AUGUSTA, Maine — Supporters of a citizens’ initiative that would require utilities to produce more clean and renewable energy failed to gather enough signatures to put a question on the November ballot.
Maine Citizens for Clean Energy was scheduled to meet at the State House on Monday afternoon, presumably to announce that it had gathered more than the 57,000 signatures needed for a citizens’ initiative.
Instead, the group canceled its event early Monday and announced later in the day that it will continue to gather signatures with the intent of bringing the issue back in 2013.
“Going for the 2012 ballot was always a race against the clock. Despite the incredible enthusiasm from the public and from hundreds of campaign volunteers, the clock was just a little too fast for us to hit the deadline for the 2012 ballot,” said David Farmer, spokesman for Maine Citizens for Clean Energy.
Just two weeks ago, as the initiative faced increasing opposition led by Gov. Paul LePage, supporters said they were confident that they would meet Monday’s deadline for signatures.
The initiative sought to increase the amount of Maine’s electricity that comes from new, renewable energy sources — such as wind and solar — and also would require utilities to invest in energy efficiency whenever it would reduce energy costs for ratepayers.
Maine law says the state’s electricity providers must demonstrate that a percentage of their portfolios is made up of new renewable sources, which essentially have been in operation only since 2005.
When the current law passed, it set out a schedule to increase the amount of new renewable sources each year, beginning with 1 percent in 2008 and ending with a 10 percent increase by 2017. As of Jan. 1, 2012, the mandate is that no less than 35 percent of energy must come from renewable sources.
Under the proposed referendum, the target for 2017 would be a 14 percent increase and it would set a new goal of 20 percent from new renewable sources by 2020. That means 50 percent of all energy in eight years would come from renewables.
In the last few weeks, opposition to the initiative has mounted. LePage on several occasions — including during his State of the State address — rejected the citizens’ initiative and said it serves only to pad the pockets of special interest groups.
On Monday, the governor was pleased that the initiative stalled.
“It is a great day for Mainers,” LePage said in a press release. “Their failure to gather signatures is an indication that hardworking Mainers are skeptical of this job killing proposal.”
“I have spoken out in opposition of this measure citing estimates that this mandate would increase costs on Maine ratepayers by $44-80 million,” he said. “I do not support Augusta being in the business of increasing costs on Maine ratepayers to pad the pockets of special interest groups.”
Farmer said he knows a lot could change between now and 2013 but he predicted that the backers of clean, renewable energy would continue to talk about the benefits.
“We can’t predict the future but we do know that investment in efficiency is most cost effective and that’s for homeowners and business,” Farmer said. “That’s an idea that’s not going away.”
Over the weekend, a political action committee called Stop Taking Our Paychecks formed to oppose the measure if it went to ballot. The group’s spokesman, Chris O’Neil, said the proposal is misguided, driven by ideology and would increase costs for Maine’s ratepayers.
“At this point it’s difficult to know why they pulled the plug. It could be that they read the writing on the wall and figured out that the mandate was dead on arrival,” O’Neil said in a statement late Monday. “Or it could be that despite having lots of special interest money, political operatives, and paid signature gatherers, the increasingly aware Maine voters just said no when asked to sign.
“I’d like to think they got the news that we registered our PAC yesterday and I gave them the cold feet. Regardless if they want to bring this back in June or November we will be ready.”
Goodie!!!!
Best news I have read in a few days. The BDN has been cranking out biased, pro-wind articles all weekend. Time to wake up and smell the coffee BDN. Mainer’s do not want to pay exorbitant electric rates to an industry already heavily tax subsidized. They don’t want their property values reduced and have to live with the 24-7, whump, whump, whump of industrial wind turbines in our rural areas!
Why don’t someone put a windmill at the Thomas Hill Standpipe in Bangor? It’s the highest spot in Bangor. See how they like the noise.
I agree. There was bound to be some left wing slush fund in there somewhere.
Speaking of bias in wind power reporting, please read what Downeast.com just reported:
http://www.downeast.com/media-mutt/2012/january/bangor-mirrors-democratic-release
Jennifer Rooks and George Smith join the hall of shame.
“Speaking of bias in wind power reporting…”
Penobby, you’re so blinded by bias, you wouldn’t know an objective fact on this topic if it kicked you in the shin.
Bad day, huh?
Actually, I’ve had a fun day debating you silly anti-windys…
In all truth, my cat is more entertaining, and does if for a free meal..oops, there are similarities .
Clifton and Oakfield….
Poor baby wind shill,another loss. Wait until tomorrow for another one.
Clifton and Oakfield, Artie…. just remember Clifton and Oakfield….
Another example of the left and the Democrats trying to regulate the Maine taxpayer into insolvency. The Dems need an impoverished public to be successful and having 20% of our power needs go renewable will only bring us closer to being poor. The Dems must be at the receiving line of some money otherwise they wouldn’t be pushing so hard. Farmer is skeevey at best.
“The Dems need an impoverished public to be successful…”
An interesting statement, since Obama’s economy is strengthening, with growth accelerating in the fourth quarter to a 2.8 percent rate, the fastest in 18 months. He inherited an economy from President Bush that was spiraling into one of the worst recessions in modern times.
Obama has been able to accomplish this in spite of a “do nothing GOP controlled Congress” which wouldn’t even back a continuation of tax breaks for the middle-class until GOP leaders saw what a pummeling the party was taking in the polls due to the tea-party’s outrageous stance.
Also, Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 200,000 in December, and the unemployment rate, at 8.5 percent, continued to trend down. Compare that to the massive unemployment that plagued the country as President Bush left office.
So much for your theories.
Keep in mind that it’s not possible to reason with someone who did not arrive at their position by reasoning. No matter what evidence you put forward, some people will continue to put their fingers in their ears and shout “NANANANA CAN’T HEAR YOU”.
heh heh, you’re so right, Earthling.
I just read a Canadian Economic’s minister’s prognosis that the U.S. economy will see NO GROWTH—-your cherry picked stats. aside; for the next decade; and depending on what happens in Europe could tank again.
Canadians are gloating and the biggest grins are in QUEBEC with its cheap and abundant hydro electricity.
Quoting Obama re-election tweets doesn’t give you any credibility, just a bobble-head doll for your collection. Jobs created isn’t even close to the jobs lost; and empty manufacturing plants litter Maine with for lease/sale signs. What has Obama done for Maine besides cut MEDICARE benefits? He lobbied for the BUSH stimulus job bill, and delivered it to public sector unions and G.M. Now Maine has seen the money disappear the the public sector jobs with it…..go find that in your tweets!
“I just read a Canadian Economic’s minister’s prognosis that the U.S. economy will see NO GROWTH…”
He must be under the mistaken impression that one of those two GOP punching bags, Newt or Mitt, will win the election…heh heh. Actually with both candidates spending $19 million in Florida to trash each other, both are becoming more and more unpopular with independent voters. By the way, you seem strangely happy that the US economy might tank in the next ten years. Are you some sort of anti-American traitor?
“Canadians are gloating…”
So what?
“Jobs created isn’t even close to the jobs lost…”
The 3 million jobs Obama has created in the last 22 months are more than President Bush created in 8 years, and is a far more optimistic picture than the massive hemorrhaging of jobs that was underway when President Bush left office.
“What has Obama done for Maine…?”
Well, for one thing, he led the way toward the successful killing of Osama Bin Laden, once again cleaning up a mess that the previous administration had bungled.
“delivered a jobs bill to G.M.”
And as a result, G.M. is once again the #1 auto maker in the world. The GOP’s heroes, such a Mitt Romney, would have let G.M. and all its jobs go belly up.
I understand why you’re so bitter, and I feel your pain. I’d be bitter too if I had nothing but mediocre candidates like Mitt and Newt to choose from.
You just beat me to it, harddaysnight…nuclear holds the potential for the lowest cost power.
If you compare the downside of inefficiencies in the wind industry with the downside of potential catastrophic failure in the nuke industry, I think you’d have to say that the decreased physical risk is worth a significant monetary tradeoff. Catastrophic failure of a nuke plant is not a common event, but it’s certainly a lot more common than the industry predicted early on. The risk-management numbers indicated something like a less than 25% chance of one major incident happening in 10,000 years. We have had Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and now Japan (which counts as three by itself, I believe) in less than 50 years. I’ll take wind over nuke, thanks.
I think that you’re comparing [almost] apples and oranges. Nuclear plants that were built in the Chernobyl/TMI days just didn’t have the safety features designed in to minimize the effect that a broad array of perturbances that can affect plant operation that the newly-designed plants do. The perturbances that I’m thinking of include earth tremors, quakes, loss of critical emergency power to critical safety systems, etc.
maybe the real question is, why do we continue to focus on getting energy from large corporate sharks? every building in Maine should have as part of their heating systems a source of energy, solar, wood, or geo-thermal. if i was able to use only enough fossil fuel to heat from 55 degrees instead of from 0-20 degrees up to a comfortable 68/69 heat, it would cost a lot less. or heat a good portion of my hot water with solar and only use fossil fuel when i need to. they do it in europe, why are we so far behind is this changeover that must, must come.
I read a comment the other day from a person in Portland that the current problem in Augusta is it is now run by small minded people and the state needs “big minded” leadership. The people in Augusta have spent a lot of time and energy the past year defusing the remnants of those big minded leaders who developed very costly small ideas over a period of 16 years. The Turnpike and Housing Authorities and DHHS to cite examples. There has been a history of no accounting or accountability from state government. That is being changed and the positives will follow.
Next stop, Dale McCormick and her “Carbon Project”.
David W. Farmer. Middle initial W must stand for wind.
You lose!
How much do you think this Mainah entity gets paid?
I don’t think he is worth , do you?
My guess is he’s a retired energy person who gets paid close to minimum wage.
Mr. Jackson Parker (CEO) of Reed & Reed construction company appeared on Jennifer Rooks’ “Maine Watch” show this past weekend as a strong advocate for the petition drive and proposed referendum.
When asked by Ms. Rooks about the petition drive, Mr. Parker stated very emphatically and unequivically that they already had more than 70,000 qualified signatures (to force a referendum to legislate more favorable mandates for wind power, which the majority of Mr. Parker’s firm’s profits came from over the last few years).
Mr. Parker – did you just get caught in a bold faced lie on TV? Or were you just the latest victim of the wind lobby’s lies? Which was it Mr. Parker, we’re anxious to know? Nice to see that they discredited one of their own this time. They’re so good at it.
In the March 20, 2010 Press-Herald a Gardiner Parker of Woolwich wrote a letter to the editor criticizing an 80 year old campowner on Caribou Pond (who built the camp herself 30 years ago) for being an out of stater not concerned about jobs, because she complained about the giant turbines that would shadow her little corner of paradise. The entire tone of his letter bashed tourists. He wrote “Well, while they’re enjoying the view, the rest of us have to work to put food on the table and support our families and wind power projects create hundreds of jobs and millions in economic spinoff”. He also wrote: “…unlike Ms. Mitchell, we don’t have two homes – we live here all the time – and we can’t afford to live here without economic development and sustainable, low-cost energy”.
One little problem, in trying to pass himself off as a strapped poor individual in need of food and a job, he failed to disclose that his father is the head of Reed & Reed, Jackson Parker.
See young Parker’s letter at:http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/letters/saturday-opinion_2010-03-19.html
By the way Parkers, wind energy is extremely high cost energy and I guess you are not satisfied that Maine already has the 50th worst business climate in the country. Pad those pockets.
“Maine already has the 50th worst business climate in the country.”
You turn your nose up at hundreds of millions of dollars worth of investment in Maine, and then wonder why Maine’s business climate is a shambles.
What’s your bright idea for bringing jobs to Maine, Petey?
And when they start to fall apart and are abandoned, until Maine looks like the gateway into Palm Springs or the coast of Kaui, then what is that ‘investment’ really going to be worth.
Plenty of green jobs fixing wind turbines and we’ll be paying the highest electric rates in the world to keep this army of maintenance people on the job.
The investment puts paychecks in the hands of hundreds of workers who build the turbines, not to mention the maintenance jobs which you cite, and the jobs which businesses that support the workers produce. What would you have these workers do, collect unemployment? Just a few posts ago, you were complaining about no jobs. Make up your mind.
Parker also stated that the signature collectors were volunteers.
They were “paid volunteers “.
I asked them, they were paid.
Parker must be desperate and likes being a federal subsidy welfare recipient for wind turbine erections.
The Wind Industry’s Business Model:
“Lie, Cheat and Corrupt” – U.S. Congressman (D)
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/a-business-model-of-lie-cheat-and-corrupt
Signature collectors for this initiative were paid ;they were paid mercenaries by the wind lobby.
Yes, they were paid to collect signatures, as I was told by one of them a few weeks ago.
They could have done a better job.
(Perhaps they were waiting for more subsidy money to support their next try.)
You know how mercenaries work!
The average Mainer would collect signatures for free to LOWER THEIR RATES!
This initiative was the reverse of that fact.
The average Mainer also knows this
proposal was supported by Wind Shills from away and self-serving
companies like REED & REED.
It was called, take my money, for MORE
EXPENSIVE intermittent sometimes wind electricity.
Most just laughed and turned away, as I did.
Mainers are learning every day now how
this renewable scam works.
We want lower rates, Not higher ones!
Well, DUH, does that make sense.
You Bet!
Bring on the Hydro and Gas Governah!
A new PAC has formed to demand lower rates for all of us .
Now , I wonder if they can get those
signatures to Lower Rates, from dense energy sources, by removing
renewable mandates that increase electrical costs for us all.
I for one, would collect those signatures, FOR FREE!
“Bring on the Hydro and Gas Governah!”
Yes, now you and the governor are a step closer to fulfilling your dream of further subsidizing the Canadian power industry with billions of Maine’s energy dollars.
Is “further subsidizing “an accurate statement?
Winds def. have shifted in many parts of the world AWAY from subsidizing wind farms, and towards better definition of their many costs. Investors are pulling out money, and scandals seem to occur regularly—
“Former Rep. William Delahunt(D) Pockets $90000 From Earmarks
thenewamerican.com/…/10649-former-rep-william-delahunt-pockets…6 days ago –
Former Congressman William D. Delahuntraked in $90000 from the town of Hull after earmarking funds for a wind energy project…”
Have to wonder if Farmer got any of this earmark to push wind in Maine, where’s Obama on crony capitalism now?
I hear Farmer has an all electric car that has a range of 25 miles. He says it has 500 Unicorns under the hood.
….and I’ll bet they’re all pink!
“Farmer said he knows a lot could change between now and 2013 but he predicted that the backers of clean, renewable energy would continue to talk about the benefits.”
But will Farmer and Co. be talking about the facts? From George Smith’s error-riddled plea for referendum support, to the coalition’s misleading website, to the promoters’ avoidance of facts about Maine’s current RPS and use of renewables, this initiative coalition has been shamefully dishonest with Maine.
Evidently Mr Jackson Parker of Reed and Reed and the group counting the petition signatures were using the same math that they use to calculate wind turbine capacity and the number of homes that a wind turbine will support.
Just reduce turbine rated capacity and the number of homes that can be supported by about 75% to get a reasonable approximation of the true figures.
Math would not appear to be their strong point. Nor common sense.
Any group that doesn’t recognize hydro power as a renewable was bound to be regarded with suspicion. This was a special interest agenda pushed by the industrial wind lobby. It failed. The rate payer won.
The GREAT news is that Governor LePage understands the value of hydro and that it is of course a renewable.
David Farmer said, “We can’t predict the future but we do
know that investment in efficiency is most cost effective and that’s
for homeowners and business,” Farmer said. “That’s an idea that’s not going
away.”
That is right on, David. Good you noticed. Since Industrial
turbines have no efficiency whatsoever, in fact; we can now dismiss the Wind
Industry as a bunch of thieving anti-Maine exploiters of the poor and go on to
find and develop solutions to our heating and transportation needs. On the face
of things, I would hazard to say focusing on conserving the heating and cooling
of dwellings to be the first effort in responsible investing. Sealing and
insulating dwellings should be done by professions with a view to the longtime
usefulness of these measures and tightly overseen by professionals who are held
accountable for their overseeing. Better meeting of our transportation needs is
another issue. Research and development of more efficient means of transportation should not
stop with telling people to “take the bus.” Monies squandered on developing
wind power should be reallocated to establishing greater efficiency of the vehicles
we need. We don’t know what’s around the corner in terms of technological
advancements except to know they will come. “Teach your children well…”
“we can now dismiss the Wind Industry as a bunch of thieving anti-Maine exploiters of the poor and go on to find and develop solutions to our heating and transportation needs.”
Actually, the ideas you put forth here are the very same ideas espoused by pro-wind thinkers like Professor Dagher at UMaine, who view these advancements of yours as complimentary to an increase in clean electricity supply brought about by the development of renewables like wind.
That’s silly thing to say. I don’t oppose wind energy when it’s used to dry clothes on a line or to invigorate me on a mountain top. The whole idea of industrial wind turbines is silly too; just a lot more serious in terms of it’s danger to life. Wind energy is anything but clean. and I get so riled when I hear people say that it is.
“I get so riled when I hear people say that it is…”
Yes, the insults you hurl at people indicate that you are often riled. While you’re sitting on your mountaintop, don’t let the mercury contamination intrude upon your invigoration.
You are pretty caustic for a _Mainah.
“…a bunch of thieving anti-Maine exploiters of the poor…”
And you are quite the petunia yourself, Mr. Hiker.
Mr. skid mark in my Skivvies, go to bed and dream of Kurt Adams.
Hum your mantra in the lotus position. Maybe you’ll lose some of your Neanderthal traits.
Reading back through this thread was very enjoyable. It was so much fun watching you try to bait people in with your foolish arguments only to get no response at all from most. Yes, yoiu managed to get a ris eout of a couple people – enjoy it while you can because soon no one will respond to you. We know you’re a pathetic soul who draws his power from your anonymous arguing on line. Your gig is up. Rest in piece.
I kinda got a kick out of playing with him …. but it’s getting late and I still have some articles to write.
Yawn
So, you took the time to read back through the thread and respond, Big Wind. Just couldn’t ignore me, could you? Heh heh. Actually, I couldn’t care less if you and your fellow insulters respond or not. My goal is to give an opposing viewpoint. By the way, the correct spelling is “rest in peace” not “piece.” Whether you insult people using the anonymous name Bigwind, or Northwoods, you still haven’t learned how to spell.
no, sooner than you wish, the turbines will “rest in piece”.
What do you mean? We’ve got at least 20 years of renewable energy coming our way with each windmill that currently exists. Bravo ;)
The collapse of the ballot initiative spells trouble for the elitist exploiters.
Om ma nee pad me hummmmmmma
And you perhaps should remove the mercury in your fillings, they are much more dangerous don’t you think? Are you one of those guys who also wanted mercury removed from cadavers prior to burial, because of “mercury” contamination?
Be honest now (or try at least for one moment).
No, I take that back, as wind shills don’t know the word “honest”.
I stand corrected.
I have no fillings, smart guy. You’re never right about ANYTHING.
Mr . Parker of Reed and Reed, please remember this,
You need not scheme and plot to capture subsidy money for wind erections,are you desperate?
Your expensive cranes can be used to take wind turbines down, as well as put them up!
Start planning!
Here you go, Artie… A couple of clips for you to smile over while you plan your next rant:
CLIFTON, Maine — In a local referendum Tuesday, a majority of voters opposed a move to replace the wind turbine portion of the town’s recently enacted land use ordinance, considered the strictest in the state, with an even stricter version. Residents’ 258-183 vote against the proposal paves the way for a five-turbine wind farm on Pisgah Mountain. If it moves forward, the wind farm would generate approximately $295,000 a year in property taxes.
OAKFIELD, Maine — Residents on Monday evening voted to forge a tax increment financing agreement with a First Wind subsidiary on a new $300 million industrial wind project. The decision was made after residents attended a two-hour special town meeting and voted 81-22 in favor of the TIF agreement. Town and wind industry officials said the move would provide the town $16.5 million in benefits over 20 years. The project is anticipated to result in approximately $200 million of new taxable development within the town, according to information distributed during the meeting.
Both sides win some and lose some, as it should be…
You neglected to mention your Clifton story on “Tuesday” was in November 2010.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2010/11/03/news/bangor/clifton-nixes-changes-to-land-use-ordinance/
And your Oakfield story on “Monday”, was from last fall.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/11/22/news/aroostook/oakfield-vote-advances-300-million-wind-project-in-aroostook-county/
Nice try though.
FACT: All the ordinance votes have been going against wind.
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/newry-voters-approve-restrictive-wind-power-ordinance
(Plus Portland with Farmington next?)
Both Clifton and Oakfield are moving forward as we speak, thanks to the will of the voters in those areas, which is the point I was making. Get it?
No, going forward because of a corrupt system and the heinous Expedited Wind Permitting statute.
It’s an easily verifiable fact that both projects are voter-approved. The will of the voter is only significant to the anti-wind side when the vote goes against a project.
and legally challenged by Eolian and the lobby when the public is proactive.
Keep the money flowing , there will be many more loses for “the lobby”.
Plan on unemployment benefits after Nov, 2012.
“Plan on unemployment benefits…”
Yes, we know you favor unemployment benefits over jobs. “Maine is open for business…” Ha!
A psychologist might wish to weigh in on someone who has to have the biggest crane in New England.
You can’t seem to get your mind out of the gutter, today, Peter. BTW, your pen name doesn’t necessarily signify anything in particular, does it?
NRCM = Now Really Costing Maine
NRCM = New Religion Conning Mainers
NRCM = Now Raping Coniferous Mountaintops
NRCM = Nearby Residents Can Move
NRCM = Never Really Cared for Mainers
NRCM = Nice Renewables Cost More
NRCM = No Renewables Close to Me
in 2005 Beth Nagusky , then director of the Office for Energy , Independence and Security ,gave a power presentation to LURC called :” Maine the energy picture 60000 feet from above “( please see link:)http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/windpower/pubs/pdf/energypicture.pdf
Her last slide said : WHY WIND ? WHY NOW ?. It was a pretty collection of blue balloons , including global warming , price stability , energy independence , job and economy . Who would want to be against motherhood and apple pie ? She got LD 2283 , and Act to expedite windpower.
Without ever doing a cost analysis of wind power versus estimates of conventional generation .
Without ever creating a built -out map of Maine demonstrating the cumulative effects of more than 1000, 400 feet high wind turbines peppering the landscape.
Without listening to the pain and suffering from noise of those residents located too close to turbines.
Without thinking of the effects such massive industrial intrusion could have on the landscape for residents and tourists alike .
Without realizing that windpower is the grid operator nightmare because of the irregular and unpredictable output .
Without any of the above , Beth Nagusky and her friends got the Expedited Law in 2008 , 3 years after her presentation to LURC.
Now 4 years later , Beth Nagusky and her friends wanted more : a referendum to increase RPS, requiring ratepayers to buy wind power no matter what the cost !
The energy picture 60000 feet from above is in free fall however , today the backers of the referendum conceited defeat for the upcoming election year .
The referendum is dead for next year .
Why ?Partly because of the backers’s inner dissension on strategy that are of no great interest and partly because we have a Governor who cares about electrical rates , people and places ..And mostly because we still live in a country where an informed citizen becomes an activist -citizen . And that is not making it easier for special interests.
We all feel sorry that the referendum backers may lack signatures , our echo chamber would have suddenly reached 60000 feet and above .
Monique Aniel
http://www.windtaskforce.org
“…we still live in a country where an informed citizen becomes an activist -citizen.”
Speaking of becoming an informed citizen, I learned on the “Wind Turbine Syndrome” thread of the BDN today that your bogus MMA resolution had been rescinded by your fellow doctors, due to the way the resolution was being misused by anti-wind groups to support dubious claims of health risks associated with windmills.
“Maine Medical Association
Resolution #1 RE: Global Climate Change & Wind Power
Submitted by the MMA Public Health Committee
WHEREAS, Effective action has yet to be taken to substantially reduce our dependence on fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, Political discord and short term economic interests prevent constructive dialogue and action on this important long-term public health issue; and
WHEREAS, The Maine Medical Association policy on global climate change that passed in 2009 emphasized the use of evidence based science as the foundation of discussion and debate on all matters regarding this issue; and,
WHEREAS, The intent of the Maine Medical Association 2009 Resolution “Wind Energy and Public Health” has been misconstrued as taking sides on the wind power debate; and
WHEREAS, The Maine Medical Association 2009 Resolution “Wind Energy and Public Health” called on the organization to 1) bring attention of known medical consequences of wind development, 2) encourage evidence based studies of the health effects of wind turbine generation and public dissemination of the results; and
WHEREAS, In the public debate, there is considerable disagreement as to the accuracy and validity of studies of wind turbines as well as highly technical issues that the MMA has neither the resources or the expertise to discern;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Maine Medical Association reaffirm its position on the health threats posed by global climate change and the need to develop alternative energy sources as one way of reducing climate change, as adopted in its 2009 policy “Global Climate Change” and the enabling 2009 Resolution #4; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Maine Medical Association rescind its 2009 policy “Wind Energy and Public Health” and the enabling 2009 Resolution #7.”
It is a sad day when politic and ideology rather than empathy and medical devotion toward suffering Maine residents guides a Maine medical organisation .
I would urge the MMA to bring their immediate attention to the folks of Freedom ,Vinalhaven and Mars Hill , those local patients are eager to talk . Listen to patients is the first duty of a physician. it is not difficult to do .
…… And it would be an honest day for the discourse Life time … when you finally divulge your identity.
I’m willing to bet that the doctors of the MMA are every bit as devoted to heal the suffering of others as you are. Do you disagree? My guess is that they would rather base their actions on science, and not on blunt anti-wind politics and ideology which we see in huge measure from your anti-wind colleagues who, by the way, remain happily anonymous without comment from you.
While you criticize your fellow doctors for a lack of empathy, you pat your governor on the back as he prepares to throw tens of thousands of Mainers off of healthcare rolls. How does that make sense?
in March of 2009 , the MMA board listened to doctors Aniel and Nissenbaum alerting the Board of their concerns about the effect of noise from wind turbine as mounting literature was being reported both on the nature of wind turbines noise and on the suffering of residents worldwide.
The need for further studies and the application of the precautionary principle in the siting of wind turbines was suggested . A moratorium on further projects was recommended .Present at the meeting were Angus King and Robert Gardiner , from Independence Wind , lawyers and wind developers .An odd presence for a medical meeting., come to think about it, a successful outcome for the developers.
in March of 2009 , the MMA board listened to doctors Aniel and Nissenbaum alerting the Board of their concerns about the effect of noise from wind turbine as mounting literature was being reported both on the nature of wind turbines noise and on the suffering of residents worldwide.
The need for further studies and the application of the precautionary principle in the siting of wind turbines was suggested . A moratorium on further projects was recommended .
Present at the meeting were Angus King and Robert Gardiner , from Independence Wind , lawyers and wind developers
An odd presence for a medical meeting., come to think about it, a successful outcome for the developers
Thanks for the interesting history . Good job as usual
The mountains and ridgetops won today.
“The mountains and ridgetops won today”…. yes, won another helping of coal-fired mercury emissions.
“The strict new federal standards limiting pollution from power plants are meant to safeguard human health. But they should have an important side benefit, according to a study being released on Tuesday: protecting a broad array of wildlife that has been harmed by mercury emissions.
Songbirds and bats suffer some of the same types of neurological disorders from mercury as humans and especially children do, says the study, “Hidden Risk,” by the Biodiversity Research Institute, a nonprofit organization in Gorham, Me., that investigates emerging environmental threats.
Methylmercury, the most toxic form of the heavy metal, was found to be widespread throughout the Northeast — not just in lakes and rivers, as had already been known, but also in forests, on mountaintops and in bogs and marshes that are home to birds long thought to be at minimal risk.
The new study found dangerously high levels of mercury in several Northeastern bird species, including rusty blackbirds, saltmarsh sparrows and wood thrushes. Previous studies have shown mercury’s effects on loons and other fish-eating waterfowl, as well as bald eagles, panthers and otters. In one study, zebra finches lost the ability to hit high notes in mating songs when mercury levels rose, affecting reproduction.”
~New York Times, January 23
Industrial wind parks on Maine’s mountains do more harm than good. One of the big secrets of the wind industry is wind turbine parasitic energy. I’m no power engineer, but seeing through the lies of big wind doesn’t take much of an education, just an open mind.
http://theenergycollective.com/willem-post/57905/wind-power-and-co2-emissions
“Industrial wind parks on Maine’s mountains do more harm than good…”
I wonder if tourists realize that the fish they catch and eat from Maine’s lakes are filled with dangerous levels of mercury?
So why is the USA exporting more coal to China who are still building a coal fired power plant per week? I agree the coal burning is devastating but wind turbines will prolong it by allowing RECs to be bought allowing the coal power plants to run out of compliance. It is not for Maine to solve the midwest’s careless sloppy industries’problems. by sacrificing the mtns.
“So why is the USA exporting more coal to China…?”
Because the mighty fossil fuel conglomerates rule the USA.
Well, this is very interesting. Despite having plenty of resources, money, zealots, and hired hands, these people might not have enough signatures that are verifiable.
Could it be that Maine people are beginning to see that wind power is no panacea? That mandates are burdensome, intrusive, and anti-democratic? That this particular mandate is both unnecessary and costly?
Are we getting to the point that Mainers want the real truth about the manipulation that has been happening, with ratepayers the victims, ever since Angus King (now wind developer) led the way to de-regulation? The promise that we would have lower electricity costs with de-regulation has been broken for a long time.
Let the free market create our choices and not the dictates of zealots who want to force their expensive and environmentally costly utopian ideal of unpredictable, unreliable, ineffective wind power on the rest of us.
NRCM, so fascinated with themselves they can’t stop reading and believing their own press releases. And then one day they wake up and they are irrelevant. Maine has moved on.
A quick look at Vestas’ own published turbine specs and the government wind map of Maine clearly shows that Pisgah Mountain doesn’t have a prayer of driving those turbines anywhere near capacity except during a storm. What a wonderful deal for Maine (NOT). Buying into industrial wind is like paying twice the sticker price for a car because it comes with a pack of AAs in the glove box.
The wind industry wants us to believe that Maine is the “Saudi Arabia of Wind”. While they’ve told us this repeatedly, they’ve also told the same exact thing to citizens in many other states as part of their tired and desperate playbook.
The purpose of telling a state that “you are the Saudi Arabia of Wind” is to stimulate the “greed center” of the brain. Often when turned on, common sense goes out the window, visions of sugar plums dance in the head and one drops their guard. It’s like that email from Nigeria that tells you you are wildly rich — if you would just be so kind as to email back with your bank account number. Confidence gaming 101.
The reality is that Maine has an extremely below average onshore wind resource.
More reading on this at:
http://www.windtaskforce.org/page/maine-s-wind-is-poor
I had to dig really deep to find info on this subject……could it be that BD is not a happy camper?
They didn’t get enough signatures because the question is ambiguous and people are tiring of misleading polls which are designed to deliver a specific result. Wind power means higher costs for the ratepayers.
Their polls don’t jibe with the real polls such as 100% of ordinance votes going against wind and their failure to collect signatures with their paid army:
http://www.windtaskforce.org/page/ordinances-moratoriums
Then there are the poll results from Mass released today where virtually NOBODY wants to pay for wind powered electricity. From the Boston Globe:
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/green-electricity-finds-few-customers-in-mass-wind-farms-bring-hi
Estimates of 40 – 80 million dollar increase in rates because of NCRM and Efficiency Maine and CLF and Reed and Reed ballot initiative.=$60,000,000 / 560,000 ratepayers = $107.42 a year……
8. $44 – 88 million dollars added to your electrical bills by the ballot initiative. NOT!!!!!!
1. Reliability Maine; 8% of $30 billion for Maine would be $2.4 billion in expense for Maine ratepayers. = rate hike = 2.400,000,000 / 560,000 = $4,2857 per household.
2. Efficiency Maine , a program that places a surtax on everyone’s electric bill.
That’s an increase = rate hike.
3.Stranded cost (biomass 1980’s) to your per kilowatt hour charges—‘cha-ching’.
4. Shutting Maine Yankee before its expected lifetime added one cent to two cents to your bill–“cha-cjing’
5. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) pushed by the NRCM——add another cent.–‘cha-ching’
6. Capacity payments, the payments made to standby-on-demand industrial and commercial electricity producers, yep, pushed by these environmentalists. One cent more—‘cha-ching’.
7. Long-term contracts to the wind industry and conservation charges lobbied for by NRCM employees—another cent, ‘cha-ching’.
How many GRID scale WIND turbines does it take to supply 100 MW’s power to GRID?
How many Hydro dams?