This information concerns Maine residents living in unorganized territories.
In 2008, many rural residents found their communities abruptly rezoned for industrial wind development without their knowledge or participation. This year, the Legislature passed a law creating a process that allows residents in unorganized territories to remove themselves from the so-called “Expedited Permitting Area,” where industrial wind development has been fast-tracked.
Residents of unorganized territories have only six months to take advantage of this opportunity. After June, the opportunity will be gone.
If residents of unorganized territories want to regain the ability to “have a say” in the development plans for their community, they must make use of this temporary avenue for removal from the Expedited Permitting Area.
Per Public Law 2015, Chapter 265, unorganized-territory residents who are registered to vote in Maine may petition to remove from the Expedited Permitting Area all or part of the community where they are registered.
Petitions must be filed on an official form developed by the Land Use Regulation Commission, signed by at least 10 percent of the registered voters living in that community who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election. The petitions must be received by LURC between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2016.
For more information or to start this process, contact Tim Beaucage by email at Timothy.Beaucage@maine.gov; by phone at 287-4894; or at 18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building, 4th floor, Augusta 04333.
There’s no time to waste. If you want to be involved in the future of your hometown, you must get involved now.
Karen Bessey Pease
Lexington Township
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