Compelling testimony and rebuttal of Thomas Hewson before the State of Maine Land Use Regulation Commission on behalf of Friends of the Western Mountains regarding the proposed 90MW industrial wind plant on Reddington Mountain, Maine. Mr. Hewson's testimony and rebuttal should be read in their entirety. A summary of this testimony by Friends of the Western Mountains is provided below and attached as well.

Friends of the Western Mountains

. 1,887 local residents have signed a petition against this project. This petition demonstrates a lack of local community support required by LURC to show “demonstrated need.”

. Applicant has not met LURC’s “compatibility with community character” criterion. Concerns about destruction of mountain beauty and adverse impacts on local wildlife as well as fears that the plant will harm our tourist based economy and quality of life that draws people to the area have been evident in filed testimony and in numerous public comments.

Friends of the Western Mountains

. The criterion of contributing to local economy is met only in a very limited way. Most of the capital investment will go to equipment suppliers and specialized contractors from outside Franklin County. Local employment extremely limited.

. “Special community or public benefit” criterion has not been met. The project’s claimed avoided pollution benefits are undocumented, overstated and may be non existent.

. Applicant wants the Commission to re-zone two beautiful and fragile mountain tops for a small amount of incremental power that is not needed in Maine and that will adversely affect a large view shed.

Hewson Major Findings

. Project output estimates unsupported
. No demonstrated need for Maine wind project
. Unstudied local economic impacts
. No incremental air pollution benefits

Undocumented Output Estimates

* Claims 33.6% capacity factor that would make place it as the highest performing wind project in the East.

* No wind resource studies provided

. Studies exist but not supplied

. Characterize estimated site conditions and suitability for wind turbine applications

. Identifies potential wind operational issues

* Why important?

. Basis for avoided emissions claims

. Suitability as a wind site.

Project Need

* Maine is net power exporter
. Maine 2005 power generation level (18.6 TWh) sufficient to meet in-state needs through 2030

* Maine has surplus renewable power to meet state renewable portfolio requirements
. Renewable sources accounted for 41% of 2005 in-state generation (7.6 TWh). Equal to 61.7% of 2005 Maine retail sales
. New state law sets new renewable capacity goal but requires all new capacity to be most cost-effective alternative

* Redington would receive small capacity credit (9 MW) that would be insufficient to avoid new fossil-fired capacity

Local Economic Impacts

* Application quantifies employment impacts
. Differences between Muse testimony and application
. Unidentified portion of local employment

..Skills needed for turbine O&M
..Support functions can be done offsite

* Capital cost investment mostly goes to out-of-state equipment suppliers and specialty contractors

Avoided Emissions

* Avoid emissions determination– difference with and without future project

* Redington Mountain Power project qualifies and competes for renewable set-aside market that provides additional financial benefits. Must compete with other renewable projects for this market. These renewable options would likely have little to no incremental emissions

* RPS set-aside will displace conventional power generation. The generation type and emissions profile of this displacement will vary throughout project lifetime.

* Complex modeling needed to estimate displacement from the renewable power set-aside. This modeling has not been done by applicant, ISO-New England or any intervener.

Avoided Emissions

. Pollutants subject to cap & trade programs allow owner to sell/transfer any displaced emission
credits to other affected sources. Therefore emissions may be displaced but not avoided.

. SO2– Acid Rain program/Clean Air Interstate Rule

. NOx-Northeast Ozone Transport Region/EPA Ozone SIP call/Clean Air Interstate Rule

. CO2– Maine signed Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Requires state authorization to implement.

 

Download File(s):
Hewson Testimony-Redington Mountain.pdf (164.1 kB)
Hewson Rebuttal- Redington Mountain Wind Project.pdf (63.46 kB)
Friends of Western Mountains testimony summary.pdf (152.22 kB)