Press-Herald: Bicknell’s thrush, which can impede wind project plans, moves closer to possible U.S. protection

Posted: August 14
Updated: Today at 12:44 AM
 

Migrating songbird elevated on 'watch' list

The Bicknell’s thrush, which can impede wind project plans, moves closer to possible U.S. protection.

By North Cairn ncairn@pressherald.com
Staff Writer

EXCERPT:

"I work for an environmental group that takes all species seriously, from the Bicknell's thrush to homo sapiens," O'Neil said. "And because the laws are so stacked in favor of wind power we gladly accept whatever assistance we can get, even if it comes from a little bird.

"Ask Angus King what he thinks of it," O'Neil said.

King, a U.S. Senate candidate and former Maine governor, faced the issue of the Bicknell's thrush as the head of Independence Wind. It came up during the 2010 regulatory review of a request for a permit from his Brunswick-based firm for a $210 million, 39-turbine project in the Bigelow Preserve.

"And," said O'Neil, "he didn't get it."

Continue reading here.

 

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Comment by Rick Conrad on August 15, 2012 at 4:50pm

     Environmental protection should include all species.   Especially the habitat of the graying american taxpayer.

Comment by Long Islander on August 15, 2012 at 2:21pm

The reality of wind power in Maine is it creates short term construction jobs as well as short term related jobs such as that of the Portland lawyer who is paid to say that fishermen on Maine's pristine lakes care not for the scenery, but only the fish. Or jobs for so called biologists who will make pronouncements at the Vinalhaven wind site that "there are no bats on Vinalhaven".

NRCM and other wind cheerleaders have stepped way out of their bailiwicks and weighed in on job creation. You'll hear them talk about the 300 Maine companies that have benefited from wind projects. What they don't tell you is some of those they've counted have done little more than sell a few boxes of nails. No matter how trivial they count them. Another thing they will not tell you is that 300 companies, with all due respect, represent but a tiny fraction of Maine's 34,942 firms according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

http://www.census.gov/econ/susb/

 

Moreover, there is no mention about the strain that wind power's inevitable higher electricity rates place on all 34,942 firms. (The 19.6% transmission rate increase is just the start).

Without question, our high electricity rates are a MAJOR obstacle to our existing businesses and attracting new businesses. So while some of the largest companies can afford to dispatch their workers complete with construction vests to hearings to testify for wind projects (and they exit in mass at 4PM), these are but a vocal minority. The vast majority of Maine businesses will be affected very adversely if we keep protecting these wind companies at the expense of lower priced electricity providers.

On every level. wind power makes no sense for Maine.

Comment by Dudley G. Gray on August 15, 2012 at 1:51pm

Does the Bicknell's thrush inhabit Iowa," where the wind industry employs 7000 and according to the Obama campaign; across the country the number is 75,000. Obama has said that 37,000 jobs nationally would be at risk if the wind tax credit is not extended." Lay this info across Mr. Blakes first and second quarter capacity factors for Maine,then throw in our most recent 19% transmission rate increase for the 1.4 billion dollar transmission up grade and you will find that these are very costly non sustainable taxpayer subsidized jobs that benefit only the job holder.

Comment by Gary Campbell on August 15, 2012 at 11:22am

"Let's let the science dictate the policy," said Jeremy Payne, executive director of Maine Renewable Energy, a nonprofit industry association in Augusta.

I can't believe Jeremy Payne said that!!!

 

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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