So disappointing. Another vote against wind energy in Maine.

According to a recent article in this paper (“Maine board sets stage for rejection of $100 million wind project,” May 2), the Board of Environmental Protection, in a preliminary vote, gave its blessing to 29 of 30 required benchmarks, but rejected the Bowers Wind farm on scenic impact.

It’s time to start viewing windmills positively, like they do in the Netherlands. Think of them like lighthouses. Who doesn’t enjoy spotting a lighthouse anywhere on the coast of Maine? Windmills have the advantage of generating energy, not consuming it.

The economic arguments for wind farms are also compelling for Maine. They create jobs and increase exports. They are business-friendly. The denial of a permit for Bowers may make potential future investors in Maine shy away not only from wind farms, but from other projects as well.

Finally, we need to support renewable energy to slow the growth of extreme weather events and global warming. Wind, solar and tidal are all part of the answer.

If the Maine Board of Environmental Protection is to live up to its name, it should vote “yes” on Bowers and Bingham, too. I trust it will.

Al Howlett

Yarmouth

 


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