AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine lawmakers are taking up a series of wind-power regulatory bills for the second day, pitting people bothered by noise and worried about health effects against businesses engaged in the industry.
The Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee is taking up more than a dozen bills Monday and Tuesday. The hearings Monday drew an overflow crowd.
Some of the bills are aimed at weakening a 2008 law that streamlined Maine’s wind-power regulatory laws and made way for expedited permitting.
Gov. Paul LePage is represented at the hearings by state energy Director Ken Fletcher. LePage opposes the bills.
The Maine Renewable Energy Association says the wind power industry has spent $378 million in Maine since 2004 to build 195 turbines.
Testimony live online
To listen to the legislative testimony before the Utilities and Energy Committee live online click here.
-
- These are some of TransCanada’s 22 wind turbines on Kibby Mountain in northern Franklin County.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.