Dear Sir/Madam,

In the last issue of the Highlander there appeared a letter from me regarding the solar array proposed at Saddleback to which I feel I must add information that only came to me after publication of my recent letter.

It is this: it seems that Arctaris has established the solar energy activity as an independent entity, separate from Saddleback although to be built upon the Saddleback land Arctaris owns, and–if this is correct, interesting–the power is not to be connected to Saddleback Mountain. It will, it seems, be connected only to the grid, in whatever deal Arctaris negotiated for it.

What this means, in my opinion, is that (a) Saddleback Mountain, that represents it will be the only 100% “renewable” energy ski resort would not be that, taking its power, as it does now, from the grid, and (b) that the solar array, which will be a major eyesore from the entire long Saddleback ridge, could in fact be built anywhere along the Stratton-Rangeley power line, provided it had convenient access to the line.

If this understanding is correct, the only way Arctaris could claim to operate Saddleback on renewable energy would be through that component of the grid’s energy that derives from such sources. And, as all know, there must always be 100% back-up power from traditional energy sources.

I repeat: I am a fan of the restored Saddleback Mountain ski area, and I am glad a group stepped up to the challenge. I am dismayed that part of the plan involves the environmentally destructive solar array, that will despoil this beautiful area, a precious asset. Knowing now the array could be sited anywhere between Stratton and Rangeley, why would it not be?

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Yours sincerely,

Claude Roessiger
Ocquossoc

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Letter to the Editor:

On March 19th, 2021 Rising Tide Towers, LLC filed an application with the Land Use Planning Commission to erect a 300 foot lighted cellular tower on Dallas Hill in Dallas Plantation. Just last year, this same company was turned down by LUPC for a 90 foot unlighted cell tower in approximately the same location. However, the new proposal is a few hundred yards away, putting it in a General Management District, whereas the rejected tower was in a Community Residential Subdistrict, in which a cell tower had never been approved in the state of Maine. This new move gives the company a lower bar to clear to get their tower approved even though it is more than double the size and fully lighted.

LUPC has not yet posted the new application online and it is only on display in their Bangor office. Therefore, a public hearing should be requested to allow the public time to see the details of the tower, the exact location, visual impact to the surrounding areas and the town of Rangeley, environmental impacts, the effects on property values, amount of light pollution, safety hazards, or whether any alternate locations have been considered.

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Anyone who is interested in finding out more information about this tower should write and request that a public hearing be held in Farmington. We feel that people who will be affected by this tower should have a right to hear more about it before it is pushed through.

The address to request a public hearing is: LUPC, 106 Hogan Rd., Suite 8, Bangor, Maine 04401.

The email address is: Karen.Bolstridge@maine.gov

Be sure to put your name and address on your email.

For questions about submitting written comments, requesting a public hearing, contact the Commission staff at (207)215-4685. All requests must be received before April 8th.

Ralph & Karen Hutchinson
Beans Corner, Dallas Plantation
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