**Maine Board of Pesticides Control Approves Settlement Over Dead Trees in Rockport**
WASHINGTON — Nearly five years after a New York couple was found responsible for killing a neighbor’s trees in Rockport, Maine, the state has approved a settlement that includes a $3,000 fine but no admission of guilt.
The Maine Board of Pesticides Control concluded that Stephen Antonson and Kathleen Hackett, a couple from Brooklyn, had poisoned their neighbor’s trees to improve their waterfront view. Despite the board’s findings, the settlement allows the couple to pay the fine without acknowledging wrongdoing.
A lawyer representing Antonson and Hackett released a statement from Antonson expressing relief that the board and Maine’s attorney general approved the agreement. However, Antonson did not accept responsibility for the death of the trees.
Meanwhile, the chair and a member of the pesticides board issued an apology to the neighbor’s son, expressing regret that they could not hold the couple more accountable.
### Background of the Tree Dispute
The New York Times first reported on the saga in September. In 2017, Antonson and Hackett, who met while working for Martha Stewart and describe themselves as creatives and preservationists, purchased a summer house in the picturesque town of Rockport on Penobscot Bay.
Shortly after moving in, they asked their neighbor, Ruth Graham, for permission to remove trees from her land outside their rear windows to enhance their view. Graham refused. Subsequently, the trees began dying, and a state investigation determined that Antonson and Hackett were responsible.
At that time, Maine law permitted a maximum fine of $3,000 for such violations. Antonson agreed to pay the fine but denied poisoning the trees.
### Legal Challenges and Settlement Proposals
The board initially rejected a proposed settlement last March, and legal disputes continued for several months. Recently, the board issued a new proposal nearly identical to the previous one: Antonson would pay the $3,000 fine and deny the poisoning but acknowledge that a court might find him guilty of violations.
The agreement does not protect the couple from potential lawsuits from Graham’s family or neighbors.
### Community Reactions and Unfulfilled Requests
Maine residents hold trees in particularly high regard, and the dispute highlighted tensions between locals and out-of-state property owners and their legal representatives.
Ruth Graham passed away in 2024, but her two sons, neighbors in Rockport, and state officials all felt the settlement lacked a critical component: an apology or any expression of remorse from Antonson and Hackett.
Eric Grubman, one of Graham’s sons, reached out to the pesticides board with a heartfelt letter. He stated, “We prefer that people own up to their mistakes. We prefer second chances. And we value civic responsibility.”
Grubman proposed that Antonson and Hackett make an additional donation, at their discretion, to Maine coastal preservation groups in memory of his mother. He also requested that the couple publicly address the incident in their own words, ideally through a local newspaper.
Grubman concluded his letter with the hope that “bygones can be bygones for everyone, and trees will grow back.”
### Response from Antonson and the Board
In response, Antonson expressed appreciation for Grubman’s thoughtfulness and praised his mother as a good neighbor. He also stated his desire for closure, but notably did not address Grubman’s requests for a donation or a public statement.
Ultimately, it was the pesticides board that offered regret. Dave Adams, chair of the board, told Grubman during the vote — which Grubman watched online — “I wish we could do as you ask.”
In a brief interview, Grubman shared mixed feelings: he was surprised and grateful for the board’s apology and years of diligence but expressed sadness over the neighbors’ behavior.
“We have a sense of sadness,” he said, pausing thoughtfully, “that neighbors could act this way.”
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*This story highlights the complexities of property disputes, environmental responsibility, and community values in Maine, a state known for its deep connection to nature and preservation.*
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/03/01/an-update-did-a-brooklyn-couple-kill-a-neighbors-trees-for-a-better-view-in-maine/