Wind is not a success

It would be nice if ordinary citizens had the money to hire lobbying groups, as the corporate wind developers and forest landowners do. Then, we could pay lobbyists such as Paul Williamson of The Maine Ocean and Wind Industry Initiative to write letters to the editor for us (BDN, Nov. 13, “Wind energy success”) and lobby state and local governments.

The Maine wind industry has not been a success, contrary to Williamson’s claim. Maine’s…

It sounds as though Michael Cuzzi is still an advocate for wind plants, (either out of obedience to party dogma or personal belief), but in the same breath he recognizes wind has become a loser politically. Here's an earlier piece he'd written:…

MARS HILL, Maine — A Texas company will likely apply for state permits within 30 days to build what would be Maine’s largest industrial wind site, officials said Friday.

Representatives of EDP Renewables held a public information session, which drew about 50 people, on the proposed 250-megawatt facility featuring about 120 turbines on Wednesday in Mars Hill. Company officials told Aroostook County commissioners on Sept. 3 that they expected to seek Maine Department of Environmental…

The vote recount will take place at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, and the Town Office will be closed for all other municipal issues, he said.

The ordinance was rejected by five votes, 557-562.

The original ordinance was approved in 2012, but the Board of Selectmen voted to place it before the Planning Board at the beginning of 2013 for revisions in order to make it stronger. 

Continue reading at:…

Rep. Mark Eves of North Berwick won two more years as House speaker, and former assistant majority leader Jeff McCabe of Skowhegan was chosen for majority leader. McCabe succeeds Seth Berry, who left the Legislature after serving four consecutive terms representing his district, the maximum allowed under Maine’s term-limits law.

Rep. Sara Gideon of Freeport was tapped as assistant House majority leader. Recently elected to her second term, Gideon is a newcomer to legislative…

Investigative Report of Steve Black - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The free forum, which runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Abromson Community Education Center in Hannaford Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland on Wednesday, requires advance registration here.…

Losers

Angus King: Pundits expected a close divide in the U.S. Senate, with Republicans gaining a thin majority. In such a scenario, King could be a valuable ally to Republicans. With an expected 53-45 majority for Republicans, King suddenly wasn’t so important, so he announced Wednesday that he…

Others say the hydropower supply, as the top renewable energy in Maine, needs to be kept stable or increased.

http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20141103/CURRENTEDITION/310309999/1092?utm_source=enews&utm_medium=Daily%2BReport&utm_campaign=Thursday

Lacking the wide-open spaces of Iowa or Texas, prospective wind sites in the Granite State would be relegated to ridge lines, mountaintops or densely populated areas. Growing weary of wind development, local residents began to consider wind turbines a pock against the region’s natural beauty.…

During the lame duck session, one of the top priorities for President Obama and Majority Leader Reid is the passage of a tax extenders package that includes a retroactive extension of the decades old wind production tax credit (PTC).…

Gov. LePage: Wind harming our quality of life and mountains

Time now to investigate the corrupt Maine environmental groups on the take from the wind developers.

Hopefully the great disrespect shown to Governor LePage by the Maine wind industry and their sock puppet "environmental groups"…

The vote prevents the Waldo Community Wind project, a planned six-turbine, 18-megawatt wind power project proposed by Portsmouth, N.H.- based Eolian Renewable Energy LLC, from going forward.…

A 3,500 word shill piece for renewable energy from the same newspaper that didn't think a 19.6% overnight hike in wind power-caused transmission rates for its readers was newsworthy.

The Danish island of Samsø becomes a classroom and source of inspiration for a group of Maine students and residents…

For them it’s their best opportunity to drive back the spread of industrial-scale wind power that’s plowing through quiet communities and destroying families. On November 4th, they will be checking the box next to those candidates who promise to permanently end the wind production tax credit (PTC).

http://www.windaction.org/posts/41543-vote-no-on-big-wind

It would be an understatement to say that the outcome of the 2014 elections is important for wind energy producers. In an effort to see PTC friendly Harry Reid as Majority Leader, the wind industry has essentially turned the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) into their own personal Trojan horse.

Much of the LCV leadership has deep ties to the wind energy:

• Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) serves as the Treasure of the LCV.
• Peter…

In the Legislature, Cray served on two committees: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Energy, Utilities and Technology. He sees wind energy as an important issue in Somerset County and said that if elected, he would like to further explore the impact of the newly approved Bingham Wind Project on the county.

“I think it’s a really important issue,” said Cray. “I’m not a big proponent of wind power. I think it’s a cost that I just don’t see the benefit of.”…

A Facebook page titled the “Town of Frankfort, Maine, Community Page,” which is not run by the town, has become a venue for residents to share their thoughts about the wind project. Many of the comments written there are vehemently opposed to Eolian.

“Promises are short-lived, damage to the environment is permanent,” one man wrote last week.…

A spokesman for First Wind declined comment.

http://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/29/foes-renew-challenge-of-joint-wind-power-venture/

BDN: First Wind - Houlton Water to appeal investment from Emera

Houlton Water said that it plans to challenge the PUC decision on six different points, including…