PORTLAND (WGME) — Campfire season is upon us, and many people might not think twice about transporting firewood from state to state.

But it’s important to remember that it’s illegal to bring out-of-state firewood into Maine, unless it’s properly treated.

“Whether it’s processed firewood or log-length firewood, if its purpose is to be used for firewood and it’s coming from out of state, then it needs to be heat-treated. Heat treatment means that the firewood would have reached a core temperature of at least 160 degrees for at least 75 minutes,” Maine Forest Service State Entomologist Allison Kanoti said.

Facilities that offer heat-treated firewood need a permit.

That permit then travels with the wood for proof that it was properly treated.

There is a ban on transporting out-of-state firewood into Maine to help slow the spread of invasive pests.

“Heat treating will kill things like insects, nematodes, fungus, bacteria that can travel in and on firewood and cause harm to our environment,” Kanoti said.

As of now, there is no county-to-county ban on transporting firewood, but there are quarantines in place to keep organisms from spreading.

“They are pest-based quarantines, so they focus on individual organisms. They are the emerald ash borer quarantine, which regulates the movement of hardwood firewood. Also, the European Larch Canker quarantine regulates the movement of any larch,” Kanoti said.

There is a ban on transporting out-of-state firewood into Maine to help slow the spread of invasive pests.

Examples of larch wood are conifers as well as tamarack.

And since the state-to-state ban was issued, Maine’s trees may be reaping the benefits.

“We do have some evidence that it is slowing the spread of these potentially dangerous organisms. But really, we just need everybody to make the right decisions regardless of the rules, and that is to use the local firewood,” Kanoti said.

There is a ban on transporting out-of-state firewood into Maine to help slow the spread of invasive pests.

Here you can learn more about the ban or the quarantines in place.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine is set to impose the nation’s first statewide moratorium on energy-hungry data centers in a sign of growing political opposition to tech giants’ massive structures that have stoked fears about blackouts, rising electricity bills and voracious water needs.

The legislation arose in a state that isn’t necessarily a destination for the computer-stocked warehouses that power artificial intelligence, but a couple of proposals there generated intense community backlash and helped propel a measure quickly through the state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature. Lawmakers on Tuesday approved sending the bill to Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate.

It’s the latest sign that increasingly stiff opposition at the local level is gaining a foothold higher up the political ladder. Tech giants and the data centers they are building have high-level support from President Donald Trump’s administration and many governors, who see them as economic engines and essential for winning the artificial intelligence race with China, even as voters raise concerns about the enormous amount of power data centers use. Analysts also warn of the possibility of blackouts in the mid-Atlantic grid in the coming years.

Proposals to slap a moratorium on data centers have been introduced in at least a dozen states, but none have passed a legislative chamber.

Maine’s legislation would institute a moratorium for more than a year on data centers above a certain size, and create a special council to help towns vet potential projects. Mills has not said whether she will sign the bill.

“It’s not that there’s no place for data centers in Maine,” said Democratic Rep. Melanie Sachs, who sponsored the measure. “Frankly, the tradeoffs have not been shown to be of benefit to our ratepayers, water usage or community benefit in terms of economic activity.”

Why Maine?

Despite Maine’s relatively low profile among developers of massive data centers, called hyperscalers, supporters of the projects said the moratorium will still matter long into the future to all sorts of industries.

“It says that the state is willing to essentially put a blanket ban on you if it decides that you may be politically unfavorable,” said Dan Diorio of the Data Center Coalition, a trade association that includes tech companies and developers.

They said it could deter data center developers from going to Maine and deprive the state of a long-term economic development anchor that attracts other industries. It also means local builders and labor unions won’t develop the skills necessary to build the facilities and might leave them lagging behind other states, they said.

“We think that these data centers could bring good jobs, good opportunities to these regions,” said Montana Towers, a policy analyst with the free market Maine Policy Institute. “And a lot of these concerns about them are luddite in nature.”

Nonetheless, several communities in Maine have raised concerns about a lack of transparency in potential data center projects. The Maine moratorium is largely about getting those communities to have input in the development process, said Joe Oliva, a spokesperson for the Maine Broadband Coalition, which supported the moratorium.

“If this is going to come, we want to be in early and often on the conversation,” Oliva said.

Growing opposition

Since last summer, community opposition has become a serious concern for data center developers, with numerous municipalities defeating their proposals in planning and zoning board votes before packed rooms of angry residents.

A handful of counties and municipalities in the U.S. have imposed a moratorium, and some bills emerged in states where development is brisk such as Virginia, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Some bills died without action, like one in Georgia, a data center hotspot. Other states have explored other ways to rein in data centers, such as by imposing tougher standards around water and energy use, transparency and protection of ratepayers and communities.

In Ohio, residents are trying to bypass the Legislature and get a measure on the ballot in November that is designed to permanently ban hyperscale data centers. They’ll need to gather more than 400,000 voter signatures by July 1 in what is perhaps the strictest measure of any under consideration.

Public officials, developers and other interests could otherwise “make this state a virtually unbroken field of data centers,” said Austin Baurichter, a Cincinnati-area lawyer who is helping organize the effort.

In South Dakota, a one-year moratorium bill failed in a state Senate committee amid opposition from power plant owners and data center developers. The governor also opposed it, telling senators that such planning is best done at the local level and that a statewide moratorium holds back municipalities that want a data center.

The sponsor, Republican Sen. Taffy Howard, told senators that “citizens are asking for this” and that the opponents are all lobbyists, “billion-dollar corporations” and government officials.

“Are you going to listen to the people or the paid lobbyists?” she asked.

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Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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Follow Patrick Whittle on X at https://x.com/pxwhittle and Marc Levy at https://x.com/timelywriter

Ashley Shores, Lawrence senior utility: Shores is the reigning Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year. She can play first base, the outfield and pitch, but will likely spend the bulk of her season behind the plate, guiding freshman starter Alea Williams.

Bella Loubier, Winslow junior catcher: A KVAC Class B second-team selection last season, Loubier is the top returner on a team that coaches believe could be a surprise in Class C North. She will be the leader of a young but talented squad under coach Michael Savage.

Hallie Coots, Nokomis junior utility: Coots was asked to wear many different hats as a sophomore for a young Warriors team, included time as both a pitcher and a catcher. She handled the duties well, earning KVAC B second-team honors. Now a junior, she’ll be a trusted veteran voice who will, once again, be asked to handle a variety of duties.

Kelsie Dunn, Erskine Academy junior pitcher: A KVAC Class B second-team selection last year, Dunn helped lead the Eagles to a Class B quarterfinal appearance. She’ll once again be the leader in the circle for a team that enters the new season with most of last season’s roster intact, creating higher expectations.

Lilly Clark, Erskine Academy senior shortstop: A multi-sport athlete, Clark is a captain who will be counted on to help the Eagles take another step forward. She was a KVAC Class B first-team selection last year.

Lydia Jones, Skowhegan senior infielder: A longtime starter for the River Hawks, Jones was a KVAC Class A second-team selection last season, helping guide a young roster to the North playoffs. She’ll again be relied on to guide a young but more experienced team.

Maddie Provost, Lawrence senior infielder: The Miss Maine Basketball and Varsity Maine Girls Basketball Player of the Year who will continue her career on the hardwood at Division I Holy Cross next season, Provost decided to wrap up her high school athletic career on the diamond, although she hadn’t played softball since middle school. Coach Joey Marcoux believes Provost will start the season at third base. Her athleticism and speed will be an immediate asset in the lineup.

Molly Takatsu, Gardiner sophomore infielder/pitcher: Takatsu produced quickly as a freshman last season and was rewarded with KVAC Class B second-team honors. She’ll be one of the top returning players for a team that once again carries three strong pitchers and will be fast on defense and on the basepaths.

Raegan King, Nokomis senior shortstop/center fielder: A strong athlete who will continue her softball career at Husson University, King has been a long-time contributor to the Warriors’ lineup with her bat, speed and positional flexibility. She’s the top returner for a squad that should make another strong run in the Class B North playoffs. She earned KVAC Class B first-team honors last season.

Riley Smith, Monmouth Academy senior outfielder: A Mountain Valley Conference first-team selection last season, Smith is an experienced outfielder who is an asset both at the plate and in the field. She’ll be a key contributor for the Mustangs, who should be a contender in the Class C South playoffs.