We may disagree with Bruce Cook’s inspiration, but we admire his thinking. He is maybe the first public official in Western Maine to suggest a proactive approach to wind turbine construction, instead of scrambling after the fact.

As more and more turbine projects sprout across the Western mountains, towns and villages should address their construction before it’s too late. What’s most important is what is most basic: whether communities support having wind turbines in town. It could be a simple warrant item for consideration during the next town meeting.

If a community doesn’t support turbines, it’s their choice, and likely their loss. Alternative energies are a growing industry, and the economic impact of construction and presence of turbines is quite promising for communities.

There’s the energy angle, too. Communities that support turbines should receive free or reduced electricity, as a condition of construction, following the example set by Independence Wind in Roxbury.

If a community wants turbines, this invites developers, many of whom have become accustomed – in Western Maine – to having their plans met with questions, skepticism or, in some cases, outright hostility.

Having communities state their turbine intentions is good for them and the industry, and would save significant trials and trouble, also like the example of Independence Wind in Roxbury.

There is little excuse now for mountainous towns to be caught off guard by a wind power project. Developers are acting like the forty-niners in the Gold Rush, prospecting for wind speeds across the alpine terrain of Western Maine.

(If this continues into next year, we could call them “oh-niners” as an homage.)

New turbine proposals are getting ready for Spruce Mountain in Woodstock and maybe Saddleback Mountain in Carthage. Plans are moving in on Record Hill in Roxbury and on Black Mountain in Rumford.

That’s just Western Maine. The potential for wind power developments offshore, in Aroostook County and around Stetson Mountain – where one wind farm already exists – eclipses what’s in our backyard.

And it seems anywhere that could support a turbine is being staked out by an energy company for development.

So why shouldn’t individual towns stake out their own positions, to capitalize on this industry’s growth?

After all, San Francisco was nothing but a small trading port before gold was found in California. Maybe there is similar opportunity for economic and community growth in the “Great Maine Wind Rush.”

Cook’s idea for ordinances stemmed from a turbine proposal for Pike’s Hill that was floated in Norway several months ago. He found it disagreeable, so he’d like the town to consider rules regarding height, placement, etc.

Cook was more concerned with blocking turbines than with building them, but we still applaud his idea.

More towns and officials should follow suit.