#watervilleme — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #watervilleme, aggregated by home.social.
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4 Dams Set for Removal in #Maine Will Open Hundreds of Miles of #River for #Salmon, #Herring and #Sturgeon
By Andy Corbley, Oct 15, 2025
"In Maine, ownership of 4 large dams has been transferred to #TheNatureConservancy in a sale it hopes will return the river they operate on into prime habitat for salmon for the first time in a century.
"Operated by #BrookfieldRenewables, the dams along the lower #KennebecRiver prevent ocean going, freshwater fish like salmon from accessing #AncestralSpawningGrounds upriver.
"On September 15th, 2025, The Nature Conservancy (#TNC) and #Brookfield signed a purchase and sale agreement for the four dams totaling $138 million.
"The Kennebec River is fed by #SandyRiver in the heart of Maine before running down to the #GulfOfMaine past the towns of #SkowheganME and #WatervilleME. The Weston, Shawmut, #HydroKennebec, and Lockwood dams are located in intervals along this stretch, called the #LowerKennebec.
"The federal regulatory process for decommissioning a dam, as seen in the recent parallel in #California, where four dams were removed to make way for salmon, needed more than 5 years from start to finish. As a result, TNC will look to gather another $30 million in funding to create a nonprofit that will manage and oversee the decommissioning process, during which the dams could continue to generate power for 5 to 10 years.
"That would include working with Sappi North America, whose Somerset Mill, located between the town of Skowhegan and the #ShawmutDam, to find a solution to the company’s long-term water needs, which are currently met by this dam.
"Their twin goals in the decommissioning project are to return free-flowing conditions to the lower Kennebec River to support regionally-#endangered #NorthAtlanticSalmon, while doing so in collaboration with existing stakeholders in the dams’ activities, Sappi included.
" 'TNC and its partners are 100% committed to developing a solution with Sappi that fully addresses the Somerset Mill’s long-term water system needs,' the organization wrote in a statement. 'We understand the vital role of the Somerset Mill for the forest products industry and the state’s economy.'
"#AtlanticSalmon are considered near-threatened worldwide, but certain stocks in the North Atlantic have almost completely disappeared. Access to Sandy River via the lower Kennebec would open up hundreds of miles of prime habitat for spawning and coming of age.
"Brookfield maintains dams higher up the river, but these areas are considered to be of poor habitat quality. Those dams also happen to produce substantially more electricity than the dams along the lower stretch of the river—those set to be removed.
"The Maine Monitor reports that fishing advocacy groups have argued for the dam’s removal for 'decades.' #RiverHerring [#Alewives], the federally-protected #AtlanticSturgeon, and #AmericanEel all rely on Maine’s freshwater rivers to either spawn or feed before swimming out to sea.
"The current predicament finds around one-twelfth of the historic spawning population of Atlantic salmon returning to the Kennebec via the gulf, where they’re captured at #LockwoodDam and actually trucked up the roads past the next three dams to spawn. During the reverse journey many do not survive the journey to the gulf past the industrial infrastructure.
"The removal of the #KlamathRiver dams this time last year produced incredible results immediately, with fish finding their way back upstream far past the farthest dam to spawn within a single season, proving that ancestral instincts can remain intact despite generations of fish not being able to act on them.
"But examples also lie closer to home, with dams removed years past along another Maine river, the #PenobscotRiver, resulting in long-term economic and environmental improvements."
#SolarPunkSunday #DamRemoval #Maine #EndangeredSpecies #WaterIsLife
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#Maine #CoolingCenters: Find a spot near you
As temperatures rise, communities across Maine open cooling centers to keep residents safe from the elements.
Author: NEWS CENTER Maine Staff
Published: 12:49 PM EDT June 22, 2025
Updated: 3:22 PM EDT June 23, 2025AUGUSTA, Maine — "Summer has arrived in Maine, bringing rising temperatures and longer days. But when the heat becomes dangerous or oppressive, community cooling centers help support those who need an escape from the heat and humidity.
"The centers are often located in public spaces, such as recreation centers or libraries. They typically open for short-term purposes.
"While the primary purpose is to save lives by getting people out of potentially dangerous heat conditions, cooling centers may also provide charging stations, showers, or food.
"The latest listings for cooling centers are on the Maine Emergency Management Agency's [#MEMA] website. We've included a roundup here as well as additional resources to help you stay safe this summer when temperatures rise.
Androscoggin County
Community Resource Center
121 Mill St.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or later) Tuesday, June 24
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 25Auburn
Auburn Senior Community Center
48 Pettengill Park Road
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Auburn
Hasty Gymnasium at Auburn Recreation
48 Pettengill Park Road
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, JuneAuburn
Auburn Public Library
49 Spring St.
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, June 24-25Durham Eureka Community Center
606 Hallowell Road
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Lisbon Police Department
300 Lisbon St.
Open as needed 24/7A.B. Ricker Memorial Library
1211 Maine St.
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, June 23-24
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, June 25-26
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27Turner Fire & Rescue
19 General Turner Hill Road
Available as neededAroostook County
Caribou Wellness Center
55 Bennett Drive
6 a.m. to 6 p.m.Cumberland County
Bridgton Community Center
15 Depot St.
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25Baxter Library
71 South St.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, June 23
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 24#PortlandPublicLibrary
5 Monument Square
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 24#ScarboroughPublicLibrary
48 Gorham Road
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. SaturdayKennebec County
Augusta Civic Center, Cumberland Room
76 Community Drive
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Waterville City Hall Annex
46 Front St.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Knox County
#RocklandPublicLibrary
Rockland City Hall
Flanagan Community Center
Open during "normal business hours"Public Library (former Gilford Butler School)
54 Spruce Head Road
Noon to 4 p.m. Monday, June 23
Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, June 24-25Union Town Office
567 Common Road
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25Lincoln County
Boothbay Harbor Town Office
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24
8:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 25Central Lincoln County YMCA
575 Maine St.
5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 23-27Newcastle Fire Station Community Room
86 River Road
Closes at 7 p.m. Monday, June 23Oxford County
Town of Canton Meeting Room
94 Turner Street
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday
8 a.m. to noon Tuesday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday
8 a.m. to noon FridayPiscataquis County
Dover-Foxcroft Town Office, Community Room
48 Norton Avenue
8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25
Sagadahoc CountyTopsham Municipal Building, Russel Room
100 Main St.
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24
York CountyParsonsfield Town Office
634 North Road
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, June 24-25Berwick Fire Department
3 Public Safety Way
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25#McArthurLibrary
270 Main St.
9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25Buxton Town Office
185 Portland Road
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25Kennebunk Free Library
112 Main St.
9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Church on the Cape
3 Langsford Road
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Kennebunkport
Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library
18 Maine St.
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 24North Lebanon Second Baptist Church
259 Bakers Grant Road
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 24Limington Municipal Complex
425 Sokokis Ave.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, June 23-24D.A. Hurd Library
51 High St.
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 23
1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 24
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 25Saco Community Center
75 Franklin St.
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25Waterboro Town Hall
24 Townhouse Road
Noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, June 23-24Waterboro
#WaterboroPublicLibrary
187 Main St.
Noon to 8 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, June 23-24York Public Library
15 Long Sands Road
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, June 23-25"State and local resources are available for people who are experiencing homelessness or are in need of housing or heating support. Link below for more information.
"For direct assistance to find resources available near you, dial 211 or call 1-877-463-6207; text your ZIP code to 898-211; or email [email protected].
What are the risks?"According to the Maine Emergency Management Agency, heat-related illnesses in the state more often occur when temperatures reach the mid-80s or higher.
“Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person's body temperature rises faster "
MEMA list of Cooling Centers:
https://www.maine.gov/mema/response-recovery/mass-careEmergency shelters for the #Unhoused:
https://www.mainehousing.org/programs-services/homeless/emergency-shelters#MEWx #ExtremeHeat #MaineWx #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #Heatwave #Heatwaves #StayingCool #MaineClimateDiary #ClimateDiary
#Heatwave #Heatwaves #Maine #CoolingCenters #StayCool #CommunityResources -
#Maine: #WatervilleME protesters urge passersby to ‘#DumpTrump’
More than 50 people gathered Thursday morning on the sidewalk in downtown Waterville to protest President #Trump and #ElonMusk.
by Amy Calder, February 27, 2025
WATERVILLE — "More than 50 people stood in a snowstorm downtown Thursday, protesting President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to dismantle government programs and cut the federal workforce.
"The 'Dump Trump' rally was organized by #ElizabethLeonard, an author, historian, and professor emeritus of history at #ColbyCollege, who on Feb. 5 led a rally at a #Tesla charging station less than a mile away.
"News of that protest went viral, prompting dozens of similar protests across the country at Telsa dealerships and charging stations. A Morning Sentinel story about that rally was featured on at least one national television show and in the Boston Globe as part of a subsequent interview with Leonard.
"She said she never thought the Tesla event would have such an impact.
'It’s just proof of the fact that a small group of people can make a huge difference, or you could say, where a butterfly flaps its wings, a breeze goes around the world,' Leonard, 68, said. 'We didn’t expect so many people to pay attention.'
"It was a chilly 29 degrees on Main Street Thursday as motorists beeped their horns in support of the protesters. Someone in a white car yelled 'Go home!' to the group.
"Some protesters held trash bags with signs attached that read 'Dump Trump.' Leonard said she agrees with scholars who say the world is re-living history as it witnesses #fascists rise to power and destroy #democratic governments.
"'This is all how it happens,' she said."[...]
"Linda Woods, 73, and Beth Schiller, 68, both of Waterville, protested at the Tesla charging station rally Feb. 5 and were on the street again Thursday. They praised Leonard for starting the #TeslaProtest, which was widely mimicked.
"'I’m just sad that we have to do this,' Woods said. 'I’m tired of standing in the cold.'
"Schiller said she is horrified that people have been #brainwashed into believing the government is 'bad.'
"'They’re going to miss all the good things that government does for all of us when it’s been burned to the ground from #Project2025,' she said, referring to a conservative plan for restructuring government.
"Leonard said she is trying to contact #FederalWorkers in Maine who have been fired from jobs in areas such as the Transportation Safety Administration, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Social Security Administration to bring them together and let them talk and know they are supported. Ruining people’s lives in that way is unacceptable, Leonard said.
"'They’ll all be at the #SoupKitchen, but there won’t be any money for that because the #Medicaid is gone,' she said."
Read more:
https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/02/27/waterville-protesters-urge-passersby-to-dump-trump/Archived version:
https://archive.md/tR9RY
#MaineProtest #BadDOGE #USPol #MainePol #MaineProtests #Resist #ResistFascism #ResistDOGE