As conversation around fish passage at the dam grows this year, Brunswick Town Council took a stance in support of pursing a new fish ladder on one of Maine’s largest rivers.
environment
Brunswick waste digester proposal sparks debate
The project, which the developer has yet to formally apply to build, promises renewable gas, though residents are concerned of the project’s environmental impact.
Portland Jetport’s controversial parking expansion OK’d despite environmental concerns
City Planning Board Chairman Brandon Mazer expressed disappointment as board members approved the $8 million project, which would add 265 long-term surface parking spaces.
Maine airports seek exemption from wildlife protection laws
Aviation officials and businesses say a bill to exempt airports from state protections for Maine’s endangered or threatened species would prevent wildlife collisions, but environmental groups say the protections are needed.
Here’s what the latest global climate assessment means for Maine
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released a new global assessment outlining a path toward a sustainable future. Dr. Kanae Tokunaga of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute was one of two experts from the U.S. chosen to contribute. Here’s her take on what ‘transformative change’ could mean for working waterfronts.
With funds running out, Maine is at a PFAS crossroads
A multiagency presentation before lawmakers warns of the difficulty the state will face trying to meet the needs of residents adversely affected by the spreading of sewage sludge containing forever chemicals.
Mills proposes $2M for preventative spruce budworm spraying
The early intervention program, modeled after one in New Brunswick, would fund the spring spraying of pesticides on 300,000 acres of commercial spruce-fir forests in northern Maine where state inspectors have found evidence of overwintering budworm larvae.
A PFAS-free fire suppressant made with Maine wood could fight wildfires
The chemical-free extinguisher could move to the market — and onto firefighting airplanes — quickly. But getting it certified will take time and money.
PFAS contamination found on more than 100 Maine farms
The state’s ambitious multiyear investigation into PFAS contamination from sludge-based fertilizer is not yet halfway done, but costs are mounting as new federal protections arise from mounting scientific evidence of potential human health risks.
Forever chemicals in sludge fertilizer pose cancer risk, EPA says
Draft findings published Tuesday echo what Maine has been saying since 2022, when it became the first state to ban the use of sludge as fertilizer because of high concentrations of harmful PFAS.