Eastbrook debates taking $20K wind payment
Credit: Written by Cyndi Wood, Ellsworth American, fenceviewer.com 25 April 2011 ~~
Translate: FROM English | TO English
Translate: FROM English | TO English
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.”
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
Wind Watch relies entirely on User Funding |
(via Stripe) |
(via Paypal) |
Share: