Steve Thurston's Blog (55)

The Expedited Wind Law voted by the Maine Legislature in 2008 specifically calls for protection of Scenic Resources of State or National Significance (SRSNS).

Maine's Downeast Grand Lakes region is a national treasure that contains multiple lakes that are SRSNS which will be unreasonably affected by the presence of 16 nearly five hundred feet tall industrial wind turbines. The turbines will dominate the horizon with miles of monstrous machines by day and destroy the dark night sky with…

Following is the Executive Summary Energy Plan unveiled yesterday by Energize Vermont, which has been leading the fight against ridge top wind projects.  It shows how Vermont can achieve the legislated goal of 90% renewable energy use by 2050 without destroying the landscape, and citizen's well being, with industrial wind turbines.  The complete plan is…

Folks,

The AWEA wind lobby is broadcasting a plea for phone calls to Senate members today in a last ditch effort to get the PTC extended.  We need to counter with phone calls of our own.   Please call:

Senator Susan Collins :  (202) 224-2523

Senator J. Olympia Snowe: (202) 224-5344

Urge them to allow the PTC to expire as scheduled, and not to include an extension in the lame duck session. 

Thanks for…

CITIZENS URGE CONGRESS TO OPPOSE THE EXTENSION OF

THE WIND ENERGY PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT

Maine residents join nearly 6,500 others nationwide in saying no to the wind PTC

Oquossoc, December 27, 2012

 More than 200 Maine residents have joined nearly 6,500 citizens in 25 states in signing letters urging Congress to oppose any extension of the wind energy production tax credit (“PTC”) due…

Dear fellow CTFWP members,

In November 2009, the Citizen’s Task Force on Wind Power was established at a meeting in Augusta attended by 27 concerned citizens from around the state. The meeting was organized by Dr. Monique Aniel and Steve Thurston, who were appointed co-chairs. Three goals were established at the first meeting:

     1. To influence the legislative and regulatory processes to protect the health and welfare of citizens  from the harmful effects of recent laws…

Angus King's partner in Independence Wind, Robert Gardiner, sent the following letter to the Governor's Task Force on Wind Power's chairman Alec Giffen.  Gardiner's suggestions about preventing objections based on scenic impact and the unrebuttable presumption about wind power's benefits were incorporated into the law.   At the time King and Gardiner already had their MET towers up in Roxbury, and they needed to bulletproof the project against it's drastic impacts on the scenic character of…

The financial capacity requirements of the DEP permitting process are quite clear. 

Chapter 373:               …

This Thursday (tomorrow August 2nd) the Senate Finance Committee is taking up a bill that extends the wind production tax credit, a handout for wind energy producers that distorts our energy markets.  It’s long past time for Washington to stop using the tax code to manipulate our economy and our energy production. 

Thankfully, one of Maine's senators, Olympia Snowe,  sits on the Finance Committee and she will have a chance to vote on whether to extend this subsidy.…

Great news today! Mitt Romney released his official position on the PTC  -- NO EXTENSION. See the text below.

Big wind is out in force posting on news and blog sites. The main argument cited is that oil and gas are getting subsidies. It would be great if our network could mobilize and do the same.  Sen. Alexander may be going to the floor of the Senate tomorrow to welcome Romney's support.

Romney's official statement:

“President Obama’s…

Folks,

The fight moves from the Downeast Lakes to Oakfield and Island Falls,  where First Wind has been granted a permit to destroy the view from two Class 1 lakes - Mattawamkeag Lake and Pleasant Lake with 50 turbines each nearly 500 feet tall.   Lynne Williams has submitted a well written appeal,  which will be heard by the BEP on Wednesday April 11 at the State Planning Office, Room 110, 19 Union Street, Augusta.  The meeting begins at 9 am.  

The appeal brief and the staff…

The Maine Wire continued the Record Hill Wind/DOE loan guarantee story again today, printing my testimony to the DOE in opposition to Record Hill Wind's application for a loan guarantee.  Mine was one of several dozen testimonies (all opposed) sent to the DOE in response to the draft Environmental Impact Statement. 

The DOE issued a finding of "no significant impact" for this project, despite their acknowledgement…

BREAKING: Pingree helped King get $102 million Federal loan guarantee

The Maine Wire has obtained a letter sent from U.S Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D- Maine) to the Department of Energy in support of Angus King’s Record Hill Wind project.  Record Hill was…

In view of Angus King's intention to seek election to the US Senate, and in light of recent revelations about the lack of justification for the Federal Loan Guarantee that Record Hill Wind sought and was granted,  I am reposting (1) the following blog post as well as (2) my comment to the DOE during the public comment period on the loan application, and (3) the relevant section of the report titled,…

http://fiwn.wordpress.com

More than two years after wind turbine blades began spinning on Vinalhaven, the lives of some residents are still being disrupted by excessive noise. Finally, a Maine Superior Court will hear their case for due process according to law. The hearing is scheduled for March 8, 2012, at Kennebec Court in Augusta in the chamber of Judge Michaela Murphy. For those who interested to learn the facts, click here to read:…

It's official -- The PTC was omitted from the payroll tax bill!   

This was a major battle! And we won!

Citizens Task Force submitted 170 names and addresses to our email appeal over this past weekend.  We were part of a national effort that yielded over 2700 signers. Our collective effort to keep the pressure on Congress influenced this process.  

But the war continues. Today, Sen. Mike Bennett (D-CO) filed legislation to append a one-year extension of the PTC…

        PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITIZENS TASK FORCE  ON WIND POWER

Public Advocate Eric Bryant moves for dismissal with prejudice in the matter of petitioners Bangor Hydro Electric and Maine Public Service.

The CTFWP is applauding the motion filed by the Public Advocate Eric Bryant to recommend to the Commission dismissal of the case  and sanctions against the petitioners, due to numerous violations of the Commissions Rules of Procedure.

"We are pleased…

The DEP's "third party" noise expert, Warren Brown, has until now maintained that measurement of low frequency turbine noise is "preliminary and unrefined".  Studies like this should help Brown accept the mounting evidence that turbine noise causes Wind Turbine Syndrome and needs to be regulated accordingly.  

Cape Cod Online 

FALMOUTH — A study released last week concludes wind turbines in Falmouth negatively affect abutters' health.

The analysis was partially…

Each January the Governor's Office of Energy  and Security reports to the legislature on the State's progress in achieving the goals of the Expedited Wind Law - 2007  S.661.   This year the legislature required the GOES to expand its review to include the following,  otherwise known as the "Fitts Amendment" to LD 1366.

Public input will be essential to counteract the pro-wind bias that is contained in this amendment.…

Dear Mr. Margerum,

We oppose the issuance of a permit for the Saddleback Wind project and submit the following comments in response to the draft permit issued for the Saddleback Wind Project: 

Criteria 5. Noise  

In the draft permit the Department relies on testimony by former MCDC director Dora Mills in the BEP citizens’ rulemaking process, wherein she states, “"there is no credible scientific evidence at this time supporting directly caused health problems,…