To be sure, it is good, as was suggested in the Sun Journal editorial (Dec. 11), that Habib Dagher is exploring creative ways to generate the nine billion kilowatts of electricity that Mainers use each year. Sending our checks to POB 11752 in Newark, N.J., cannot be good for the Maine economy. But, putting the turbines on floating platforms, as the editorial also suggested, may be a stretch, especially since we don’t have to.

The same technology being used to generate electricity in the mountains of western Maine can be used to generate electricity in water up to 90 feet deep, and much of the Gulf of Maine is less than 90 feet deep. I would think there would be a spot where turbines could be placed that wouldn’t shake the sensibilities of the folks fortunate enough to live along the coast.

The technology for near-shore wind generated electricity has already been proven. It is ready to go now and Cianbro is ready to install it. Waiting 18 more years for the far-off-shore technology to prove itself cannot be in the best interest of Mainers.

And, since Mainers own the wind within three miles of shore, we don’t have to pay either the federal government or some corporation from away for access to turn the turbines.

We have known this for over a decade or more. What stands in the way of Mainers using the wind to generate electricity?

Do you know?

James Tierney, Auburn