LURC Needs to Listen to the People!
On Dec. 23, 2009 Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) announced that TransCanada Corp had submitted a complete application for yet another industrial-scale windpower project on Sisk Mountain. This 15 turbine project, which will require additional road building and transmission lines in a pristine, mountain-top environment, is being pushed through by LURC under Maine’s ill-conceived Expedited Wind Energy Law.
The extreme public concern surrounding the development of Sisk Mountain for wind power is rooted in the area’s outstanding scenic value, wide range of recreational opportunities and sensitive, pristine habitat. In addition to scenic value and recreational opportunities this area is prized for its ecological significance– home to historic Golden eagle nesting grounds (protected under the Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act) and listed within critical habitat for the Canada Lynx (protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act). The TransCanada application fails to adequately address these concerns.
We have only until Jan. 13 to convince LURC to hold a public hearing.
This will only happen if LURC receives an overwhelming number of emails, letters, and phone calls from the general public requesting a hearing.
- Without a public hearing, this process is transformed into a one-sided, biased; backroom deal in favor of TransCanada and the public be damned. Without a public hearing, the public is deprived of a fair, open, and unbiased process.
- Without a public hearing, the general public and stakeholders such as FBM are faced with an unfair limitation in getting our views in front of the Commissioners. A public hearing is the only means by which our legitimate concerns can be heard.
- Without a public hearing, the process is unfair and arbitrary.TransCanada has the resources and ability to do extensive public outreach to convince an unsuspecting public of the merits of their position; grassroots groups like Friends of the Boundary Mountains need to have public hearings to create a level playing field; otherwise a flawed and totally unbalanced, undemocratic process.
Friends of the Boundary Mountains has a Letter you may download and use. Click here
Please write or email Catherine Carroll of LURC with your comments by Jan. 13, 2010
Catherine Carroll Staff Director Land Use Regulation Commission 22 State House StationAugusta Maine 04333-0022
email: Catherine.M.Carroll@maine.gov
Phone 207-287-4930
i think this wind farm idear is crazy, there ruining maine, and maine governor should be ashamed of himself, promoting such crap,he must be getting a kick back, from it, the power should stay in Maine, yet D.W told me today, that its leaving,thats more of a waste, can’t the people of Maine deside, put it to a vote