BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 5, 2024
By selecting Sears Island as the site for its offshore wind manufacturing facility, Maine puts the proverbial cart before the horse. A full and objective alternative analysis comparing Sears Island with other possible offshore wind manufacturing sites does not exist. The PUC continues to struggle over cost issues and has not approved a power purchase agreement for the research array. Available site analysis and engineering shows that a robust offshore wind manufacturing, assembling and launching facility can be built at Mack Point to achieve Maine’s laudable offshore wind objectives. All of this suggests an enormous business and political component to the decision to develop Sears Island instead of Mack Point that overshadows the obvious environmental issues. Yet it is environmental and climate change issues that drive this offshore wind initiative. The need for open, transparent public communication could not be greater. ~ Stephen Miller, Islesboro Islands Trust