Agency by calling 1-800-452-8735. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Climate change, development threaten Maine’s working waterfronts

Reintroduced federal legislation aims to preserve Maine's iconic, working waterfronts still recovering from recent powerful storms. Strong winds and …

The Hudson, Susquehanna, Delaware, Connecticut and Merrimack watersheds in the Northeastern U.S. have experienced some of the steepest declines in snowpack, according to a study by Dartmouth researchers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Study reveals climate change erasing seasonal snowpacks of New England

A new study found seasonal snowpacks throughout New England have shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to human-driven climate change…

NextGen's new website aims to help young Mainers access the Inflation Reduction Act for up to $7,500 in tax credits towards the purchase of a new clean car, and up to $4,000 for a used clean car. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Website helps Maine’s young voters track climate change resources

A new website aims to help young voters in Maine take advantage of the historic climate progress being made through the Inflation Reduction Act…

A Spray underwater glider shortly after deployment in the Gulf Stream offshore of Miami, Fla., began one of the many glider-based surveys of the Gulf Stream completed by Associate Scientist Robert Todd's group at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution since 2015. (Robert Todd/WHOI)

Study confirms Gulf Stream warming, shifting toward Maine coast

The latest research finds the Gulf Stream has warmed faster than the global ocean over the past two decades, and has shifted toward the Atlantic …

Members of the Sunrise Movement in Franklin County, Maine, advocate for a Green New Deal. The Fifth National Climate Assessment showed greenhouse gas emissions in the United States fell 12% from 2005 to 2019 but will need to decrease 6% annually to meet international climate goals. <br />

Young activists call on Biden administration to declare climate emergency

Young activists are pressuring President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and use the additional powers to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions…

Maine's four-year climate plan aims to decrease the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. (Adobe Stock)

ME towns share plans, resources to build climate resilience

Community groups across Maine are helping small towns with fewer resources better prepare for the growing threat of climate change. They are …

According to a poll by the Climate and Community Project, 55% of Mainers believe utilities should be nonprofits, and 60% said they've experienced a power outage in the past few months. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Maine voters consider costs, climate in public utility amendment

An amendment on Tuesday's ballot in Maine to transfer ownership of the state's two private utilities to the public is considered a dead heat…

Two category 4 hurricanes made landfall in Central America in November 2020, displacing at least 1.5 million people, according to the International Red Cross. Droughts were likely a key driver of family migration from Honduras and Guatemala to the U.S. in 2018 and 2019. (Adobe Stock) <br />

ME prepares to welcome more climate migrants

Community leaders in Portland, Maine are preparing for a growing number of Central American "climate refugees." Intense storms and drought in the …

The number of climate-related cases has more than doubled in the last five years, with 1,522 cases currently underway in the United States, according to Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Activists Organize for 'Green Amendment' in Maine

Youth climate activists in Maine are working to enshrine "the right to a clean and healthy environment" into their state's constitution. It is …

The Biden administration has jump-started offshore wind development, infusing coastal states such as Maine with funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, with a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

More Climate Investments Sought After Inflation Reduction Act

Backers of the Inflation Reduction Act say its historic funding is helping build a clean-energy future, but a National Climate Emergency Plan is …

Studies show the United States will need to train and employ more than a quarter-million electricians by 2030 in order to support and maintain the country's growing electrical infrastructure, including millions of electric vehicle charging stations and carbon-free building systems. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

More STEM Workers Needed in ME to Fill Growing Green Energy Sector

Business leaders in Maine are working to raise awareness of the growing number of climate change-related job opportunities. The state's recent …

A recent American Farmland Trust survey revealed that over 50% of farmers surveyed sought conservation education from another farmer, versus 20% who looked for help from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Bill Aids Farmer Education to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Maine and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing number …

As part of Maine's Offshore Wind Initiative, the state will develop a Floating Offshore Wind Research Array in the Gulf of Maine to foster research into floating offshore wind and how it interacts with the marine wildlife, fishing industry, shipping and navigation routes, and more. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME Labor Groups Applaud New Offshore Wind Energy Industry Standards

Labor advocates are hailing Maine Governor Janet Mill's signing of a landmark bill creating a new offshore wind energy industry in the state…

About one-quarter of Maine farmworkers live in poverty, making them roughly 4.5 times as likely to live below the poverty line as other Maine workers, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. <br />(Adobe Stock)

ME Farm Workers Denied Minimum Wage

Gov. Janet Mills has vetoed a bill to pay Maine farmworkers the state's minimum wage, but labor groups say the fight isn't over. They plan to keep …

ME Lawmaker Seeks Solution to 'Fast Fashion' Pollution

Democratic lawmakers are asking federal investigators to study the true cost of so-called fast fashion and its contribution to climate change…

90 percent of middle and high schools and 84 percent of elementary schools were providing a device for every student, according to a March 2021 Education Week survey of school leaders. (Adobe Stock)

Education Advocates Say Expired Chromebooks Teach Kids the Wrong Lesson

Education advocates say pending expiration dates for Google Chromebooks teach kids the wrong lesson about technology. Software on thirteen models …

A study by the American Institutes for Research showed children who participated in outdoor education programs raised their science test scores by 27%. (Adobe Stock)

Outdoor Education Key to Improving Health of Students, Planet

Congressional lawmakers are considering a bill to help improve the environmental literacy of America's students. Dubbed the "No Child Left Inside …

In the next decade, as much as 400,000 acres of Maine farmland will change hands, according to Maine Farmland Trust. The 2017 Census of Agriculture revealed that only 11% of Black farmers in Maine own the land that they cultivate. (Adobe Stock)<br /> <br /><br />(Adobe Stock)

Congress Aims to Remove Land Access Barriers for Young Farmers

New bipartisan legislation in Congress aims to fix the number one challenge facing the next generation of American farmers - access to land. The …

The Biden administration has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity generation by 2030, enough to power more than 10 million American homes. (Adobe Stock)

Bills Aim to Create 'Responsible' Offshore Wind Industry in ME

Maine lawmakers are considering two pieces of legislation which supporters said are needed to ensure "responsible" development of offshore wind projec…

More than one-third of threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands, according to the EPA. In Maine, some of the threatened species found in wetlands include the Blanding's Turtle, Ringed Boghaunter Dragonfly, and English Sundew. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Affects Maine Waterways

Environmental advocates say the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt a major blow to the Clean Water Act and to Maine's ability to protect some of its most …

The world is home to 1.8 billion young people between ages 10 and 24, the largest generation of youth in history, who are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis. (Adobe Stock)

'Climate Grief' Motivates Young Mainers to Take Action

The magnitude of climate change can feel overwhelming, creating a sense of so-called "climate grief" for some, but young climate activists say they …

More than 70% of Maine's total electricity net generation comes from renewable energy, and hydroelectric power provides the largest share at 27%. (Adobe Stock)

New Hydropower Dam Designs Leave Fish Unharmed

By Eric Krebs for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

Maine's largest crop is potatoes, which grow best in cool weather. But projected warming from climate change may reduce potato yields by 25 to 35%, according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers Consider Drought-Relief Measures for ME Farmers

Lawmakers in Maine are considering ways to help farmers develop long-term solutions to drought, which has plagued the state for the past three years…

The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced $18.914 million from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would go to address emerging contaminants such as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water in Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Farmers Seek Help with 'Forever Chemicals' Contamination

Lawmakers in Maine are considering a bill to compensate farmers for the widespread use of state-sanctioned PFAS, or "forever chemicals" on their land…

University of Maine graduate Emily Miller holds a female Arctic charr from the Floods Pond field site in Otis, Maine, where she and other scientists will measure, genetically sample and tag the long-lived species with a microchip ID. (Bradley Erdman)

Maine’s Arctic Charr Provide Insight into Climate Resilience

Researchers are studying the feeding habits of Arctic charr to help predict how other fish species could adapt to a warming climate. Arctic charr …

Today, 10% of land area on Earth is covered with glacial ice, including glaciers, ice caps and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. These glacierized areas cover nearly 6 million square miles. (Adobe Stock)

UNE Researcher: Most Glaciers Gone by 2100

A study co-authored by a University of New England researcher finds the majority of the world's glaciers could disappear by the end of the century…

Some 80% of lobster in the U.S. come from Maine's adjacent waters while the lobster industry is estimated to create over 35,000 jobs in addition to state licensed lobstermen, lobster dealers and processors, and seasonal restaurant workers. (Adobe Stock)

U of Maine Lobster Study Aims to Protect State’s Vital Fishing Industry

Researchers at the University of Maine are studying how warming Arctic waters flowing into the Gulf of Maine are affecting the region's lobster popula…

Maine artist Russel Whitten creates an ocean scene at East Point Audubon Sanctuary at Biddeford Pool. (Elizabeth Creamer/Maine Audubon)

Maine Audubon 'Brush with Nature' Event Captures Wilderness Sanctuaries

The beauty and inspiration of Maine's coastal wetlands soon could be hanging on a wall near you. Twenty-seven plein-air painters will be creating …

Once installed, a trio of solar arrays is estimated to save Maine taxpayers at least $7.2 million over the next 20 years. (Photocreo Bednarek/Adobe Stock)

MaineDOT Installing Solar Arrays to Power Capitol Complex

The Maine Department of Transportation is "going green," with plans to install solar arrays on three state-owned properties in Augusta. The …

The Common Loon mostly breeds in Canada and the northern United States. (Tim Corner/Adobe Stock)

Maine Biologists: Give Loons Space This Nesting Season

Maine is home to the largest number of loons in the region, and it's nesting season. The Maine Loon Restoration Project is a five-year effort to …

Conservationists note that old, wild forests bring various benefits, from storing carbon to preserving biodiversity. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Aim to Protect Old Forest in Northern Appalachian-Acadian Ecoregion

Conservationists in the Northern Appalachian-Acadian region are changing how they think about forest protection and management, by bringing together …

Arctic terns have one of the longest annual migration patterns of any species on the planet, traveling from the Arctic to the Antarctic circles and back, nearly 19,000 miles. (rabbitti/Adobe Stock)

Experts, Birders: Turn Off Home Lights at Night During Migration Season

Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, and bird experts said it is a great time to be on the lookout for types of birds you may not see every day in …

Maine's Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point has been facing high levels of toxic chemicals in their drinking water for decades. (Wabanaki Alliance)

Groups Rally for Clean Drinking Water for Passamaquoddy Tribe

Groups rallying at the State House on Monday called on lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills to pass and sign a bill to address the high levels of toxic …

More than 190 winter bird species can be found in Maine, including chickadees, crows and mallards. (Ann Stryzhekin/Adobe Stock)

Maine Birders Urged to Assist in Mapping Wintering Species

The Maine Bird Atlas is in its fourth year out of five, an effort to document the abundance and distribution of the state's wintering and breeding …

Roughly 1,000 Atlantic salmon remain in the Gulf of Maine. (jamie/Adobe Stock)

Four Atlantic Salmon Restoration Projects in Maine Get Federal Funding

BANGOR, Maine -- Efforts are under way to restore Atlantic salmon populations in the Gulf of Maine, by removing dams, replacing culverts and …

An agreement between Maine People's Alliance and Mallinckrodt U.S. LLC will not go into effect unless the Federal District Court in Maine approves it. (peter/Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Input on Mercury Removal Proposal for Penobscot River

BANGOR, Maine -- A proposed settlement for cleaning mercury out of the Penobscot River is in its 90-day public-comment phase, with court hearings set …

Acadia National Park's maintenance center is being revamped through the Great American Outdoors Act. (Jake/Adobe Stock)

One Year Later, Great American Outdoors Act Projects Underway in Maine

BAR HARBOR, Maine -- One year after the Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law, repairs and maintenance to the nation's more than 400 …

Browntail moth cocoons can be found on the outsides of buildings and vehicles, on outdoor equipment, plant stems, branches and foliage. (Robirensi/Adobe Stock)<br />

Mainers Urged to Avoid Poisonous Browntail Moths

WATERVILLE, Maine - Maine is facing another outbreak of browntail moths, an invasive caterpillar species with tiny hairs that are poisonous to humans…

Maine's ban on neonicotinoids prevents both private consumers and licensed applicators from using the pesticide. (lightpoet/Adobe Stock)

Law Bans Pesticides Seen as Harmful to Bees in Residential Landscapes

AUGUSTA, Maine -- A bill signed into law last week bans the use of neonicotinoids, neonics for short, in outdoor residential landscapes. The …

The last wild populations of Atlantic salmon in the United States are found in Maine's rivers, and groups say four hydroelectric dams on the Kennebec River need to be removed to help protect them. (Kevin/Adobe Stock)

Groups Say Kennebec River Dams Threaten Endangered Atlantic Salmon

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Maine conservationists say four dams on the Kennebec River are the biggest threat to Atlantic salmon populations, and groups intend …

Fishing to Play Key Role in Next Decade of Conservation Efforts

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Members of the Maine fishing industry are among those looking forward to having a seat at the table, to make progress toward the …

Funding from the Recovering America's Wildlife Act could help proactive efforts to protect the Maine moose population, the official state animal. (JMP Traveler/Adobe Stock)

Federal Bill Would Help Maine Keep "Common Species Common"

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine conservation groups say the Recovering America's Wildlife Act, just introduced in Congress, would not only help the state help …

President Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan seeks to establish the United States as a leader in climate science and innovation, including through offshore wind projects in Maine. (chrisrt/Adobe Stock)

Ahead of Earth Day Climate Summit, Mainers Call Federal Action Long Overdue

AUGUSTA, Maine -- President Joe Biden convenes a virtual climate summit with world leaders on Thursday, Earth Day. He is also expected to unveil a …

$Environmental groups say fracking for natural gas can lead to freshwater pollution, as well as fragmentation of forests, wilderness and grasslands. (Jason/Adobe Stock)$

Gas Company Pulls Plans for Midcoast Pipeline Expansion

ROCKLAND, Maine - Environmental groups are celebrating an announcement by Summit Natural Gas that it's withdrawing plans for a Midcoast pipeline …

If confirmed, New Mexico Representative Deb Haaland would be the first-ever Native American cabinet secretary. (Wikimedia Commons)

Conservationists: Haaland Fights for Public Lands, Natural Resources

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Conservationists in Maine say Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., will work to restore public lands and natural resources as Secretary of the …

A new federal Office of Climate Change is expected to address the intersection between climate change and public health; for example, pollution in certain communities leading to higher rates of respiratory illness. (spiritofamerica/Adobe Stock)

ME Climate Expert Applauds Exec. Orders to Tackle Climate Change

AUGUSTA, Maine -- President Joe Biden will sign a bundle of executive orders today, reversing more Trump-administration rollbacks and setting new …

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ME: Environment