August 17, 2015
Aesthetics, Environment, Information, Maine, Noise, Property values

Oakfield ruined by First Wind (SunEdison, whatever!) turbines: latest photos

Posted by Brad Blake on August 13, 2015, windtaskforce.org

An erstwhile wind warrior grabbed his camera this week and sent in these sad photos of the Oakfield Wind project, still under construction, but with enough turbines up so the impact is clear. First Wind bamboozled the Town of Oakfield with a so-called collaboration with a poor town that was eager for tax revenues and landowners eager to get leasing income. Again, First Wind laughs all the way to the bank, having taken over the town at a cheap, rock-bottom price. Then DEP Commissioner Aho allowed First Wind to take the existing license and enormously expand it: 50 turbines, not 38; 479 ft tall structures, not 389 ft. Bigger, noisier, greater impact zone, including the high quality Pleasant Lake and Mattawamkeag Lake. All this with one lousy public comment meeting and not forcing First Wind to submit a new application with a new starting point for the permitting. Here are the results:

Which one is a "Farm"?  The one with the hayfields? or the "Wind Farm"?  It is an insult to real farms when sprawling industrial wind sites are called "Farms".

Which one is a “Farm”? The one with the hayfields? or the “Wind Farm”? It is an insult to real farms when sprawling industrial wind sites are called “Farms”.

Beyond the roofline, the turbine blades lurk.

Beyond the roofline, the turbine blades lurk.

The folks in this house will be hammered by noise when these huge turbines get cranking.

The folks in this house will be hammered by noise when these huge turbines get cranking.

Escape for some fishing?  The turbines are present everywhere!  If we don't stop industrial wind sprawl, every common pleasant scene that makes up our "Quality of Place" will be ruined.

Escape for some fishing? The turbines are present everywhere! If we don’t stop industrial wind sprawl, every common pleasant scene that makes up our “Quality of Place” will be ruined.

More folks who will be living with the roar, the annoyance, the debilitation of their health after wind turbines go up behind their home.  You can bet the leasing fees are not going to these victims!

More folks who will be living with the roar, the annoyance, the debilitation of their health after wind turbines go up behind their home. You can bet the leasing fees are not going to these victims!

So typical of the views of our Maine uplands, with mile after mile being turned into an industrial site so the wind thieves can rake in tax subsidies and sell Enron-inspired RECs.  What is more disgusting is the Renewables mandates of southern New England states are what is fueling the proliferation of this scourge in our beautiful state.

So typical of the views of our Maine uplands, with mile after mile being turned into an industrial site so the wind thieves can rake in tax subsidies and sell Enron-inspired RECs. What is more disgusting is the Renewables mandates of southern New England states are what is fueling the proliferation of this scourge in our beautiful state.

Still under construction.  Two cranes and towers without hubs & blades are seen here.

Still under construction. Two cranes and towers without hubs & blades are seen here.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/alerts/2015/08/17/oakfield-ruined-by-first-wind-sunedison-whatever-turbines-latest-photos/