Stories
One of the most destructive forest pests in the Southeast has made its way to Maine. The southern pine beetle, which has destroyed millions of acres of pine forests in its native South, was discovered in Waterboro last fall. Scientists say the ecosystem of Maine’s pitch pine barrens is at risk. Its Latin genus name…
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The fate of Central Maine Power’s controversial energy corridor through western Maine is now in the hands of the state’s highest court. Late last week a lower court judge halted his own consideration of a challenge to the law that state voters enacted last year to kill the project, and sent it on to the…
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A new report released Monday finds that surface water quality on Cape Cod has degraded for the third year in a row. The Association to Preserve Cape Cod’s annual State of the Waters report tracks the water quality of the Cape’s freshwater ponds, marine estuaries, and public drinking water. Although the report’s findings don’t indicate an immediate threat…
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Vehicles are responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions in Maine. One goal in the state’s climate change response plan is to get more electric vehicles on the road. There are currently only about 6,000, which is a 90% increase from just a couple years ago. But it’s still a drop in the bucket…
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To store greenhouse gases, Maine looks to protect more than 2 Rhode Islands’ worth of forest by 2030
Around the world, the push is on for large-scale conservation. Scientists say at least 30% of lands, fresh water and oceans need protection by 2030 to slow global warming and prevent species extinctions. The ambitious 30 x 30 goal is part of President Biden’s climate agenda. It’s also a target in Maine, the most heavily…
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Since the 1800’s in Maine, the Christmas tree has been an essential point of light for many in the darkest month of the year. But scientists say that some of the state’s best-loved conifers are under threat, with extreme weather making it difficult for them to grow. When Ephraim Weston moved from Massachusetts to the…
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Different types of phytoplankton will react differently to warming oceans and this can affect which marine species thrive in the region, according to a new study led by researchers in New England. Phytoplankton — single-celled, diverse organisms that use carbon dioxide to produce oxygen — are the base of the food web for species like…
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The transfer station in Derry, N.H., is full of neatly organized piles of everything residents don’t want. Old couches, discarded Halloween decorations, and tidy mounds of plastic, cardboard, glass, and aluminum. Mike Fowler, the director of public works for the town of Derry, says it wasn’t always this way. In 1991, the town passed an…
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Governor Ned Lamont announced this week that he is moving forward without state lawmakers to address climate change — and perhaps for good reason. A study from Brown University shows most legislation proposed over the last decade that would keep Connecticut on track to take action on climate change was derailed by lobbyists from the energy industry.…
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Depending on several factors, New England’s regional electricity grid operator could ask residents to turn down the heat, do less laundry and minimize cooking this winter. While forecasts predict a mild winter, the grid could be in a precarious position, ISO-New England says. ISO coordinates the flow of electricity through the transmission system, and plans…
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