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As promised: August. And a nice weekend to boot! A little less muggy, the kind of day that makes me look ahead to early fall.

Here in the western part of the state, we have something else to look ahead to: the Western Maine Energy Storage project. As Joe Charpentier for the Sun Journal reports, a company affiliated with Cianbro has requested a preliminary permit to build a pumped storage hydropower project near Dixfield.

The $1 billion project would be the first of its kind in Maine, with the developer estimating it would be capable of generating 500 megawatts of on-demand power by releasing water through turbines. When demand is low, water would be pumped from the lower into the upper reservoir.

The proposal is preliminary: the initial permitting process provides the developers with a four-year window to conduct studies which are expected to last through 2027, and construction would go for years beyond that.

Something to keep an eye on as we look ahead to the fall.

Health insurance rates in Maine set to skyrocket

Two major factors are driving up insurance rates in Maine: rising costs of prescription drugs and little competition in Maine’s market.

Read this story by Rose Lundy of The Maine Monitor

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

Franklin County commissioners signed letters of support for grants to address flooding risks and discussed the importance early warning systems have played at a recent meeting. | Daily Bulldog

The moose hunt in western Maine may add a second week. | Rangeley Highlander

Franklin County commissioners approved reallocating $60,000 to cover costs relating to a ransomware attack that occurred earlier this year. | Sun Journal

A recent decision in Wilton to take away the Select Board's authority to designate what roads ATVs can use has highlighted some of the access issues local clubs are struggling with. | Sun Journal

Rumford is seeking $1 million in federal grant money to combat drug trafficking. | Rumford Falls Times

A South Paris man was killed after he was struck by a projectile at a private fireworks show. | WGME

Workers across the state say that staffing reductions at the Social Security Administration have been disruptive for Mainers seeking to access essential services. | Maine Public

ICYMI from The Monitor: Roughly 50 religious leaders and advocates testified individually on bills restricting bathroom use and participation in women’s sports this spring. All but four opposed the legislation. | The Maine Monitor

Genesis Healthcare, the owner of 11 Maine nursing homes filed for bankruptcy as part of an effort to address legal liabilities. Existing operations are not expected to be disrupted. | Sun Journal

The federal E-Verify system has drawn scrutiny after a Maine police officer was arrested and accused of being in the country illegally. | WMTW

Inside UMaine’s quiet struggle with the Trump administration over federal funding | Bangor Daily News

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. If you have feedback or a tip that you want to send to Ben Hanstein directly email him at: benjamin@themainemonitor.org.

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.

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