February 19, 2011
Letters, Maine

Another commercial wind venture

Daily Bulldog, www.dailybulldog.com 18 February 2011

The commercial wind developer First Wind has strived to sink its claws into the area around Eastbrook (DeLorme Map 24). in Hancock County. The citizens of Eastbrook passed an ordinance requiring a one-mile setback for commercial wind turbines. As a result, First Wind decided to push forward on an end of that project area which sits in the unorganized territories, in Township T16MD affecting both Bull Hill and Heifer Hill just east of the Eastbrook town line.

It involves the placement of nineteen, 476-foot high wind turbines there which will be highly visible in the surrounding areas of Spectacle and Rocky Ponds to the north, Narraguagus Lake to the south, and Molasses Pond to the west.

It will be located some miles to the north of the internationally known and scenic Mount Desert Island, the home of Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain. One would think that the citizens of Maine along with the federal government who manages a large portion of this internationally recognized scenic wonder would be against such a sight marring the beauty of the surrounding areas.

One must hope that the outcry from the people of Maine and those from away is to be heard far and wide. Public outcry is the only way that we can stop this unsightly destruction and to protect our beloved state and its many natural wonders. This destruction is occurring along both the well traveled scenic shore line and in the interior mountainous wild areas.

Commercial wind generation depends on variable wind forces while still requiring the backup of traditional power sources during wind down times, making it both inefficient and counterproductive. The wind power industries using stimulus monies to the tune of billions of our taxpayers’ dollars (borrowed from China) are trying to sell this as the right thing to do for green power and national security.

With the onslaught of commercial wind development our tourism will be destroyed as well as that of our out-of-door recreational industries. Both are of great importance to the economic well being our state. Thousands of acres of important scenic and wild places will be destroyed, while our wildlife and mountains will forever be changed.

Dave Miller
Lexington Township, Maine


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/02/19/another-commercial-wind-venture/