Gov. LePage is a man of his word  

Credit:  The Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com 2 July 2011 ~~

On the campaign trail, Mr. LePage indicated that after educating himself, he understood that “wind” was a poor choice for our economy, our environment, for Mainers’ health, and for our unique “quality of place” — the very quality which drives Maine’s tourist industry.

On June 18, The Portland Press Herald published a news article about the governor’s visit to Rockport — a town which recently adopted a comprehensive, common-sense wind ordinance.

The article contained this: “LePage continued to criticize the state’s wind power industry ‘They are doing an awful lot of damage to our quality of life, our mountains,’ he said. ‘I don’t think it’s going to lower the cost of energy. I think in 10 years we’re going to be like Sweden and Denmark and we’re going to be swearing at ourselves.’ ”

Mr. LePage is correct. “Wind” will not lower the cost of energy. The Maine Power Reliability Project, a huge high-voltage transmission upgrade which will cut a 400-plus-mile swath through 75 Maine towns, is being built in order to deliver wind energy to the NE grid, to be used by the high-demand areas to our south.

Every CMP ratepayer will contribute to the cost of this $1.4 billion project, even though Maine already produces more electricity than we consume.

Iberdrola Renewables, a subsidiary of the parent company of CMP, wants to install wind facilities on Maine’s mountains, even though the law states that a company cannot both generate and transmit electricity.

While Mainers are struggling to make ends meet, this news emerged about Ignacio Galan, Iberdrola’s CEO: “The Spanish chairman of Scottish Power had his pay package doubled to 10.5 million pounds ”

That’s $16.8 million — while our electric rates increase.

I welcome the governor’s involvement in this very important topic. And I appreciate a man of his word.

Karen Bessey Pease

Lexington Township