#WetlandRestoration and Improvement Projects Receive $4.6 Million in Funding

February 09, 2026 | #Maine

AUGUSTA, Maine — "The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program (#MNRCP) awarded over $4.6 million for 10 projects that will restore and enhance freshwater and coastal wetlands and streams, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (#MaineDEP) announced today.

The projects awarded funding include:

- Improving degraded #SaltMarsh around the #YorkRiver
- Restoring #eelgrass in the #GreatSaltBay
- Removing dams on the #RoyalRiver in #YarmouthME and the #NezinscotRiver in #BuckfieldME
- Reconnecting a side channel and reestablishing #wetlands along the Upper #MagallowayRiver
- Expanding and enhancing the #RiparianBuffer of a brook in #WaldoboroME
- Upgrading a culvert to a bridge on a tributary to the #AroostookRiver
- Restoring and reconnecting #wetlands in #AcadiaNationalPark

"In total, $4,633,343 was awarded to restore wetlands that will improve water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, and mitigate flooding impacts.

"#MNRCP is one of the most important funding sources for wetland restoration and conservation projects in the state. Since it began in 2008, the program has awarded over $36 million for 183 wetland restoration and conservation projects. Public agencies, municipalities, Tribes and nonprofit conservation organizations are all eligible to apply for funding. MNRCP funding can cover the costs of wetland consultants and engineers who support project design and implementation.

"The program provides opportunities for restoration projects that help improve a broad range of critical habitats, both inland and along Maine’s coast."

Read more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/mnrcp-awardees/

#SolarPunkSunday #MaineRivers #MaineWetlands #WetlandRestoration #RestoringNature #DamRemoval

via @MaineMonitor

A shady land deal in #BelfastME as a #ConservationEasement goes missing

A wetland in Belfast was supposed to be conserved “in perpetuity.” Instead it’s being sold as commercial property. DEP is investigating.

By Murray Carpenter
July 13, 2025

Excerpt: "#BankOfAmerica became the owner of the lot in 2006, when it bought #MBNA for $34 billion. In January 2025, Bank of America sold the lot at auction to #WeBuyAndResellHomesLLC, a Georgia company. According to Belfast Assessor’s Office, the lot sold for $15,750, and is assessed at $404,800.

"The new owner promptly listed the property for sale for $295,000, with no mention that it is a #wetlands #mitigation site. The ad, at CORE real estate, reads, 'Zoned commercially, the land is positioned for a variety of business ventures. Belfast is expanding, making this an ideal location for retail, office, or mixed-use development.'

"It’s hard to know how the wetland conservation project seeped through the cracks. Among the banker’s boxes of documents related to MBNA permitting in the #DEP archives, is an unsigned draft of the deed restriction, from 1997. The draft would not be enforceable, however, until it was signed and filed with the deed.

"#MaineDEP spokesman David Madore said the agency is investigating the matter.

" 'The Department’s approval of the 1997 development was contingent on the restoration and preservation of wetland functions and values on the compensation parcel,' Madore said in an email. 'The parcel was intended to be permanently preserved.'

"A Bank of America spokesperson declined to comment on the story, as did the Army Corps.

"These days, it’s an overlooked and forgotten lot adjacent to a bustling area. Someone is using an area near the road as a toilet.

"But back in the wetland, the #alders and #cattails have grown in as intended. On a warm July day, red-winged #blackbirds, common yellowthroats, and #RedEyedVireos sing. And, from deep in the wetland, comes the croaking of a #GreenFrog."

https://themainemonitor.org/belfast-conservation-easement-missing/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

#SaveTheWetlands #BankOfAmericaSucks #Conservation #MaineNews #WetlandPreservation #ShadyDeals #SaveTheLittleRiverWatershed

From the #MaineDEP: Reduce Waste with #RepairClinics

A Community Guide to Organizing a Repair Clinic

What is a repair clinic?

A repair clinic (also known as a #RepairCafe or #FixIt Clinic) is an event where community members get together to share knowledge and fix things. They’ve been described as an activity that is 'both for and by neighbors.'

What do you repair?

Depending on local expertise, items may include clothing, electronics, appliances, bicycles, furniture, and much more.
Waste reduction starts with repair

Repair gives old belongings new life.

Repair clinics help your community reduce waste by making broken things usable again and keeping them out of the trash.

How to get started

• Locate and invite subject matter experts in the community
• Recruit volunteers to help plan, organize, and get the word out about the upcoming repair clinic
• Locate and gather appropriate tools and parts
• See if hardware and bicycle shops or other local businesses can offer spare parts for sale or an expert volunteer from their staff

Find the right venue

• Libraries, community centers, town halls, faith centers, or schools are generally affordable, accessible, and familiar
• The facility should have electricity with ample outlets to plug into, adequate space, tables, plenty of parking, running water, and bathrooms—a kitchen is a bonus if available
• Donations can help cover repair clinic costs

Recruit skilled help

Scout out local electricians, carpenters, plumbers, metalworkers, furniture makers, tailors, and technical school students when recruiting volunteers. Experts can generate good publicity for their business or institution just by donating a few hours of time to share their skills.

Get the word out

Volunteers can help spread the word about the upcoming repair clinic. Hang fliers in the library, restaurants, coffee shops, town hall, and other favorite gathering spots, post notices on local social media groups, and tell friends and neighbors. Have contact information on all notices so people can reach out with questions or to volunteer.

Set some guidelines

• Visitors should do as much of their own repair as possible—they will learn a new skill and may even be able to pass it on to someone else in the future.
• A repair clinic is not a professional repair business and volunteers and community organizers:
- Have the right to refuse to repair something
- Will not be held responsible for an unsuccessful repair
- Will not be held liable in the event of an accident or injury
• Visitors are responsible for their own stuff and must remove everything they brought with them.

Legal and safety measures

Prepare a release form and ensure you have plenty of copies at the repair clinic for visitors to sign. Release forms
contain house rules so visitors understand that not everything can be fixed, and organizers and repairers are
not liable for damage or injury. Collect and store a form signed by each attendee. Some venues have public liability insurance to provide additional coverage for your event.

Having a certified first-aid volunteer at the repair clinic adds another important safety measure.

View release form examples at the links below:
• https://repaircafe.org/en/house-rules
• https://ppld.org/sites/default/files/policies/repaircafeguidelines.pdf (link opens a PDF)
• http://www.cvswmd.org/uploads/6/1/2/6/6126179/repair_cafe_house_rules.pdf (link opens a PDF)

Running the event—the basics
• Accept donations to help pay for event costs
• Coffee, tea, and snacks will be welcome—charge a reasonable fee to cover refreshment costs
• Set up repair stations for different categories of stuff, each staffed with a repair expert
• Have visitors check in
• Ensure each visitor signs a release form and understands the terms
• Direct each visitor to the appropriate repair station

Additional resources for a successful repair clinic

• The Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Repair toolkit includes a detailed planning
guide, a release form template, sample outreach materials and much more.
- View toolkit: http://www.cvswmd.org/repair-cafe-tool-kit.html
• Learn more about hosting repair events from the organization that started the trend, located in the Netherlands. They offer a repair café starter kit for a fee (name your own price).
- Visit Repair Cafe website: https://repaircafe.org/en/about/

Source:
https://www.maine.gov/dep/waste/recycle/documents/starting-a-repair-clinic.pdf
#RightToRepair #RepairCafesMaine #Maine #DIY #RepairCafé #FixIt #SolarPunkSunday #RepairCafes #PlannedObsolescence

#PenobscotNation and #ConservationLawFoundation appeal to stop #JuniperRidgeLandfill expansion

Maine Public | By Carol Bousquet
Published November 13, 2024

"The Penobscot Nation and Conservation Law Foundation have filed an appeal in Superior Court to stop the expansion of the Juniper Ridge Landfill in #OldTownMaine.

"In October the state concluded that the expansion was in the public's interest and set several conditions that #Casella Waste Management must meet to move forward with the project.

"Alexandra St. Pierre of the Conservation Law Foundation said the expansion runs contrary to the state's waste management goals, which prioritize reduction of waste volume and using #landfills.

"'Our goal here is to ensure that the decision is consistent with environmental justice and with the solid waste hierarchy as the law requires,' St. Pierre said.

"The Penobscot Nation and #CLF said that in its finding, the state failed to guarantee the safety of residents and the #environment.

"They argue that harmful exposure to #PFAS in the landfill's #leachate, #AirPollution and contamination of the #PenobscotRiver will all increase.

"'And we're really hoping we'll get adequate consideration for the issues that we raised and that the people actually themselves are considered and that #EnvironmentalJustice is implemented,' St. Pierre said.

"The DEP said it is unable to comment on pending litigation."

https://www.mainepublic.org/courts-and-crime/2024-11-13/penobscot-nation-and-conservation-law-foundation-appeal-to-stop-juniper-ridge-landfill-expansion

#MaineDEP #WabanakiConfederacy #WaterIsLife #AirIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #IndianIsland #Penobscot #MaineEnvironmentalNews #Maine

#MaineDEP says expansion of state’s largest landfill would benefit public

The decision allows the state to apply to add 61 acres to the state-owned #JuniperRidgeLandfill, which takes in 52% of the state's waste.

by Penelope Overton
October 2, 2024

"Despite objections from neighbors and environmental groups, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection concluded Wednesday that expanding the state’s largest landfill, Juniper Ridge, would substantially benefit the public.
It’s not an outright approval, but the department’s decision allows the state to apply to add 61 acres to the state-owned Juniper Ridge Landfill, which takes in 52% of the state’s waste. The state claims this expansion would extend the facility’s operating life by 11 years; without it, it would run out of space by 2028.

"DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim’s decision can be appealed to the Board of Environmental Protection and the Maine courts, and several opponents of the proposed expansion, like the Boston-based #ConservationLawFoundation , say they are prepared to challenge the decision.

"'This decision recklessly gambles with public health and the environment,' said #AlexandraStPierre, the director of communities and toxics in the foundation’s #EnvironmentalJustice Program. 'It dismisses the serious concerns raised by the #PenobscotNation and other nearby residents about the harmful effects this expansion will have on their health and community.'

"She continued: 'We refuse to allow this dangerous expansion to proceed unchecked.'

"The foundation and other opponents say the #OldTown location of the facility unfairly places the burden of the state’s trash needs on the Penobscot Nation. The #leachate that #JuniperRidge produces when it rains is sent to a nearby paper mill sewer plant that discharges into the #PenobscotRiver.

[...]

"The amount of waste heading to Maine landfills has increased 34% between 2018 and 2022, according to DEP. #Sludge that was once spread on #agricultural fields is now landfilled due to forever chemical #contamination [#PFAS]. The amount of municipal solid waste landfilled during that time jumped 47%.

"While some people say Maine is not doing enough to divert waste from the #landfills – for example, a bill that would have required large #FoodWaste generators to #recycle their #scraps at a nearby facility died on the appropriations table – others object to #Casella as the facility operator.

"Casella clashed with some municipal leaders and state lawmakers when it refused to accept the #biosolids created by wastewater treatment plants at Juniper Ridge out of fear that the mushy slop, or sludge, was causing structural instability that could lead to the landfill’s collapse."

Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/maine-state-needs-to-expand-its-biggest-landfill/

Archived version:
https://archive.md/VXv9m

#WaterIsLife #EnvironmentalRacism #JuniperRidgeLandfill #CasellaWasteSystems #MaineNews #Maine #ToxicFire #PFASPollution
#WabanakiAlliance
#DontWasteME #Slingshot #EnvironmentalJustice #PenobscotNation #PFAS #PenobscotRiver #EnvironmentalInjustice #CompostFoodWaste #ReduceWaste

'This is our best option:' #Maine farmers turn to #SolarEnergy due to #contaminated fields

Story by Brad Rogers
7/25/2024

ARUNDEL (WGME) – "#PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, have been nothing short of disastrous for hundreds of #Mainefarmers.

"It's ruined their land, made their cattle, milk and eggs unsafe to eat and left many farmers with serious health problems.

"'This farm has been in our family since 1914,' #FredStone, whose #Arundel farm was contaminated with PFAS, said.

"Stone was a third-generation dairy farmer in Arundel until forever chemicals were discovered in his fields, #WellWater, cows and milk.

"The pollution came from spreading #wastewater #sludge on his farm after the state told him it was safe.

"#MaineDEP has identified more than 500 sites where sludge was applied to farmland as #fertilizer.

"In 2017, Stone was the first farmer in the state to have his dairy farm and his pasture shut down due to #PFAScontamination.

"To make up for it, the state offered to buy his farm, but he refused to walk away.

"'We’re not in the farm selling or land selling business,' Stone said. 'Given what options we had left, that brought us to the solar thing.'

"He's been working with #WaldenRenewables to build a solar array on 100 acres of his contaminated farm.

"'It's their best alternative, but for some of these landowners, it's hard to kind of accept the change that they're facing,' Dale Knapp of Walden Renewables said. 'This is an injection of revenue that they desperately need.'

"This week, the Maine Public Utilities Commission [#MainePUC] approved new rules, paving the way for solar development on PFAS-polluted farms.

"'The Act provides that the commission must give a primary preference to projects that are located on contaminated lands,' Carrie Gilbert of the Maine PUC Commission said.

"'This is our best option,' Stone said. 'So reluctantly, very reluctantly I guess, that’s what we ended up having to do.'

"Stone plans to sign a 30-year lease for the solar array.

"After that, his farm may still be contaminated with forever chemicals, but 30 years is a long time for someone to come up with a solution.

"'That might mean that generational farm just goes on pause,' Knapp said. 'And the next generation may have the opportunity to return it to being a family farm someday.'

"'I’m very bitter,' Stone said. 'This is not the way we wanted to see this go. Yeah, I would love to see it continue on as a farm of some kind but damn the state of Maine for putting me in this position.'"

https://wgme.com/news/local/this-is-our-best-option-maine-farmers-turn-to-solar-energy-due-to-contaminated-fields-pfas-forever-chemical-dep-sludge-milk-cows-array

#MaineFarms #SolarFarms #ContaminatedFarmland #Reuse #SolarFarm #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #PFOA #WaterIsLife #PFOS #PFASContamination #WaterPollution #PFASPollution #PTFE #Wildlife #Cancer #Contamination #Chemicals #Environment #GenXChemicals

#TrainDerailment spills 1,200 gallons of #DieselFuel near #PenobscotRiver

Maine Public | By Nick Song
Published July 3, 2024 at 5:13 PM EDT

"About 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel spilled during a train derailment near #Mattawamkeag on Tuesday.

"The derailment occurred at 4:55 p.m. on Tuesday at a rail yard in Penobscot County according to railway operator #CSX Transportation. The Lincoln Fire Department which responded to the scene reported a train engine had collided with a parked boxcar on the rails. While no one was injured, the collision upended one boxcar and derailed another.

"The derailed car proceeded to sideswipe the locomotive’s fuel tank according to CSX, rupturing the tank and causing the fuel to spill approximately 1,200 gallons onto the ground. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection said cleanup crews managed to safely transfer an additional 2,450 gallons out of the damaged fuel tank.

"The #MaineDEP said the department flew a drone from the sheriff's office and a Maine Forest Service aircraft to see if any fuel ended up in the nearby Penobscot River. Both did not see any fuel sheen on the river, indicating no fuel ended up in the waterway.

"CSX and the Maine DEP both said they are working together to clean the fuel and will continue monitoring the site through the holiday weekend. CSX said the cause of the incident is under investigation."

https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2024-07-03/train-derailment-spills-1-200-gallons-of-diesel-near-penobscot-river

#WaterIsLife #Maine #FossilFuelsAreDeath