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Town of New Gloucester
385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260
(207) 926-4126 (phone) / (207) 926-4136 (fax)
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Town of Poland
1231 Maine Street, Poland, ME 04274
(207) 998-4601 (phone) / (207) 998-2002 (fax)
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State Drought Task Force Says Drought Conditions Have Improved Across Maine
Maine's Drought Task Force convened virtually on October 6 -- the third time this season to discuss drought conditions across the State. Data from the U.S. Drought Monitor show nearly 8% of the State is abnormally dry (11 of 16 counties) and about 3% is experiencing moderate drought (6 of 16 counties) by area. An estimated 34% of Maine's population resides in abnormally dry or drought-stricken areas.
Following the last meeting, August ended with normal streamflow conditions through most of Maine. These conditions worsened through mid-September, but this below normal condition was brief; however, as late September rains flipped the trend to above normal streamflows. August and September storms resulted in recharge in some of the groundwater monitoring wells hardest hit by drought and low snowpack over the last two years. While the recharge was not necessarily significant, it is a sign that intermittent storms are actually reaching the aquifers, instead of simply running off into streams, evaporating, or quenching dry soil.
A total of 95 dry private wells have been reported this season, with 97% of those reported by the users as being residential. The month of August saw the greatest increase of dry wells reported this season. Maine homeowners with dry wells are encouraged to report this information on the Dry Well Survey. For assistance filling out the survey, Mainers can either call 211 or 1-877-463-6207, or they can text their Maine zip code to 898-211.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Drinking Water Program (DWP) has not received any new reports of water quantity issues from public water systems (PWSs). The Stonington Water Company issued emergency mandatory water use restrictions on July 21, 2022 that are still in effect.
The Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s Maine Forest Service reports there have been 624 wildfires, burning a total of 390 acres, as of October 6, 2022. The five-year average is 646 wildfires.
The Maine Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, through the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry in partnership with multiple organizations in Maine, and managed by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, seeks applicants for Small Grants to Support Maine Agricultural Well-Being. Awards of up to $5,805 with a total of $46,440 available. Applications are open now until November 15. Farmers may apply here.
The Drought Task Force is made up of State, federal, and private scientific, agricultural, regulatory, water use, and natural resources organizations and assists in monitoring, coordinating, and managing responses to droughts and recommends actions to minimize impacts to public health, safety, the environment, and agriculture. This concludes the scheduled virtual meetings for the 2022 Drought Task Force season unless conditions warrant an additional meeting in November.
More Information
Free Virtual On-Demand Financial Education Training for Maine Educators
The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) and the Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College, in partnership with the Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy and its sponsors, the Office of the Maine State Treasurer, and Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), is offering free online and on-demand training for Maine teachers.
The Financial Educator Virtual Academy will train Maine educators on how to successfully teach personal finance in their classrooms and communities. Educators will receive contact hours for each course module attended, and the first 100 Maine classroom teachers to complete all seven hours of training will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.
The online course offering is available starting October 12, 2022 and will close on December 16, 2022. The goal of this training is to support educators as they work to ensure that all Maine students have access to high-quality personal financial education. Maine educators can earn up to seven hours of professional development training and receive suggestions for grade-appropriate personal finance classroom resources over the duration of the virtual academy.
During the virtual academy, which features nationally known experts, participants will learn how to implement the JumpStart National Standards in K-12 Financial Personal Finance Education. These standards allow for the teaching of personal finance in an interdisciplinary or stand-alone manner.
Interested educators may register for the program with this link.
Download a flyer for distribution
For further questions, contact Maine Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy at info@mejumpstart.org.
Winter Heating Guide
Find tips, resources and programs to save money, improve your home’s energy efficiency, and apply for heating assistance with this winter heating resource guide.
Download the printable guide (PDF) for distribution in your community, agency, or organization.
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