BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 27, 2023
A proposed wind power and transmission project in Aroostook County would be the largest land-based wind project east of the Mississippi. As state energy regulators, environmental advocates, the governor’s office, Maine’s public advocate and others have stressed, this renewable energy project can play an important role in meeting Maine’s climate goals. It also has the potential to lower energy costs in the long term. Skepticism, both in Aroostook County and along the potential path of the proposed power line, could unravel the project. This would be a familiar but unfortunate turn of events. If the answer is always “not in my backyard,” needed updates to our energy and other critical infrastructure will never get built in any part of the state. Instead, the current skepticism should improve the wind and transmission project. This should include increased local benefits and minimized local negative impacts.