The former Verso paper mill in Bucksport is being dismantled and scrapped

Working Waterfront

Growing the ‘port’ in Bucksport could bring jobs

Not only did Bucksport lose the paper mill business and jobs that sustained its economy and tax base when Verso closed its operation there, but the mill itself—or at least most of the metal in the structures—will be scrapped and hauled away. Some might see that fate as cruel, adding insult to injury. But in… Read more » SEE MORE

On the beach on Martha's Vineyard. From L-R: Ben Algeo

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Islands, Great and Small, Find Common Energy Solutions

4/7/2016 - Monhegan Island, Isle au Haut, and Matinicus Island face critical junctures in their energy future.Monhegan and Matinicus have the highest electricity rates in New England, and Isle au Haut is reliant on a 33-year-old, two-inch-thick cable as its sole connection to the mainland for power. t the end of March, representatives from power companies on all three islands visited Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, MA to share experiences and strategies from their work creating sustainable energy systems as part of the Island Institute’s third annual Southern New England Exchange Trip. SEE MORE

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Once a TLCer, always a TLCer

3/30/2016 - The Outer Islands Teaching and Learning Collaborative has reached a milestone: the first class of students involved in the TLC are about to graduate high school. In March, they got to see each other for the first time in years. SEE MORE

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Working Waterfront

Domestic violence poses high risks on islands

It’s late on a frigid winter night, and a woman is sitting alone, an ice pack to her face, looking out the window. Snow swirls on the pavement below, and the harbor is full of white caps. He’s been asleep for an hour now. She thinks about leaving, about waking the kids and hustling out… Read more » SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Weather forecasting now tailored to islands

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Gray has launched a new forecast product that focuses on Maine’s islands and necks from Casco Bay to Penobscot Bay. The information is part of the recreational forecast already produced for the higher summits across Maine and New Hampshire. The NWS in Gray wanted a more representative product… Read more » SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine Seacoast Mission stays modern, reaches eastern coast

Think of it as a floating community center. Hot coffee and a hearty breakfast are still served aboard Sunbeam V, the Maine Seacoast Mission’s 75-foot long vessel which provides hospitality and fellowship to those living on Maine’s Midcoast and Downeast islands. That part of the mission’s story has been told many times. But what many… Read more » SEE MORE

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What islands can teach the world about how to tackle climate change

12/22/2015 - Islands are often the first to feel negative effects of climate change. But we can also look to islands to find inspiration for lowering emissions on a community scale. SEE MORE

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Working Waterfront

Islands lag in Internet speeds, hampering economic growth

Internet speeds for Maine’s year-round island communities are hampering economic growth and even threatening their long-term viability, a report issued Dec. 9 asserts. The 200-page report by Tilson Technology followed extensive study of current Internet speeds on 14 islands: the Cranberry Isles (Islesford, Great Cranberry and Sutton), Vinalhaven, North Haven, Monhegan, Matinicus, Frenchboro, Swan’s, Chebeague,… Read more » SEE MORE

AlexAnna Salmon speaks at the Island Energy Conference on November 6

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Maine’s diesel islands find a role model, 3,500 miles away

11/13/2015 -

“I decided, after reading about the 15 Maine Islands, that we’re most similar to Matinicus,” said AlexAnna Salmon, Village Council President of Igiugig, Alaska and speaker at the Island Energy Conference. “We are not an island, but we are like an island in that you can only get there by air charter.” SEE MORE

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Ben Algeo and Suzanne MacDonald unload boxes of LEDs

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In Maine’s remotest island community, changing the lightbulb has far-reaching implications

11/8/2015 - The Island Institute runs programs to support sustainability on Maine’s 14 year-round, offshore communities. Changing out power-hungry bulbs on Monhegan and Matinicus is a first step to reduce dependence on diesel and help make island living more affordable. The 2,326 LEDs sent this year to Monhegan are expected to save utility customers a total of $15,000 a year. The 600 bulbs now on Matinicus could cut bills by a toal of $5,000. A second shipment planned for this winter of 400 bulbs could trim another $3,000 for the island. SEE MORE

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