by Darryl Fears Washington Post news story The proposal [to change the Endangered Species Act], announced jointly by the Interior and Commerce departments, which are charged with protecting endangered wildlife, would end the practice of extending similar protections to species regardless of whether they are listed as endangered or threatened. If the proposal is approved,… Continue Reading
Forests and Wildlife
Northern Maine Carbon Offset Project to Help Combat Climate Change
by Renee Cordes Mainebiz news story Mark Berry, the Nature Conservancy’s Maine forest program director, sees a bright future for carbon offset projects in the fight against climate change, like the one his group is launching on 124,000 forested acres along the St. John River. The project, announced June 26, involves a 10-year agreement with… Continue Reading
Patience Urged on Land Management Rule Changes
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… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
Conservationists and Others Voice Concern Over Development Proposals for Rural Maine
By A.J. Higgins Maine Public news story Listen to full 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… Continue Reading
LUPC Policy Change Would Increase Northern Maine Development
by Nit-Noi Ricker Fox News Bangor news story Watch full news video. 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… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
