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