CARRABASSETT VALLEY – More than 30 people turned out Wednesday to learn more about Endless Energy Corp.’s proposed wind energy project atop two mountains in northern Franklin County.
Some favored the project. Some opposed it.
Others were undecided.
The Yarmouth-based wind energy company wants to put 18 wind turbines on Black Nubble Mountain and 12 turbines on Redington Pond Range Mountain, both in Redington Township. The wind farm would be about four miles west of the Sugarloaf Mountain ski area in Carrabassett Valley and about eight miles south of Eustis.
The energy project is expected to generate about 250 million kilowatt-hours a year, enough to power 44,000 Maine homes, according to the company.
Company President Harley Lee said he plans to submit an application for the project to the Land Use Regulation Commission by the end of this month. He and another company representative mingled with those in attendance to answer questions and to explain the project at the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center.
Several displays were set up, including a map showing where turbines would be located, how they would be accessed and where the transmission lines would run.
Waste of money’
Neither Ray nor Jo Craemer of Eustis favor the project.
“I think it is a waste of money and time,” Ray Craemer said. “The state of Maine already generates more power than it needs.”
“I’m very concerned because I think we’re taking one of the most scenic parts of Maine and destroying the purity of it,” said his wife, Jo Craemer. “I don’t want to see the lights and the intrusion on the environment.”
She said she will be able to see it from their home in Eustis. She also said she’s concerned about the impact on the bird migration and the injury to birds.
“I don’t think it is beneficial to this area,” she said. The power would be sold elsewhere.
Lee, who said he has all the financial backing for the project, said he plans to offer wind power to business, industry and municipalities in the area first.
Lee said the project would represent a little over 2 percent of Maine’s electricity.
There are roughly 100 hydroelectric dams in Maine, he said. “I think it will produce more power than 98 percent of the dams.”
Lee said he would like to start clearing the land for the project this winter and start construction next summer in order to have it online next fall.
Wind power is great’
Tim Flight of Carrabassett Valley said he hasn’t made up his mind about the project yet.
Kelly Welch of Carrabassett Valley was looking over information.
“I can’t believe there is so much emphasis on not doing it,” she said. “I think wind power is great, and it certainly changes the landscape. But it’s energy being used by something endless. I am in favor of wind power, definitely. I know it’s energy being generated by the wind, and what’s the matter with that? It will take some adjusting to look at it.”
Hope Alexander of Madrid said she has some concerns about it.
“First of all, it’s going into an area that’s still wilderness, and there’s very few of those left,” Alexander said. She and her husband live off the grid, she said, and have a wind generator. The wind isn’t dependable; sometimes it’s too strong and other times there isn’t enough, she said.
Alan White of Auburn and Jodi Carter of Bethel both said they were for the wind farm because it’s renewable energy and more environmental friendly than fossil fuels.
“It’s nice to get a clean source of energy,” Carter said.
Larry Warren of Carrabassett Valley and president of the Western Mountain Foundation said he’s trying to figure out how many wind farm projects would be appropriate for Franklin County. He said he was trying to decide which one would make the most sense for environmental and visual impact and economic development.
Warren said he knows of two other parties that also are considering building wind farms in the northern Franklin County.
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