March 9, 2008
Maine
Maine
The nays had in on March 8th when the voters at the Harpswell, Maine, annual town meeting took up the issue of a proposed wind study on Long Reach Mountain.
If the study had proved that there was sufficient wind, it would have set in motion a proposal by a resident to site 3-4 wind turbines on town property. Old growth forest and a unique coastal cliff hiking trail would have been at risk if wind energy was developed on this steep and narrow ridge. Nearby property owners also would have been severely impacted.
The moderator had limited discussion to the merits of conducting a meteorological study and did not allow discussion of the potential impacts of a project if the wind proved sufficient.
“Getting the cart before the horse” was the basic theme of the opponents. Lack of long-range plans for the property, lack of wind (based on wind map modeling and local data), denial of of an RERL grant for a wind study (due to low wind), etc. were all cited by opponents of the project.
Before being cut off by the moderator, a few speakers tested his patience and that of the voters – who were by now tired from the excess of hot wind generated by the 22 articles over 3-1/2 hours that preceded the wind study vote – by getting a few words in on the the likely site impacts of such a project it it came to fruition.
Only one person, the original project proponent, spoke in favor.
Special to National Wind Watch
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2008/03/09/voters-soundly-reject-coastal-wind-study/