BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 8, 2024
I’ve spent a good part of my career saying no to bad ideas, and have no regrets. But we have reached a point where we must learn how to say yes. Maine is in the process of picking a location to build a new port that is necessary to develop new offshore wind energy in federal waters off the state’s beautiful coast. Sears Island is undoubtedly a treasured place for many people, and the development of a 100-acre port would undoubtedly transform the setting. Those of us who are serious about stopping climate change and mitigating its worst impacts must be willing to make hard decisions and to say yes to projects that are critical to reducing our carbon pollution and reinvesting in our local economies. Projects like the offshore wind port in Maine give us a fighting chance to stave off the existential crisis of climate change while creating high-quality union jobs, a winning combination. Let’s not miss our shot. ~ Bill McKibben