by Kate Cough Ellsworth American news story ELLSWORTH — New rules under consideration by the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) could alter the way land in Maine’s unorganized territories, including Fletchers Landing Township and areas around Tunk Lake, is managed, if they are passed as is by the nine-member commission this fall. On June 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!
Reducing Maine’s Carbon Emissions Now Will Pay Off Later
By Marianne Hill, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Flood zones in Maine have expanded, lobsters are moving north, and ticks and Lyme disease are on the rise, according to a University of Maine report. Cities, including Portland, are upgrading their infrastructure, and insurance policies, to cope with rising seas. Billions of dollars Read More
Transmission Lines Over Kennebec Gorge? That May be a Choke Point for Renewable Energy Advocates
A 145-mile power line that would carry hydroelectricity from Canada to Massachusetts – and carve a path through the scenic gorge – signals a bleak future for multistate projects in New England. by Tux Turkel, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story WEST FORKS PLANTATION — Only a sharp eye would notice the small strips Read More
Public is Right: There’s No Reason to Change Unorganized Territory Development Rule
Bangor Daily News editorial A website devoted to changes that would allow more scattered development throughout Maine’s Unorganized Territories begins with this statement: “Development that is farther away from public services can lead to difficulty providing those services, and scattered development may interfere with forestry, recreation, and habitat. Right now, new zones for subdivisions and Read More
Land Use Planning Commission’s Proposed New “Adjacency” Rule has Few Backers. Will It Matter?
By John Holyoke, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story One by one, interested parties walked to to the microphone Wednesday afternoon, introduced themselves to the members of the Land Use Planning Commission, and told those commissioners why scrapping their one-mile “adjacency” principle was the wrong thing to do. One by one by one. After Read More
State Planners Should Tread Lightly on Rural Rule Changes
Doing away with Maine’s ‘one-mile rule’ could spur development in remote, pristine areas where it doesn’t belong. Portland Press Herald editorial State planning officials are proposing a change to the rules that have governed development in Maine’s unorganized territories for more than four decades. The plan raises many questions, with the most important a simple Read More
Conservationists and Others Voice Concern Over Development Proposals for Rural Maine
By A.J. Higgins Maine Public news story For more than 40 years, development proposals in Maine’s unorganized townships have been handled in a fairly straightforward way: new construction had to be located within one road mile of a similar existing development, such as a group of cabins for rent or a canoe rental shop. But Read More
LUPC Policy Change Would Increase Northern Maine Development
by Nit-Noi Ricker Fox News Bangor news story BREWER – There is a proposal before the state’s Land Use Planning Commission that would open up millions of acres of land in northern Maine to development. Some say the proposal will harm Maine’s wild wilderness. The Land Use Planning Commission is considering one of the largest Read More
Proposal Could Create “Retail Hubs,” Sprawl in Maine Woods
By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story Officials who oversee development in the state’s Unorganized Territory were urged Wednesday to not make rule changes that critics say could create sprawl in the Maine woods and undermine development in northern municipalities. Approximately 100 people attended a public hearing Wednesday in Brewer by the Read More
