At the same time that the state is warning of the threat of rolling blackouts this winter, opponents of a proposed wind farm on four western Maine mountains are trying to convince the Land Use Regulation Commission to stop the project.

Friends of the Boundary Mountains sent letters to commissioners raising concerns about migrating birds and mammal habitat. Other wind farm opponents have argued that the turbines destroy the view and change the character of the region.

Already, TransCanada has agreed to change the height of towers so they don’t need airplane warning lights, which are blamed for disorienting some migrating birds.

The wind farm has the potential to cleanly generate 200 megawatts of power, enough to power the energy needs of 70,000 households.

State energy regulators this week put the word out that tight natural gas supplies and increased demand for electricity during the winter months could prompt rolling blackouts. They have called on residents to cut back on usage during times of highest demand to avoid the worst-case scenario. The state will begin television and radio campaigns in December asking homeowners and businesses to do their part to reduce demand.

About 40 percent of the state’s electricity is produced using natural gas. Disruptions caused by hurricane damage in the Gulf Coast could knock some power plants offline, creating the shortages.

While the project can do nothing to help Maine’s energy problems this year, it has significant potential for the future.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, along with the ongoing strife in the Middle East, should serve as a wake-up call for the United States. The country’s prosperity and security are threatened by its overdependence on fossil fuels.

Wind farms can’t satisfy the country’s – or the state’s – appetite for energy alone. But they can be reliable, renewable and clean sources of electricity.