Maine Climate News
Alewives are Flourishing in Maine
In May, the town of Benton celebrated its annual Alewife Festival, highlighting one of Maine's biggest conservation success stories.
Alewife populations along the Atlantic Coast declined dramatically due to overfishing and dams that blocked their migration routes. In 2006, a fish lift and chute were installed at Benton Falls, allowing alewives to once again reach their upstream spawning habitat.
Just 35 years ago, fewer than 800 alewives made the journey upriver. Today, nearly 9 million return each year. It’s a powerful example of how restoring fish passage can help ecosystems recover.
Source: Mother Jones
Maine Launches New Pedestrian Safety Program
Portland has launched a new pedestrian safety campaign aimed at reducing crashes involving people walking and biking. The initiative's tagline is "Slow Down, Portland. We Walk Here."
As one of the most car-dependent states in the country, Maine continues to face serious challenges when it comes to pedestrian and cyclist safety. According to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, there were 413 crashes involving people walking or biking statewide in 2025, including 26 fatal crashes.
These numbers highlight the need for safer streets, better infrastructure for walking and biking, and expanded public transportation options across the state.
The campaign is running simultaneously in Portland, Lewiston, and Auburn.
Sources: Portland Press Herald and WGME
Development in Saco Proposes Maine’s First Solar “Microgrid”
A proposed apartment complex in Saco could become home to Maine's first solar microgrid. The development would be powered entirely by a two-acre solar array, with no need for new natural gas or oil infrastructure.
The project is possible thanks to a 2020 Maine law that allows small-scale solar projects to operate as microgrids. If approved, the 128-unit apartment complex would generate its own electricity on-site, demonstrating a new model for powering residential developments with renewable energy.
The proposal is currently under review by the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
Source: Maine Public
Construction Begins on Camp Ellis Spur Jetty
In late June, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on a new spur jetty at Camp Ellis in Saco. The original jetty, built more than 200 years ago to protect navigation on the Saco River, has redirected wave energy toward the shoreline, causing severe coastal erosion.
As climate change drives sea level rise and more intense coastal storms, Camp Ellis has experienced significant damage. Storms have washed away large sections of beach and destroyed waterfront buildings, leading some to call the area Maine's "ground zero" for sea level rise.
The new spur jetty is intended to help reduce erosion and better protect the shoreline, though coastal resilience will continue to require long-term adaptation as Maine's coast faces increasing impacts from climate change.
Source: Maine Public
