BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 10, 2022
Heavy equipment rolled across the causeway to Sears Island Tuesday morning for a geotechnical survey done by the state of Maine that could help determine if the island is a suitable place to develop an offshore wind hub. But the rumble of machinery sounded ominous to environmental groups that want the island to stay undeveloped. Rolf Olsen, vice president of the Friends of Sears Island, said last week that the planned tree cutting and test hole boring seems problematic to him. The state will be clearing 12-foot wide pathways in a forested area in order to accommodate the equipment. A 2021 feasibility study indicated that Sears Island, which is owned by the state, might be a good place to site the wind hub. But the 940-acre island also is a conservation and recreation area, and those who love it are not in favor of building the port there.