April 15, 2024

Stephen Singer

Press Herald

The House rejected the measure last week and will now reconsider the Senate version, which would exempt sand dunes from environmental protection in a bid to advance Maine's drive to generate offshore wind.

EXCERPTS

The Maine Senate on Monday night approved legislation providing a carve-out in environmental regulations that would allow construction of an offshore wind terminal on Sears Island.
The Senate voted 21-13 on the measure, which pits two competing environmental issues: protecting a sand dune system on Sears Island and advancing Maine’s drive to harness wind from the Atlantic Ocean and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The House of Representatives rejected the measure last week and will now reconsider the Senate version that would exempt the sand dunes from environmental protection. The Mills administration and other supporters of the wind port must persuade some of the 80 lawmakers who voted no to switch sides. The bill was backed by 65 House members.

Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-York, cited a slew of recent storms that have pounded Maine and said the issue is “about climate change … and whether we are actually going to do something about climate change.”
Brakey Sen. Eric, R-Androscoggin, said he’s not necessarily opposed to developing the Sears Island dunes. But he said he believes wind power is a “scam,” and “I don’t like the idea of us going further down that road as a state.”
“To someone who’s a skeptic of wind, what can you tell us about the benefits of this port to counterbalance our skepticism about wind power?” Brakey asked.

Read the full article at:

https://www.pressherald.com/2024/04/15/maine-senate-approves-legislation-to-allow-sears-island-offshore-wind-terminal/

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