In response to complaints of noise at the Mars Hill (ME) wind facility, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) contracted EnRad Consulting to peer-review the pre- and post- sound studies performed by the developer, Evergreen/UPC Wind. EnRad's report to the MEDEP can be accessed below. The stated objective of this sound level study was to compare wind farm operation sound levels with predicted estimates and evaluation of the ambient sound levels in the vicinity of the wind farm. The developer, UPC Wind, initiated an ambient and operations sound level study late in 2006 after receiving concerns from persons residing in nearby protected locations. The "Recommendations" section of the EnRad Consulting report is published below. The full report can be downloaded by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.

Horizon Wind has proposed a massive (800 megawatts) wind energy facility for the northern reaches of Maine in Aroostook County near the Canadian border. Click on the link below to download a copy of the lease agreement Horizon has offered landowners who might have turbines or met towers erected on their land.

In my opinion [Mars Hill] is some of the prettiest acreage in Aroostook and I was very happy to come home to it, in fact…it was my dream. ... The turbines however, have changed most of that as the land that was once known for its remote nature, wildlife and solitude is now home to an industrial power plant. For anyone to say that a wind turbine facility has a low impact on the local environment… is irresponsible. Yet the industry and the media surrounding it seem insistent on making light of the problems that exist. The problems are real and they are hurting families emotionally, physically and economically. ...

The Independent Energy Producers of Maine (IEPM) commissioned the Brattle Group to prepare an analysis on retail rate trends and on the economics of utility cost-based generation in Maine. Brattle Group’s white paper was submitted to Maine Public Utilities Commission in regard to Docket 2007-317, an inquiry on reentry of electric utilities into the energy supply business. Appendix A of the paper details the "Economics of wind power in Maine".

Richard Bolton, of Environmental Compliance Alliance critiqued RSE's methodology. His prepared comments, as submitted to the Maine DEP, can be accessed below.

In response to noise complaints at the Mars Hill wind facility, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requested developer UPC Wind Management LLC conduct a sound level study at the site. Here is the cover letter and document ("Sound Level Study - Ambient & Operations Sound Level Monitoring") submitted by UPC to the Maine DEP.

These public comments were filed with the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Committee in reference to the Lempster Wind proposal (NH SEC Docket 2006-01 - Lempster, NH). Ms. Martin's comments were prepared following interviews she had with residents living near the Mars Hill, Maine commerical wind project. The Mars Hill wind project went on line in early 2007; problems of noise were reported as early as December 2006.

The following testimony was given on April 30, 2007 to the Maine legislature by Wendy Todd of Aroostook County, Maine. Ms. Todd lives near the Mars Hill wind "farm,” which went on-line in the winter of 2007. An excerpt of her testimony is included below. The full testimony can be downloaded by clicking on the link.