| Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005. |
Legal battle delays $120 million wind farm in Maine
Credit: By The Associated Press, www.bangordailynews.com 16 September 2010 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
ROXBURY, Maine – Town leaders in the western Maine town of Roxbury say a legal appeal has tied up financing for a 22-turbine wind farm.
Selectmen say work was supposed to begin this month on Record Hill Wind’s $120 million project, but construction will have to await the outcome of a legal battle.
Record Hill principal Robert Gardiner tells the Sun Journal newspaper that the wind project opponents’ appeal has tied up financing pending a favorable decision.
Gardiner says the Maine supreme court will hear arguments later this fall. The project was approved by Maine environmental regulators in August 2009.
The unanimous ruling also upheld the constitutionality of a state law fast-tracking the permit process for Maine wind farms.
“The Supreme Court appeal of licenses is an obstacle to the financing,” Gardiner said. “We had hoped to resume construction late this summer but are in a holding pattern awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court case, which, in turn, is necessary to clear the way for project financing.
“Although the times are challenging for financing, generally, and for energy projects in particular, we are in active and positive discussions on the financing package, subject to final negotiations and a favorable court decision,” Gardiner said.
He said Record Hill Wind has continued to monitor erosion control measures that were installed last fall to ensure no runoff from the project is reaching Roxbury Pond.
The comapny also provided the town of Roxbury with necessary funding for water quality testing this summer at the pond.
Completed work so far includes the access road, minus a surface coat of fine gravel, a crane path for the seven southernmost turbines and turbine pads for all seven, Gardiner said.
Despite the delay, the project is still on track to be completed by the end of next year.
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
| Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
 (via Stripe) |
 (via Paypal) |
Share:
[ Short URL: https://wind-watch.org/news/?p=41917 ]
