Join the community!

Login, register or Connect to comment.

River Valley

Moratorium vote set for Wednesday

Published on Monday, Oct 12, 2009 at 1:01 am | Last updated on Monday, Oct 12, 2009 at 1:01 am
DIXFIELD – Residents will have a chance Wednesday, Oct. 14, to decide whether to approve a six-month moratorium on any action related to the development of wind turbine projects.

The special town meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the community room of Dirigo High School. Voting will be done by secret ballot.

The moratorium, if passed, would allow the Ad-hoc Ordinance Committee comprised of Selectmen Norine Clarke and Steve Donahue, Code Enforcement Officer Calvin Beaumier, and Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky to write an ordinance that would outline appropriate methods to regulate wind energy facilities.

State law allows a moratorium to be extended for six additional months, if necessary.

Townspeople must approve the finalized ordinance developed by the ad-hoc committee, also.

A moratorium was prompted by a proposal by Patriot Renewables LLC, Quincy, Mass., to construct eight to 20 wind turbines along the ridge that includes Colonel Holman Mountain.

According to a company spokesman, each turbine would generate between 1.5 and 2.5 megawatts of electricity and could boost the value of the town by as much as $40 million.

Patriot Renewables is also looking at sites in Carthage and Woodstock.

First Wind, a Newton, Mass., wind energy firm, also has tentative plans for wind turbine sites in Rumford. Others in various stages of work or planning are in Roxbury and Buckfield.

eadams@sunjournal.com


In order to make comments, you must verify your account.

In order to comment on SunJournal.com, you must use your real name and include the town in which you live in your profile. A member of our staff will call you to verify this information. To join in, fill out your user profile completely and check the box "please verify my status." We'll get back to you within one business day to verify your account.

Login or create an account here.

Our policy prohibits comments that are:

  • Defamatory, abusive, obscene, racist, or otherwise hateful
  • Excessively foul and/or vulgar
  • Inappropriately sexual
  • Baseless personal attacks or otherwise threatening
  • Contain illegal material, or material that infringes on the rights of others
  • Commercial postings attempting to sell a product/item
If you violate this policy, your comment will be removed and your account may be banned.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay informed — Get the news delivered for free in your inbox.

I'm interested in ...