Maine should be looking to the future for forest products, not clinging to the past. The Editorial Board Portland Press Herald editorial Maine lawmakers faced a crisis in 2016: Subsidize the biomass industry or see hundreds of jobs vanish. It wasn’t much of a choice, following the shutdown of paper mills in Madison and Bucksport, 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!
Largest Solar Project in Maine is Generating Power in Brunswick
A new $2.5 million solar array at Brunswick Landing will produce 1.5 megawatts by Chris Chase, Staff Writer Coastal Journal news story WOOLWICH — During the darkest days of the year, both Brunswick Landing and the Town of Woolwich just completed projects to harvest energy from the sun. A $2.5 million solar array project, constructed Read More
Maine Researchers Explore Link Between Climate Change and Lyme Disease
Academic and health care investigators are learning more about the complex web of factors driving the expansion of tick habitat, including global warming. By Joe Lawlor, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The changing climate in Maine caused by global warming is potentially creating new tick habitats and accelerating the spread of Lyme disease, Read More
Proposal to Drill in Waters Off Maine Coast Widely Opposed
By Jennifer Mitchell Maine Public news story On Thursday, the Trump administration announced a draft proposal that would open large swaths of federal waters to potential oil and gas drilling, including the coast of Maine. The proposal would open most of the outer continental shelf to oil and gas drilling for a five-year lease period Read More
Trump Plan Would Open Maine Waters to Oil Drilling
Five-Year Offshore Plan could devastate Maine’s coastlines, fisheries and coastal communities Statement of Lisa Pohlmann, Executive Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “The Trump Administration today released a dangerous five-year plan for offshore oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic Ocean—including off the coast of Maine, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic Ocean. This Read More
Solar Power Continues to Gain Ground in Central Maine
Projects are going up all over, aiming to harness electricity and, in the process, create local jobs. by Colin Ellis, Morning Sentinel Central Maine newspapers news story In early December, when light was dwindling in the late afternoon and wintry weather was taking hold, space heaters were coming out of storage and household lights were Read More
Maine Rep. Pingree: Republican Budget Bill Will Dismantle Environmental Protections
The legacy of Muskie’s Clean Water Act is on the line in the budget’s assault on our air, water and land. by Rep. Chellie Pingree, member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, which oversees Environmental Protection Agency funding Portland Press Herald op-ed WASHINGTON — As Republicans in Congress rush through a partisan Read More
Final Tax Bill Includes Damaging Provision to Drill for Oil in the Arctic
Statement of Lisa Pohlmann, Executive Director, Natural Resources Council of Maine “We are deeply disappointed in Senator Susan Collins’ vote for the final tax bill, which overturns decades of protection from oil drilling in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This vote betrays the will of the majority of Mainers, and reverses Senator Collins’ Read More
We Can’t Bring Extinct Species Back. It’s Our Duty to Protect Them Now.
By Jeff Wells, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Since the age of 5, my son has been able to identify a bald eagle when one perches or flies near our house in Maine. Forty years ago, this would not have been the case, as Maine’s population had declined to only 30 nesting Read More
