Due to concerns related to the coronavirus, the Maine Legislature adjourned on March 17, weeks ahead of schedule. Though we’re disappointed that a lot of important environmental policy was left on the table, we fully support this difficult decision, made in the best interests of Maine lawmakers and Maine people. The Legislature may reconvene to […]
Policy & Advocacy
Initial reaction to DEP draft approval for NECEC project
On March 13, 2020, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a draft order approving Central Maine Power’s (CMP) New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project with conditions. Maine Audubon staff previously provided extensive public comment to the DEP, focusing on the proposed project’s impacts on wildlife and habitat. Our comments demonstrated that NECEC, […]
Maine Audubon and Patagonia Freeport Join Forces for the Endangered Species Act
Shop and save has new meaning this month as Maine Audubon and Patagonia team up to protect the Endangered Species Act. Shoppers at the Patagonia Freeport store (100 Main Street, Freeport) are now greeted near the doors by an Endangered Species Act (ESA) display, featuring free “trading cards” with information about all ten of Maine’s […]
Destructive Changes Proposed to Important Bird Law
The changes to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) most recently proposed by the Trump Administration are almost impossible to comprehend. Proposed rules state that migratory bird death will only be prosecuted if the express purpose of the action was to intentionally kill birds. This means that the majority of actions that result in the […]
Public hearing on NECEC provides opportunity to share concerns
This week, the public will have another opportunity to learn about and comment on Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, a proposed 145-mile transmission line that would carry hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts. On December 5, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers�the federal agency responsible for wetland and waterway regulation and […]
National Audubon Reports on Climate Risks to Maine Birds
A new report gives projections for how climate change will impact the ranges of hundreds of bird species. Maine Audubon is working to minimize these impacts.
Bird numbers declining by the billions
A shocking new report published this week in the journal Science has outlined what many avid birders in Maine have been telling us for years: the number of birds we are seeing in our fields, forests, coastlines, and even our feeders is shrinking. Dramatically shrinking — on average by 29%, or one in every four […]
New Protections for Wild Brook Trout!
Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteer anglers, the Heritage Waters Work Group, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the many people who attended public informational meetings and hearings, most Brook Trout in northern Maine will soon have one less thing to worry about: the introduction of live bait fish […]
Endangered Species Act: What Do the Changes Mean for Maine Wildlife?
An estimated one million species of plants and animals currently face an imminent threat of extinction. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration has just issued new regulations significantly weakening our nation’s most successful wildlife conservation law, the Endangered Species Act. On Thursday, August 15, Senior Policy and Advocacy Specialist Eliza Donoghue and I met with Senator Susan […]