Big oil’s risky plan could have massive environmental impacts on Maine by Deirdre Fulton Portland Phoenix news story The activists, clad mostly in black, flowed slowly and silently down Battery Street in Burlington. They carried signs proclaiming their opposition to tar sands and big oil, and when they reached the front of the Hilton hotel, Read More
Maine Environmental News
Maine environmental news often comes quickly and with little warning. Stay up to date on Maine environment news.
From issues such as climate change, healthy waters, Maine forests and wildlife, and sustainability—and environmental policy that could impact them—you’ll find NRCM’s up-to-the-minute news releases to see our perspective on the most pressing issues facing Maine’s land, air, waters, and wildlife. This includes findings relating to our role as Maine’s watchdog of activities of state environmental agencies—we stand ready to blow the whistle when regulations are not enforced.
You can also find our news “round up,” News & Noteworthy, which puts the spotlight on media stories that do a particularly good job capturing current news about Maine's environment. We hope you find this part of our website helpful and informative!
East-West Highway Bids Sought Well Before Law Signed
The Maine DOT says it was just anticipating authorization, but critics say it shows a rush to advance the east-west project. by Steve Mistler, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story The Maine Department of Transportation began seeking a contractor to conduct a feasibility study of an east-west highway across Maine weeks before Gov. Paul Read More
Reversing a Pipeline: Wrong Direction on Climate Policy
by Rep. Jon Hinck Bangor Daily News op-ed A summer that has seen record-breaking heat and drought across America also brings protests of a nearby energy-related proposal with bad climate impacts. A pipeline starting at the oil terminal in South Portland runs all the way to Canada. The Portland-Montreal Pipe Line currently carries conventional crude Read More
The St. Croix River Should Be Opened to Alewives
Bangor Daily News editorial It’s time alewives were allowed into the upper reaches of the St. Croix River. Research, in addition to dozens of ponds and streams in Maine, show that alewives can coexist with smallmouth bass. Until there is solid scientific evidence that bass populations will diminish with an influx of alewives north of Read More
Pipeline Debate Prompts Raymond Beach Protest
By John Balentine Lakes Region Weekly news story RAYMOND – Residents unmoved by a company’s claims that a pipeline project impacting the Lakes Region has been scrapped formed a human oil spill on Raymond Beach Monday to protest what they say could be an environmentally disastrous initiative. The companies in charge of a pipeline that Read More
Mainers Rally on Anniversary of Worst Tar Sands Spill in History; Oppose Risky Tar Sands Oil in Maine
NRCM press release Maine citizens are turning out across Maine this week to oppose an emerging plan to pump dirty tar sands oil from Ontario, Canada through a pipeline in the beautiful lakes region in southwestern Maine to Portland, Maine where it would be shipped out by supertankers. The four rallies coincide with the two Read More
Don’t Underestimate Kennebec Atlantic Salmons’ Drive to Return
by Ron Joseph Kennebec Journal op-ed In mid-July, five adult Atlantic salmon were live-trapped at Waterville’s Lockwood Dam, the first of four Kennebec River dams blocking the upstream passage of salmon, alewives and other sea-run fish. The salmon, ranging in weight from 10 to 20 pounds, were trucked upriver of Waterville’s dams and released in Read More
East-west Highway Going in the Wrong Direction
by Roger Merchant Bangor Daily News op-ed I’ve listened to lots of talk to gather facts about the costs and benefits of the proposed east-west highway. Lots of new information came out this past weekend at the open forum in Dexter, which stood in stark contrast to the prior orchestrated event in Dover-Foxcroft, which dismissed Read More
EPA Orders State: Open St. Croix to Alewives
The directive overrules two Maine laws intended to protect other fish species, but environmentalists say the presence of the foragers will benefit ecosystems. by Colin Woodard, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story In a victory for environmentalists, lobstermen, and the Passamaquoddy Indians, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has directed the state to allow alewives Read More