Wind Power News: Maine
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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.
Freedom: Installation of wind farm nears
Barring any legal challenges, installation of the Beaver Ridge wind turbines could begin this summer.
First Selectman Ron Price, owner of the land where the $12 million wind farm will be located, said the devices have been ordered and delivery is expected to take place in July. The three 400-foot-tall windmills planned for the site are similar to those in place at Mars Hill, he said. They are projected to produce 4.5 megawatts of power annually.
“They …
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Justice in Freedom?
Putting aside the merits and flaws of a proposal to build three, 400-foot-tall wind turbines on Beaver Ridge in Freedom, we have to ask: What the heck are local officials thinking?
On May 1, the town’s Board of Appeals heard a request by opponents of the project to revoke a building permit issued to the developers in July 2007. The opponents said work had not “substantially commenced” within the six-month period required by local ordinance.
The appeals …
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Board of Appeals rejects wind power challenge
FREEDOM — The Board of Appeals has turned down a request to revoke the building permit for a $12 million wind power project on Beaver Ridge, saying the development had met a requirement to “substantially commence” within six months.
Beaver Ridge Wind was issued a permit for the project last July, a few weeks after Freedom residents threw out the town’s Commercial Development Review Ordinance, which had set various standards for the project.
Although the Planning Board …
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Byron hearing heats up over campground law changes
BYRON — Many of the 35 to 40 people at Thursday night’s public hearing on a variety of proposed special town meeting articles came to speak their minds. Much discussion regarding two proposed campground ordinance changes included raised voices.
Still, most everyone agreed they wanted to preserve the town’s status quo by enacting ordinances to govern development rather than allow Byron to become a breeding ground for large-scale development.
Vigorous debate was raised on each article.
Up for …
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Mass. OKs new NStar wind power option
NStar electric customers in Massachusetts will be able to buy renewable energy directly from wind farms — including one under development in Maine — under a newly approved billing option.
The state Department of Public Utilities approved the “NStar [NST] Green” program on Wednesday.
NStar’s more than 1 million residential customers in eastern and central Massachusetts will be able to buy either half or all their electricity from wind farms in the Northeast. Customers would pay a …
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Land-use panel looks at vast portion of state
Unorganized territories’ future will be focus of series of workshops starting today
The future of half of Maine is up for discussion at a series of workshops being held from Millinocket to Portland.
The Land Use Regulation Commission, which serves as the planning board for the unorganized territories, is gathering public feedback as it prepares to revise its comprehensive land-use plan.
Feedback from the workshops will be used to revise the draft plan. Once those revisions …
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Watching financial winds
Construction could begin on the $270 million Kibby Wind Power project in August, assuming the economics fall into place, the developer said.
Half of the 44-turbine plan could be completed by the fall of 2009. The other half of the Franklin County project should be done in the summer of 2010, said Nick Di Domenico, of TransCanada, director of the Kibby project.
But while the development appears likely to move ahead, both TransCanada and state officials say …
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Kibby Wind work may begin in August; But the developer says challenges such as fluctuating currency rates could stand in the way
Construction could begin on the $270 million Kibby Wind Power project in August, assuming the economics fall into place, the developer said.
Half of the 44-turbine plan could be completed by the fall of 2009. The other half of the Franklin County project should be done in the summer of 2010, said Nick Di Domenico of TransCanada, director of the Kibby project.
Maine has the most wind power potential of any New England state – Gov. Baldacci’s …
In The County, ire, concern over land use changes
Aroostook County residents voiced their fears, frustrations and suspicions toward state regulators Sunday during a meeting on potential changes to land use policies in Maine’s vast Unorganized Territory.
The Land Use Regulation Commission is seeking feedback on proposed alterations to the planning document that guides policy decisions within the roughly 10 million acres of unincorporated regions of the state.
Roughly 50 people came to the University of Maine at Fort Kent campus to attend the first of …
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Wind power stirs town's residents
About two dozen residents attended the Roxbury selectmen’s meeting Thursday to discuss a variety of issues, but the land use ordinance and zoning for wind turbines were the hottest topics.
Concerned Citizens to Save Roxbury submitted a petition for a moratorium on wind power developments at the previous selectmen’s meeting. In addition to submitting the petition, the group also protested the March vote in which the ordinance was passed. The protest was based on procedures and …
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