Read highlights from September 2022 news stories and opinion pieces related to the environment, including Maine’s air, land, water, and wildlife, in this News & Noteworthy from the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
September 30, 2022
We didn’t want to wait until next week to share the fantastic news stories about yesterday’s Clean Water Champions event in Lewiston, so we are posting one last time in September:
- “50 years of progress: Mainers celebrate Clean Water Act anniversary in Lewiston,” Sun Journal
- “Lewiston celebrates 50 years since passage of Clean Water Act,” WGME-13
September 29, 2022
There will be a few posts about clean water this week because today, NRCM and others will be celebrating 100 Clean Water Champions, during this 50th anniversary year of the Clean Water Act.
The Sun Journal had several articles about the Clean Water Act anniversary and what Maine rivers, the Androscoggin in particular, used to be like before passage of the federal Clean Water Act, championed by Maine’s US Senator Ed Muskie, who grew up along the polluted Androscoggin in Rumford.
- Read about the event taking place in Lewiston today to honor Clean Water Champions.
- Read this article about the Androscoggin River when it was so polluted that it would peel paint off houses.
- This Sun Journal piece is about the Androscoggin now and how things have changed since passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972.
There have also been some local news stories about some of the 100 Clean Water Champions:
In other news this week, the Bangor Daily News wrote a feature on Bill Mook, owner of Mook Sea Farm. Bill was a 2018 NRCM Conservation Leadership Award recipient.
Read Michael Good’s op-ed in the Bangor Daily News in support of removal of the four Brookfield dams on the Kennebec River and one on the Union River.
Maine Public shares news about the possibility of lower electric rates for Mainers who drive electric vehicles or use heat pumps.
Once again Maine is being viewed as a leader by other states around the country. Maine passed a law banning PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in new products in 2021, and now other states are trying to do the same.
Did you know that Maine’s North Woods could be used for climate mitigation? Learn more in this Maine Public story, part of its “Climate Driven” series.
And finally, this week, the Portland Press Herald shared an op-ed written by a resident of Trenton, Maine, who shares concerns about the proposed American Aquafarms project in Frenchman Bay, a project NRCM and many others oppose.
September 22, 2022
We told you last month that Senators Angus King and Susan Collins are sponsoring a bill that would help to expand the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Learn more about this bill and how the first Senate hearing about it from Maine Public.
As part of their series on climate change, Maine Public shares news of what the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians is doing to restore a river in northern Maine to improve salmon habitat.
The Portland Press Herald editorial board shares its view on solar panels popping up around the state and how they are helping reduce climate pollution, despite the fact that some people are opposed to the sites (and sights) of some of these arrays.
We will end this week with good news from L.L. Bean and Acadia National Park. L.L. Bean just pledged an additional $1.5 million for the Island Explorer bus service that transports people around Mount Desert Island, especially Acadia National Park. This bus service helps reduce the number of cars traveling around the Park, which in turn reduces emissions. Thank you to L.L. Bean!
September 15, 2022
Yesterday, President Biden’s administration announced that federal money will be headed to Maine to help create more electric vehicle charging stations. Learn more from Maine Public.
More federal funding was announced yesterday for a pilot program to help Maine forest landowners “mitigate climate change. The goal of the program is to remove more carbon from the atmosphere by growing more and better quality wood, verifying the results and building markets for climate-friendly wood products.” Read Maine Public’s report.
NRCM Senior Director of Advocacy and Interim CEO Pete Didisheim spoke with News Center Maine this week about the changes in Maine’s waters since the passage of the federal Clean Water Act 50 years ago next month. Watch the full video.
NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator Josh Caldwell was a featured guest on Maine Public’s Maine Calling yesterday. He spoke about NRCM’s recent survey of Mainers who own electric vehicles. Listen to the recording.
And finally this week, NRCM Staff Scientist Nick Bennett spoke to about 50 residents in Patten last week about the threats posed by a mining proposal by Wolfden Resources, which would create a mine on Pickett Mountain, near both Baxter State Park and Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument. Read more from the Bangor Daily News.
September 8, 2022
News Center Maine shared a video about one of our 2022 Brookie Award recipients, Anna Siegel, as part of their “Maine’s Changing Climate” series. Watch the full video.
While not in Maine yet, Walmart has begun to offer in-store recycling of some beauty product packaging in its stores in four states. Hopefully we see that option come to Maine soon!
The Appalachian Mountain Club recently purchased 27,000 acres of land near the 100-Mile Wilderness. This will help conserve one of the last big blogs of unprotected forestlands in the Moosehead region.
NRCM Climate & Clean Energy Director Jack Shapiro is quoted in a Maine Public story about new energy efficiency standards for appliances sold in Maine.
South Portland residents have a new rebate program for clean energy products in and around their homes, like electric bikes, electric cars, lawnmowers, and more.
And finally this week, the head of the Maine Immigrant Welcome Center, Reza Jalali, has created an alliance of young climate activists and new Mainers to help them work together for climate action. Read more in the Bangor Daily News.
