Wind and Solar News: Proposed Maine Windfarms have Residents and Developers at Odds

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Proposed Maine Windfarms have Residents and Developers at Odds

Developers in poor rural counties in Maine face stiff opposition to the 300 proposed wind turbines. The project in Somerset County and neighboring Piscataquis County is expected to cost 1 to 2 billion dollars and increase tax revenues by 9 million dollars per year. The main objection to the project is what is perceived as a detriment to the quality of life. Go to the story here by Erin Rhoda in the Sunday Morning Sentinal

No comments:

Post a Comment

Inherit the Wind (Mill) History of Wind put to Work

It is perceived by many that this movement to capture the surface flow of the earths atmosphere and turn it into power is a technological advance that is still in its infancy. It is true that just like a child that refuses to grow up it is still infantile. But only in acceptance and utilization. The concept has been put to use for centuries.
Most of us think of the windmill as that quaint contraption that dots the landscape of Holland and is often used on bread wrappers or doughnut boxes as a symbol of something made with an old Dutch recipe. I imagine even environmentalists at the time debated over them. Jan said it would save on oxen and Peter countered with his opinion that it would detract from all the tulips in the field. Not much different than todays wind farm debates. Only the oxen are now oil.
To give a clear lens into how many times man has attempted to harness the wind in the past 2000 years I have added this link.

Offshore Wind Project Gets Obama Blessing

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and the Obama administration announced the fast forwarding of the Atlantic Offshore Wind Project. Google and other investors have pledged up to 5 billion dollars for the placement of a deep water transmission line to connect to various points along the east coast. A series of elecrtical on and off ramps will keep the voltage consistant over the total long run of up to 1500 miles. The survey to identify the best areas for the development of offshore wind farms will be completed in 60 days and permitting could begin as early as 2012. Read more here and in this Huffington Post article.