BDN - Anti-wind development group withdraws appeal of Bingham project - Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power

Anti-wind development group withdraws appeal of Bingham project

Bingham Wind project gets go-ahead

Friends of Maine's Mountains abandoned its appeal of a decision approving the 56-turbine wind farm in Bingham, Mayfield Township and Kingsbury Plantation.

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I received the following note from Friends of Maine's Mountains in my email today.

Statement by Friends of Maine's Mountains, March 4, 2015

Environmental group withdraws Bingham Wind appeal

(Portland, Maine) Friends of Maine's Mountains (FMM) has invested two years and significant resources opposing First Wind’s Bingham Wind project. Given the DEP decision (the project has its license) and the dim prospects of overturning that decision on appeals to the BEP and to the Courts, we want to make sure that if the project goes forward, its impacts are minimized and some positive results are secured. FMM will work outside the appeal process to advance those long term objectives. We are not able to comment further at this time.

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Earlier post:

Bingham Wind project: opponents concerned about decommissioning costs

2/24/15

(Portland, Maine) The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) posted its draft recommendation today on the Bingham Wind Project appeal.

The Board packet materials for the March 5, 2015 meeting (including the staff recommendation / Draft Board Order) are now posted on the Board’s webpage at www.maine.gov/dep/bep under the March 5 Agenda. On March 5 the BEP will hear oral arguments.

Friends of Maine's Mountains (FMM) has opposed the project for more than two years two years. The Department of Environmental Protection granted the license, and FMM promptly filed the appeal last fall when First Wind's financial future was cloudy.

“We’re not surprised to see the DEP staff defending their original decision,” said Rand Stowell, a member of the FMM board of directors. “Even though it is a rare occurrence, we hope that the BEP will overturn the decision. But if they won't overturn it, at the very least we would like to see some stricter conditions placed on the permit.”

Stowell conceded that it is difficult to win an appeal Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court, but held open the possibility that FMM will appeal if the BEP gives the project a green light.

“We’d like to see much tougher standards on the question of decommissioning wind turbines when they’ve exhausted their useful life. We find that, generally, this issue does not get astute consideration from policy makers,” Stowell said.

Friends of Maine’s Mountains (FMM) is an non-profit educational organization that raises awareness of the destructive toll that industrial wind turbines inflict on Maine’s precious and finite mountain areas. For more information, www.FriendsOfMainesMountains.org.

http://www.friendsofmainesmountains.org/fmm/2015/2/9/press-release-...

Comment by Jim Wiegand on March 5, 2015 at 12:30pm: When will it become apparent to the people here in America that things here are being rigged much in the same way as they are in Russia? Putin in control of the current assassination investigation is like the wind industry being in control with their voluntary regulations and the production rigged research.

The wind industry is corrupt through and through. I read rigged or fraudulent research documents almost daily. In fact when it comes to mortality research the wind industry has only conducted one honest or scientifically sound study and that was 30 years ago. Yet conveniently none of this has ever hit a courtroom.

The Bingham documents pertaining to surveys and impacts of the wind turbines on wildlife were a disgrace. These documents were full of omissions, omissions and more omissions. Conclusions and discussions were then bolstered by the industry's pitifully rigged research.

In the 60 minutes story from last Sunday it was shown that the Sandy victims in the story were all given rigged documents. The people and planning departments in this country dealing with wind projects are also all being given rigged documents. The wind industry's rigged research is being approved (not questioned) by the Interior Department, state agencies and the FWS. It is very clear to see that our Government and elected officials, much like FEMA in the 60 Minutes story, are running interference for big business.

The Bingham project is nothing more than a conduit for the acquisition of tax dollars. Bingham will receive $106,900 per year, and Kingsbury Plantation will receive $176,000 per year for the next 20 years. So what? The real question here that is never discussed is the complete 20 year payout to all stakeholders including conservation groups. If the public knew this they would be storming the state capital tomorrow.

America's infrastructure and inner cities are going to hell and this is one of the primary reasons why there is little funding left. The Big business is getting to your tax dollars first.

Comment by alice mckay barnett on March 5, 2015 at 10:54am: Dear long Islander, Please alert anyone that has a camp with-in 2 miles of a proposed project to become an "interested" party to the DEP manager of the project. These folks must make a comment before permit is issued.

A catch all comment is the "complaint" protocol is not sufficient. I will help anyone.

Comment by Dan McKay on March 5, 2015 at 10:19am: The combined States of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island sensing they will not have enough new renewable to meet portfolio requirements have sent out a Request for long term contracts to supply at least 1000 megawatts of qualified renewables to the ISO-NE grid. Every Maine government agency, commercial operation, industrial operation and ratepayer association should be interveners in this solicitation.

Comment by Long Islander on March 5, 2015 at 9:36am: If the legislated renewable energy mandates of southern New England do not change and with Cape Wind dead, the pressures to turn Vacationland into Plantationland will be that much greater.

Comment by Dan McKay on March 5, 2015 at 9:17am: Bingham Wind 186MW Permit approved; PPA with four MA utilities

The $398m Bingham scheme won a 15-year power purchase agreement following a joint procurement by Massachusetts utilities National Grid, Unitil and Northeast Utilities, which owns and operates NSTAR and Western Massachusetts Electric Company.

Comment by Penny Gray on March 5, 2015 at 9:00am: Would much rather be reading, "First Wind Withdraws Bingham Application Due to Potentially High Environmental and Economic Impacts to Maine"

Comment by Mike DiCenso on February 26, 2015 at 11:00pm: Especially when the Enron based company has already begun ownership transfers,shell games,etc. and is an LLC which means it has special advantages. The wind cabal bears close scrutiny.

BDN - Anti-wind development group withdraws appeal of Bingham project

Anti-wind development group withdraws appeal of Bingham project

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