BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 15, 2024
Gov. Janet Mills wants to roll back protections for the sand dunes that partially make up the state’s preferred site for a landmark offshore wind terminal. The Democratic governor’s bill, which was submitted this week by Rep. Gerry Runte, D-York, a member of the Legislature’s energy committee, is aimed at clearing the way for the terminal. The Mills administration picked Sears Island in Searsport over nearby Mack Point as its preferred staging ground for shipping wind components out to sea. The state’s preference for Sears Island has been controversial, and it has been opposed by some conservationists plus an eclectic coalition of conservatives, progressives and tribes. Mills’ move to roll back existing environmental laws could add fuel to their arguments.