Maine Climate News
Record Number of Piping Plover Pairs
This year, Maine has recorded a record number of piping plover breeding pairs. Maine Audubon reports 186 pairs, surpassing the previous record of 174 set in 2025. Piping plovers are small shorebirds listed as endangered under the Maine Endangered Species Act and threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
So far, 156 chicks have fledged and are able to fly, while another 170 chicks are still on Maine's beaches. This year's number of hatchlings has also exceeded last year's total.
The birds will begin migrating south between late July and the end of August.
Source: Maine Morning Star
Educational Signage in Acadia in Limbo
According to a new federal court order, Acadia National Park does not have to immediately reinstall educational signs that were removed from the park.
Last year, 10 signs covering topics including climate change, slavery, and Indigenous history were removed in accordance with a March 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump.
In June, a federal court ordered that the signs be restored. However, a federal appeals court granted a stay last week, meaning the signs do not have to be reinstalled until the case is decided.
Sources: Maine Public
Rep. Chellie Pingree Introduces the People Over Poison Act
Last week, Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree introduced the People Over Poison Act, a bill that would reverse a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limits states' ability to require cancer warnings on pesticide labels.
On June 25, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal Environmental Protection Agency is the only entity that can require a cancer warning on a pesticide product label, preventing individuals from bringing certain state-law failure-to-warn claims. The decision benefits Monsanto and other pesticide manufacturers facing hundreds of lawsuits alleging their products cause cancer.
The People Over Poison Act would restore consumers' ability to sue pesticide manufacturers over health concerns.
Source: Maine Public
After a Slow Start, Tick Numbers are Back Up
State health officials say tick numbers are up this summer despite a slow start. Lower-than-average spring temperatures delayed the emergence of ticks and their search for hosts.
However, data now show that tick numbers have caught up to where they were last year. Data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the rate of tick-related emergency room visits in the Northeast is the highest it has been since 2017.
Maine public health officials continue to advise the public to take precautions against tick bites, including wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and performing regular tick checks.
Source: Maine Public
