December 3, 2021
Maine

East Boothbay residents worried wind turbine cable could damage property

WGME | Thursday, December 2nd 2021 | wgme.com

There continues to be controversy over Maine’s offshore wind project.

A test wind turbine is planned to be installed off of Monhegan Island with a cable running to a substation in East Boothbay.

One of the proposed cable routes is on two streets in East Boothbay.

Those who live in the neighborhood are worried the drilling and construction of the cable will damage their property.

“All of these are unique plants that derive color for me in the spring, which cheers me up,” homeowner David Howarth said.

Howarth lives on the corner of Green Landing and School Street, where the cable could be installed.

“My neighbor just spent a lot of money on landscaping right in the pathway,” Howarth said. “I just put 140 tulips right in the pathway.”

Howarth and his neighbors are pushing for answers from New England Aqua Ventus, the company behind the project.

He says they’ve gotten no response.

“If they’re blasting here or close to it, what happens to my slab?” Howarth said. “I want to support them. I want them to get it right, but please talk to me.”

“It’s too early to really say, because we’re in a preliminary stage,” New England Aqua Ventus Spokesperson Dave Wilby said.

Wilby says federal permitting allows them to install cable in existing utility corridors.

Aqua Ventus is meeting with East Boothbay community members at 7 p.m. Thursday.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/12/03/east-boothbay-residents-worried-wind-turbine-cable-could-damage-property/