Stacked deck
Bangor Daily News | Dec. 29, 2013 | bangordailynews.com
Jackson Parker’s Dec. 19 OpEd is one more replay of First Wind propaganda. He says, “These projects provide immediate and long-lasting economic benefits … increasing our energy independence and stability, and lowering electricity costs.” False!
Wind power construction lines the pockets of contractors and visiting out-of-state workers, but it does nothing to free us from needing oil products to heat our homes and fuel our vehicles. And he says it lowers electricity costs? Central Maine Power customers have seen a big transmission rate increase in their bills due to the instability of wind power. Wind-generated electricity is exorbitantly expensive compared with every other electricity source and cannot stand on its own without subsidies (our tax dollars) propping it up.
Parker says: “The Bowers Mountain Wind project … is exactly the kind of investment in our energy future that Maine should be encouraging.” Our energy future? First Wind plans to export the kilowatts out of Maine. Ask the guides, and lodge and camp owners, about their future: Permanent blight on the landscape and the decline of the Down East tourist industry, to power Rhode Island and fatten Boston-based First Wind’s bank account.
It is borderline ridiculous when Jackson Parker whines about unfair treatment and regulatory inconsistency. Unfair treatment? The wind lobby and First Wind have politically steamrolled their way to overturn every regulatory ruling against them. And they cry foul when the residents of Maine want fairness and consistency. Why have LURC and DEP decisions been completely ignored? How stacked against us is the deck in this game?
Jack Gagnon
Lakeville
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/12/29/stacked-deck/