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Hearing Set on Scaled-Back Wind Farm Proposal

September 26, 2007 - CARRABASSETT VALLEY - State land regulators will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Sept. 19 and Thursday, Sept. 20, on a zoning petition for a revised $110 million wind farm proposal for Black Nubble Mountain in Redington and Wyman townships. The Maine Land Use Regulation Commission plans to hold all day hearings beginning at 8: 30 a.m., with public testimony taken at 6 p.m. each ofthe two days at Sugarloaf Grand Summit Conference Center, 5092 Access Road in Carrabassett Valley.

Maine Mountain Power's proposed project would consist of 18 wind turbines on Black Nubble Mountain, utility lines and a substation, a maintenance facility, and access roads. Developers initially wanted to install 30 turbines on Redington Pond Range and Black Nubble Moimtain in both townships last year. LURC commissioners, however, asked staff to draft a denial for the project in January. Maine Mountain Power asked the state to reopen the hearing this spring and submitted a scaled back version of its plan to build the wind farm on only one mountain and restrict development on Redington Pond Range to ease environmental and aesthetic concerns.

People testifying at the public hearing on the initial project voiced concems over endangered and rare animal, bird and plant species as well as being able to see the wind turbines from the Appalachian Trail. The footprint for the revised project is about 233 acres and includes upgrading the existing power system. There is a mix of support and opposition for the proposal, including Maine Audubon Society, which opposes it, and the Natural Resources Council of Maine in favor.

SOURCE: SUN JOURNAL
DATE: 09-18-2007

Lakes:
Regions: Rangeley


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