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	<title>National Wind Watch: News Watch &#187; Maine</title>
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	 	<title>National Wind Watch: News Watch &#187; Maine</title>
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	<description>Industrial Wind Energy News</description>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Big wind’s inconvenient truth</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/09/big-winds-inconvenient-truth/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:33:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18962</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Peru committee considers wind turbine noise levels</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/09/peru-committee-considers-wind-turbine-noise-levels/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18947</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Maine agencies sign deal for wind turbine sound assessment and analysis</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/08/maine-agencies-sign-deal-for-wind-turbine-sound-assessment-and-analysis/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:07:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Maine&#8217;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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18861</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Liberty at stake in Frankfort</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/07/liberty-at-stake-in-frankfort/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:03:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18814</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Tidal energy better bet than wind farms</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/06/tidal-energy-better-bet-than-wind-farms/</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:20:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[After reading the article &#8220;Professor: Wind projects could boost Maine&#8217;s economy&#8221; 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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18775</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Wind company makes pitch to Peru residents</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/02/02/wind-company-makes-pitch-to-peru-residents/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:17:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18589</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Clean energy coalition won&#8217;t make ballot in 2012</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/31/clean-energy-coalition-wont-make-ballot-in-2012/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:27:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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&#8217;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&#8217;s Office to put a citizens initiative on .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18495</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Wind shelter</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/31/wind-shelter/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:12:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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 &#038; Reed construction company about the initiative that would require an increase in the amount of renewable energy .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18506</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Clifton board denies Pisgah wind farm appeal</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/31/clifton-board-denies-pisgah-wind-farm-appeal/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:11:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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&#8217;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 .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18497</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Magic power</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/30/magic-power/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:05:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[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, .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18507</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Renewable energy should come clean with its details</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/30/renewable-energy-should-come-clean-with-its-details/</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:26:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[I do not like having the &#8220;wool pulled over my eyes.&#8221; I like straightforward deals which are out in the open for all to see. I am sure most of you out there feel the same way. The more I read about &#8220;renewable energy&#8221; scams in Maine, the more it irks me. Why can&#8217;t the wind industry just come clean and tell the average Joe what is going on behind the scenes? I think I know the answer to that .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18464</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>A response to &#8216;A Tale of Two Towers&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/29/a-response-to-a-tale-of-two-towers/</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:28:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[While I agree that the Camden Hills Regional High School Windplanners deserve an “A” in civics for their perseverance in pursuing an alternative energy project for the school community, why does Philip Conkling’s Dec. 15 article: “A Tale of Two Towers” purport to be about the Windjammers success when its primary discussion is about Ragged Mountain and Vinalhaven? Why illustrate this article about the Windjammers’ success with a half-page color photo of Ragged Mountain, which is three miles away from .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18445</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Clifton farmers lose latest round in battle over wind farm</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/28/clifton-farmers-lose-latest-round-in-battle-over-wind-farm/</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:17:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[CLIFTON, Maine — Walk through Rebel Hill Farm and the nearly 60 acres of woods that surround it, and it’s easy to see the “enchanted forest” that Peter and Julie Beckford call their backyard. The couple, who grow and sell native perennial plants on their small farm, say the $25 million five-turbine wind farm planned on nearby Pisgah Mountain threatens their very livelihood. To fight the wind farm project, the Beckfords asked the town’s board of appeals to review the .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18411</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S.]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Algonquin bows out of deal to buy stake in First Wind</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/28/algonquin-bows-out-of-deal-to-buy-stake-in-first-wind/</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:13:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Canada&#8217;s Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp said it would not go ahead with its planned $83 million purchase of a minority stake in U.S.-based wind farm operator First Wind Holdings, citing regulatory delays in Maine. &#8220;The longer than anticipated regulatory process in Maine, together with the transactions we have announced since April 2011 have contributed to our decision not to proceed with the investment&#8221;, Algonquin CEO Ian Robertson said in a statement. However, Algonquin Power&#8217;s partner Emera Inc will not .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18403</guid>
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					<item>
				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Frankfort’s wind ordinance deserves court challenge</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/27/frankforts-wind-ordinance-deserves-court-challenge/</link>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:36:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The lawsuit challenging the town of Frankfort’s Wind Energy Ordinance was brought by three Maine residents who own land in Frankfort in the area of Mount Waldo. Working with a small New England wind energy developer, Eolian Renewable Energy, LLC, the plaintiffs determined that the land in question was suitable for a modestly sized (4-6 turbine) commercial wind energy facility. Contracts between the plaintiffs and Eolian to begin development of the facility were entered into. These contract plans have essentially .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18428</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Developer of Clifton wind farm signs agreement to supply Bangor Hydro with electricity</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/27/developer-of-clifton-wind-farm-signs-agreement-to-supply-bangor-hydro-with-electricity/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:57:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[CLIFTON, Maine — With the push for renewable energy part of the national agenda and the Maine Public Utilities Commission directing local utilities to enter into long-term contracts with Community-based Renewable Energy projects, it’s no surprise that small industrial wind projects such as the one planned for Pisgah Mountain are popping up around the state. The PUC has directed Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. to enter into three 20-year contracts for renewable energy projects — one with Pisgah Mountain LLC, the others .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18409</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Passamaquoddy Tribe plans $120M wind farm in Washington County</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/27/passamaquoddy-tribe-plans-120m-wind-farm-in-washington-county/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:26:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine — The Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township and Pleasant Point has partnered with a Midwest energy firm to launch a $120 million wind farm in Washington County. The developers estimate the project will create 50-100 jobs during the construction phase and 15-20 permanent positions once the farm is built, with more jobs anticipated from spinoff development in the future. The farm would be located in Unorganized Territory at a decommissioned U.S. Air Force radar site nearly ten .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18368</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>LePage: Renewable energy initiative a &#8216;job killer&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/27/lepage-renewable-energy-initiative-a-job-killer/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:20:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[PORTLAND — A renewable energy ballot initiative that supporters say can gradually lower electric rates while reducing Maine’s dependence on imported fuel is actually “the single, largest job killer” Maine has faced in years and will make rates rise, Gov. Paul LePage told a gathering of the state’s real estate industry today. If the measure gets on the ballot this November and wins voter approval, he said, it will force people and businesses to leave for places with lower energy .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18355</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Environmental groups outline opposition, support for upcoming initiatives</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/26/environmental-groups-outline-opposition-support-for-upcoming-initiatives/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[AUGUSTA — A coalition of environmental advocates on Thursday presented its list of priority bills that the Legislature is slated to address during the abbreviated session. Several of the proposals could be contentious, including a bill to reform the Land Use Regulation Commission, the state agency that oversees development in the unorganized territories. The group, dubbed the Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition, also highlighted its opposition to a controversial bill that would allow landowners to file legal claims seeking compensation from .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18391</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Voters to decide wind power ordinance in March</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/26/voters-to-decide-wind-power-ordinance-in-march/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:10:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[FARMINGTON &#8211; After a good amount of public hearing discussion Tuesday night, selectmen were split, 3-2, in favor of having voters at town meeting decide the wind energy performance standards draft proposed to be added to the town&#8217;s zoning ordinance. Concerns from the residents attending the hearing and two of the five selectmen of the ordinance draft included the exemption from permit regulation when wind generated-power is used to pump water or operate equipment, that the allowable sound pressure level .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18282</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Wind energy standards added to Farmington town meeting warrant</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/26/wind-energy-standards-added-to-farmington-town-meeting-warrant/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:06:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[FARMINGTON — March town meeting voters will decide whether to include proposed wind energy performance standards in the town zoning ordinance. Selectmen voted 3-2 Tuesday to add the issue to the warrant. Selectmen Ryan Morgan and Andrew Hufnagel wanted to see more &#8220;tweaking&#8221; on the performance standards by the Planning Board and voted not to add it to the warrant for the March 19 meeting. Chairman Stephan Bunker and Selectmen Jessica Berry and Dennis Pike indicated they thought residents should .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18301</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Time to redefine green jobs in community context</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/time-to-redefine-green-jobs-in-community-context/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:34:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Decades ago, I worked for a politician in California who was running for the state legislature. Given his platform and history, the unions should have supported his campaign. Yet most of them did not. While they didn’t necessarily support his opponent, they sat on their hands and didn’t help. The reason? The candidate and many of the campaign staff were forces behind the passage of some strict rent control ordinances in the state. The trade unions felt that the ordinances, .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18226</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Landowners sue Frankfort over ordinance blocking wind power</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/landowners-sue-frankfort-over-ordinance-blocking-wind-power/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:33:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[FRANKFORT, Maine — Does a new land use ordinance that has halted three landowners’ efforts to have a wind energy company construct several turbines atop Mount Waldo break state and federal laws? A civil lawsuit filed in Waldo County Superior Court this month against the town of Frankfort and its residents alleges that the answer is yes. Bernard Madden, Kermit Allen and Wayne Allen are asking the court to issue a judgement that the wind ordinance is null and void .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18234</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Farmington to vote on wind rule</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/farmington-to-vote-on-wind-rule/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:31:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Voters soon will get a chance to consider passing an ordinance to regulate wind energy projects in Farmington, which would set local rules to control the development of wind turbines in the community. In a split 3-2 decision, selectmen voted Tuesday night to present the issue as an article on the warrant at the March 19 annual town meeting. If voters in town adopt the ordinance, it would add local rules for turbine noise, setbacks and other wind-energy issues to .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18219</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>More wind in Oakfield</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/more-wind-in-oakfield/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:26:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[I’m surprised the Oakfield wind development project has not been in the news very much. First Wind has asked for (and been granted) an increase in the scope of their project. Now the hills around Oakfield and Island Falls will have 50 turbines that are 450 feet tall instead of 34. Wouldn’t this be visible from the summit of Mount Katahdin? Is wind power really enough of a game-changer to offset the loss of these towns’ bucolic nature? What else .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18227</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Connecticut]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rhode Island]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vermont]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>New England transmission debated as generation additions continue</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/new-england-transmission-debated-as-generation-additions-continue/</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:58:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[New England&#8217;s policies supporting building increased renewable generation is underpinning pressure to invest in new transmission infrastructure in the region, with advocates for new power lines saying the projects will boost employment and alleviate existing high regional electricity costs. Each of the six states in the New England region has &#8220;some form&#8221; of renewable energy portfolio standard, the organizers of the New England Clean Energy Transmission Summit held this week in Boston, said. Those state policies align with federal policies .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18213</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>First Wind: PUC position would harm state&#8217;s economy</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/24/first-wind-puc-position-would-harm-states-economy/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[A Maine Public Utilities Commission staff recommendation to reject what could be an $880 million partnership between First Wind and two other companies would deny “a massive boost to Maine’s economy” while hindering First Wind’s ability to help the state meet its aggressive wind energy goals, the company said Tuesday. First Wind said in a 13-page legal opinion that the PUC staff position is inconsistent with state law, wrongly suggests that First Wind would discriminate against state utility companies, and .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18215</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Public hearing on wind energy ordinance Tuesday night</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/23/public-hearing-on-wind-energy-ordinance-tuesday-night/</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:56:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[FARMINGTON &#8211; A public hearing on a wind energy performance standards draft proposed to be added to the town&#8217;s zoning ordinance will be held near the beginning of the selectmen&#8217;s meeting Tuesday. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Farmington Municipal Building. The proposed ordinance addition targets commercial and residential wind power systems, but not the industrial-sized wind farms that feature the largest wind turbines 410 feet tall, from base to blade tip. Code Enforcement Officer Steve Kaiser said .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18212</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Connecticut]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Massachusetts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rhode Island]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vermont]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>New rules could boost New England renewable power</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/23/new-rules-could-boost-new-england-renewable-power/</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:22:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[New England is decidedly short on coal mines and oil wells, but electricity grid watchers say a recent federal order could help the region finally unlock the power in the energy sources it does have. A federal order issued last fall is intended to make it easier to construct transmission lines, costly and controversial projects that are notoriously tough to build. More wires are badly needed in New England to connect customers to the region&#8217;s often remote sources of renewable .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18148</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Board to consider memorial bench and wind energy standards</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/23/board-to-consider-memorial-bench-and-wind-energy-standards/</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:30:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[FARMINGTON — Selectmen will hold public hearings Tuesday on proposed wind energy system guidelines and a liquor license for a new downtown pub. The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Municipal Building. They will also consider placement of a bench in memory of Justin Crowley-Smilek for either Meetinghouse Park or another location where veterans are honored. Crowley-Smilek&#8217;s mother, Ruth Crowley of Portland, Ore., has made a request to purchase a bench in memory of her son .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18151</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Energy proposal a &#8216;job killer&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/22/energy-proposal-a-job-killer/</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:12:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[&#8220;Hello. This is Governor Paul LePage. By now, it’s likely you have heard about a coalition that is trying to increase your electricity bill. This plan would mandate Maine’s electricity providers to buy quadruple the amount of expensive renewable energy. The bottom line is it would force Maine consumers to subsidize special interest groups. Those who would cash in on this plan make a lot of claims, but what they won’t tell you is that Maine is currently a renewable .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18096</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>The other side of the wind power story</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/22/the-other-side-of-the-wind-power-story/</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:01:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[An article in the Sun Journal of Dec. 30 raised eyebrows at Friends of Maine’s Mountains. Included were the words: “Wind turbines came into Maine with a boom but two projects were able to go online without making a sound this month.” The article quoted Tom Carroll, an operative of the wind development company Patriot Renewables, and Gordon Gamble, a public relations man for Independence Wind, about Maine’s newest industrial wind turbine plants on Spruce Mountain in Woodstock and Record .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18108</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>First Wind-Emera partnership under PUC scrutiny</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/20/first-wind-emera-partnership-under-puc-scrutiny/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:35:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[A proposal by First Wind and Canadian utility Emera to partner with a third energy company to build and operate energy projects in the Northeast is in danger of being rejected by Maine regulators. The staff of the Maine Public Utilities Commission has recommended commissioners oppose the deal, saying the risk to the ratepayers exceeds the benefits, according to the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. As proposed, the partnership would bring together Massachusetts-based First Wind, Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Emera .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18106</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>State board deals potentially fatal blow to First Wind deal</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/20/state-board-deals-potentially-fatal-blow-to-first-wind-deal/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:39:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Last April, Maine’s largest wind energy developer, First Wind, trumpeted a multimillion-dollar deal that would pay for the company’s ambitious plans to erect more wind turbines throughout Maine and the Northeast. But the Maine Public Utilities Commission dealt a potentially fatal blow to the deal last week. PUC staff, faced with what opponents of the deal have called the first serious challenge to the state’s landmark 2000 electricity deregulation law, recommended on Jan. 13 that the agency give the thumbs-down .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18083</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Portland council OKs long awaited wind ordinance amid mixed reviews on Peaks Island</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/20/portland-council-oks-long-awaited-wind-ordinance-amid-mixed-reviews-on-peaks-island/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:15:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[A wind energy ordinance for the city of Portland has been a longtime coming, but after several months of dialogue at the Planning Board, council subcommittee and City Council level, such a document has now been approved. The council amended a proposed ordinance to ensure that windmills are co-located with industrial or utility facilities when built within city Recreation/Open Space (ROS) zones — in response to wariness of the turbines popping up in parks and nature trails, as voiced by .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18023</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>PUC staff: No go for energy firms&#8217; wind deal</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/20/puc-staff-no-go-for-energy-firms-wind-deal/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:17:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[First Wind, Maine’s largest wind-energy developer, last April trumpeted a multimillion-dollar deal that would pay for the company’s ambitious plans to erect more wind turbines throughout Maine and the Northeast. But in just the past week, the Maine Public Utilities Commission dealt a potentially fatal blow to the deal. Faced with what opponents have called the first serious challenge to the state’s landmark electricity deregulation law, which went into effect in 2000, PUC staff on Jan. 13 recommended that the .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18019</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Anti-wind group backs LePage in fight against renewable energy initiative</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/20/anti-wind-group-backs-lepage-in-fight-against-renewable-energy-initiative/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:15:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Friends of Maine&#8217;s Mountains, a group that opposes the proliferation of grid-scale wind power, announced Thursday that it&#8217;s supporting Gov. Paul LePage&#8217;s push against a citizen initiative that would expand the state&#8217;s renewable energy portfolio. Maine currently mandates that utility companies derive a certain percentage of electricity from renewable sources. However, a coalition called Maine Citizens for Clean Energy has launched a citizen referendum to increase the requirements in the state&#8217;s so-called Renewable Portable Standard. The initiative runs sharply against .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=18014</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Energy coalition trying to impose wind mandate</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/energy-coalition-trying-to-impose-wind-mandate/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:59:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The coalition Maine Citizens for Clean Energy is introducing a citizens&#8217; referendum for November&#8217;s ballot. I&#8217;m all for &#8220;clean energy.&#8221; Who isn&#8217;t? I&#8217;m also for truth, justice and the American way. Truth: Creating a mandate for 20 percent &#8220;new renewables&#8221; will cause the price of electricity to rise for every Maine citizen and every Maine business. Don&#8217;t be misled by the initiative&#8217;s wording &#8212; this is about wind. No other &#8220;new renewable&#8221; is poised to fulfill such a large mandate .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17994</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Truth behind clean energy referendum: it&#8217;s about wind</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/truth-behind-clean-energy-referendum-its-about-wind/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:35:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Maine Citizens for Clean Energy is collecting signatures for a November ballot initiative aimed at requiring at least 20 percent of Maine&#8217;s electricity come from new renewable energy sources by 2020. I&#8217;m all for &#8220;clean energy.&#8221; Who isn&#8217;t? I&#8217;m also for truth, justice and the American way. Truth: Creating a mandate for 20 percent &#8220;new renewables&#8221; will cause the price of electricity to rise for every Maine citizen and every Maine business. Don&#8217;t be misled by the initiative&#8217;s wording &#8212; .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17954</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Battle over renewable energy raging at State House</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/battle-over-renewable-energy-raging-at-state-house/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:35:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Augusta &#8211; A group supporting a referendum drive to increase renewable energy in Maine spoke about its plan Wednesday. Meanwhile, Governor LePage vehemently spoke out against it. The Maine Citizens For Clean Energy came out in support of the proposal that would require at least 20% of Maine&#8217;s electricity to come from renewable sources by the year 2020. At Wednesday&#8217;s press conference the Maine Citizens for Clean Energy released findings from a study done by the non-profit group Environment Northeast .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17950</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>LePage challenges backers of Maine renewable energy initiative</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/lepage-challenges-backers-of-maine-renewable-energy-initiative/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:29:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[AUGUSTA, Maine — A battle is under way between the governor’s office and supporters of a citizens’ initiative that seeks to expand Maine’s renewable energy portfolio and focus more on energy efficiency. Maine Citizens for Clean Energy held an event Wednesday at the State House to announce that the group is nearly ready to submit the necessary signatures to force a statewide vote in November . If signatures are approved, Maine voters will be asked whether the state should require .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17981</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Oakfield wind-to-energy project gets Maine DEP permit</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/oakfield-wind-to-energy-project-gets-maine-dep-permit/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:12:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[OAKFIELD, Maine — The state’s top environmental agency approved a 150-megawatt industrial wind site on Oakfield Hills on Wednesday that will cost about $360 million. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s approval is the project’s final state regulatory hurdle, though a local group opposing the project is expected to file a civil court appeal. The project still needs a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, said Alec Jarvis, development manager for First Wind of Massachusetts. Town Manager Dale Morris greeted .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17931</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Clarification: Turbine noise complaints</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/16/clarification-turbine-noise-complaints/</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:05:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[ROXBURY — A story on wind turbine noise complaints published Thursday on Page B1 of the River Valley edition should have stated that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection doesn&#8217;t have the equipment, staff, or expertise to readily measure sound. When necessary, DEP hires a third party sound expert to review sound level data that is submitted by an applicant or licensee. The department then bills the applicant/licensee for the third party&#8217;s services. People with complaints about wind turbine noise .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17714</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>New renewable mandate would drive up costs</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/15/new-renewable-mandate-would-drive-up-costs/</link>
		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:01:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The recent proposal by the Maine Citizens for Clean Energy coalition to impose a new mandate on consumers to pay for higher-priced electricity will place an enormous burden on Maine people. Electricity rates in Maine are already the 12th highest in the nation and the ballot initiative will require people to pay even more. The coalition’s proposal would require that Maine ratepayers pay a huge subsidy to certain renewable energy generators to achieve a higher percentage of a particular electricity .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17777</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Report of the CTFWP to the legislature</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/13/report-of-the-ctfwp-to-the-legislature/</link>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:07:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The following is a written response to the issues raised in the review of wind power permitting by the Office of Energy Independence and Security as requested by the legislature in resolve LD 1366.&#160;&#160; As co-chairs of the Citizen’s Task Force on Wind Power, a statewide coalition of more than 400 citizens concerned about the proliferation of industrial wind projects in Maine, we strongly encourage the legislature to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the costs and benefits of mountain top .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17715</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press releases]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Conservation group announces opposition to electricity mandate referendum</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/12/conservation-group-announces-opposition-to-electricity-mandate-referendum/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:53:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The state&#8217;s leading sustainable energy &#038; conservation group has echoed Governor Paul LePage in voicing opposition to a possible statewide referendum. LePage denounced the measure in his January 7th radio address. &#8220;This would be an environmental and economic disaster for Maine,&#8221; said Chris O&#8217;Neil, President of Friends of Maine&#8217;s Mountains (FMM), which is focused on protecting Maine&#8217;s mountains and citizens from the impacts of grid-scale industrial wind turbine developments. Among other shortcomings in the legislation, FMM sees its passage as .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17664</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Roxbury residents lodge turbine noise complaints</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/12/roxbury-residents-lodge-turbine-noise-complaints/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:08:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[ROXBURY — West Shore Road homeowner Linda Kuras knew she&#8217;d hear noises from wind turbines atop Flathead Mountain, which lines the east shore of Roxbury Pond. She and several other residents fought in vain for years against Record Hill Wind LLC&#8217;s project to place 22 turbines on town ridges. Turbine noise was one of many concerns. Now that the multi-million-dollar project has been online for a month and the giant turbine blades are slowly revolving, Kuras said Tuesday evening that .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17614</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Wind turbines return in development ordinance talks</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/12/wind-turbines-return-in-development-ordinance-talks/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:03:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[Freedom — The town that threw out its commercial development review ordinance three years ago to make way for a trio of industrial wind turbines is now taking steps to draft a new one. Whether new rules in Freedom should pose obstacles for future wind developments was the topic of discussion at a Jan. 10 Planning Board meeting. The Planning Board is in the initial stages of constructing new commercial development rules that officials anticipate will govern wind development in .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17659</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Maine looks at potential for community wind power</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/12/maine-looks-at-potential-for-community-wind-power/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:51:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[The contentious issue of wind power is up for discussion this week. The first of three forums took place in Freeport this morning looking at the issue of community wind projects. More than 100 wind industry stakeholders packed a hotel conference room to learn about an energy option which is not that big yet in Maine, but which many think has huge potential. Sue Jones is executive director of Windependence, a group that describes itself as Maine&#8217;s community wind resource. .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17613</guid>
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				<category><![CDATA[Letters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maine]]></category>
		<category>Wind power</category>
		<category>Wind energy</category>
		<title>Lake aesthetics ignored</title>
		<link>http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/12/lake-aesthetics-ignored/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:51:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<description><![CDATA[I enjoyed John Holyoke’s column about his time at Munsungan Lake and with Jim Carter. Mr. Carter’s comment that visitors come to his remote camp for the “aesthetics” struck a chord as I read Phyllis Goodine’s letter to the editor about the Department of Environmental Protection process and whether it works for corporations or residents. That is a valid concern, considering the Oakfield wind projects are too close to the 1A- and B-rated lakes in Island Falls. Lakes with that .&#160;.&#160;.]]></description>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wind-watch.org/news/?p=17605</guid>
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