Why Was The DEP Compromised From It's Original Position ? RoxWind Public Hearing

  Now in the case of RoxWind's application for a small scale wind project in Roxbury, Maine.

      There can be no doubt that the DEP finds itself in a absolutely, enormous mess that constitutes a breech of trust with the public.
    The DEP accepted RoxWind's application in May 2018 indicating it was complete and ready for processing.
     RoxWind provided a visual impact assessment that included Scenic Resources of State or National Significance , which was further defined as a national natural landmark, federally designated wilderness area OR OTHER COMPARABLE OUTSTANDING NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURE.
 
     RoxWind further states in it's application that The Whitecap Mountain Preserve is included as ' an  OTHER COMPARABLE OUTSTANDING NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURE IN THE STUDY AREA ' , therefore considered a Scenic Resource of State or National Significance (SRSNS).
     As such, Maine Statutes for small scale wind projects states that a siting agency will not issue a permit unless RoxWind demonstrates the project " Will not significantly compromise views from a scenic resource of state or national significance, as considered under the criteria and methodologies set forth in Title 35-A, section 3452. "
     A peer review of RoxWind's visual assessment was received by the Department , November 8, 2018 and also concurred with the SRSNS value extended to Whitecap Mountain. At this point there was no opposition whatsoever entered in the case to Whitecaps designation.
 
     So, what happened on January 2, 2019, a full 7 months from the date the RoxWind application was OKed for processing ? The WhiteCap Mountain Preserve " was removed from being assessed as a SRSNS. 
     The rug had been pulled out from under the many citizens and users of Whitecap, who now have no protection from RoxWInd.
 
      If only they had known this promised consideration was going to be later reneged on, they still had chance to petition for SRSNS.
        Public testimony last night 1-7-2018 provided overwhelming evidence to the value and adoration that Whitecap Mountain generates for so many users. A truly NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURE !
        It is a sorry state of affairs when a government agency trusted by the public to uphold considerations in a manner set forthwith in initial acceptance of documents decides it will not honor the acceptance, just 5 days before the case is brought before the public for testimony. 

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Comment by Penny Gray on January 8, 2019 at 5:30pm

It seems the deck was stacked from the get go, which should come as no surprise to any of us.  This isn't about protecting our environment, it's about promoting and fast tracking a special agenda, and has been all along.  Thanks to all who attended and who were allowed to speak up to protect Maine's mountains and natural scenic beauty.  

Comment by Brad Blake on January 8, 2019 at 1:24pm

The people who were allowed to speak did a great job!  Thank you for your succinct testimony, Dan. This entire process has been mis-handled, including the maneuvering that kept me from speaking!  I have never read a prepared text, as I am adept at extemporaneous speaking  Because of this and a misunderstanding that the record would be closed at the bang of the gavel last night, other than some notes about specifics I had prepared, I have no opportunity to submit anything in writing--nor does anyone else!  Not that it matters, because issuing a permit is pre-determined.  The DEP has always sided with the wind industry and fails to protect Maine's natural and scenic resources from this scourge.  The applicant's attorney, Juliet brown, might as well be considered a de-facto DEP staff attorney.
The following is what I posted on my Face Book page last night:
"There is no fairness in life sometimes. I was disqualified from speaking at the RoxWind hearing tonight because I am an officer of Friends of Maine's Mountains. This was in the public comment session where I was there representing myself as an avid hiker and lover/protector of the mountains of Maine.
The problem is that in the afternoon session, it was limited to expert testimony and scenic impact on Rumford Whitecap Preserve as a scenic resource of state significance was disqualified. Had I attempted to be considered an "expert" witness in the formal session, the lawyer for the applicant would have disqualified me as not having credentials.
Sadly, I am likely one of the most knowledgeable people in the room. But nothing I have in my brain gets to be part of the record. I am disenfranchised as a Maine citizen. You cannot begin to understand how angry I am!"

 

Maine as Third World Country:

CMP Transmission Rate Skyrockets 19.6% Due to Wind Power

 

Click here to read how the Maine ratepayer has been sold down the river by the Angus King cabal.

Maine Center For Public Interest Reporting – Three Part Series: A CRITICAL LOOK AT MAINE’S WIND ACT

******** IF LINKS BELOW DON'T WORK, GOOGLE THEM*********

(excerpts) From Part 1 – On Maine’s Wind Law “Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine if the law’s goals were met." . – Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, August 2010 https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/From Part 2 – On Wind and Oil Yet using wind energy doesn’t lower dependence on imported foreign oil. That’s because the majority of imported oil in Maine is used for heating and transportation. And switching our dependence from foreign oil to Maine-produced electricity isn’t likely to happen very soon, says Bartlett. “Right now, people can’t switch to electric cars and heating – if they did, we’d be in trouble.” So was one of the fundamental premises of the task force false, or at least misleading?" https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-swept-task-force-set-the-rules/From Part 3 – On Wind-Required New Transmission Lines Finally, the building of enormous, high-voltage transmission lines that the regional electricity system operator says are required to move substantial amounts of wind power to markets south of Maine was never even discussed by the task force – an omission that Mills said will come to haunt the state.“If you try to put 2,500 or 3,000 megawatts in northern or eastern Maine – oh, my god, try to build the transmission!” said Mills. “It’s not just the towers, it’s the lines – that’s when I begin to think that the goal is a little farfetched.” https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/flaws-in-bill-like-skating-with-dull-skates/

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Hannah Pingree on the Maine expedited wind law

Hannah Pingree - Director of Maine's Office of Innovation and the Future

"Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine."

https://pinetreewatch.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/

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