Maine
Wild turkeys off the menu in Maine after ‘forever chemicals’ found in birds
Hunters in Maine have been warned not to eat wild turkeys in parts of the state, after the birds were found to contain “forever chemicals” that can cause an increased risk of cancer.
Maine officials warned that high levels of Pfas – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – have been detected in wild turkey and deer killed and harvested in areas in the south-west of the state.
The warning could put a dampener on Thanksgiving plans for those who like to hunt and shoot their own dinner centerpiece. But the reality is that wildlife becoming contaminated with Pfas is increasingly a problem in the US.
Earlier this fall Wisconsin and Michigan also issued “do not eat” advisories for deer, fish and birds, while in January health officials in New Mexico warned hunters that harmful chemicals had been found in wildlife at a lake in the south of the state.
Maine’s department of inland fisheries and wildlife issued “do not eat” advisories in four areas north of Augusta, Maine’s capital earlier this month.
“It was found that wildlife sampled within a mile of areas with high soil PFAS concentration levels resulted in animals that had levels of PFAS in their muscle tissue that warranted an advisory,” inland fisheries and wildlife said. “The Department and the Maine CDC [Centers for Disease Control] recommend that no one eats deer or wild turkey harvested in these wildlife consumption advisory areas.”
Pfas are a group of chemicals that have been used in manufacturing and added to consumer products since the 1950s. They can take hundreds or even thousands of years to degrade, meaning if they leak into soil or water they can remain there for centuries. The chemicals have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems.
“Wildlife is already contaminated with Pfas on a global scale, and that contamination will continue to be an issue until we greatly reduce the use of Pfas in consumer products and industrial applications,” Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group, said in an interview with the Guardian.
Maine, which said it was sampling other areas in the state for Pfas, is not alone in being forced to confront the problem of forever chemicals. At least 17 states have issued advisories against eating fish containing Pfas, and birds and mammals appear to increasingly be a concern.
The Michigan departments of health and human services and natural resources issued do not eat advisories in Clark’s Marsh, close to the former Wurtsmith air force base, in September. Officials warned that deer were likely to have “various” Pfas substances, and also said people should not eat any fish, aquatic or semi-aquatic wildlife taken from the marsh.
Various advisories have been in place in the area since 2012, with the Pfas contamination linked to the use by the military of foam to extinguish fires. In August New Mexico found alarming levels of Pfas in the blood of people living or working near Cannon air force base – again due to military use of firefighting foam.
Wisconsin issued advisories against eating fish and deer in an area around the town of Stella, in the north of the state. Officials said people should only eat deer muscle once a month, and should avoid eating deer liver altogether.
Stoiber said it would take “decades” to remediate existing Pfas contamination.
“The most effective and important step is to phase out the widespread use of Pfas in commerce and stop ongoing discharges of Pfas into the environment,” she said.
“Federal regulations such as enforceable drinking water standards and stronger protections for source water are essential to reducing Pfas pollution and limiting future exposure.
“Public education is equally critical. People need clear information about how Pfas exposures occur, since informed public pressure is often needed to drive policymakers to take action and end the widespread use of Pfas.”
A 51-year-old man was fatally struck by an Amtrak train in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, on Thursday afternoon, and police believe alcohol was a factor.
Old Orchard Beach Police say they responded around 2:18 p.m. to the area of the railroad tracks located off from the roadway near 133 Temple Avenue. The victim, who had been struck by a train traveling northbound, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Information obtained from witnesses suggests the man was traveling alone and walking nearby the railroad tracks moments before being struck by the train, according to police, who didn’t say why they believe alcohol was a factor in the incident.
The victim’s name is being withheld pending further investigation and notification, with police saying only that he was from Old Orchard Beach.
Amtrak said in a statement obtained by NBC10 Boston affiliate News Center Maine that the individual was trespassing when he came into contact with the train.
Amtrak urged the public in its statement to stay off railroad property and use caution around railroad tracks and grade crossings, writing, “These incidents can affect everyone involved—those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers.”
There were no reported injuries among the 135 passengers and crew members abord the No. 683 train that was traveling from Boston to Brunswick until the incident happened on Thursday.
The added that preventing railroad incidents and fatalities is a priority for them. Amtrak is working with local authorities investigating this latest incident.
An investigation remains ongoing by the Old Orchard Beach Police Department, Amtrak Police and Saco Police Department, which responded to assist.
PORTLAND (WGME) — Wednesday afternoon, Tassel Top Park officials posted on social media, reporting the beach was temporarily closed to swimming after routine testing found elevated levels of E. coli in the water.
Anna Goodnik, a visitor at the park, says she was disappointed to learn she could not swim.
“It’s a beautiful lake. I feel so sorry, it’s too bad this happened,” Goodnik said.
She says she drove from Portland to visit the park.
“Very sad because I came from Portland, I drove 40 minutes,” Goodnik said.
Goodnik says she has been coming to Tassel Top Park for 15 years and that while the park remained open, she was hoping to get in the water.
“The water is so smooth right now, I would just like to swim in it,” Goodnik said.
Raymond Town Manager Glenn Michalowski said in a statement that the Portland Water District provides weekly test results for 18 locations around Sebago Lake. Tassel Top Beach was closed for swimming because E. coli levels exceeded state water quality standards.
Michalowski said testing indicated the presence of waterfowl in the area, which can contribute to elevated bacterial levels. The statement also noted that high E. coli counts after rain events and in areas with waterfowl activity are a normal occurrence across Maine beaches and recreational water areas.
Ben Peierls, research director at the Lakes Environmental Association, says warmer water can lead to more bacterial growth.
“When water gets warmer, there’s more growth of bacteria,” Peierls said.
Peierls says E. coli can come from animals such as birds, dogs and other wildlife, or from human waste. He says this time of year can bring rain and runoff that carries contaminants into lakes.
“This time of year, there’s lot of rain and runoff materials coming into lakes, and it’s coming from sources where there may have been that fecal material, and it gets washed into lakes and it shows up in places people could be recreating,” Peierls said.
Tassel Top is not the only location reporting elevated bacteria levels. Ferry Beach in Scarborough and East End Beach in Portland also reported results above Maine’s safety threshold for enterococci in marine waters.
Town officials say Tassel Top Beach will reopen once retesting confirms the water has returned to safe levels, and residents will be notified when the closure is lifted. Swimming can resume once weekly testing confirms water quality is back within safe limits.
To check the status of all beaches in the state, click here.
HARPSWELL (WGME) — The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office says a person was hospitalized after a shed fire Wednesday night.
Firefighters were called to 23 Smokehouse Road in Harpswell for a shed fire around 7 p.m.
Crews quickly put out the fire and kept it from spreading into the woods.
An unhoused person who had been living in the shed suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
They were taken to Maine Medical Center for treatment.
Investigators believe the fire may have been electrical in nature.
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The fire remains under investigation.
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