In late May, I had the pleasure of taking four friends boating on the scenic and crystal clear 1,200-acre, Donnell Pond in Franklin, part of Downeast Maine. The two-hour boat trip was in the shadow of Schoodic Mountain and included watching an otter, two nesting eagles and several pairs of loons. To say it was a special place is an understatement. Special places like Donnell Pond are gems that cover most of the undeveloped eastern, western and northern Maine. Unfortunately, these special places will be forever damaged if some environmental groups have their way.
Why I write this is, the Maine Environmental Priorities Coalition, (EPC) recently released a lengthy list of legislation they want for next legislative session, which includes developing northern Maine for renewable energy. As a start, the largest wind tower project ever proposed in Maine, (the Bingham Farm is the largest at 56). The King Pine Wind project proposes 179 commercial wind towers on 175,000 acres.
Another 5,000-acre commercial solar array proposal in Hersey Maine, just north of Patten would be the largest in the United States by 600 acres, ironically, the EPC praises the unmatched beauty of this area and the need to save the earth from global warming by developing this area while failing to mention the massive environmental destruction from projects they support.
For example, if I told you a construction company was going to flatten a 5,000-acre woodlot, bulldoze every tree, rock, stump, bush and hill. Grade it, ditch it and plow under every mouse, bobcat, coyote, bat, vole, fox, bird nest, deer yard, bear den and then cover it with steel and plastic while surrounding it with steel fencing, would you cheer? To put this into perspective, that is four times the size of Donnell Pond. So far, the only push back I have heard from environmentalists is: Oh wait. There is none.
Most of the groups advocating energy development in northern Maine are either out of state elitists, fringe outdoor groups and surprisingly, Maine Conservation Voters, Trout Unlimited and the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The goal of this group appears to be to “save our planet” by replacing New England electricity generated using fossil fuels, with wind and solar produced in one of the last remaining undeveloped areas of Maine.
To add insult to injury, every Democrat running for Governor is parroting the same (develop northern Maine for renewables) talking points without mentioning the environmental devastation that will result.
Renewable energy is a laudable goal, but every development is a tradeoff. Sticking your head in the sand and making believe there is no harm from a 5,000-acre solar array or from 179 wind towers is both dangerous and dishonest. If you were to walk a 5,000-acre woodlot, you would walk all day. You would be surrounded by birds singing, animals scurrying for cover, you would cross brooks, jump deer, moose,turkeys and wildlife of all sorts, all while in the shade of trees.
In all energy developments there must be a balance struck between impacts and benefits. At this point it appears the SAM-ILA may be the only voice speaking up and saying, “Whoa! Hold on a minute. Let’s be more thoughtful and careful about how we develop our mountains, streams and wild places.”
Editor’s note: Just before this issue of the SAM News went to press, we learned that the town of Hersey has rejected the proposed 5,000-acre solar installation. Likely, solar energy proponents will be casting about for another mega-site in Maine’s north woods.