We look forward to reading The Forecaster each week. However, we were dismayed by the article bashing wind power (“Maine wind power bandwagon hits bumps in the road”). The article (first of a series) says that what it calls a bunch of wind-swept pro-wind task force members wrote a report that led to legislation that allows quick approval of wind power projects almost anywhere in the state.

However, Maine Audubon, AMC and some other task force members have consistently opposed wind power projects in Maine such as Reddington and Black Nubble. The article also implies that the legislation opened Maine’s wildest mountain tops to an expedited approval process for wind power development. Quite the contrary – the legislation is quite conservative in its approach, and includes a map which shows clearly the many areas that are excluded from the expedited approval process. Hence, it is alarming that according to the article the Land Use Regulatory Commission recently said it indicated in a straw vote that it will oppose TransCanada’s application to build another wind farm in an expedited processing area in northwest Maine.

If we are to truly save Maine’s wild places we need to slow global warming. Maine can be a leader in wind farm development. The Maine legislature was unanimous in its support for this legislation. It is the duty of LURC officials to follow this law to the letter and support wind farm development.

Al and Lois Howlett
Yarmouth