April 26, 2011
Maine
Maine
Eastbrook debates taking $20K wind payment
Written by Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American, fenceviewer.com 25 April 2011Written by Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American, fenceviewer.com 25 April 2011
Written by Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American, fenceviewer.com 25 April 2011Written by Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American, fenceviewer.com 25 April 2011
EASTBROOK – Blue Sky East’s offer to give $20,000 annually to Eastbrook in recognition of the town’s proximity to a proposed wind farm sounded like a pretty good deal to many residents. Others gathered for a public hearing April 20 questioned whether there was such a thing as “free money.”
Blue Sky East, a subsidiary of wind developer First Wind, has applied to the state Land Use Regulation Commission to build a 34-megawatt, $78.5-million wind farm on Bull Hill and Heifer Hill in Township 16.
State law requires Blue Sky provide a community benefits package with a value of at least $4,000 per year per turbine to the host community or communities.
Technically, Hancock County is the host community because the 19-turbine project is in unorganized territory.
Project Manager Dave Fowler said Blue Sky has met the minimum requirement by offering $76,000 a year to the Hancock County commissioners.
He said the proposed contribution to Eastbrook goes “above and beyond” what the company is required to do.
“Even though I didn’t need to do this, it is what I thought was proper to do,” Fowler said.
“It was what I could afford in the project.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/04/26/eastbrook-debates-taking-20k-wind-payment/