To The Residents of Carthage, Maine

Folks,

The Saddleback Mountain Wind Project has entered DEP review. Either due to oversight or outright arrogance, they have failed to include a developing homesite on their maps depicting homesites closest to project turbines. This developing homesite has been cleared and stumped and a camper trailer has been moved there. This camper trailer has provisions to allow it to be used for living quarters, and, in fact, a person has been there for several overnight stays.
The issues the DEP will consider include sound impacts and changes in scenic character. The annoying sound from such large turbines as the wind developer proposes to erect have been revealed by actual human response to encompass an area within 3/4 mile to the turbine(s). Recent sound studies by acoustical experts, Robert Rand and Steve Ambrose, indicate annoyance and resident complaints can be expected at 7000 feet or about a mile and a quarter. This is significant to future home development and likely will prevent it. Future homes and camper sites are at risk, both of which provide stable tax base to the community.
The DEP regulates changes in scenic character by recognizing the impact to areas of federal or state ownership only ( parks and protected areas ). Local recognition of scenic assets are not considered. Many people will be unhappy having these structures within their viewshed, especially now that it's known property value assessment includes a rating attributable to geographical features that provide views of notable features such as mountains.
The impacts from wind turbines far exceeds the impacts from other electrical generating facilities, by sound and scenic changes.
Communities thinking of allowing wind farms normally are enticed by the fiscal opportunity they present through added property value. The state tracks every town's property value and adjusts school, revenue sharing and county taxes as values change. An increase in a town's value decreases the state's allocation of school and revenue sharing funding and increases county taxes. Permanent job creation from wind turbines are so small, there will be insignificant economic benefits. Wind developers almost always will promote a program that will give them up to 60% of their tax liability right back to them. Do you get to keep 60% of your property taxes?
What will wind farms do for us in the long term ? Will our children benefit from our sacrifice ? Is it the cure to recession ?
Wind power brings a new and foreign concept to established rules of electrical generation. Electricity must be instantly used as it is created. There exists no storage in the system because it is technologically impossible due to expense. A real time balance between electricity created and electricity called for relies on dependable generation and has been that way from the very day electricity arrived. Wind , which comes and goes, introduces severe problems to the rules of electrical balance. To overcome these problems, many things need changing. Many new problem solvers will be hired and this will be reflected in electric bills. The best analogy of what wind does to electricity is to think of hiring an alcoholic who might or might not show up to work.
The other rule of electrical creation is to place the generators close to the users as this cuts down on utility poles and wiring costs. Electricity also loses strength as it passes through the wires. The longer the wiring, the greater the loss. Wind farms are located in places far from the largest users and the costs of this will show up in electric bills.
Wind power sounds so good when we hear the fuel is free and ultimately it will provide energy to get us off fossil fuels. The reality reveals enormous difficulties associated with these ideas. Is it a solution or a " fad " ?
Changes in the country's energy policies are coming. The government is getting serious about clean coal, ( Japan recently built a coal burning plant that emits no more contaminates than gas plants ). The government is directing attention to nuclear which has been embraced by all other developing counties throughout the world. Natural gas deposits under American soil has been found in such quantity as predictions of 100 to 160 year supplies are noted.
Scientists, physicists and engineers have declared wind power an unsubstantial energy source.
Thank you for reading this. I hope it answers a few questions about wind power.
Dan McKay
Dixfield