Environmental Solutions 2020 by Bangor Daily News

ENVIRONMENTAL

Solutions 2020

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE BANGOR DAILY NEWS â&#x20AC;¢ JULY 24, 2020

MAINE AUDUBON 2

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 24, 2020

LAUNCHES VIRTUAL SPEAKER SERIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE COURTESY OF MAINE AUDUBON Lost in the crowded news cycles of 2020 is the real progress Maine is making on responding to climate change. Established by Governor Mills last year, the Maine Climate Council has not wavered from its commitment to deliver a climate response plan by the end of this year. Though meetings have moved online, the bipartisan commitment to protect the state’s economy and resources hasn’t budged. The Climate Council’s final recommendations will eventually be taken up by the legislature, but Mainers don’t have to wait to take their own action in response to climate change. To help, Maine Audubon is launching a free virtual speaker series aimed at giving Mainers practical advice on ways to respond to climate change. Called Climate Spotlight, the series kicked off on July 14 with an introduction to what we know about Maine’s changing climate from two of the state’s most acclaimed climate scientists. Maine State Climatologist Sean Birkel, of the University of Maine, and Stacy Knapp, from the Air Bureau at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, set the stage for future discussions by outlining the measured changes to Maine’s environment over the past several decades, and summarizing the state’s response so far. The next presentations, on July 28 and August 11, will focus on giving information to Mainers looking to get involved in solar energy. The July 28 conversation will center around community solar farms, where multiple individuals buy energy from a single solar installation. Speakers will be Tom Sweeney, CEO of Clean Energy Co., along with three Mainers currently subscribed to community solar farms in the state: David Kuchta, and Allen and Elissa Armstrong. The second solar energy discussion will focus on rooftop solar panels. Phil Couple, co-founder of Maine-based ReVision Energy, will outline the basics of rooftop panels and answer questions about

costs, requirements, and financial benefits and opportunities. Also speaking will be Chris Wasileski of Highland Green, a retirement community in Topsham which promotes a number of green building initiatives, and Eliza Donoghue, Director of Advocacy at Maine Audubon and a rooftop solar customer. The final three presentations will focus on challenging issues Mainers must face before responding adequately to climate change. On August 25, Dr. Adam Daigneault of UMaine and Sally Stockwell from Maine Audubon will talk about natural climate solutions. Maximizing the benefits of Maine’s natural resources, especially our forests, can help us reduce our carbon footprint. The September 8 panel is centered on the most difficult climate obstacle: transportation. Motor vehicle emissions make up a large share of Maine’s total emission portfolio. Emily Green from the Conservation Law Foundation and Barry Woods, Director of Electric Vehicle Innovation at ReVision Energy, will be on hand to talk about how the private sector is responding. Finally, on September 22, the Climate Spotlight series will wrap up with a discussion of home energy efficiency. Some of the simplest and most effective strategies to combat climate change involve improvements in the home, and this panel will discuss weatherization, heat pump transition, energy audits, and efficiency improvements, and more. Kathleen Miel, Director of Policy & Partnerships, Maine Conservation Voters; Dana Fischer, Area Manager, ME & NH, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC; and Vaughan Woodruff of Insource Renewables will share their knowledge of the latest in home energy efficiency products. The talks take place every other Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to noon, and are free to attend. Registration information can be found at MaineAudubon.org. While the Maine Climate Council continues its work on the big picture questions of our state’s response to the climate crisis, the Maine Audubon Climate Spotlight presentations hope to make climate response achievable for everyone.

SOLAR PANELS AT MAINE AUDUBON’S GILSLAND FARM HEADQUARTERS IN FALMOUTH. PHOTO CREDIT: MAINE AUDUBON

THE FUTURE

OF MAINE’S ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT COURTESY OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE Young people are rising up across Maine to use their creativity, passion, and experience to protect the state’s waters, woods, and wildlife. A new statewide awards program aims to elevate and engage their unique voices as a part of Maine’s evolving environmental movement. The Brookie Awards, hosted by NRCM Rising, the young member arm of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), was created to honor the impact and amplify the work of Maine’s young environmental leaders. The inaugural school of Brookies was announced in June 2020, selected for their leadership and effective approaches to protecting the nature of Maine. The geographically diverse group includes students, artists, and scientists ranging from ages 15 to 30 who are creatively implementing solutions to environmental challenges ranging from climate action to bird conservation, and protection of shellfisheries: GABRIELLE HILLYER OF ORONO is project coordinator and co-developer of the Maine Shellfish Learning Network, where she works to protect the health of regional shellfisheries by bringing shellfish harvesters, coastal towns, researchers, state agencies, and other partners together. Gabrielle is the designer of the Bucket Drifter, which is being used to measure the tides and other river water data to understand an estuary’s ability to get rid of bacteria that is harmful to shellfish. SIROHI KUMAR OF BAR HARBOR is youth representative to the Bar Harbor Task Force on Climate where she helped play a leadership role in the town’s climate emergency declaration and wrote a how-to guide for declaring a climate emergency in any Maine town. LOGAN PARKER OF PALERMO is founder of the Maine Nightjar Monitoring Project, a monitoring program that mainstreams the collection of data on the Eastern Whip-poor-will and the Common Nighthawk, two species that face major threats throughout the entirety of their breeding ranges. This initiative also serves as a model for regional field naturalism. JORDAN PARKS OF PORTLAND is a sustainable materials artist who uses art as a medium to cultivate connections between people and places and to encourage activism. She developed and curated two outdoor interactive art exhibitions, Surface First Tilts West and Windward Exhibition. Jordan’s passion for spreading environmental awareness has been a result of her work as an environmental and outdoor educator. RILEY STEVENSON OF WALDOBORO is the outreach director for Maine Youth Climate Strikes and founder of the Coastal Youth Climate Coalition where she is building a statewide network to connect youth climate organizers and activists. ANIA WRIGHT OF BAR HARBOR is the Youth Representative to the Maine Climate Council and founding member of both Maine Youth for Climate Justice and Downeast Climate Emergency Action Coalition. Ania is co-author of the Climate Justice Syllabus. “These young leaders are using their energy and unique perspectives to protect what we all love about Maine,” said NRCM Leadership Giving Director Fiona Gordon, who manages the new Brookie Awards program. “They lead not just with powerful words but with effective action that brings Mainers together to create long-lasting change that we all benefit from.” The Brookie Awards will honor six of Maine’s young environmental changemakers every two years. Recipients receive a cash prize and an invitation to a nature-based skill building retreat aimed at fostering knowledge-sharing across generations and movement-building by more deeply connecting these outstanding individuals to the nature of Maine.

Are you a future Brookie? Or do you know someone who should receive a Brookie? The next Brookie Awards application cycle begins in October 2021. To learn more about the Brookie Awards visit www.brookieawards.org. The Brookie Awards are made possible by the generous partnership of the Quimby Family Foundation.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 24, 2020

MAINE’S FORESTS ARE A CRITICAL NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTION

BY MARK BERRY, FOREST PROGRAM DIRECTOR, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN MAINE Over the past seven months, I’ve served as one of 27 members of the Natural and Working Lands Working Group of the Maine Climate Council. This June, we presented five recommended climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies to the Council, which will now draw on the recommendations from our working group and five others in developing a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure Maine is more resilient to the impacts of our changing climate. We know that failure to act will be expensive and devastating to our communities, our economy, and our natural world. Acting boldly, with the best available information, is an opportunity to choose our state’s future. Investing in our forest lands must be a central pillar of those efforts. An impressive 89 percent of Maine’s land area is forest, making ours the most forested state in the country. Remarkably, all those trees, dead wood and soils hold about 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon. That’s as much carbon as could be saved by taking 47 million cars off the road for 25 years. Admittedly, these big numbers are difficult to relate to. At a more human scale, the carbon in 100 acres of average Maine forest is equal to emissions from 6,500 vehicles driven for one year or the annual energy use of over 3,500 homes. From commercial timberlands to small woodlots, from land trust properties to Baxter State Park—together, our forests are net contributors to storing carbon. It’s important to keep all that carbon in the forest and in the soil. But as more land continues to be developed, total forest land is declining in every New England state—including Maine. Making climate a priority when planning forest management, managing for older forests, and using as much of our harvested wood as possible in long-lived products that won’t release their carbon for decades are all ways Maine’s forest economy can contribute even more to capturing and storing carbon. Of course, even beyond their climate benefits, forests provide an endless array of invaluable benefits to people and nature alike: •

Forests keep our lakes, streams, and rivers clean and water supplies abundant, reducing flood risks and providing clean water for people and wildlife.

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Large connected forests provide a pathway for wildlife to move as species are pushed by rising temperatures and changing habitat.

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Trees improve our health by purifying the air we breathe, moderating extreme temperatures and providing Mainers with places to exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Over $8 billion is spent on outdoor recreation annually in Maine, supporting 76,000 jobs.

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With an annual harvest of 13 million tons of wood, and an estimated economic impact of $8.5 billion, the timber industry provided over 33,000 jobs in 2016.

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Forest conservation pays. With every $1 invested in land conservation through the Land for Maine’s Future Program, $11 in natural goods and services is returned to the Maine economy.

It is critical that we keep Maine’s forests as forests. Whether it’s public or private conservation land, small woodlots, or sustainably harvested timberlands, our forests are a priceless resource and a front-line tool against the effects of climate change.

OLD WHITE PINES PHOTO CREDIT: MARK BERRY/TNC

Learn more and check out a short video about Maine’s forests and climate change at nature.org/maine.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 24, 2020

PROTECTING AND SECURING ACCESS TO MAINE’S GREAT OUTDOORS COURTESY OF THE LAND FOR MAINE’S FUTURE PROGRAM The Land for Maine’s Future Program (LMF) is the state’s primary funding vehicle for conserving land for its natural and recreational value. For over 30 years, LMF has been helping to secure public access across the state for recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, snowmobiling, and ATVing. LMF has also contributed to the protection of Maine’s biodiversity and natural heritage and has helped to secure the future of the state’s farming, forestry, and fishing industries through the conservation of working lands. Some of Maine’s most iconic views — maybe even your favorite neighborhood hike and local boat launch, remote three-day canoe trip deep in the north Maine woods, or world-famous fishing spot — are accessible because of LMF, which has also been instrumental in protecting State Parks, Public Lands, and Wildlife Management Areas. LMF works to coordinate and finance the acquisition of land for conservation purposes. LMF has participated in projects in all of Maine’s 16 counties including:

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62 water access sites 41 farms and 9,755 acres of farmlands conserved 26 commercial working waterfront properties Acquisitions of 1,272 miles of shorelines of rivers, lakes and ponds, 58 miles of coastline, and 158 miles of former railroad corridors for recreational trails • Just under 604,000 acres of conservation and recreation lands — this includes 333,425 acres of working lands reflecting LMF’s efforts to conserve the working landscape and keep lands in private ownership with permanent land conservation agreements Through the use of matching funds, the program encourages partnerships with local, regional, statewide, and federal conservation organizations. LMF funds projects ranging from local to statewide significance, with properties held and managed by state agencies, municipalities, and private land trusts. The collaborative nature of these public/private partnerships has been a key to the program’s success.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE PLACES LMF HAS HELPED TO PROTECT:

ORBETON STREAM

Located in the towns of Madrid and Phillips, in the shadows of Saddleback Mountain, the Orbeton Stream Project secured a working forest conservation easement in 2015 on nearly 6,000 acres surrounding Orbeton Stream. The property is owned and managed for timber by Linkletter Timberlands. This local familyowned company uses the wood to help supply its pellet mill and to provide fiber to other major Franklin County mills. The easement ensures sustainable forest management and allows public access for hiking, fishing, paddling, and hunting. The property follows a portion of the Appalachian Trail and protects important public access to the Fly Rod Crosby Trail, Moose Loop ATV trail, and Black Fly Loop snowmobile trail. Orbeton Stream and its tributaries provide outstanding habitat for the federally-recognized endangered Atlantic salmon and other cold-water fish. LMF provided $150,000 towards the $1.6 million project.

ORBETON STREAM PHOTO CREDIT: JERRY MONKMAN

ANDROSCOGGIN RIVERLANDS STATE PARK

LMF funding secured the future of this 2,675-acre park that lies along Maine’s third-largest river – the Androscoggin. Just north of Lewiston-Auburn, the park is within an hour’s drive of more than half of Maine’s people. An extensive trail network and undeveloped lands offer abundant recreational opportunities and habitat for wildlife. Trails include 12 miles of multiple-use/shared-use trails, 10 miles of hiking trails, and over 6 miles of single-track biking trails. Androscoggin Riverlands spans both sides of the river in two separate parcels. The larger section, known as the Turner Lands (2,345 acres), is along the western shore and provides the trail network plus three paddling pull-outs within the 6-mile shoreline. The smaller section, called the Leeds Lands, is 330 acres along the east shore of the river just north of the Turner Lands. It is accessible by boat – primarily canoes and kayaks as the water is shallow – and in winter by snowmobile. The Turner and Greene boat launches, as well as the island picnic sites, are managed and maintained by Brookfield Renewable. More than $2.75 M in LMF funds supported the acquisition of these lands over a nearly 20 year period. A brochure and additional information are available online at www.maine.gov/androscogginriverlands.

THE STONINGTON LOBSTER COOPERATIVE

The Stonington Lobster Cooperative (“Co-op”) on Indian Point Road in Stonington was established in 1948 by local fishermen to buy and sell lobsters and fish, as well as hardware and other supplies needed by local fishermen. Over the years, the Co-op has purchased scallops, mussels, finfish, crabmeat, shrimp, clams, and even Irish Sea Moss for a brief period in the 1960s. Today, over 80 boats land product at the Co-op, primarily lobsters and crabs. As the number of boats selling to the Co-op grew and the total volume of the lobster catch expanded, the Co-op has upgraded its facilities in response. The Co-op was approved for Working Waterfront Access Protection Program (WWAPP) funds in 2019 and has used funds to add space for additional parking, to accommodate larger trucks that ship lobsters and other fish from the Co-op, and deliver bait used by local fishermen. The funds not only have allowed the Co-op to increase its capacity to support local fishermen, but the expansion also allows the Co-op to provide additional shoreside resources for aquaculture operations, which provide an important opportunity for economic diversity. The WWAPP is a component of the LMF. Funds are allocated by the LMF Board to support projects that sustain access to the waterfront for commercial fishing and aquaculture in exchange for development rights through a legal document called a Working Waterfront Covenant. To date, 26 properties have received funds through the program. The program is administered by the Maine Department of Marine Resources and LMF. If nothing else, let these LMF project examples inspire you to get outside and explore. We cannot be reminded enough just how lucky we are to live in a state with accessible trails, mountains, beaches, lakes and ponds, and other conservation and recreation lands nearby. As you experience more of Maine, watch for LMF signs, they are located and maintained on all conserved properties. Please take note of these treasured places and introduce them to your outdoors-minded friends and family. Also, if leaving a conservation legacy is essential to you, and you are curious to learn more about LMF, please visit www.maine.gov/dacf/lmf. Thank You!

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 24, 2020

MAINE’S STATE HERITAGE FISH WATERS: A NATIONAL TREASURE

BY BOB MALLARD, NATIVE FISH COALITION

Maine’s State Heritage Fish waters represent the largest inventory of self-sustaining native salmonids in lakes and ponds in the nation. These waters have never been stocked, or have not been stocked in 25 years or more. Most have no competing species, and many are undeveloped. Unlike most wild trout programs, Maine’s State Heritage Fish (SHF) program is a law, not a policy. Enacted in 2005, it was originally applied to never-stocked brook trout lakes and ponds. It was amended in 2007 to include rare Arctic charr, and in 2014 to add lakes and ponds that had not been stocked in 25 years or more. It is amended annually to add new waters, and occasionally remove waters. Affecting roughly 585 lakes and ponds, the SHF law protects wild native brook trout and Arctic charr from stocking and the use of live fish as bait, both of which are a source of harmful nonnative fish introductions. It also helps protect them from genetic swamping, and the introduction of diseases, viruses, and parasites. While not part of the SHF law, the recent change that prohibits the use of live fish as bait by rule not exception in the critically important North Zone, came about as a result of an unsuccessful attempt to amend the law by George Smith, with help from founding members of Native Fish Coalition (NFC) and others, to extend the protections to the tributaries of SHF waters. With so much at stake, 90% of the remaining wild native brook trout lakes and ponds in the nation and the last Arctic charr in the contiguous United States, it’s time Maine looked at ways to protect more waters under the SHF law, including adding rivers and streams, while providing a

higher level of protection for those waters so designated. While the inclusion criteria for creating the original lists were clear and implemented relatively consistently, the rules adopted by IFW for adding new waters are less clear, subjective, inconsistent, and not in line with the intent of the law – to protect all wild native brook trout and Arctic charr. A REMOTE STATE HERITAGE This is due to ambiguity in the language which needs to be FISH POND IN SOMERSET addressed. Unfortunately, a recent attempt to amend the law COUNTY. to do this failed. PHOTO BY EMILY BASTIAN Roughly 50 percent of the SHF waters, and over 60 percent of the acreage, are open to the use of worms and dead bait – fish, eggs, etc. Bait comes with a 30% incidental mortality rate, meaning that one out of three fish caught and released die, which is a high, and unnecessary, price to pay when you consider what is involved – rare wild native salmonids. Since the beginning, the SHF law has been driven primarily by anglers. SAM started the ball rolling and got the law passed, DDAS amended the law to add Arctic charr, Maine Audubon and Trout Unlimited surveyed waters for future consideration, and NFC initiated a volunteer effort to post informational signs on SHF waters. It’s time for IFW to step up and close the holes.

MAINE’S ATLANTIC SALMON: A SPECIES ON THE BRINK BY BOB MALLARD, NATIVE FISH COALITION Atlantic salmon are an important part of Maine’s history, culture, and outdoor heritage. They provided sustenance for Native Americans and early European settlers, and were an important part of Maine’s sporting scene and tourism economy. For roughly 80 years, the first salmon caught in Maine, referred to as the “Presidential Salmon,” was delivered to the President of the United States. The first went to President Taft in 1912, and the last to part-time Maine NATIVE FISH COALITION resident President George H. Bush in 1992. NATIONAL VICE CHAIR Established in 1887, the Penobscot Salmon Club in Brewer is said EMILY BASTIAN. to be the oldest fishing club in America. The Veazie and Eddington PHOTO BY BOB MALLARD Salmon Clubs are located on the Penobscot as well. The now defunct Dennys River Sportsman’s Club was located in Downeast. Atlantic salmon were once found from Connecticut to the St. John River in Maine. They are now found in Maine only. According to Dwayne Shaw, Executive Director of Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF), fewer than 100 wild Atlantic salmon, those born in nature from naturally deposited eggs, return to Maine waters some years. And it’s likely one or both their parents were stocked. By 1948, the commercial fishery for Atlantic salmon was suspended. In 2000, salmon were listed as “Endangered” by the federal government. The listing covered Cove Brook and the Dennys,

Ducktrap, East Machias, Machias, Narraguagus, Pleasant, and Sheepscot Rivers. In 2009, the critically important Penobscot, along with the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers were added to the list. While the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is technically responsible for Atlantic salmon, they spend their first few years in water managed by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW.) While in freshwater, salmon are stressed by dams, pollution, habitat degradation, nonnative fish, trout stocking, recreational angling, and poaching. Unfortunately, IFW has taken a hands-off position. As the “King of Fish” teeters on the brink of extinction, we must ask, are we doing everything we can to save this iconic species and important part of Maine’s culture and heritage? Unfortunately, the answer is no, we can and should do much more than we are doing. To address this, Native Fish Coalition (National and Maine Chapter), Downeast Salmon Federation, Atlantic Salmon Federation (National and Maine Council), Union Salmon Association, Upstream Watch, Kennebec Reborn, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, Elliotsville Foundation, as well as former IFW Commissioner Ray “Bucky” Owen, former IFW Deputy Commissioner Matt Scott, retired fisheries biologists Ed Baum, Joan Garner Trial PhD, Mark Whiting PhD, and others, recently sent IFW a request to list Atlantic salmon as Endangered at the state level. Unfortunately, IFW refused the request citing among other things jurisdictional issues pertaining to what they refer to as a “marine species,” and therefore the responsibility of DMR. And herein lies the problem, while Atlantic salmon spend much of their life in freshwater, IFW does not see them as their responsibility, and restoration efforts continue to fall short of what’s needed.

BOB MALLARD is a founding member, Executive Director, and Maine Board Member for Native Fish Coalition. He can be reached at Info@NativeFishCoalition.org

BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE: 8

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 24, 2020

AN EXPERIENCED DEVELOPER, OWNER, AND OPERATOR OF RENEWABLE POWER FACILITIES COURTESY BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE Brookfield Renewable develops innovative natural power solutions that accelerate the world toward a carbon-free future. We do so by combining 100 years of operating experience as a developer, owner, and operator of renewable power facilities with industry-leading environmental stewardship and a strong commitment to health, safety, security, and the environment. We are committed to understanding, minimizing, and managing the potential environmental impacts and safety hazards associated with our operations and activities. Our environmental principles are based on accountability, partnership and open communication. We accept the responsibility of managing natural resources in ways that ensure their long-term sustainability. Brookfield Renewable is proud to have a strong presence in Maine with a long track record of providing clean, renewable, and reliable energy to the people of Maine and New England. We are constantly working to be a responsible partner, committed to enhancing the recreational, cultural, and historic resources in the communities in which we operate. This includes working to highlight the natural beauty and recreational benefits of this great state. DID YOU KNOW BROOKFIELD RENEWABLE PROVIDES WHITEWATER RELEASES ON THE PENOBSCOT, ANDROSCOGGIN, KENNEBEC, AND DEAD RIVER? We provide daily releases from May through Columbus Day on Class 2, 3, and 4 whitewater. Each

year thousands of private and commercial paddlers enjoy Maine’s pristine waterways as a result of these scheduled releases. In addition, we provide recreational access to some of the New England’s best fly-fishing locations including the Rangeley Lakes region renowned for their native Brook Trout. As owner and operator on the Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, and Saco rivers, Brookfield Renewable invites you to share the rivers safely. We provide real-time flows for our facilities via our waterflow website at safewaters.com. Please remember, river systems are wonderful resources, but they can also be dangerous. Conditions can change quickly and without notice. Take precautions! While the waters above and below a dam may look safe, conditions below the surface can present serious risks. Be aware of your surroundings and observe all signage, warning signals, sirens, and barriers.