Wind Power News: Maine
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Big wind’s inconvenient truth
The installation of wind turbines too close to houses and personal property is a major headache for the wind power industry, but headache scarcely begins to describe their impact to nearby property owners and neighbors. My property and home are scarcely three quarters of a mile from a three 1.5 megawatt turbine wind farm that went online in November 2009 with blades stretching nearly 400 feet into the air. Large scale wind turbines represent a tiny and lucrative—thanks to federal . . .
Peru committee considers wind turbine noise levels
PERU — The town Wind Ordinance Committee discussed the issue of turbine sound at its Wednesday night meeting. The committee voted to have a safety setback from property lines, roadways and public areas that is three times the height of a turbine, which would most likely amount to 1,500 feet, Chairman Bill Hine said. When discussion switched to turbine sound, questions and concerns were raised. Ann Erickson, of Sumner, said she attended a meeting in Augusta with the Bureau of . . .
Maine agencies sign deal for wind turbine sound assessment and analysis
Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) have awarded environmental consulting firm HMMH a four-year, on-call contract to provide peer-review consulting services associated with wind turbine sound assessment and analysis. The DEP and LURC are responsible for processing applications under the Site Location of Development Law and the Development Review and Approval Law, respectively, and for ensuring that projects meet applicable noise performance standards. Under the contract, HMMH will provide the DEP and LURC with . . .
Liberty at stake in Frankfort
In reference to Mr. Orlando E. Delogu’s recent opinion piece about the Frankfort wind ordinance: This is not the first time we have seen this man’s biased, personal views backed up by reference to his position at the University of Maine. As a taxpayer and Maine resident, I am disgusted. As for the Frankfort ordinance, Mr. Delogu’s opinions aside, there are really only two legal questions: First, does the ordinance comply with the constitutions and statutes of the United States . . .
Tidal energy better bet than wind farms
After reading the article “Professor: Wind projects could boost Maine’s economy” in the Jan. 23 Portland Press Herald, I do not understand why the University of Maine has not devoted more time and money from grants to further developing tidal power as an energy source. The university has spent a tremendous amount of effort to promote wind energy, which is not nearly as efficient as, and much more costly than, tidal energy. The $20 billion effort to build a wind . . .
Wind company makes pitch to Peru residents
PERU — Residents on Wednesday night had their first informal meeting with a Texas-based wind power developer that is considering a project on Black Mountain. EDP Renewables North America LLC of Houston, Texas, was granted a permit in October to place a meteorological test tower off Black Mountain Road near the Sumner town line. Dan Fitzgerald, project manager, said his company has not built a development in Maine yet. The company has constructed some in the Northeast, including upstate New . . .
Clean energy coalition won’t make ballot in 2012
The group attempting to advance a citizen initiative that would increase energy efficiency and a requirement that electricity providers derive a certain amount of power from renewable sources announced Monday that it’s waiting until 2013 to bring the issue to voters. The announcement by Maine Citizens for Clean Energy came several hours after the group canceled a news conference that was supposed to accompany its presentation of signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office to put a citizens initiative on . . .
Wind shelter
Maine Public Broadcasting’s “Maine Watch” show has earned its reputation as the softest news show on local television. Host Jennifer Rooks rarely probes beyond what’s already been reported elsewhere and almost never challenges her guests with questions they might find disquieting. A typical example of Rooks’ softball approach is the Jan. 26 program on energy policy. She interviews Jackson Parker of Reed & Reed construction company about the initiative that would require an increase in the amount of renewable energy . . .
Clifton board denies Pisgah wind farm appeal
The town of Clifton has rejected an appeal by local farmers to revoke its approval of a five-turbine wind farm project on Pisgah Mountain. The news comes as the developer signs an agreement with Bangor Hydro Electric to supply electricity. The town’s board of appeals Wednesday voted to deny the appeal from Peter and Julie Beckford, who argued the turbines would negatively impact their perennial flower farm, according to the Bangor Daily News. The couple this past summer built two . . .
Magic power
A few months after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, my wife and I were wandering around the eastern part of that city and came upon a little antique shop, where the last vestiges of the old Communist ways were slowly being flushed out, much to the owner’s dismay. Under the Soviet-backed regime, he told us through our translator friend, he’d had a dozen employees to staff a business that would have fit in the average American living room, . . .
