On Thursday, April 20, Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, introduced a bill to promote the reuse of PFAS-contaminated land for renewable energy projects. LD 1591, “An Act to Promote Economic Reuse of Contaminated Land Through Clean Energy Development,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology.

“PFAS has been devastating to farms all over Maine. I have seen fellow farmers fall on hard times because of this crisis,” said Sen. Brenner in a news release. “Currently, there is no way to remediate PFAS contamination in soils. Farms across Maine are facing the fact that their land is no longer usable for agricultural purposes. This has enormous implications for the financial stability of farmers and their families. This legislation would ensure that farmers whose farms have been contaminated by forever chemicals would be able to repurpose their land for solar projects.”

LD 1591 would promote the economic reuse of contaminated land, including farmland impacted by PFAS contamination, through renewable energy projects that guarantee ratepayer savings. This legislation establishes a competitive procurement of 5 percent based on Maine’s 2021 retail electricity sales. This competitive rate applies to all Class 1A resources operating on land that can no longer support agriculture, particularly PFAS-contaminated land.

PFAS, also called “forever chemicals,” have been found on at least 56 Maine farms in high amounts. These levels were discovered in the first tier of the state’s ongoing sludge investigation. Forever chemicals can be found in the soil and groundwater, adversely affecting water and food supplies across the state. Such contamination has forced many farmers to permanently close their businesses, eliminating their main source of income and ruining their way of life. LD 1591 would incentivize farmers to rebuild their businesses, while also contributing to ongoing efforts to expand the use of renewable energy.

There are currently 557 megawatts of solar power installed in Maine. Since 2019, the number of solar projects has grown. The growing number of renewable energy projects directly addresses the current climate crisis by providing an alternative to fossil fuels. The legislation simultaneously contributes to increasing the use of solar in Maine while also offering a solution to help farmers who are facing challenges due to PFAS contamination.

PFAS has been connected to numerous health risks such as kidney cancer, elevated cholesterol and reduced infant birthweight. Currently, there isn’t a way to remove PFAS from the human body. It also cannot break down PFAS on its own, meaning that these forever chemicals can remain in human body for decades.

UMaine releases fall dean’s list

The University of Maine recognized 3,010 students for achieving dean’s list honors in the fall 2022 semester. Of the students who made the dean’s list, 1,983 are from Maine, 957 are from 45 other states and 70 are from 25 countries other than the U.S.

Local students named to the dean’s list:

Gorham: Arius Ahmad, Dan Bachner, Aidan Bell, Connor Bell, Gisele Berry, Maddy Berry, Allison Bishop, Haley Burns, Colby Christakis, Sadie Cyr, Hannah Dimick, Lauren Edwards, Abby Enck, Ben Fecteau, Reed Henderson, Charles Hubbard, Riley Johnson, Sophie Kaufman, Josh Labrie, Allie Light, Ian Luciano, Nolan McCullough, Madison Michaud, Abigail Miller, Dylan Morrell, Jillian Morrill, Allie Myles, Anna Nault, Ava Pitman, Molly Rathbun, Ashley Ricker, Simon Roussel, Chloe Russell, Thomas Sallinen, Camden Sawyer, Jackson Smith, Nick Strout, Julia Sturgis, John Sutton, Logan Swift, Sam Waggoner, Nicole Walker, Bruce Wyatt, Mackenzie Yaskula, Megan Young and Jacob Zelmanow.

Scarborough: Zachary Alofs, Jalyssa Beason, Sydney Bloom, Isabella Cook, Tehya Esposito, Kaylee Faherty, Julia Freeman, Calynn Gendreau, Gabriella Giftos, Katherine Gross, Wyatt Harris, Tatum Hayward, Aaron Kazilionis, Jake Kingdon, Emily Labbe, Olivia LaChance, Peter Martin, Morgan McGarry, Josh Medeiros, Evan Morgan, Emily Murray, Jared Nelson, Ryan O’Leary, Connor Oliver, Jasmine Olshin, Emily Patashnik, Finn Pedersen, Aiden Peters, Eliot Pomerleau, Stephanie Ross, Abby Roy, Katherine Roy, Justyn Sears, Dan Smith, Cassidy Streeter, Jayson Thatcher, Amy Topchik, Ellie Walker, Allison Weymouth and Trey Wright.

Hannaford  makes donation to The Ecology School

In advance of Earth Day, Hannaford Supermarkets last week announced a $250,000 donation to support climate-smart agriculture education at The Ecology School. The donation will support regenerative, sustainable and eco-friendly farming operations and hands-on education.

A celebration of the gift was held April 19 and featured Drew Dumsch, president and CEO, The Ecology School; George Parmenter, brand sustainability lead, Hannaford Supermarkets; Clayton Coleman, lead farm apprentice, The Ecology School; Marguerite Wiser, farm manager, The Ecology School; Katie Brown, executive director, Youth Full Maine; and students participating in The Ecology School programming.

Visitors had an opportunity to see a harvesting and planting demonstration in an education garden plot with visiting students; see examples of the healthy meals made with fresh produce and ingredients grown on-site; and tour the River Bend Farm campus. The Ecology School is located at 184 Simpson Road in Saco.

The donation from Hannaford will support the AgroEcology for Resilient Communities Project, tthat provides regenerative agriculture learning opportunities for approximately 3,500 students throughout New England annually.

Students who visit The Ecology School engage in hands-on food systems education in the farm fields, education garden plots and greenhouse on the River Bend Farm campus. Produce grown on-site is incorporated into nutritious meals served to students during their stay, with additional fresh produce donated to local food pantries.

According to a news release, “Hannaford Supermarkets operates 185 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford is an active community partner — focusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development, and helping people live healthier lives.

“Hannaford diverts or donates all food at risk of going to waste — sending no food to landfills. In 2022, Hannaford donated 25 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations and prevented 65 million pounds of food waste from reaching landfills. Hannaford employs nearly 30,000 associates and is based in Scarborough.”

“The Ecology School,” according to the news release, “is an environmental living and learning center that inspires children and adults to think and act for building more sustainable communities by bringing people and nature together. It provides live-what-you-learn opportunities for guests and program participants through hands-on exploration of Maine’s ecosystems, sustainable living practices, direct connection to food systems and farming along with modeling conservation-in-action.

“Located on the River Bend Farm, a historic 105-acre farm on a scenic bend in the Saco River, The Ecology School hosts retreats and conferences and summer camps and school programs. River Bend Farm is a place where people of all ages will find comfortable accommodations, delicious food, and beautiful outdoor spaces to learn and explore.”

For more information, visit www.theecologyschool.org.

Kids’ fishing derby slated for May 6

Scarborough Kiwanis Club announced that its 36th annual Kids’ Fishing Derby will take place Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bayley’s Camping Resort, Scarborough (Ross Road entrance).

The event is for kids ages 4-15. Live bait (worms) only. Worms will be available for purchase. Proceeds from worm sales will benefit the K-Kids Club at Wentworth Intermediate School.

Admission is free, although the club welcomes donations of money or nonperishable food items for the Scarborough Food Pantry. Food will be available for purchase.

For more information, contact the club at scarboroughkiwanis2@gmail.com.

A Matter of Balance workshop offered

Between May 1 and May 24, Southern Maine Agency on Aging will lead an in-person A Matter of Balance workshop at the South Portland Public Library designed to improve the quality of life of adults 60 and older by improving their balance and increasing their physical strength.

As bodies change with age, balance and strength change, people are less confident or even fearful during everyday activities that were once taken for granted like shopping, cooking, driving, doing household chores, and even playing weekly pickleball games. The fear of falling can put a damper not only on what a person likes to do but also on social connections, leading to a sense of loneliness and social isolation.

A Matter of Balance workshop is designed to help participants increase physical activity, make important home safety improvements, and even learn how to respond if a fall does happen. The workshop empowers participants to take charge of managing their health. Each meeting invites attendees to share their own experiences and concerns about falls and together they create strategies for flourishing and living independently. Trained volunteers lead gentle exercises to build strength and improve balance and range of motion.

In a news release, a participant said, “I got my entire group of friends at our housing facility to continue with our exercises after we took A Matter of Balance two years ago. I’m taking it again for a refresher.”

A Matter of Balance is an eight-session in-person workshop with two-hour meetings. Participants benefit the most when they attend all eight meetings. The workshop is from May 1-24, at the South Portland Public Library. The meetings will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

To register, call 207 396-6578 or visit smaaa.org/events. Preregistration for the class is required, and class size is limited. Those interested are asked to sign up by April 28.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging is the focal point in Cumberland and York counties for resources, services and information to empower older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers to live to their fullest potential. For more information about SMAA’s services, visit smaaa.org or call 207-396-6500.

New town hall hours effective May 1

The new hours of operation for Scarborough Town Hall will be Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., effective May 1.

Town Hall will be closed on Fridays and weekends. For more information, visit www.scarboroughmaine.org.

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