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This week we're looking back on some of our favorite environmental stories of 2024 by Monitor writers. There were big shifts in environmental regulations this year, including changes to Maine's mining laws and the approval of final rules intended to make producers pay for packaging waste. 

But after the storms that wreaked havoc on the coast last December, the focus of regulators, towns and residents was largely on disaster: how to prevent it and how to make communities more resilient in the face of it.

Thank you, as always, to everyone who supported our work this year. Journalism like this takes time and resources, and we couldn't do it without you. We are committed to keeping all of The Monitor's journalism free for anyone to read and to republish - if you value what we do and you're able to make a donation, we welcome your support. 

Keep sending us your tips and comments, and share this newsletter with your friends. 

See you in 2025!

-Kate

Flooding on the Portland Pier in March. Much of the conversation this year focused on how the state can better prepare for the increasingly intense storms brought on by a changing climate.

Photo by Tux Turkel.

Divided on Dams: Maine dams face an uncertain future

Hydropower accounts for roughly half of the renewable energy generated in Maine. What will happen as dams disappear? Read this series by Emmett Gartner

Sinking in Saltwater: Maine’s coastal marshes at risk as sea levels rise

Between 28 and 57 percent of the state’s coastal marshes could disappear by the end of the century, victims of a rising sea, coastal development and polluted runoff. Read this series by Kate Cough

Offshore wind port siting raises new conflicts for coastal Mainers, environmental activists

Coastal residents concerned for both climate change and ecological preservation are conflicted over the planned location of a facility that advocates say will help launch Maine’s offshore wind industry. Read this story by Annie Ropeik

Community solar is booming in Maine, but who owns the projects? 

A Maine Monitor analysis finds developers have bundled projects, then sold them to some of the world’s largest corporations and investment firms. Read this story by Murray Carpenter

Pier Pressure: A low-lying wharf in Portland Harbor is a “living laboratory,” offering early glimpses of how coastal Mainers are adapting to a rising sea

Residents of an oft-flooded pier in downtown Portland are aware of the bottom line: “The water is making the decisions for us.” Read this story by Tux Turkel

Is a coastal road in Acadia that keeps washing out worth saving?

State and federal agencies are debating how to fix a stretch of Seawall Road — or whether to abandon it altogether. Read this story by Jacqueline Weaver

As ecotourism grows, so does the desire to maintain Downeast’s wild character

“They want to build attractions, but the fact that there is nothing here is the attraction.” Read this story by Joyce Kryszak

While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may. 

ICYMI from The Monitor: A year since the region saw disastrous flooding, western Maine officials say they’re better prepared

Maine's nature-based shoreline rules face pushback | Maine Public

Unusual winter drought persists across Maine | Maine Public

The E.P.A. Promotes Toxic Fertilizer. 3M Told It of Risks Years Ago. | The New York Times

Maine grower is changing the state’s fruit tree landscape | Bangor Daily News

Advocates cheer possible end of genetically modified salmon | Portland Press Herald

Maine energy agency asks for major battery storage buildout | Maine Public

Brunswick Landing leaders respond to clean water petition over PFAS spill | Times Record

Spanish energy giant purchases CMP parent company for $2.5B | Portland Press Herald

Ski resorts rely on snowmaking to get through winter. Climate change is making that harder | Maine Public

Third right whale entanglement reported in a week | Portland Press Herald

Maine ban on PFAS-laden products moves forward | Maine Public

Outside/Inbox: What does all that road salt do to the environment? | Maine Public

Know of a story that we should be digging into? Send it to our newsroom. 

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.