Morning Update: What you need to know in Maine today

0 Rose kim julho 15, 2026

A version of this story first appeared in the Morning Update newsletter. Sign up here to receive the Morning Update and other BDN newsletters directly in your inbox.

Good morning. The worst of this week’s heat may be in the rear-view mirror. Today will still be humid, with partly or mostly sunny skies and gusty winds. Our team is still gathering details about Monday’s deadly ICE shooting in Biddeford. The shooting highlights ICE’s continued presence here even after the abrupt end to its January surge, City Desk reporter Annie Rupertus reports.

Maine has ignored this homegrown substitute for heating oil

The main smokestack of the former Lincoln Pulp and Tissue Mill is seen rising over the dilapidated buildings at the site. The site is under remediation, and at least one of the buildings will be used to house Biofine Developments Northeast’s biofuel company. Building 8, which will be used by Biofine, can be seen in the bottom right. Credit: Leela Stockley / BDN

Although Maine has set lofty goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is largely ignoring a heating source that could help reduce its carbon output.

Instead, the state has largely focused on electrification. But there’s a growing number of options that could help meet Maine’s goal of reducing its emissions 40% by 2030. As part of that goal, heat pumps — which rely on electricity — have been heavily promoted by Gov. Janet Mills’ administration.

There’s another solution, however. While biofuel technology hasn’t been developed enough to become a main fuel source across the state, two startup companies are planning operations that would see the energy source cost around the same as conventional oil

The biofuel process also creates a new market for forestry leftovers once used in the papermaking process and could help revitalize former mill towns.