News
Category:
Maine
Mainers demand criminal investigation into smart meter fees
October 8, 2012 in Maine Environmental News
October 8, 2012 in Maine Environmental News
"If I must pay to avoid actual harm or even the threat of harm, to myself, my family or my property that is extortion. The federal Hobbs Act defines it as: "...the crime of obtaining property from another induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence or fear, or under color of official right."
Also filed under [
General]
Game Commission withdraws its proposal to extend protections to some bat species
October 6, 2012 by Shannon M. Nass in Post Gazette
October 6, 2012 by Shannon M. Nass in Post Gazette
In January, the wildlife service updated its bat mortality estimate, claiming that at least 5.7 million to 6.7 million bats have been lost to white nose syndrome, prompting agency director Daniel Ashe to call it an "unprecedented wildlife crisis."
Also filed under [
Impact on Wildlife|
Impact on Bats]
Gov. Paul LePage blamed wind and solar power for rising energy prices in Maine
October 6, 2012 in Sun Journal
October 6, 2012 in Sun Journal
"Homeowners will pay $85 more per year on their electricity bill and business will pay more than $600 annually," says LePage - citing a study by the Maine Heritage Policy Center and Beacon Hill Institute. "Industrial users will suffer the most taking on more than $14,000 per year because of the mandate."
Also filed under [
Impact on Economy|
Energy Policy]
PUC questions offshore wind project, seeks greater commitment from Statoil
October 5, 2012 by Robert Long in Bangor Daily News
October 5, 2012 by Robert Long in Bangor Daily News
"The proposal sets the electricity price at a minimum of $290/MWh, which is significantly higher than historic and current prices," Fletcher wrote. "Over the 20-year contract term, Maine ratepayers could be required to pay $203 million higher costs."
"I don't know if Maine ratepayers can shoulder $10 million per year without more assurance that this will work," Fletcher told the Bangor Daily News.
Also filed under [
General]
The proposed ordinance was designed by the planning board and a Wind Ordinance Committee over the past 6 months, following the enactment of a temporary moratorium earlier this year. The ordinance attempts to balance the interests of the town and maintaining public safety with the rights of property owners.
Also filed under [
Zoning/Planning]
Peru wind ordinance submitted to selectmen
September 24, 2012 by Tom and Mary Standard in Sun Journal
September 24, 2012 by Tom and Mary Standard in Sun Journal
The primary restrictions in the ordinance were a maximum sound level of 25 decibels at night and 35 decibels during the day; a 1½ mile setback from each wind turbine tower to the nearest nonparticipating land parcel; and a 300-foot maximum height to the tip of the blades.
Also filed under [
General]
Voters on Saturday defeated 37-24 an ordinance that would have put a six-month hold on wind-power development.
Many who spoke seemed to be in favor of the moratorium, but it was defeated by secret ballot.
Also filed under [
General]
Woodstock wind draft proposes tighter restrictions
September 20, 2012 by Alison Aloisio in Bethel Citizen
September 20, 2012 by Alison Aloisio in Bethel Citizen
Under a newly-proposed ordinance, if a developer wishes to build a commercial wind project in Woodstock in the future, neighbors within a two-mile radius of the towers will be notified, and decibel levels will be set significantly below the state requirement.
Also filed under [
Zoning/Planning]
The town's Industrial Wind Ordinance Committee on Tuesday night considered an attorney's comments on its draft regulations for wind power projects.
Also filed under [
General]
King's personal bailout came in the form of a $407,000 "success fee" he received in 2011 from a wind energy project that remains in business today only because it received a $102 million federal loan King played a major role in securing.
"The idea that King can somehow wash his hands of his wind business and avoid any conflict of interest in this campaign is ludicrous for me. He spent (much of) the last decade as a wind industry propagandist," Thurston said.
King said last week he is not apologizing for Record Hill or the federal support.
Also filed under [
General]
"We do pick them up on radar," said Margaret Curtis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray. "Our goal is to bounce the radar pulse off raindrops, but there are other things out there it can bounce off too, including wind turbines."
Also filed under [
General]
Brad Blake, a spokesman for the Citizens Task Force on Wind Power, said most of Maine has marginal wind potential, and the technical improvements Bolinger touted will create more conflicts with people who oppose industrial wind development. The towers at Bull Hill, he said, are 476 feet high and visible from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
Also filed under [
General]
Summers' new front against King may be in the wind
September 2, 2012 by John Richardson in Maine Sunday Telegram
September 2, 2012 by John Richardson in Maine Sunday Telegram
Republicans criticize the independent former governor as a wind farm developer who benefited from a controversial federal loan guarantee. Angus King, however, says he's proud of the Record Hill project.
Also filed under [
General]
The Wind Ordinance Committee is nearly finished writing regulations for wind power projects in town, members said at Tuesday night's meeting.
A public hearing on the proposed ordinance is set for Sept. 10. Based on public comments then, a final version will be developed and a public informational meeting held before a November vote.
Also filed under [
General]
The Bicknell's thrush - a medium-sized migrating songbird - has cleared the first stage of a long route that could lead to it being declared a threatened or endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday.
Developer delays decision on Passadumkeag Mountain wind project
August 11, 2012 by Nick Sambides Jr. in Bangor Daily News
August 11, 2012 by Nick Sambides Jr. in Bangor Daily News
A Texas-based developer of a 14-turbine industrial wind-to-electricity site proposed for Passadumkeag Mountain will get more time to answer questions regarding its proposal, state officials said Friday.
Also filed under [
General]
Truck carrying wind turbine tower section to Bull Hill site dumps load into ditch
July 30, 2012 by Nick McCrea in Bangor Daily News
July 30, 2012 by Nick McCrea in Bangor Daily News
A trailer carrying a section of a wind turbine tower to the Bull Hill wind project site overturned Monday, dumping the tower section into a ditch alongside a private road off of Route 9.
Also filed under [
Safety]
Spruce Mt. Wind neighbors complain of "aircraft" sound
July 26, 2012 by Allison Aloisio in Bethel Citizen
July 26, 2012 by Allison Aloisio in Bethel Citizen
Woodstock property owners near the Spruce Mountain Wind turbines - particularly camp owners on Shagg and Concord ponds - said at a public informational meeting last week that noise from the towers is louder than expected, because it carries over water and bounces off nearby hills.
Its effects, some said, include sleepless nights and headaches, as well as general annoyance.
Also filed under [
Impact on People|
Noise]
Penobscot commissioners delay approving TIF for Passadumkeag Mountain project
July 25, 2012 by Nick Sambides Jr. in Bangor Daily News
July 25, 2012 by Nick Sambides Jr. in Bangor Daily News
The Penobscot County commissioners voted 2-0 to approve a community benefits agreement with Passadumkeag Windpark ...But reserved its right to reject the 30-year Tax Increment Financing deal that accompanies the agreement until the Maine Department of Environmental Protection decides whether to approve the project. The DEP's review is continuing.
Also filed under [
General]
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