Mainer
Born and raised.
Stop grid scale wind power development
It's time we stopped giving our tax money to big corporations.
Reform lobbying within our political system.
The wind company spokespeople will lie directly through their teeth to get what they want. Smooth talkers.
They have no problem stabbing the community in the back.
BEWARE.
They are not above using dirty tricks and fuzzy science.
REALLY??
"Mr LePage needs to explain his support for... weakening our environmental protections"
The same should be asked of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
Where has the voice of NRCM been regarding the blasting of Maine's mountaintops, of the rape of wetlands for powerlines?
Has NRCM been anything other than a cheerleader for this environmental travesty?
The NRCM has turned it's back on Maine's environment, and decided, instead, to be swayed by large donations from industrial wind.
Natural Resources Council of Maine should change it's name to National Wind Council of Maine. They favor wind interests over the protection of our natural resources. They are traitors of the worst kind.
Good for you LepPage.
Who in the world thinks that Agnes King is more credible than John Carter? Just because he may be able to fool the masses into voting for him as a politician, doesn't make him more credible or more moral or more knowledgable.
And who believes that a poll by the wind industry (please quote your sources) is more credible than one by the Bangor Daily News?
That is just crazy talk.
What's the difference between the guantanamo terrorists and the big Wind companies. Neither one cares one bit about who they will hurt. Wind has just found a way to do it legally
My ancestors came with the Mayflower.
That arguement just doesn't hold water.
The wind companys do not care anything about how long anyone has been here as long as they can control our state resources and pick our pockets.
Our electric rates will double.
Wildlife will flee.
Mountain tops will hold the skeletons long after the company has fled the state.
You don't have to be a native to understand the folly in that. And if long time Mainers won't stand up for our state and our deep roots, at least the transplants will.
Thanks for all the hard work that is being done to educate everyone on the biggest rape in Maine's history.
Play or live underneath some of these turbines and YOU will figure it out.
Our moose are taking off, heading for quieter areas. They move to high ground in the fall when the wetlands stop producing food. However, the shape of their antlers amplifies sound which is necessary for listening across long distances for females. The low frequency sound produced by turbines is considered potentially more harmful for them because of this. Moose do not return to areas where this sound is produced.
It's good to see that these candidates are beginning to understand more of the complexities of industrial wind power development.
We must protect Maine's core values and traditional income streams, i.e. tourism and resource protection. We must not drive away tourists who come to Maine to enjoy the solitude of our wildlands, without having to listen to the sound of industrial turbines echoing off the hills and flashing lights blinding the views of the night sky. We cannot run the risk of driving off 20% or more of the tourists who support our state economy after they watch our hilltops being blasted away and our wildlife heading north to Canada.
How anyone can support this travesty is beyond me. I will not consider any candidate that supports industrial wind and the infrastructure that CMP ratepayers will be forced to pay to support it.
I will also support anyone brave enough to investigate Kurt Adams' relationship with First Wind. The Baldacci administration has been in bed with industrial wind, and our own Attorney general refuses to force wind companies to follow a code of conduct in Maine. First Wind was made to sign a code of conduct by the NY Attorney General because of improper relationships with government officials, among other charges. Baldacci is rubber stamping approvals through his "emergency legislation" that created the expedited wind process. Kurt Adams, who is now VP of transmission development for First Wind, was head of the PUC prior to taking this job. He is accused of accepting money from First Wind before leaving office and of intervening on their behalf, while head of the PUC, in a highly irregular move regarding a denial of the Stetson site to sell it's electricity at the ISO-New England auction, a very lucrative sale for First Wind. The denial had to do with a transmission line bottleneck from the site.
The DEP, who is hot on the trail of anyone that spills a cup of oil refuses to hold these companies accountable for blasting mountains, and running power lines through wetlands and other sensitive areas.
Please candidates, learn about this issue. Don't just believe the pablum that the wind lobby wants to feed us.
We will save a helluva lot more oil by weatherizing homes instead of giving millions to the wind companies. This has the added benefit of creating lots of jobs that will result in lots more tax revenue here. Wind is asking for tax incentives, not paying their fair share of the tax burden. They want their cake and eat it too. And they are getting it.
We have hydro power, tidal potential, pellet technology. But conservation is going to give us the biggest bang for the buck, by far.
Wind really is not reliable enough to warrant the kind of money that we are putting into it right now. Lets put the money where it will do the most good, immediately. You cannot convince me that making construction jobs to destroy Maine mountains is good just because it is creating jobs. We know better than that.
maineexile "The one source that is fairly reliable is wind power...."
Wind power has been found to not be a reliable source of power. First, the wind speed has to fall within certain parameters, not too low, not too high. Second, because the wind doesn't blow when demand is the highest, we must always have conventional power plants at the ready. In fact, 4000 windmills in California in an area that is touted as having some of the best wind in the country, only produce electricity 1% of the time at peak demand. The output of these industrial turbines in this large "farm" over the course of 9 years averaged less than 20% of installed capacity. Wind proponants always "estimate" that turbines output somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% of installed capacity. This is a high estimate. This is part of their fuzzy math used. But generally, they they are talking to people who don't have much idea about math. However, when you hear numbers that say that an installation will have enough power to provide electricity to 30,000 homes, you would do well to question whether that is based on installed capacity numbers or whether it is based on estimates at the lower more realistic output. At 20%, which is a realistic number, that 30,000 homes becomes enough electricity for 6,000 homes. Now, given that the government just gave $115 million to First Wind, that is the equivilant of paying $19,000 for the electricity to each of those homes. Electricity that they will charge us more for. It doesn't take an economics degree to see that is not the best use of our hard earned tax money. Unless, of course, the government wants to put that money into my home. But they aren't. That money is going to the wind company. We get no benefit. In fact, they are rubbing salt in that wound by adding the billions of dollars (no exaggeration) to our electric bills so that we can also pay for the power lines to carry that electricity. I am shocked that people (yes, republicans too) aren't revolting over this taxpayer theft by our government officials. Hey, wait just a minute. Maybe some of the tea party members would be interested in this tax scam. I don't believe being mad about getting ripped off belongs to either party. None of us like it.
Maybe the National Resources Council of Maine is the new industrial wind lobby. My guess is that the wind companies have contributed LARGE sums of hush money and NRCM is now beholden to them. Maybe the governor has pressured NRCM to align with him. It makes no sense at all that NRCM would fight Plum Creek and hydropower, yet have worked so hard to protect an industry that is bent on destroying so many acres of Maine wildlands. It is confusing to me that this company has been built on the protection of Maine resources and are turning a blind eye to this historic destruction of some of the most beautiful areas in the state. Their mission statement in its first paragraph includes that they are "protecting, restoring, and conserving Maine's environment, now and for future generations. We work to improve the quality of Maine's rivers; ... and to conserve Maine lands."
Please, NRCM explain to me how you can support industrial wind and keep these words in your mission statement. From where I stand, you look like a bunch of hypocrites.
Why aren't you out there pushing weatherization?
Why aren't you considering these industrial mountain top sites vital in "Maine's quality of place"?
Why do you support an industry that will double Maine's electricity rates and place this burden on our already burdened population? Industrial wind is not good for our economy.
Get your priorities straight. I once supported you. I will never again.
Recent Comments
Tell you what you want to hear.
The wind company spokespeople will lie directly through their teeth to get what they want. Smooth talkers.
They have no problem stabbing the community in the back.
BEWARE.
They are not above using dirty tricks and fuzzy science.
Pot calling the kettle black
REALLY??
"Mr LePage needs to explain his support for... weakening our environmental protections"
The same should be asked of the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
Where has the voice of NRCM been regarding the blasting of Maine's mountaintops, of the rape of wetlands for powerlines?
Has NRCM been anything other than a cheerleader for this environmental travesty?
NCRM turns its back on Maine's environment
The NRCM has turned it's back on Maine's environment, and decided, instead, to be swayed by large donations from industrial wind.
Natural Resources Council of Maine should change it's name to National Wind Council of Maine. They favor wind interests over the protection of our natural resources. They are traitors of the worst kind.
Good for you LepPage.
which is more credible
Who in the world thinks that Agnes King is more credible than John Carter? Just because he may be able to fool the masses into voting for him as a politician, doesn't make him more credible or more moral or more knowledgable.
And who believes that a poll by the wind industry (please quote your sources) is more credible than one by the Bangor Daily News?
That is just crazy talk.
Big Wind ARE terrorists
What's the difference between the guantanamo terrorists and the big Wind companies. Neither one cares one bit about who they will hurt. Wind has just found a way to do it legally
My ancestors came with the
My ancestors came with the Mayflower.
That arguement just doesn't hold water.
The wind companys do not care anything about how long anyone has been here as long as they can control our state resources and pick our pockets.
Our electric rates will double.
Wildlife will flee.
Mountain tops will hold the skeletons long after the company has fled the state.
You don't have to be a native to understand the folly in that. And if long time Mainers won't stand up for our state and our deep roots, at least the transplants will.
Thanks for all the hard work that is being done to educate everyone on the biggest rape in Maine's history.
money for turbines
The money goes directly to First Wind to build the turbines.
Read the paperwork. That's why they want to "partner" with the town.
What can I do to get you in a car today
I really chuckled when I read this testimonial.
A used car salesman standing up for a government crook.
Interest in Wind?
Dr Jennings,
Just what IS your interest in wind that you express? Is it monetary? It sure sounds like it.
Veritas sees wind
Play or live underneath some of these turbines and YOU will figure it out.
Our moose are taking off, heading for quieter areas. They move to high ground in the fall when the wetlands stop producing food. However, the shape of their antlers amplifies sound which is necessary for listening across long distances for females. The low frequency sound produced by turbines is considered potentially more harmful for them because of this. Moose do not return to areas where this sound is produced.
Learn about wind issues
It's good to see that these candidates are beginning to understand more of the complexities of industrial wind power development.
We must protect Maine's core values and traditional income streams, i.e. tourism and resource protection. We must not drive away tourists who come to Maine to enjoy the solitude of our wildlands, without having to listen to the sound of industrial turbines echoing off the hills and flashing lights blinding the views of the night sky. We cannot run the risk of driving off 20% or more of the tourists who support our state economy after they watch our hilltops being blasted away and our wildlife heading north to Canada.
How anyone can support this travesty is beyond me. I will not consider any candidate that supports industrial wind and the infrastructure that CMP ratepayers will be forced to pay to support it.
I will also support anyone brave enough to investigate Kurt Adams' relationship with First Wind. The Baldacci administration has been in bed with industrial wind, and our own Attorney general refuses to force wind companies to follow a code of conduct in Maine. First Wind was made to sign a code of conduct by the NY Attorney General because of improper relationships with government officials, among other charges. Baldacci is rubber stamping approvals through his "emergency legislation" that created the expedited wind process. Kurt Adams, who is now VP of transmission development for First Wind, was head of the PUC prior to taking this job. He is accused of accepting money from First Wind before leaving office and of intervening on their behalf, while head of the PUC, in a highly irregular move regarding a denial of the Stetson site to sell it's electricity at the ISO-New England auction, a very lucrative sale for First Wind. The denial had to do with a transmission line bottleneck from the site.
The DEP, who is hot on the trail of anyone that spills a cup of oil refuses to hold these companies accountable for blasting mountains, and running power lines through wetlands and other sensitive areas.
Please candidates, learn about this issue. Don't just believe the pablum that the wind lobby wants to feed us.
We will save a helluva lot
We will save a helluva lot more oil by weatherizing homes instead of giving millions to the wind companies. This has the added benefit of creating lots of jobs that will result in lots more tax revenue here. Wind is asking for tax incentives, not paying their fair share of the tax burden. They want their cake and eat it too. And they are getting it.
We have hydro power, tidal potential, pellet technology. But conservation is going to give us the biggest bang for the buck, by far.
Wind really is not reliable enough to warrant the kind of money that we are putting into it right now. Lets put the money where it will do the most good, immediately. You cannot convince me that making construction jobs to destroy Maine mountains is good just because it is creating jobs. We know better than that.
maineexile "The one source
maineexile "The one source that is fairly reliable is wind power...."
Wind power has been found to not be a reliable source of power. First, the wind speed has to fall within certain parameters, not too low, not too high. Second, because the wind doesn't blow when demand is the highest, we must always have conventional power plants at the ready. In fact, 4000 windmills in California in an area that is touted as having some of the best wind in the country, only produce electricity 1% of the time at peak demand. The output of these industrial turbines in this large "farm" over the course of 9 years averaged less than 20% of installed capacity. Wind proponants always "estimate" that turbines output somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% of installed capacity. This is a high estimate. This is part of their fuzzy math used. But generally, they they are talking to people who don't have much idea about math. However, when you hear numbers that say that an installation will have enough power to provide electricity to 30,000 homes, you would do well to question whether that is based on installed capacity numbers or whether it is based on estimates at the lower more realistic output. At 20%, which is a realistic number, that 30,000 homes becomes enough electricity for 6,000 homes. Now, given that the government just gave $115 million to First Wind, that is the equivilant of paying $19,000 for the electricity to each of those homes. Electricity that they will charge us more for. It doesn't take an economics degree to see that is not the best use of our hard earned tax money. Unless, of course, the government wants to put that money into my home. But they aren't. That money is going to the wind company. We get no benefit. In fact, they are rubbing salt in that wound by adding the billions of dollars (no exaggeration) to our electric bills so that we can also pay for the power lines to carry that electricity. I am shocked that people (yes, republicans too) aren't revolting over this taxpayer theft by our government officials. Hey, wait just a minute. Maybe some of the tea party members would be interested in this tax scam. I don't believe being mad about getting ripped off belongs to either party. None of us like it.
Maybe the National Resources
Maybe the National Resources Council of Maine is the new industrial wind lobby. My guess is that the wind companies have contributed LARGE sums of hush money and NRCM is now beholden to them. Maybe the governor has pressured NRCM to align with him. It makes no sense at all that NRCM would fight Plum Creek and hydropower, yet have worked so hard to protect an industry that is bent on destroying so many acres of Maine wildlands. It is confusing to me that this company has been built on the protection of Maine resources and are turning a blind eye to this historic destruction of some of the most beautiful areas in the state. Their mission statement in its first paragraph includes that they are "protecting, restoring, and conserving Maine's environment, now and for future generations. We work to improve the quality of Maine's rivers; ... and to conserve Maine lands."
Please, NRCM explain to me how you can support industrial wind and keep these words in your mission statement. From where I stand, you look like a bunch of hypocrites.
Why aren't you out there pushing weatherization?
Why aren't you considering these industrial mountain top sites vital in "Maine's quality of place"?
Why do you support an industry that will double Maine's electricity rates and place this burden on our already burdened population? Industrial wind is not good for our economy.
Get your priorities straight. I once supported you. I will never again.