maine environment

Published
March 23, 2023

Commentary: Managing municipal biosolids is a complex issue that requires collaboration

A 24- to 36-month pause in the enactment of a new law barring out-of-state waste from Maine landfills is crucial to averting a deeper crisis.
Published
March 22, 2023

Pine Tree Amendment would enshrine a constitutional right to a clean environment

Supporters say it would give Mainers legal standing on issues such as PFAS and mining, but critics say it is too vague and would lead to endless litigation.
Published
March 19, 2023

From Maine to California, the solution to sludge disposal is not settled

In fact, the approach in Maine – banning the spread on farmland because of PFAS risks – directly opposes the tack by eco-conscious California. Here's how the science is evolving.
Published
March 8, 2023

Landfill operator tells lawmakers it has temporary fix to Maine’s sludge disposal crisis

Casella, the operator of the state-owned landfill that had stopped accepting biosolids from wastewater treatment, says it has found a temporary home for Maine's sludge in New Brunswick, buying time to find a long-term solution.
Published
March 6, 2023

Lawmakers to hear about Maine sludge disposal crisis

The Maine DEP and the operator of the state's largest landfill will brief state lawmakers on Maine's sludge crisis on Wednesday.
Published
March 1, 2023

No immediate solution to Maine’s sludge problem

At the Scarborough sewer plant, one of roughly 3 dozen in the state that can no longer send all of their sludge to a state-owned landfill, a truck picks up 30 tons just in time to avert a potential public health emergency.
Published
February 28, 2023

Landfill stops accepting sludge, putting Maine sewer plants in bind

The only site in the state that takes wastewater sludge can no longer accept it because it doesn't have enough dry waste like construction debris and household waste to mix with the wet material to create a stable landfill.
Published
February 23, 2023

Baxter’s terms complicate tribes’ wish for role in Katahdin oversight

The tribes of Maine want a formal role in managing this sacred site, but strict rules on how the donated land must be governed don't allow for the expansion of the authority board.
Published
February 18, 2023

A rare bird and bumblebee fight for survival in Maine

The state wants to add the Saltmarsh sparrow and Ashton's cuckoo to its endangered list, and designate four other birds, a bat and a beetle as threatened.
Published
February 2, 2023

Lawmakers consider commercial EV truck rebate trial

But some lawmakers think the state should use its electric vehicle funding to help low- and middle-income Mainers who are eager to buy electric cars.