Jo Dunphy, first assessor welcomed everyone. Dunphy issued a special welcome to former governor Angus King and Robert H. Gardiner, who own Independence Wind LLC of Cumberland, and have joined forces with Wagner Forest Services (who own some one million acres of land in Maine) to construct some 40 windmills in Highland Plantation on Wagner land. ...King noted that once the wind towers were operating they might be able to pay the first 500 kilowatts of electricity in each household in Highland each month and that 90 percent of the taxes of those living in Highland would be paid by the Independence Wind Company.
Jo Dunphy, first assessor welcomed everyone. Dunphy issued a special welcome to former governor Angus King and Robert H. Gardiner, who own Independence Wind LLC of Cumberland, and have joined forces with Wagner Forest Services (who own some one million acres of land in Maine) to construct some 40 windmills in Highland Plantation on Wagner land. ...King noted that once the wind towers were operating they might be able to pay the first 500 kilowatts of electricity in each household in Highland each month and that 90 percent of the taxes of those living in Highland would be paid by the Independence Wind Company.
The small, former one-room schoolhouse high upon a hill in the woods was once again the scene of an informational meeting presented by owners of a wind power company for residents on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Jo Dunphy, first assessor welcomed everyone. Dunphy issued a special welcome to former governor Angus King and Robert H. Gardiner, who own Independence Wind LLC of Cumberland, and have joined forces with Wagner Forest Services (who own some one million acres of land in Maine) to construct some 40 windmills in Highland Plantation on Wagner land.
King told those present that he had always been interested in wind as an energy solution, and met up with Gardiner who was with Public Broadcasting and formed Independence Wind Power. King spoke …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]The small, former one-room schoolhouse high upon a hill in the woods was once again the scene of an informational meeting presented by owners of a wind power company for residents on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Jo Dunphy, first assessor welcomed everyone. Dunphy issued a special welcome to former governor Angus King and Robert H. Gardiner, who own Independence Wind LLC of Cumberland, and have joined forces with Wagner Forest Services (who own some one million acres of land in Maine) to construct some 40 windmills in Highland Plantation on Wagner land.
King told those present that he had always been interested in wind as an energy solution, and met up with Gardiner who was with Public Broadcasting and formed Independence Wind Power. King spoke about the company's project in Roxbury where they hope to start construction next summer. "We have to stop burning 'stuff,'" said King, it makes sense to make our own energy, he added.
King told those present it would be an expensive undertaking putting the towers up in Highland Plantation pointing out that it would cost about $5 million a piece, "so we will have to pay the mortgage, but once they're built," said King, "the energy is free. We will need a lot of wind, at least 10 to 15 miles per hour to make the wind towers go."
Both King and Gardiner pointed out the location of the proposed wind towers on maps and didn't think they would bother any of the people due to their location. King did say that the roads leading to the towers would have to be about 32 feet wide to start and then could shrink to about 16 feet. About one to two acres would have to be cleared for each of the 24x24 tower pads.
The towers would be about 250 feet tall with the blades about 150 feet long, located about 1,000 feet apart.
"By next May, we should have a lot of data from our five test wind towers now located in Highland Plantation," said King and Gardiner. "We have a lot of work to do getting approval from LURC and conducting a lot of studies before getting all the permits. If all goes well we would start our road work in 2010 and would actually put up the wind towers in 2011," said King and Gardiner.
Several of the residents questioned if they would be able to snowmobile and hunt on the Wagner property and both King and Gardiner assured them that would be no problem. Many asked whether there would be local people hired to work on the $150 to $200 million project, and King and Gardiner both said that as many local people as possible would be employed. It was noted that once the wind towers were constructed it would only involve about three to four full-time positions.
When King asked Dunphy, "What is your mill rate now?" Dunphy said, "You don't want to know."
King noted that once the wind towers were operating they might be able to pay the first 500 kilowatts of electricity in each household in Highland each month and that 90 percent of the taxes of those living in Highland would be paid by the Independence Wind Company. King also added that LURC would require the company to put aside funds for the cleanup of the turbines which have a life of 25 years.
One resident, Dan Howard, was interested in seeing a cell phone tower erected and King felt that possibly this could be done.
"This is a survival project for the residents of Highland Plantation," Dunphy told the wind officials.