Stories

Marsden Brewer with his son and business partner Bobby, hauling Japanese-style "lantern nets" full of scallops -- worth $1.50 and more each, once full grown. Photo by Fred Bever for Maine Public

Why Maine Lobstermen Are Looking To Farmed Scallops To Stay Afloat

October 2, 2018

Marsden Brewer is a third-generation Maine fishermen who docks in Stonington.

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Central Bridge washout. Photo courtesy of the Rhode Island State Archives

Remembering The 1938 Hurricane, 80 Years Later

September 21, 2018

In the afternoon of September 21, 1938 without warning, winds more than 100 miles an hour whipped the region and tidal waves about 30 feet high destroyed homes and cottages. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and when it was all over, millions of dollars worth of damage was left behind.

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Mike Sullivan, the general manager at Hardwick Electric, says net-metered solar projects could lead to a rate increase for his rural utility. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

Small Utilities Say Subsidized ‘Net-Metering’ Projects Could Trigger Rate Increases

September 11, 2018

Small electric utilities around Vermont are concerned their customers will face higher bills to pay for a boom in solar projects. Last month, the utilities complained to regulators about the subsidies they have to pay for certain solar projects.

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Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, left, and New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant sign resolutions at Monday's annual conference of New England governors and eastern Canadian premiers. Gallant will host next year's meeting in St. John, New Brunswick. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

New England Governors, Eastern Canadian Premiers Seek Truce On Trade War

August 14, 2018

New England governors and the premiers of eastern Canadian provinces say the ties that bind the region transcend the trade war between Washington and Ottawa. At their annual meeting held in Stowe, the leaders called for a truce in the trade war.

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Solar panels at Shaker Woods Farm. Photo by Keith Shields for NHPR

Sam Evans-Brown Talks Behind-The-Meter Solar’s Impact On The Region’s Grid

August 9, 2018

Our growing need for energy – and our desire to make more of it renewable – has set up other tensions, beyond where to put big power lines. There’s long been a dispute over how to account for so called “Behind-the-Meter” solar – the kind you might put on your home or business to try and get “off the grid.” Energy analysts are seeing that – especially during heat waves like the one that’s gripped New England for much of the summer – this rooftop solar can actually have a big impact on our energy needs.

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Water well. Photo by Juan Rodriguez for RIPR

As Storms Become Stronger, What’s In Store For Coastal Drinking Wells?

August 3, 2018

Hurricanes can push extra sea water toward the shore. And that water, called storm surge, can flood streets and basements. But scientists at the University of Rhode Island are wondering, how can that water impact coastal drinking wells?

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A beaver. Photo by Erin Kohlenberg, Flickr

Author Ben Goldfarb Discusses The History Of Beavers In New England

August 2, 2018

Ben Goldfarb tracks the environmental effect that beavers have on the world around them, as well as their unique history, in his new book, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. He joined us to tell us all about the animals and why we should prioritize beaver restoration as a key to creating healthy ecosystems.

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Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant Is Up For Sale

August 2, 2018

The owner of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant is selling it at a bargain price. In fact, it’s practically giving away the plant and its $1 billion trust fund.

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Activists from the group Protect Our Watersheds CT hike through part of the area where Tilcon is proposing to expand its nearby trap rock quarry. Photo by Patrick Skahill for Connecticut Public Radio

Proposal To Turn Rock Quarry Into Reservoir Faces Mountain Of Opposition

July 13, 2018

In Connecticut, a debate is underway about what to do with a protected stretch of watershed land between a public drinking water supply and an old stone quarry.

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To improve habitat on Calavale Brook, first you have to drop some trees in the stream. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

Protecting Land And Storing Carbon: Nature Conservancy Taps A New Market For Conservation Projects

July 12, 2018

A Nature Conservancy project in northern Vermont will store carbon to meet California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. The group says proceeds from the sale of these “carbon credits” will pay for future land protection projects.

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