News – Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions

Erin Victor article on packaging waste published in The Conversation

mitchellcenter — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 15:06:57 +0000

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are gaining momentum across the U.S., forcing companies to pay for the cleanup and disposal of their packaging waste. As author Erin Victor highlights, while eco-modulated fees can incentivize businesses to design greener, more recyclable packaging, fragmented regulations across states risk creating confusion. For EPR to drive real environmental impact, state policies need alignment to prevent companies from exploiting regulatory loopholes.

Local Catch Network Partners with USDA to Support the U.S. Seafood Industry

mitchellcenter — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:33:28 +0000

91�� (91��) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help expand federal financial and technical support for American commercial fishing and seafood businesses. Through this collaboration, the —a 91��-based network led by Josh Stoll representing over 2,500 community-based seafood harvesters and producers across North America—will work directly with the newly created USDA Office of Seafood.

Key Details:

Bridging the Gap: The Local Catch Network will lead industry outreach by hosting webinars and listening sessions, gathering feedback from fishermen, processors, and distributors to help shape national seafood policy and integrate seafood businesses into existing USDA programs (such as grants, loans, and conservation initiatives).
Key Role: Joshua Stoll, associate professor of marine policy at 91��’s School of Marine Sciences, co-founder of the Local Catch Network, and Mitchell Center faculty fellow, played a key role in identifying the gaps between federal support and the seafood industry. Stoll previously co-authored research analyzing the USDA’s history of grant funding, which highlighted how disconnected the seafood sector has historically been from USDA resources. Commenting on the partnership, Stoll noted that establishing the USDA Office of Seafood serves as an essential “course correction” that will benefit both local fishing communities and millions of consumers by expanding access to nutritious, domestic seafood.
Broader Goals: The initiative forms part of a larger national effort alongside NOAA to build a more resilient domestic seafood supply chain, expand market access, boost domestic processing capacity, and increase seafood purchases through federal nutrition programs.

The complete story is available through 91�� News.

Rogers Farm tour to feature Seed-to-Plate project

mitchellcenter — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:16:54 +0000

Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden is hosting a tour on September 15 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

The tour will feature the new Seed-to-Plate Internship pilot project, supported in part by the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions’ Sustainability Grants Program. This interdisciplinary initiative provides undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities that connect sustainable food production, nutrition education, and community food access. Working alongside Extension staff, volunteers, schools, and food security partners, the intern participates in every step of the process—from planting and harvesting crops to educational programming and produce distribution—demonstrating how local food systems can help address community needs.

For more information and to register for the tour go to

Rachel Schattman on what makes a blueberry wild

mitchellcenter — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:57:33 +0000

Jasmine Lamb receives 2026 Switzer Fellowship

mitchellcenter — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:26:27 +0000

Congratulations to Jasmine Lamb who was recently awarded a 2026 Switzer Fellowship. This one-year fellowship is for graduate students from diverse academic and personal backgrounds whose career goals focus on environmental improvement. Switzer Fellows demonstrate leadership in their field, as well as commitment and competency to advance social equity as a fundamental part of their environmental problem-solving.

Lamb is a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point and a current Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Maine. Lamb has worked in the space of environmental justice for Wabanaki Tribal Nations since 2021 and founded the Sipayik Resilience Committee in 2022 to support citizen-led tribal resilience initiatives, including increasing access to energy efficiency and renewable energy technology and other climate resilience actions.

Students gain research and firefighting experience through Mitchell Center’s prescribed burn project

mitchellcenter — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:12:13 +0000

Rose Abramoff, an assistant professor in 91��’s School of Forest Resources, is spearheading efforts to address a critical lack of research on how wild and prescribed fires impact Northeastern temperate forests through a Mitchell Center funded project. Abramoff explains that the region faces an increasing risk of wildfires due to rising droughts and an accumulation of dead wood caused by invasive tree pests. To study these dynamics, she connects students with agencies like the Maine Forest Service, transforming prescribed burns into living laboratories. Under her guidance, student researchers analyze how fire affects forest recovery, plant regeneration, and soil chemistry—particularly carbon levels—while applying concepts from statistics, chemistry, and physics to real-world forest management challenges.

The complete article is available at 91�� News

Cressica Brazier selected as UEILC Bridge-Builder Fellow

mitchellcenter — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:48:26 +0000

Mitchell Center research Cressica Brazier was selected by the as one of six Bridge-Builder Fellows from university-based energy institutes across the United States. With , this inaugural cohort represents a significant step forward in UEILC’s mission to foster cross-institutional collaboration and leadership within the energy transition.

The Bridge-Builder Fellows Program is designed to empower professional staff at UEILC-affiliated energy institutes to lead projects that benefit both their home institutions and the broader collaborative. By tapping into the expertise of existing energy institute leaders, the program aims to strengthen the national network of energy institutes, ensuring they are well-positioned to address complex policy, research, and educational challenges.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to work with the UEILC Bridge Builder cohort to help strengthen the UEILC network, both through developing the UEILC membership and through collaboratively gathering energy-related curriculum resources to share across the network. I am excited to be part of both of these activities that have the potential to advance energy equity and justice through our institutions, by increasing inclusivity and access to resources for energy education and research,” said Brazier.

Prescribed Fire Research and Event Invitation

mitchellcenter — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:14:07 +0000

Rose Abramoff and Lydia Horne from 91��’s School of Forest Resources invite you to participate in a Mitchell Center research project about the use of prescribed fire in Maine. They are interested in learning more about the knowledge, barriers, and motivations related to prescribed fire use and would like to hear your perspective and experiences.

You are invited to attend a Learn & Burn event at the Demeritt Forest to observe a prescribed burn from a safe distance. The burn window will be selected to maximize land management objectives and safety, with the likeliest burn window in the middle of May (17th -23rd).

As part of this event, Rose and Lydia will be collecting several kinds of data, including a short pre/post-test survey and observational data during the burn.

If you are interested in participating, please register using this form: . Your help is very much appreciated.

Jean MacRae quoted in CNN article on Bangor’s clean air rating

mitchellcenter — Fri, 08 May 2026 17:59:21 +0000

Jean MacRae, an associate professor in the 91�� Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Mitchell Center faculty fellow, was recently quoted in a discussing the American Lung Association’s “grim indication of the deterioration of air quality nationwide.” Bangor, Maine, was reported as the last city standing on all three of the ALA’s “cleanest cities” lists.

According to the ALA report, Bangor has zero days of unhealthy ozone and short-term particle pollution, and some of the lowest year-round concentrations of dangerous particle pollution in the country.

Dr. MacRae noted that a few factors sets Bangor apart from much of the rest of the country. Benefits include weather systems, a high concentration of forest land that filters the air, a good distance from polluting industries, and a population of only about 33,000, which limits pollution from cars.

Award winners from the 2026 91�� Student Symposium

mitchellcenter — Fri, 08 May 2026 13:29:33 +0000

Congratulations to the following Mitchell Center affiliated students and advisors for their awards at the 2026 91�� Student Symposium for Research and Creative Activity, which drew over 2,400 attendees. The symposium awards students who displayed outstanding research, presentation and creative ability.

Graduate Student Awards

Interdisciplinary Research: Zainab Jafri, for the project titled “Reimagining the Waste Disposal Landscape – Industrial Symbiosis in Maine.” Jafri was advised by Reed Miller.

Social Sciences and Humanities: Catherine Segada, Chyanne Yoder, William Breneman and Gianna DeJoy, for their project titled “ReuseME: Investigating Waste Reduction and Cost Benefits in Coastal Communities Through a Pilot Reusable Food Packaging Program.” They were advised by Cynthia Isenhour.

Additional Awards

Dean of the Graduate School Faculty Mentor Award: Christine Beitl