By Josh Keefe, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story As Maine regulators are deciding whether to approve the construction of a $1 billion transmission line across much of western Maine, the Canadian hydroelectric utility poised to make billions of dollars from the project has been absent from the process. This has left both opponents 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!
With Proposed Development Rule Change, Maine’s North Woods Hangs in the Balance
By Cathy Johnson, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed With few places in the world still relatively untouched by development, Maine’s 10.5 million acres of North Woods are a disappearing resource. These woods rejuvenate us: They provide opportunities for hunting, fishing and recreation, and serve as vital habitat for plants and animals. That Read More
Climate Change Calls for Immediate Action on the Part of Maine Officials
Eight years of denial have only made it harder to prevent catastrophic loss. Portland Press Herald editorial Back in 2010, the state Department of Environmental Protection completed a report on the kind of risks Maine faced as a result of climate change. Although it contained 60 recommendations, it was not a climate response plan. It Read More
Sprawling Development Would Hurt Towns, Wildlife & Wilderness
Bangor Daily News editorial We give the Land Use Planning Commission, which oversees zoning and development in the state’s more than 10 million acres of unorganized territories, credit for listening to public criticism of a plan to allow more scattered development in these areas. After public hearings and comments that were overwhelmingly negative, the commission Read More
Sea-level Rise Hurting Maine’s Waterfront Real Estate Values
A study released this week show Maine lost about $70 million in appreciated waterfront property values from 2005 to 2017. By Eric Russell and Kevin Miller, Staff Writers Portland Press Herald news story Increased tidal flooding caused by sea level rise has contributed to a loss of $70 million in the appreciation of waterfront real estate Read More
Bill to Tax Fossil Fuel Producers Among Dozens of Climate-Related Proposals Before Maine Legislature
by Steve Mistler Maine Public news story From carbon taxes to the Maine version of the Green New Deal, Democratic state lawmakers are pitching a slew of bills designed to address the threat of climate change. While Democrats have introduced climate bills before, the proposals had no real chance to become law during Republican Gov. Read More
Clean Energy Agenda Sees Power Surge in Augusta
With the shift in political priorities, lawmakers propose dozens of bills, including ‘a bold idea’: A Green New Deal. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story When she was 12, Chloe Maxmin formed a Climate Action club at her school. At Harvard, where she graduated in 2015, she co-founded a campaign calling Read More
Solar Panel Plan for Blaine House Sends a Message
The governor solicits proposals for what’s likely to be a visible affirmation of renewable energy. By Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Mills administration is drawing up a request for proposals over the coming weeks to install solar-electric panels on the Blaine House, an action meant to signal that Maine once again Read More
State Panel Told to Protect Maine Woods from Development Sprawl
By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story A proposal to change how development is allowed in Maine’s Unorganized Territory still is being met with some vocal opposition, despite some minor changes that a state planning body has made to the draft policy. Many of the roughly three dozen people who spoke Thursday Read More
