BINGHAM (AP) — Review of a proposed 62-turbine wind farm in Bingham has been put on hold in part because of concerns about bats. Bat deaths are a typical concern at wind farms and it is standard practice to evaluate bat habitats and mortality rates during project reviews. The Department of Environmental Protection, however, may […]
wind power
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Statoil cancels $120 million offshore wind project in Maine
AUGUSTA — Norwegian company Statoil announced Tuesday that it was pulling the plug on its $120 million offshore wind pilot project in Maine, citing uncertainty about state regulations. It will instead put its resources toward pursuing an offshore wind project it has been developing in Scotland. “Obviously, this is a huge disappointment,” Paul Williamson, executive […]
advertisement
Posted inLetters
J. Tierney: Public needs the information
Maybe, just maybe, the people of Maine will benefit from the wind we own, which blows along our shore, by using it to generate our electricity. The Associated Press story Sept. 23 makes it clear that the people, so far, have not been privy to the discussion of our energy future. Neither the legislative leaders […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
UMaine says it needs to keep wind project proposal confidential
More coverage: LePage energy chief defends efforts to reopen offshore wind bids AUGUSTA — Representatives for the University of Maine’s offshore wind project are defending its move to keep its proposal confidential following calls that it be made public. Maine Aqua Ventus, the company designing the university’s project, filed comments with the Public Utilities Commission on […]
Posted inLetters
A. Barnett: Residence rights lost
Because of a plumbing violation, state officials have taken away my rights. Because I didn’t have the proper land use permit for my outhouse, the Maine DEP has classified my home a “recreational vehicle,” which allows wind developers to erect a 500-foot high turbine in my back yard. My definition of a “recreational vehicle” is […]
Posted inLetters
J. Lord: Needs of local communities
After reading Jonathan Carter’s rant about a wind power project (Aug. 11), it seems like some folks have the luxury of pontification while the rest of us are left to figure out how to prevent rural Maine communities from becoming ghost towns. Rural towns such as Bingham are mere shadows of what they once were. […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine DEP rejects wind farm project on Bowers Mountain
AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has rejected First Wind’s proposal for a wind farm on Bowers Mountain, citing its harmful impact on the local scenery. Commissioner Patricia Aho signed off on the decision by DEP staff to deny scaled-down proposal for 16 turbines by Maine’s largest wind energy developer. The Land Use […]
Posted inRiver Valley
DEPs windmill hearing draws crowd
CANTON — Chairs replaced fire engines as the Canton Fire Station hosted the Department of Environmental Protection’s third hearing on the Canton Mountain Wind Project in Canton and Dixfield. Commissioner Patricia Aho conducted the hearing, reading names from a list of people who signed up to speak. Besides the 19 or so people who signed […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills, River Valley
DEP to hold public meeting July 24 on proposed 8-turbine Canton Mountain Wind project
CANTON —The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will host a public meeting on Wednesday, July 24, to receive comments and answer questions on its draft analysis for a proposed 8-turbine wind farm. The meeting on Canton Mountain Wind LLC’s $47 million project will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Canton Fire […]
Posted inLetters
W. Packard: Can’t have it both ways
I was talking with a friend recently who owns property in Roxbury, just up the road from Rumford. He told me that his property taxes were half what they were a year ago, and he also gets a check several times a year because of the windmills located in that town. Rumford, on the other […]