No more #Maine #DataCenters for now, lawmakers say

Lawmakers advanced a measure that drew attention last month when one senator said it could kill a previously unannounced project in Sanford.

by Daniel Kool, Posted March 5, Updated March 6, 2026

"Maine lawmakers voted Thursday to advance a bill that would stop the development of new data centers in the state for more than a year.

"The bill, #LD307, would create a temporary limitation on data centers with electric loads of at least 20 megawatts by preventing the state, local governments and quasi-governmental agencies from issuing permits or other approvals until 90 days after the first session of the 133rd Legislature adjourns.

"That will likely be around October 2027, the bill’s sponsor, said Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport.

"That would give a new “Data Center Coordination Council,” also created by the bill, time to study and review the potential impacts of building the centers in Maine. The Department of Energy Resources would be responsible for convening the body.

"Sachs has said the restriction is designed to address future growth without impeding projects that are already well underway, such as one pegged for the former Loring Air Force Base.

"Members of the Legislature’s Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee have debated the bill for weeks.

"On Thursday, they voted 8-5 in favor of passing the bill with amendments, sending it to the broader Legislature. The committee vote fell along party lines, with Democrats supporting the measure."

Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/03/05/no-more-maine-data-centers-for-now-lawmakers-say/

#SanfordME #JayME #LewistonME #WiscassetME #AWS #NoDatacenters #NoAI #MainePol #UnrestrictedGrowth #WaterIsLife #NoisePollution

Boy, #SanfordME seems to be the target of #Greenwashing #SnakeOilSalesmen! First an Amazon #Datacenter, now they want to truck all the #PFAS to a plant that may or may not work!

Residents pack Sanford forum on #biosolids plant, asking questions and voicing concerns

#AriesCleanTechnologies saw a major turnout at the open house it held to explain its proposal, and some attendees were left frustrated by a lack of answers.

by Penelope Overton and Abigail Driscoll
Posted February 25, 2026

Excerpt: "According to the official Aries Technologies website, the gasification process destroys 99% of forever chemicals. [I've seen other percentages cited! 95%, 97%... Who knows exactly how much?!!]

"Some people aren’t convinced.
'We haven’t seen any third-party research that backs their claims,' said Eve Dumont-Wilson, a representative from the #SanfordCleanAirAndWaterCoalition, a group that began this month to promote transparency from Aries and share its concerns over the possible environmental impacts of the proposed treatment center.

" 'We want assurances that they will be held accountable in the event of a spill,' Dumont-Wilson explained, adding that one of the coalition’s concerns is how little research has been done into the process Aries uses." [Sneaky, sneaky! Just like the datacenters!!!]

[...]

"Despite these assurances, the developer faces a high bar in proving its #gasification technology is ready for large-scale use. Aries acknowledged its facility in #LindenNJ, has been 'temporarily idled' for equipment upgrades [and it only functioned intermittently for a year before being closed!]. The company maintains that the issues were related to dryers rather than the core technology."

Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/02/25/sludge-plant-developer-tries-to-woo-sanford-2/

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

Related article:
https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2026-02-24/sanford-could-host-sludge-processing-plant

#MainePol #MEPol #ForeverChemicals

#SanfordME, #SpringvaleME - #LandTrust Receives Donation for #AccessibleGarden

March 20, 2023

"The Sanford Community Garden will further expand this year with new wheelchair-accessible garden beds, thanks to a generous donation from Kennebunk Savings Bank.

According to Bud Johnston, President of MWLT, the gift will enable the Land Trust to build six beds for the benefit of those unable to use the existing beds at the garden. Each bed will have two sections – a 3 x 8-foot elevated growing table and a 3 x 4-foot raised bed, 20-inches high. This combination will allow for different gardening activities. The beds will sit on a concrete slab for ease of movement and convenience. Gardeners also will park on a paved surface.

Kennebunk Savings has been the official sponsor of the community garden since its inception in the spring of 2019. In 2022, funding was provided to double the garden’s size in response to demand, and to provide each gardener with everything needed to have a successful harvest without cost. Altogether Kennebunk Savings has provided $30,000 in support of the garden. Dr. Johnston said “I am certain I speak for all those involved with the Garden in saying that we are truly grateful for the generous support of Kennebunk Savings.”

'A community garden grows more than just nutritious food. It benefits the public by building connections – we engage with the earth and we engage with each other,' said Bradford C. Paige, President and CEO of Kennebunk Savings. 'We are pleased to present the #MousamWayLandTrust with a $7,500 donation in support of the creation of an #ADAAccessible garden beds so people of all abilities – everyone in this growing community – can enjoy this space. At Kennebunk Savings, we believe being a good neighbor means investing in our community.'

The Sanford Community Garden is located at the David and Linda Pence Community Ecology Center and the McKeon Environmental Reserve off Blanchard Rd. in #SpringvaleME. It is managed by Patty and Kevin McKeon, University of Maine Extension York County Master Gardener Volunteers."

FMI:
https://mousamwaylandtrust.org/2023/03/20/land-trust-receives-donation-for-accessible-garden/

#SolarPunkSunday #CommunityGardens #GrowYourOwn #GrowYourOwnFood #FoodSecurity #BuildingCommunity

#SanfordME #Datacenter is planned for New Dam Road. There is a wildlife refuge across the #MousamRiver and another large parcel of conserved land not far from the proposed site. If #NoisePollution affects humans, you can bet on it affecting #Wildlife!

#NoDatacenters #DataCenterMoratorium #Maine

So, hubby and I have been pouring over what is known about the #datacenter that's planned for #SanfordME . We figured out where it's going to go (New Dam Road along the #MousamRiver). And the mystery corporation is none other than #AWS - #AmazonWebServices!

New Details Emerge on Proposed Southern Maine #DataCenter

Local officials and project stakeholders to appear before state lawmakers on Thursday.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Excerpt: "A proposed Amazon Web Services data center in Sanford, Maine has new details emerging, including the location along the #MousamRiver and plans for independent power generation using a mixture of solar, battery storage, and fuel cells. The project is slated to be 'islanded' from the broader electrical grid, according to state Sen. Matt Harrington. Stakeholders, including Sanford officials and the developer, are expected to appear before the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee on Thursday."

https://nationaltoday.com/us/me/sanford-me/news/2026/02/22/new-details-emerge-on-proposed-southern-maine-data-center/

#MainePol #DataCenterMoratorium #WaterIsLife #NoisePollution #Wildlife #Maine #SanfordME

From #Datacenters to #DetentionCenters. We don't need either!!! And of course, just like the proposed datacenter project in #SanfordME, there's SECRECY!!! Sneaky, sneaky!

#ICE’s purchases for big detention centers are marked by secrecy, frustrating towns

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and MORGAN LEE
Updated 11:54 AM EST, February 21, 2026

Excerpt: SOCORRO, Texas (AP) — "In a Texas town at the edge of the #Rio rande and a tall metal border wall, rumors swirled that federal immigration officials wanted to purchase three hulking warehouses to transform into a detention center.

"As local officials scrambled to find out what was happening, a deed was filed showing the Department of Homeland Security had already inked a $122.8 million deal for the 826,000-square-foot (76,738-square-meter) warehouses in Socorro, a bedroom community of 40,000 people outside #ElPaso.

" 'Nobody from the federal government bothered to pick up the phone or even send us any type of correspondence letting us know what’s about to take place,' said Rudy Cruz Jr., the mayor of the predominantly #Hispanic town of low-slung ranch homes and trailer parks, where orchards and irrigation ditches share the landscape with strip malls, truck stops, recycling plants and distribution warehouses.

"Socorro is among at least 20 communities with large warehouses across the U.S. that have become stealth targets for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s $45-billion expansion of detention centers.

"As public support for the agency and President Donald #Trump’s #ImmigrationCrackdown sags, communities are objecting to mass detentions and raising concerns that the facilities could strain water supplies and other services while reducing local tax revenue. In many cases, mayors, county commissioners, governors and members of Congress learned about ICE’s ambitions only after the agency bought or leased space for detainees, leading to shock and frustration even in areas that have backed Trump.

" 'I just feel,' said Cruz, whose wife was born in Mexico, 'that they do these things in silence so that they don’t get opposition.' "

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-centers-pushback-24e702da67281a672b0f77287aaa87ba

#USPol #ICESucks #ICEOut #AbolishICE #TrumpSucks #TrumpRegrets #ImmigrationCrackdown

I always find it interesting to see how the opposing side spins stuff...

Planned #Datacenter in #Maine under threat from proposed moratorium

Project in #SanfordME could be killed before it gets off the ground

February 20, 2026

By Dan Swinhoe

"Proposals to bring in a data center moratorium in Maine have threatened [notice the language] plans for a new campus [yeah, like it's a school] in the Pine Tree State.

"The proposed bill, sponsored by Representative #MelanieSachs, includes a two-year moratorium on facilities above 20MW in the state while the impacts of data centers are studied and more stringent controls are put in place.

"However, State Sen. #MattHarrington, R-Sanford, said a pause on development would endanger a new data center planned for his district, detailing a previously unreported project. [Which involves a LOT of SECRECY!!!]

"During a works session, he said the moratorium would impact a proposed 100-300MW project being proposed by a developer, later named as the Northern New England Energy Corporation.

"He said at the time that the project was well into the planning process and had met with local officials and Maine's Department of Energy Resources. [Wah, wah...]

" 'You're completely blindsiding this [OUT OF STATE, AND CONNECTED TO A CANADIAN GAS COMPANY] business,' Harrington said, according to a report from Maine Public.

"Harrington revealed more details in a follow-up Facebook post, saying the project was being targeted on land in Sanford, York County, some 35 miles (56.3km) southwest of Portland.

" 'I was recently briefed by representatives of the Northern New England Energy Company about their plans to develop an energy generation project utilizing a mix of American-made fuel cells, solar power, and battery storage to produce all of the electricity needed to serve a colocated data center,' he said in the post.

"While he was asked not to publicly discuss the project, he said the surprise proposal of a moratorium 'might stop this opportunity for our community from coming to fruition before we even had a chance to consider it altogether.'

"According to its website, Northern New England Energy Corporation (#NNEEC) is an energy company based in Vermont.

"A subsidiary of Énergir, #NNEEC is the parent company of Vermont utility and energy distribution provider #GreenMountainPower Corporation, #VermontGasSystems Inc., and #EGVInsurance Inc.

"#Énergir, formerly known as Gaz Métro, is a Canadian energy company and the largest natural gas distribution company in Quebec.

"Maine has a small data center market, with Data Center Map listing just eight facilities in the state, largely centered around Brunswick and Portland.

"A data center is being proposed in the former #LoringAirForceBase, and another is being planned next to a former nuclear power plant in #WiscassetME.

"A project in #LewistonME was rejected by local officials last year." [YES, BY THE PEOPLE!!!]

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/planned-data-center-in-maine-under-threat-from-proposed-moratorium/

#MainePol #BigGas #NoNewDatacenters

So, knowing the area, my guess is that they want to build this #datacenter in #SanfordME. However, once again, datacenter proponents are like, "Oh hey! We already talked to the Sanford Water District." From the article: "David Parent, superintendent of the Sanford Water District, said he had not heard of any such project." Let me guess. State Senator #MattHarrington got a big fat bonus from the mysterious Datacenter Wizard / Con Artist! Also, both #LewistonME and #WiscassetME have REJECTED datacenters!

Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/02/13/is-a-large-data-center-coming-to-southern-maine/

Archived version:
https://archive.md/Wq3U2

#WaterIsLife #NoDatacenters #MainePol #USPol #NoElectricityForDatacenters #NoWaterForDatacenters

2025 - 2025 #WarmingShelters

On September 23, Governor Janet Mills and MaineHousing announced $2.3 million in state grants to support the operation of 12 overnight emergency warming centers in seven Maine counties this winter. The following warming centers will operate during the 2025 - 2026 winter season:

Bangor Area Homeless Shelter - #BangorME
City of Portland - #PortlandME
City of Sanford - #SanfordME
Healthy Acadia - #EllsworthME
Homeless Services of Aroostook - #AroostookME
Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter - #WatervilleME
New Beginnings - #LewistonME
Seeds of Hope - #BiddefordME
Augusta Emergency Overnight Warming Center - #AugustaME
State Street Church - #PortlandME
Tedford - #BrunswickME

Source:
https://www.mainehousing.org/news/public-notices/2025---2025-warming-shelters

@newsbot

#Unhoused #Homeless #ArcticBlast #WarmingCenters #Maine #ExtremeCold #Houseless #PolarVortex