Making wind power opposition clear  

Credit:  The Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com 25 November 2011 ~~

On Nov. 16, representatives from Lexington and Concord Townships and Highland Plantation delivered signed petitions to Gov. LePage’s office as evidence that a majority of the residents in these three communities are opposed to the building of grid-scale wind facilities on the mountains surrounding our homes.

We respectfully request that Iberdrola Renewables live up to the promise of the energy corporation’s chairman, Ignacio Galan, who said, “If Maine signals that it’s no longer friendly to wind power, the global energy company will expand elsewhere.” Lexington, Concord and Highland have sent that signal, loud and clear.

We also ask that Angus King and Rob Gardiner, the principals of Highland Wind LLC, abandon any plans to erect turbines on the mountains in Highland Plantation. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stated in review comments regarding their proposed project that “the collective wildlife concerns . . . demonstrate that this is not an appropriate locality for an intensive wind energy installation such as that currently proposed by Highland Wind Power.”

In addition, the majority of Highland Plantation residents have signed petitions stating that Highland Wind is not welcome in their community. There is no way to be any clearer than that.

Will these wind developers respect the resolve of the people, or will they ignore the residents of these rural Somerset County communities and push ahead with their plans, regardless of our public stance?

Karen Bessey Pease

Lexington Township