The Snowy Owls are back again—have you seen one? If so, please send us your photo and the location/town where you saw the owl. We would love to share your photos in our Snowy Owl photo gallery.
During the winter of 2013-14, Snowy Owls moved into Maine for the winter in higher numbers than we’ve seen in decades. Since late in the fall of 2013, more than 70 were reported throughout Maine, from the southern reaches of York County to the western mountain region to Millinocket and Caribou, from the midcoast to Mount Desert Island to points Down East. Read a blog about Maine’s Snowy Owl—where they have been seen and why they’re here.
Thank you to everyone who has shared their Snowy Owl photos. If you have a photo you would like to share, please email it to nrcm@nrcm.org. You can see more Snowy Owl photos on NRCM’s Flickr page.
| Additional 2026 Legislative Bills of Interest | NRCM Position | Status Update & Actions to Take |
|---|---|---|
| Provide Indigenous Peoples free access to State Parks (LD 14) | Support | Governor Mills signed bill into law on April 15, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Bond issue to fund planning & construction of wastewater treatment facilities (LD 25) | Support | Bill carried over from 2025 session. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Repealing Net Energy Billing (LD 32) | Oppose | Governor Mills signed bill into law on April 13, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Modernize subdivision laws (LD 161) | Support | Governor Mills signed the Resolve into law on March 9, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Take-back program for firefighting and fire-suppressing foams containing PFAS (LD 222) | Support | Bill became law without Governor's signature on January 11, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Require and encourage safe, interconnected transportation construction (LD 287) | Support | Bill placed in legislative dead files. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Create an AI data center council (LD 307) | Support | Governor Mills vetoed bill and Legislature was unable to override the vote. Gov. Mills did sign executive order to create a council to begin working on AI data center issues Read NRCM testimony |
| Enact Safe Cosmetics Act (LD 317) | Support | Bill carried over from 2025 session. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Requires state energy plan to prioritize energy carbon-free technologies (LD 343) | Oppose | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on March 9, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Establish commission to study storm water pollution (LD 646) | Support | Governor Mills signed Resolve into law on April 16, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Public financing & ownership of electric T&D infrastructure (LD 838) | Support | House and Senate passed to be engrossed as amended. Now on special study table pending final passage Read NRCM testimony |
| Low-income ratepayer assistance funding (LD 995) | Support | Bill carried over from 2025 session. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Amendment to conservation easement law (LD 1054) | Support | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on April 3, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Creation of Municipal Shoreline Protection Legal Fund (LD 1904) | Support | Governor Mills signed bill into law on April 15, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Changes to Net Energy Billing program (LD 1936) | Oppose | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on March 9, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Energy fairness (LD 1949) | Support | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on March 23, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Amends components of the Bottle Bill modernization that could delay implementation (LD 2036) | Oppose | Bill placed in legislative dead files. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Clarify activities allowed under Natural Resources Protection Act (LD 2063) | Support | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on March 23, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Prohibit landfill expansion into wetlands (LD 2070) | Support | Governor Mills signed bill into law on April 13, 2026 |
| Bond to support Maine agriculture and forestry (LD 2094) | Support | Read fact sheet |
| Allow municipalities to create energy aggregation programs (LD 2112) | Support | Governor Mills signed bill into law on April 13, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Strengthen integrated grid planning (LD 2113) | Neither For Nor Against | Bill placed in legislative dead files. No further action taken. |
| Protect private wells from hazardous substances (LD 2115) | Support | House passed bill to be enacted. Bill placed on Appropriations Table but not funded. Read NRCM testimony |
| Pilot program to lower electric bills and improve grid reliability (LD 2140) | Support | Governor Mills signed Resolve into law on April 13, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Legislative review of Ch. 305 + Ch. 335 rulemaking (LD 2171) | Support | Governor Mills signed the Resolve into law on April 3, 2026 |
| Increase predictability in permitting of renewable energy development (LD 2174) | Support | Bill placed in legislative dead files. No further action taken. Read NRCM testimony |
| Water quality standards and river reclassification (LD 2187) | Support | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on April 3, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
| Change to procedures for appeals of BEP decisions (LD 2210) | Neither For Nor Against | Governor Mills signed the bill into law on April 3, 2026 Read NRCM testimony |
