At issue are 4,000' foot setbacks. Anyone who has studied this knows that even 4,000' constitutes inadequate protection. The underlying issue is that pound for pound, wind provides 57 times more profit than other electricity sources thanks to tax breaks and other preferential treatment and that getting chosen to own a wind turbine is an economic gift of…

Maine poll exposes softness in wind energy support

May 20, 2014

EXCERPTS:

“For years wind developers have peddled the general benefits of wind energy, and they have a lot of financial resources behind them that we’ll never match,” O’Neil said. “People certainly want to believe it’s all good. But impacts to…

First Wind tries again to gain Maine regulators’ approval for wind farm partnership with Emera



By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff

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Posted May 19, 2014, at 5:44 p.m.



EXCERPTS:

Those arguments have reversed earlier opposition by the PUC’s public advocate, whose job is to represent ratepayers in regulatory cases.



The Industrial Energy Consumer Group, which opposes the joint venture along with Houlton Water Co.,…

PTC renewal stalls in US Senate

Canton Mountain wind project wins approval

Answers sought on why Maine lost out on key grant for offshore wind project

A puzzled Sen. Collins hears one reason for the denial of full funding, amid questions about scoring and politics.

By Tux Turkel tturkel@pressherald.com…

Perhaps before the University goes after another huge taxpayer funded gift which grossly harms the Maine ratepayer, the University needs to come clean about its colossal failure in its sole land based wind test to date, its industrial turbine in Presque Isle. They publicized it to no end, even made a movie about it and went on a road show accepting undeserved praise. But they have never once publicized the fact that it achieved only 11% of capacity, making it an extraordinary…

Al Howlett, who wrote a pro-wind power letter in today's Portland Press-Herald will perhaps read and consider the following two thoughtful responses.…

Robert Bryce testifies before US Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee

US wind turbines are killing wildlife … FWS have documented dozens of endangered species kills … “to date the FWS have brought only one prosecution against the wind industry for violating the Endangered Species Act” … “wind turbines are climate-change scarecrows” … “let’s do the math” ……

Clifton voters to decide on property line setbacks for wind farms, ordinance change

EXCERPTS:

The proposed ballot wording is as follows:

“Each wind turbine shall be set back at least [4,000] feet from the nearest property line of any nonparticipating parcel. Wind Energy Facility owners may negotiate with property owners to waive the setback with a written mitigation waiver agreement.

A public hearing on the June 10…

http://www.fomb.me/news/

Meanwhile on Monhegan:

"Avian Survey - As of July 2009, Dr. Podolsky’s results have indicated that the number of birds and diversity of species at the site are low relative to the rest of the island,…

BREAKING NEWS: Feds give Chinese-backed firm $47 million to build wind farm N.J. doesn't want

So much for the will of the states. You really have to wonder what is going on behind the scenes in 2014 Washington, D.C. At least the money doesn't befoul the Gulf of…

Public advocate changes…

Letter: We’re invested in New Hampshire, too

I haven't yet gotten my hands on a hard copy and it's not yet online, but hope to read this soon. The Bollard's physical edition is circulated primarily in southern Maine.

http://thebollard.com/masthead-contact-info/…

Posted: May 1, 2014

Updated: Today at 12:45 AM 

Maine board sets stage for rejection of $100 million wind project

The Bowers Wind Project would have an adverse impact on Downeast’s scenic lakes and the people who use them, members say.

By …

In an extraordinarily well deserved rebuke to Senate President Justin Alfond, his fellow legislators supported Governor LePage's killing of Alfond's special interest bill which was shamelessly written by and for the wind industry at the expense of citizens.

The vote was along party lines. Kudos to the Republicans and shame on the Dems and Dick…

When I read this extraordinary and motivating news, I was reminded of the plaque in Island Falls commemorating Teddy Roosevelt's visits to the lakes there, also under threat from the wind industry:

Stranger, rest here and consider what one man, having faith in the right and love for his fellow man was able to do for his country."…

First Wind is going to INVEST a billion in Maine? Hardly.

First Wind is going to invest a billion in themselves so that they can grab the Production Tax Credit, a lavishly generous subsidy that is the largest of all the "subsidy extenders" draining the national treasury. This will do nothing positive for Maine but will create many large negative impacts to Mainers' health, Maine's environment,…

Conservation Groups Call for National Planning Effort by Feds on Wind Energy

Washington, D.C., April 24, 2014) A coalition of more than 70 conservation organizations has requested the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) develop a National Programmatic Wind Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to identify appropriate areas for wind energy development as well as areas where new projects should be avoided to conserve wildlife and sensitive…