Industrial Wind Turbines are the hot topic these days. Everyone wants to be ‘green,’ and developers and politicians are taking advantage to line their own pockets. Our Maine Mountains are falling, one by one, as more and more Industrial Wind Projects are pushed through, with promises of cheap, clean power, and jobs and money for all.
Thankfully, Mainers are starting to wake up and learn the facts. They are learning that Industrial Wind is not ‘green,’ but rather, that it destroys habitat and removes carbon sequestering trees and vegetation, and due to the fact that coal and gas plants must be kept online [at pollution producing ‘idle’ settings] as backup for the unreliable wind, it can actually increase greenhouse gas emissions.
They are learning that there is no possible way that Industrial Wind will ever ‘get us off of foreign oil,’ as is so often claimed by unscrupulous politicians.
They are learning that the promised jobs often don’t appear, and those that do, are temporary. They are learning that their electric bills, according to a permit recently granted to CMP, will actually go up to pay for the infrastructure that comes with Industrial Wind. The promised [short term] tax relief is more than offset by the reduced property values of those forced to live under the Turbines, the reduced quality of life for all nearby residents who have to look and listen to them, and the lost jobs that come as tourists start to stay away, and as increased electricity prices drive away more and more businesses. This is before you even take into account the fact that up to 60% of each project is paid for with our tax dollars.
The only thing ‘green’ about Industrial Wind is the taxpayer dollars lining the pockets of the developers and their politician friends.
But Mainers are learning, and they are speaking out. It won’t be long before the call for a statewide moratorium on this destructive and deceptive scam reaches a level that even our politicians in Augusta can’t ignore.
In the mean time, we must keep fighting, keep spreading the truth, and believe that come November, those who abuse their power to swindle our Citizens and destroy our Mountains, will be looking for new jobs.
David P. Corrigan
Registered Maine Master Guide
Concord Township, Maine
Thanks, David, for helping to alert Mainers to the pitfalls of industrial wind sprawl. And you’re right. I am amazed daily by how many people are finally learning the facts about industrial wind. They are discovering that the negligible power production, proven by University of ME at P.I.’s own turbine to be in the range of 11 percent of its rated capacity, does not come close to offsetting the negative impacts of these projects. They are incredibly costly–economically, environmentally, and health-wise, too. Just yesterday, the people of Vinalhaven were vindicated. The thrid party expert, Warren Brown from EnRad, submitted a report to the DEP stating that, in fact, Fox Island Wind’s turbines WERE exceeding night-time noise levels– levels which are already too low, due to the unique nature of wind turbine noise. FIW’s Mr. Baker has continually insisted that the turbines were in compliance, and now it is proven that the sound models the industry has been using are incorrect.
So, yes… people are now beginning to hear the truth and learn the facts about this misguided plan. The claims of wind energy plants helping to significantly reduce carbon emissions was just debunked last week. Sound levels, this week. Next week? Stay tuned!
Keep up the good work. Mainers deserve to hear the science and the economics behind this plan of Governor Baldacci’s. Not the feel-good propaganda. Thanks.
Respectfully, Karen Pease, Lexington Twp. Maine
Wow, I didn’t realize the problems with wind power. Our president has been promoting wind power. Does he know about the downsides of it? He doesn’t seem to! It seems coal, oil, water, wood are out as sources—too polluting, too unaesthetic, too inefficient. Electric cars need lots of power which is most likely produced by coal or oil. Do we have to give up cars? I seems we have to fall back on solar (or maybe nuclear—but of course we cannot mention that, can we?). But who will come forward with the damning catalogue of downsides of solar. What are we to do? What a dilemma!!!
I’d say let’s go back to horses and horse drawn carriages, but oh, wait, the animal activists will cry abuse!
Hmmmm…..let’s do more dams, but oh wait, the fish won’t be able to go upstream and it would mess up their life cycles.
Hmmmm…..let’s do more drilling offshore, but oh wait, wasn’t that what we were trying to get away from in the first place?
I got it….why don’t we perfect the fusion technology that the Delorean used in back to the future. We’ll turn our garbage into endless energy and everyone will be happy. Yeah, that’s the ticket!
We’d be there now if it wasn’t for Bush! Maybe Obama could give us a Fusion Stimulus Package!
Hey lets build a bunch of coal plants. yahoo!
Maybe someday the windmills will be things of beauty like the man made Flagstaff lake.
Seems to me a whole town was displaced for that and now the friends of the Highland Mountains are showing it in their dvd as part of the natural splendor
Your ignorant if you believe that wind power will get us off our addiction of oil, regardless of what “honest” politicians are promising. and you do realize that undergrowth absorbs just as much carbon dioxide as large trees and vegetation? if your really against clearing trees stop the logging companies….or would that be bad for your pockets? politicians are making boatloads of money off of this green revolution but its because its so overdue, we should have made this transition twenty years ago but now its late and we are paying bonuses to people who are ballsy enough to try out new technology. Please do some more research on alternative fuels before you form such a strong opinion against them, oh and if your concerned about all the song birds that will get killed from industrial winds, know that house cats in the area kill more birds per year…..