JUST STARTED (10:20AM) TUNE IN NOW: Public Hearing on Gov LePage's Wind Bill LD 1810

Comment

Comment by Art Brigades on March 13, 2018 at 12:55pm

In floor debate, when the bill was in danger of being killed because of disagreement over which committee would get the bill, Representative Ken Fredette said to his colleagues:  "This bill is vastly important to thousands of people in rural Maine, and they deserve to have a public hearing."  

So hey rural Maine... let's return the favor...please contact the committee members TODAY and tell them the Wind Law should be repealed entirely.   http://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/EUT  

Comment by Brad Blake on March 13, 2018 at 12:43pm

The hearing for Wednesday, March 14 is now re-scheduled for 11 am due to the snowstorm

Comment by Art Brigades on March 10, 2018 at 2:18pm

I don't think the EA would be irrelevant after the rule is adopted.  But yes, the proposed rule will be a help.  Scenic impact -- specifically the statutory presumption that scenic impact within the EA is "insignificant" beyond 8 miles, and not to be considered in permitting -- is a big part of the WEA's heinousness.  The rule language you cite is congruous with the WEA at Sec. 3452.2 that gives DEP discretion to use the old "fits harmoniously into the landscape" standard that was scrapped exclusively for wind factories under the WEA. Use that discretion along with the new treatment of scenic impact that was enacted a couple of years ago (cumulative, combined, sequential, successive impact) and opponents might have a fighting chance moving forward. Neither this bill nor the proposed rule should change that, other than shrinking the EA to Aroostook, AND calling for a Visual Impact Assessment out to 40 miles instead of 8.  But VIAs have been performed routinely on every project application anyway.

Comment by Dan McKay on March 10, 2018 at 9:46am

The DEP has proposed a change in the evaluation of impacts to scenic character from wind developments.

The Expedited Areas defined in the WEA  become irrelevant with this rule change.

Strike all of Maine from the Wind Expedited Areas .

 

Proposed DEP rule :

"Review of scenic impacts of associated facilities. Impacts to scenic character from a wind energy development’s associated facilities are generally evaluated in the manner set forth in the WEA, 35-A M.R.S. §3452 (1) & (3). However, if the Department determines that application of the WEA evaluation criteria to the development may result in unreasonable adverse effects due to the scope, scale, location or other characteristics of the associated facilities, scenic impacts of the development’s associated facilities will be evaluated solely under the standards of the Site Location of Development Act, 38 M.R.S. §484(3) or other applicable standards in the manner provided for evaluation of scenic impacts from development other than wind energy "

Comment by Dan McKay on March 9, 2018 at 7:12pm

  It will be interesting to find out who among the committee has the fortitude to advance this bill to the House and Senate for vote.

  There are a great many people who would like to know whom among the public servants feel their peace and quality of place is more important than junk energy

Comment by Dan McKay on March 9, 2018 at 7:06pm

Whereas, the laws governing expedited permitting for wind energy development do  not adequately restrict wind energy development from areas where it is inappropriate; and 

 Whereas, the Legislature anticipates an increase in the number of wind energy development proposals in the future; and 

 Whereas, the changes made by this legislation need to take effect as soon as  possible to avoid allowing development to proceed in areas where its impacts would be untenably harmful; 

Comment by Dan McKay on March 9, 2018 at 4:52pm

This bill is self explanatory and simple and doesn't even need committee review. A vote in chambers would suffice and reveal how our lawmakers feel about the rural citizens of Maine. 

This bill is, of course, a declaration from rural Maine to an immoral law that singled out the elimination of property rights by geography.

Pitting an overwhelming population of folks residing in wind safe harbors of the big cities to squelch the voices of the less populated rural inhabitants is inexcusable behavior from public servants.

Comment by Dan McKay on March 9, 2018 at 3:06pm

Email your testimony in support of this bill to :   Abben.Maguire@legislature.maine.gov

This bill is complementary to the Governor's Executive Order for Commission Study.

 

Comment by Long Islander on March 9, 2018 at 2:18pm

EUT Members' Contact Information as of 3/8/18

Download in Excel including mailing addresses at: EUT_Members_3-8-18.xlsx

Chairs: Berry and Woodsome

Abben Maguire - Committee Clerk

Phone: 287-4143, e-mail: Abben.Maguire@Legislature.Maine.gov

Michael Russo - OFPR Analyst

Office of Fiscal and Program Review

5 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

Phone: 287-1635, e-mail: Michael.Russo@Legislature.Maine.gov

Deirdre Schneider - OPLA Analyst

Office of Policy and Legal Analysis

13 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

Phone: 287-1670, e-mail: Deirdre.Schneider@legislature.maine.gov

Comment by Eric A. Tuttle on March 9, 2018 at 2:08pm

Posted on My FB Acct.