August 21, 2013
Maine

Public hearing In Bangor concerning Passadumkeag windpark project

by Morgan Sturdivant | WABI | August 20th 2013 | www.wabi.tv

Bangor, Passadumkeag – Penobscot County Commissioners are deciding whether or not to approve a tax increment financing district for the wind power project in Passadumkeag.

“A TIF is capturing the taxes that this entity would pay and directing them back to that actual community, and also to the developer. So, the developer pays taxes, but he gets to keep some of the taxes that he would have paid that are to make the project feasible,” said commissioner, Peter Baldacci.

Commisioners opened to the floor to hear what the people in the area think about the TIF.

“We would direct about 60% of that back to that region. Try to improve roads more than we have been able to do, provide tuition credits for people who live in the area, job training credits, so we’d direct 60% of the money, approximately, back into the area,” said Baldacci.

The windpark project is a sensitive subject for people that live in that region.

Many spoke about their objection to the project, which has already received the necessary permits.

“As a landowner and someone who enjoys the pristine nature of the mountain, and the lakes, Saponac Pond, we feel that its an industrialization of our natural resources. I don’t think that dangling money in front of landowners, or people in the county, is a good idea to pass through a project of this size,” said Tracy Colby, a Burlington homeowner.

Even though the project is expected to be appealed, commissioners expect to make a decision within the next 30 days.

They say they listened to everything that was said at the hearing.

“It was very helpful. We’re going to take those comments very seriously when we consider what our decision is,” said Baldacci.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/08/21/public-hearing-in-bangor-concerning-passadumkeag-windpark-project/