Another fine example of Mainers envoking the " not in my back yard" stance. These are the same people two months ago that were crying a river over the price of oil.If this State is going to look outside the box for our energy needs then its time to do just that. If it means a wind farm in a parking lot of a church..Say Amen. The enviro nazi's will fight every project that comes down the pike. When we're paying eight dollars a gallon for heating oil ask any Mainer if he gives two shits about the migration habits of the yellow winged blackfooted pee pee bird! Bet his answer will be NO. Wake UP Lincoln. If your not part of the solution your part of the problem. Its time you send your Berkinstock wearing lawyer packing.

this project does absolutely nothing to reduce fuel nor electrical cost as almost if not all of the power will be going out of state. i could perhaps buy this project if before the ink dries some deal could be made to put a certain amount of the electricty be used in the area to reduce local cost of power. if not. put it in russ hermons front yard and watch him bitch then

Start Building it in my front yard...Please

bs and i am not talking about a college degree

your arguments are very weak russ...maybe you should try to get on the lincoln planning board

The funniest thing about this story is its in Lincoln. Having worked at Lincoln Pulp and Paper I find it extremely ironic that the people in this town would even remotely bitch about a clean energy source. Lincoln is the home of the biggest enviromental diaster that they call the " mill". I have waded through black liquor rivers to get to the area in the mill I was working in. They worry about wind noise and yet they live in a town that seagull's hold their breath while they fly over it...go figure

RussHermon, do you actually KNOW ANYTHING about wind power? Chances are YOU haven't read anything about wind power. You are just one of those people jumping on the bandwagon, because you think it will save you all kinds of money on your taxes. IT WON"T! Furthermore, who do you think will be paying for the costs of the transmission lines? Mainers will pay, not First wind. Why do you think Baldacci is all for new transmission lines in the state, saying we need them? We don't need them, but First wind does, so they can put even more Industrial Wind sites in Maine. Maine already produces all the power we need in this state. While Mainers pay for the transmission lines, the power will go out of state, and First wind will make all the money. Is that really something we NEED in Maine? Times are tight right now, and the state is making cuts everywhere, including breakfast programs to senior citizens, why should we pay to make First wind rich? You also say that "These are the same people two months ago that were crying a river over the price of oil". Do you know that for a fact???? Sounds like an "off the wall" statement to me. This is not a good solution for Lincoln, "home of the 13 lakes" what a way to change an area quick! I know I live near the Stetson Mountain site. The added traffic to our road has been unreal for the last year! We used to live on a quiet country road, that is why we moved here over 25 years ago. It is not that way anymore, and I can understand why a landowner would say "It is my land to do with what I want to", but when it effects ALL your neighbors for miles around, I am wondering who is really the "GOOD NEIGHBOR" it is not like we moved into an Industrial site, knowing it was there first. I hope The friends of Lincoln Lakes and their lawyer, wins this one, but unfortunately I am afraid they won't. The town of Lincoln should be changing the friendly signs, HOME OF 13 LAKES to- HOME OF INDUSTRIAL WIND- I hope they are ready for whats to come. It ain't pretty!

ruby.......if it is left to the appeals board or the town council regardless of adverse opinion as to the project..........FORGET IT-THE CASE WILL BE LOST

I wonder if it stinks like Bailyville. I was there the other day and the black smoke or what ever it was was pouring out. Why can't you at-least put these wind mills where they are some what out of site. I'm sure there are places in "THE COUNTY" that they could go.

Ruby it seems to me that you might be another person that wants to keep Maine the ways its been for years...POOR. Another person that wants to keep Maint nice and quaint, so MaryJo Vanderbelt and her 2.5 kids can come up here in the summer time for two week out of the year and say " aww isn't this beautiful". Yet the other 11 months out of the year we can stave to death. The industry in this state is dying and has been.The people in this state should jump at the chance for ANY industrial revenue. Their called JOBS Ruby.

let me clear up a point.....the "mill" in lincoln has in the last several years reduced the odor problem and also the putting diohe xins into the penobsco was addressed by the "mill" by changing the bleaching prcess. granted they didnt completely remove the odor completely but give them credit where credit is due.

using russ' line of thought "The people in this state should jump at the chance for ANY industrial revenue" ....sounds like you would have accepted hitler to improve our lot in life

Who cares what it smells like...people are working!...........( today)

LOL Keep typing Naked your making my point for me.

i have lived here many years and i commend the former lp and p for their efforts.

Hate to burst your bubble Russ, but I don't care about "maryJo Vanderbelt" coming here in the summer. I care about how much MAINE folks can afford.We sure can't afford higher taxes to pay for First winds projects! And once the towers are up, do you think its going to bring that many jobs to the state? I agree, Maine does need more jobs in the area, but how about something that will put people to work for years, not just a few months.

let me have your address russ so i can send you your rush linbaugh t shirt

The wind companies come into Maine and herald that Maine is the Saudi Arabia of wind. Well, I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but they tell this to every state they come into. It's part of the con. The reality is the only good wind in Maine is offshore or in the western mountains. If you look at the wind resource map, interior Maine, including Aroostook and Penobscot counties has terrible wind resources. See for yourself at:http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_maps_none.asp Just click on Maine. So why are they coming into places like Aroostook and Penobscot? The answer is simple - they are not harvesting wind but really are harvesting the 1.9 cents per KW government subsidy, otherwise known as your hard earned money. The scammers are out in force and they are preying on municipalities that they feel won't offer them any resistance. Read more here: http://www.wind-watch.org/ It's high time that all towns in Maine formulate policies with respect to this SCAM. I'd also say FOLLOW THE MONEY.

NakedSoul...I'd have to disagree with the odor issues. I live in town Lincoln about 2 miles away, and I think there has been more of an odor since the new owners established. I also get the "white stuff" quite frequently which I never got before. My car now has the mill stink in it for a while after a lengthy occurence of the odor. This can't be good for the local environment.

Ruby I would like to think in the very near future that the power produced in Maine will stay in Maine. I would also like to think that our legislature would have the vison to make that a reality. I have serious doubts about the latter. One thing that no one can argue is the fact that tough times are here and tougher is comming. There are many people with young children that would jump at the chance to get " a few months work". I do not look to our governor for ANY solutions. I have lived and worked in Maine my whole life. On thing that i can say for certain is that times in Maine go from bad to worse. Naked the next time your frying dough boys at Smokey's Greater shows calling it a job....Have one for me

i spoke of lp and p's efforts. before you moved in from out of state you should have drove west of town which rarely smells the mill and you should have bought property there. as for the white stuff....the "mill" gives out free car washesat the local car wash business.

We still have laws in this state that preserve public process. A ramroded project like this, with a mechanism honed by Firstwind for years, and then the allowed perversion of the process by the state (Expeditied Process) has been exposed here. The real legal process will first begin now. There are legitimate places to put these turbines, but not in a lake community, with many other ways to develop its economy. A residential development in this area, with valuable lake area and ridges being utilized, would be one thing. But industrial development , where it clearly is not allowed , discussed and pushed in what appears to be an illegal manner, is another. Just watch the planning board discuss a small subdivision. Everything will be picked over, using every check mark in the ordinance, and this project did not even get a site visit by the board! They bent words, for some reason, to permit it. A few wealthy land owners look for quick bucks, and commiunity be damned. Thanks to lawyers like Lynne Wiliams, the law will be upheld. Appropriate development will be done. Companies like Firstwind must be held accountable for their quasi-legal actions. Where is their ethics code in Maine? They don't have one here, because our legisalture was lobbied by this company and others at the same time Firswind was being sued in New York State. Wake up Maine, do not expedite a tax scheme , all your citizens will pay for , over and over again. Yes, we need alternative power, properly developed , in appropriate areas, done in an economical manner. NOT A WIND RUSH, with little thought of the long term consequences ., to pay Firstwinds CEO, out of our pockets, 1.5 million a year for his salary. Not out or our pockets please , for an energy scheme, for little power production, in places they dont belong.SURPRISE , THERE IS LEGAL PROCESS AND IT IS ALIVE AND WELL IN LINCOLN!

i bet you miss the strip shows at the fairs russ

First, let me say that if the city would let me, I'd put a windmill on my front lawn today. Secondly, I believe that Lincoln is a wonderful place for a wind farm. It's already an industrialized community, so people are used to that element. Also, there are plenty of people in need of jobs there, so it will help the local economy. Lastly, if you can't develop a wind farm in a rural community in a rural State, where are they supposed to go? Rural Maine is an ideal location.

lincoln is not as rural as bangorian would make you think. to begin with being a feeder for 23 other area communities and it is still growing in population over the last 10 years.

I remember when SOMEBODY managed to make what $26 MILLION dollars off the TAXPAYERS of Maine for NOT building a biomass plant in Aroostook Co.? I believe that wind power may be a helpful solution, but I have to wonder, very carefully, and ask: is it directly profitable, or is this simply another carefully crafted taxpayer-funded BOONDOGGLE that we will come to regret? Nobody seems to be addressing that question. If the profits are purely taxpayer funded tax breaks, and any actual benefit to the taxpayer, in the form of reduced electric rates, will never occur, then people should be screaming bloody murder.

i proposed the idea of no electrical rate reduction as a benifit. i cant see where first wind has proposed any such idea.

Bangorean, some people are already "screaming bloody murder" we need more people to do it! I think many Mainers are coming to realize that maybe this isn't such a great thing after all! I hope lawyer Lynne Williams fights this for all she is worth! Stop the SCAM now!

jaygee is completely misinformed. There are a number of viable wind locations in Aroostook County, supported by wind data being collected by numerous anemometers. Wind developers cannot count on tax credits that expire year after year - the electricity generation and the REC values provide 75-90% of wind farm income. FACT . . .

We welcome First Wind...and we are even looking into buying our own wind generator for our back yard. It's amazing!!! GOOD CLEAN ENERGY :)

OMG...I guess I owe LPand P an appology..I wasn't aware they give free car washes to help the enviroment. I'm glad they finaly got a handle on the toxins they spew into the air.

eyeroll

lincoln mom on planning or appeal board in lincoln?

I'd still like to see the numbers. I own a KISS windgen on a boat. Works great and I fully understand the principles and limitations. I also know how much noise these things throw off in varying degrees, depending on the manufacturer. I also, again, distinctly recall another tax boondoggle that involved biomass boilers (ie., the Chester plant) that cost taxpayers shitpiles of money and the only benefit was to the individual (Mr. H) that owned them in terms of the amounts he made off the taxpayers. IF there is no environmental impact and IF there is not direct or indirect cost to the taxpayer and IF the taxpayers BENEFIT somehow for putting up with noise, ugliness or whatever occurs, fine. Fly over Sacramento some time. Just south off the river is the Vestas site (often touted on PBS as providing funding for various shows). It is both eerily pleasant and ugly looking at once, but it is MILES from anyone's home. 400 foot towers or something like that. I looked down on it a couple months ago. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want that in my town - IN my town - unless the direct benefit was measurable and guaranteed.

LincolnMom, bet you don't care about your neighbors either! There is nothing AMAZING about these towers, just maybe the price tag! Hope you don't plan on getting rich from having your very own tower, or making friends with your neighbors! What will you do if the nacelle catches fire? Because they can, I have seen quite a few pictures of them on fire, and also the blades disintigrating and flying all over the place. Or when the ice gathers on the propellers, then when they start turning and the ice gets thrown off at your neighbors homes and maybe even the children who live close by. Some of the ice throws can be as long as 5 feet and very thin. Sounds kinda dangerous to me to have them so close to peoples homes. Oh ya, what about if the oil leaks out of them into your yard? They do use oil, and lots of it. Nothing like good clean energy... :( THINK POEPLE...

windfuture wrote:

"jaygee is completely misinformed"

Sorry but look at the windmaps. How much money do you stand to make?

Yes Ruby..Lets stop planes from flying...they might crash....Lets stop oil trucks from driving on our roads.. they ruin our roads and they might crash and leak oil into our yards....Lets blow up our dams ...they kill fish...Lets ban solar panels...the glare might blind us....Nuke plants...well theres a whole host of reasons for that...Natural gas power plants might blow up...Did I miss any sources of energy that Might impact our lives in a negitive way? Maybe the next time you plug your curling iron in you ought to think where the juice might be comming from.

having spoken to prime planner in town regarding this project i would like to say this......im not sure totally on environmental impact but as it sits there will be no negotiation as to cost of electricity reduction. for local townspeople ..isnt gonna happen and....we will be forced to give first wind a TIF which greatly reduces amount of tax they will have to pay to the townfor many years. and no one has thr right to go to the town office presently and ask to see what information has been talked about in negotiation until and after the town council reviews the proposals....what ever happened to fredom of information act. i best go look at the patriot act and see if that right has been axed in the name of national security.

Well, Russ, IF I did use a curling iron the juice to run it would definately NOT be coming from the wind towers in Maine! You seem to be fighting awful hard for these SCAM artists, maybe theres a little something in it for you?

Pro wind farmers say jobs..progress...money for Lincoln.There are 5 full time jobs for the Mars Hill wind farm. The money Washington County received for the Stetson Mt. wind farm has to be returned partly for development . Since LURC stipulates unorganized territories can't develop, except for wind farms....where is the money going? Well ..the people of Perry did not want the LNG facility there . Now there is talk of forcing it on them..using tax payer's money to ruin the evvironment and force inustry where it isn't wanted. Most of the business around Stetson Mt. is propped up by tourism. Out of state license plates at the little convenience stores and the grocery store in Danforth most of the year. Now, our state govt. has streamlined the regulations to allow wind farms in ME for expediency. So the hearing by LURC for stetson II will not be public. Somebody needs to figure out why these new laws always benefit the wind farm industry and not people.

No..I'm just bringing light to the fact that for ever source of energy that people try to produce there is a moon bat waiting to protest it...

russ stand up and type for awhile i think your brain needs oxygen you arent getting ,sitting on it...smiles

Pro wind farmers always say jobs...progress...money for towns. The Mars Hill wind farm employs 5 full time employees. Part of the money for towns has to be returned for development. The new Stetson Mt. wind farm is in Washington County. Since LURC specifies no business in unorganized territory except wind farms. Where to spend the money. Perry did not want the LNG facility. Now there is talk of putting it there anyway. Perry is in Washington county. Is this part of that development money that has to be spent? Corporations often receive tax payer money to bring in jobs. Wouldn't it be something if tax payer dollars are not only paying for wind farms but also used to push unwanted industry down our throats. There is not much in the way of jobs around Stetson Mt. Tourism is the heart and soul of what is left. The little Danforth grocery store is full in the spring, summer and fall with out of staters. Now ..the new Stetson II proposed LURC hearing will not be open to the public. ..right at Danforth. Laws are changed as needed to expedite wind farms coming to ME. Why the rush? Do they forsee tax payer money running out? Or could it be First Wind is over 500 million in debt and about to fall ?

We need to STOP burning up the Earth. Using oil, natural gas, coal or wood are all doing that. Wind, Solar and Water power are the only solutions and like it or not it needs to happen. The sooner the better.

And yes, Lincoln stinks just l;ike Baileyville. Breathing in those odors isn't healthy. Car washes ---how about house and yard washes too ?

What ever the reason for the rush to build wind farms all over the state of Maine. ...we have to ask why the current administration is so willing to bend rules and even make new laws to help the wind farm industry to the detriment of Mainers. When we here at Stetson Mt. heard we were going to get a wind farm . we immediately started calling First Wind. For 6 weeks to 2 months... we only got an answering machine . The day our calls were returned from Matt Kearn(project manager for Stetson Mt)..... he wanted to come out to see us. He came out a few days later and met with us. That same day May 22, '07...our state legislature passed imminent domain for transmission lines. ( ME did not have enough transmission lines for Stetson) THAT WAS THE LAST DAY TO FILE INTERVENOR STATUS WITH LURC. Intervenor status would have allowed us to go to all the hearings and have a lawyer. Our questions were never answered ...or blatant untruths. LURC gave us the First Wind phone number. It did not seem to bother them that this multi million dollar corporation did not have a secretary to answer the phone. It was synchronized with state govt.

Sorry for the typo..emminent domain...

They should force a LNG plant in Perry. Good jobs with benefits would come.

The full legal process will be used in Lincoln. Ramrodding, stone-walling, lack of return calls,2 minute citizen responses required by the planning board, bending of town land use ordinances, secret discussions if they exist, other subterfuge will be examined. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is being utillzed ,as Lisa Goodwin, Town Manager of Lincoln, has stated in her weekly newsletter by this group as well.

The legal process is just beginning there. Other processes (it seems to some), may have been in use for some time now .

eastmainer, putting up wind towers as far as the eye can see will not stop us from using coal, natural gas,oil or wood! We still need the coal fired plants to take over when the wind isn't blowing at least 15 miles an hour, and again when it blows more than 50 miles an hour because at those speeds (or somewhere near those speeds) the towers have to shut down. I also wonder how much energy will be lost in the transmission lines getting what power they do produce to another state. Seems to me if Mainers have to deal with looking at them and having the power lines buzzing over our heads that we are the ones that should KEEP the power! If we had a smart Govorner, he might have done this for the state he works for and not be sending any power it does produce to Massachusetts. It might be easier to take, then what we are getting for dealing with this MESS! But then its Baldacci.. I can't think of one good thing he has done for this state, so why should he change now. He is the wind power Yes man, so easily scammed.

You all seem to miss the fact that electricity is like water. I flows were the demand is. I will flow out of state only when we produce more power with wind than the state of maine is using. The green power can be sold to someone who need to buy the green credits, but we would have a long way to go before we produce more wind power KWHs than are being used in the state.

If Maine is already producing enough power for the whole state, where and how is it produced? Or is it hear-say that this is really happening.

To all you anti windmill opponents, what's your solution to an increase of electricity to power your green cars? Liberals suck. You want to be oil independent, but yet you never have an answer or approve an alternative that makes sense. Typical Democrats, complain, complain, complain. No wonder this country is so screwed up.

linkesc14, what green cars? I don't even see the wind poeple driving by in "green cars" They all use those gas guzzling SUVs when they drive by here! Haven't seen one green energy car! Now you would think if they wanted to "save the country" like they say they do, they would be using more gas efficient vehicles! Stetson Mountain has seen more gas guzzlers this year than ever before.All in the name of clean energy.

Hey, all you liberals, come on, what's your answer to oil independence? I want to hear your stupid ideas.

RubyRose, your right, there are no green cars, cause you Libs haven't come up with a better idea. You just oppose everything.

linkesc14 and what is YOUR great idea? Wind towers? hahahahahahahahahahah

Stevey Dee....Gas and pulp wood are used in Maine. The pulp wood gives true jobs to Mainers . not just road work in the building. Maine has more power than they need. It is in the newspapers and websites such as windaction.org or windwatch.org. So if rate payers have to pay for wind farms and transmission lines; what is the benefit for us? The money coming back to communities have stipulations attached. Often growth that is not good for us or the environment. If change is truly beneficial to us , why the secrecy, change in laws and urgency. I have found secrecy ususlly means something smells. A resident of Mars Hill is saying her property taxes went down $100.00 the first year, a drop in the bucket for her. Then they went right back up.First Wind would not even say where the power generated would go after the Mars Hill wind farm started up. The town thought it would go to them. It went to Canada. That is what secrecy gets us. Our elected officals are responsible for the common good. The attorney general's office , our state and federal representatives have all said this is not their concern. The laws they impose on us are their concern...the problem. Is this democracy?

Never judge a book by its cover! I have been told that Friends of Lincoln Lakes has all political persuasions in the group. They are not all "liberals", what ever that is.

They are concerned citizens, who believe in utilizing all energy options, be they clean coal, solar, nuclear, hydro, wind, gas, oil, etc, in an appropriate, well planned , legal manner. Power generation must meet the same standards as any other well run business. Tax subsidies will run out for BIG WIND. If they are that great, wean them off their food, and let them exist on their own. They are "Big TAX PIGGIES", milking tax dollars from us all , ruining communities for little gain, in an expedited, foolish process lobbied by them, to naive legislatures. This is the pork that Obama, and McCain ran against! It is apolitical. Common sense is just that, accross all party lines, in common..

It will be interesting to hear what your Messiah elect has for an idea. Ha Ha Ha ha

RubyRose: when the power lines in the state are put up it will create work for at least a few people, and that is how our economy works. Also, I live in Lincoln and, although wind power isn't going to fix it, I did cry about the price of gas and oil in this town. I have seen gas cost 10cents more per gallon than it has at the same time in Milford, even more than it has cost in Winn at a store owned by the same man that owns a gas station in Lincoln. That man owns many business in town and we do not begrudge him, why should we descriminate against First Wind? They just want to do business, they have the permits & again, it will bring some quality jobs, if at least for a while. This is how the economy works.

You will have a good shot in court if the zoning board does not uphold the bylaw. Lincoln should have gone through the public process of amending its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to provide for wind farms as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in the areas deemed appropriate for such development. Boards cannot simply overlook the language of their governing laws because a developer is promising tax relief. On the larger issue of heavily subsidized wind power invading the state, its important to understand that Central Maine Power and First Wind are both owned by the Spanish conglomerate Iberdola. CMP is proposing to charge rate payers over one billion dollars to build transmission lines to the remote areas where First Wind is proposing to build wind farms so that Iberdola can reap the benefits of 2 cents per KW in direct tax credits, the ability to write off the investment in less than 5 years (most businesses must use 20 year depreciation), the ability to sell green credits to non Iberdola owned generating plants, which are obligated to purchase them under Renewable Portfolio Standards legislation. Even with these upgraded lines, a large percentage of the electricity will be lost "in transit". Angus King has been quoted saying that wind power will reduce the transfer of wealth to foreign countries, but last time I checked Spain was a foreign country. Until cost effective storage of electricity is developed, wind generated electricity will provide very little capacity to the grid due to the constantly changing and uncontrollable nature of the wind. Wind power requires conventional simultaneous by other more reliable sources to even out the peaks and valleys. Wind power is not green, unless you consider green to be the color of the money that Mainers will fork over to Iberdola.

Attorney Genral Cumo in upstae New York investigated First Wind over allegatios that they bribed or intimidated municipal officials to approve wind projects.The company also agreed not to compensate the relatives of officials deciding the fate of wind power installations.

Mr Cumo has set-up a task force to enforce the new WIND INDUSTIAL ETHICS CODE. Lincoln should look into adapting these guidelines for these Indusrtrial wind sites.

We in Mars Hill have seen the promise of job's that did not happen, no eklectricity, lower property values, and there own figures show that they only generated 31% of ther projection for 2008.

Wake up Maine this gigantic scam is coming here to generate MONEY not electricity!! It's to late for us in Mars Hill we have to live with this mess. I pray you suceed in your fight to save the place you live...we didn't.

Steve Thurton...stunning information. Cleantech recommends stock for good alternative energy corporations. In order to be classified as good..they have to earn revenue from existing business. With First Wind in lawsuits every where ..in debt and using shoddy equipment..one wonders how they are stacking up these days. Pay for play in Ill. is all over the TV and print news. Since our federal , state elected employees and the attorney general's office says wind farms are not their concern...You have to wonder if pay for play might be going on in Maine. After all, many of them wrote the legislation that got them here in the first place. When as citizens , we have concerns about health , quality of life and real estate values plummeting around the wind farms.... we are minimized and worse . Is this democracy?

I asked the opposition of the wind farms several articles ago: if no wind farms, then what is your answers to the town current problems? Again I remind you, the public works needs a new building and a new sweeper, the town office, a new ladder truck for the fire department, the rec building, and the library expansion all need to be addressed. Whats your answers to raise revenue for these issues? I wait with eagerness for real answers, not insults.

A lot of this supposed revenue goes back to First Wind. Other has stipulations attached so it doesn't really help with day to day meeting budget obligations. If you will notice, the insults all come from pro wind farm people. They are mostly meant to cause lack of interest in discussion. The comments from pro wind farmers were so vile the friends of lincoln lakes took their website down.

which town councilamn/woman are you localresident?

correction councilman...god forbid i make a spelling error

I'm interested in how long Central Maine Electric and First Wind have been owned by Iberdola. They were both sued by Surpec for not paying for a transformer in Mars Hill. They used the old check is in the mail for delivery. Then said the transformer was unmerchantable. Then they used it in Mars Hill. These shoddy business practices were known when LURC rezoned Setson Mt. for yet another wind farm.

That is Surplec....you can google for a transcript of the trial.

localresident, you asked what Lincoln should do about their current problems. You know we Mainers have learned over the years, we are tough people. We have also learned yes, there are lots of new toys and even things we REALLY need to live on that we would like to have. But we have also learned if we don't have the money for that shiney new "toy" we fix up the old one and move on. Get over it and deal with it. It's too bad our towns and government can't see it that way, especially now with the economy so bad. As far as street sweepers in Lincoln, maybe if you put some of the kids that are always getting in trouble out to sweeping after school, you wouldn't need cameras in town to monitor them at night. They would be home sleeping, where they should be, and you would'nt need to pay, how much? for a street sweeper. Thats one problem solved. Not trying to insult, just stating what I have read here in the news.

What is best for the local community is not what First Wind is concerned about. It's all about the money that they will make at the expense of Lincoln's way of life and scenery. First Wind will strong arm their way to get the project if needed. Has anyone noticed, that although the project has not been approved by D.E.P. or local authorities, First Wind is already hauling in turbine parts and staging them in the Lincoln area? They know they will get this project approved, like it or not....

Ruby are you actually advocating child labor? My my my...You think you have met resistance here today with your " anti any kind of power" views?..Try putting kids to work and watch the liberal moon bats come out of the wood work...The bottom feeding ACLU whackos will come out of the rocks they are hiding under.

Naked Soul, I am not on the planning board, appeals board or council or any other board, I'm just an average joe trying to get by just like all the rest. I was just curious to see if you people have any answers. At least Ruby Rose was grown up enough to take a stab at it, and I agree with her.

oh and one more thing, its hard to fix the old one when the parts you need to fix the problems aren't made anymore. Things do become obsolete, over time.

RussHermon, its not the children in lincoln I am talking about. And no, I don't think I have met with as much resistance here today as you seem to think I have! Go back and read Russ, most here have been against WIND, not for them. The tides are turning as people realize what a scam it all is! You are also putting words in my mouth by saying I am "anti any kind of power" I have not said one thing about any other kind of power, other than wind, so just how would you be able to say that statement?

Well, if a group of windmills won't cut it, I guess we'll just have to put up a nuclear power station instead.

"putting up wind towers as far as the eye can see will not stop us from using coal, natural gas,oil or wood!".....As far as street sweepers in Lincoln, maybe if you put some of the kids that are always getting in trouble....Am i missing something?

I agree Wspahn....A nuclear power plant in lincoln would be great. That and the free car washes and the low whine of wind turbines would make that rural little village a Eutopia....

Just whats between your ears, Russ....

Eutopia? is that in Ethiopia? can see the brilliance of russ shining thru.

well I can see that I'll get no ideas from naked soul

lets hear your plan minus the wind power plan mr answer man

Lincoln is every bit as rural as I think it it - it may be a feeder to 23 towns, but they are podunk towns. I saw build away - windmills will benefit alot of people while having a direct impact on relatively few. Kind of like the mill.

I just let her type Local....When you wonder if someone is a simpleton on this blog....sit back watch em type...read the nothing they put out...and let them convince you.....Smile.....Go bake something Naked...quit while your ahead.

Here one- raise taxes. How about another, lets forget about the whole thing and go back to bed. Theres two, bad ones but two ideas nonetheless. I'm up 2-0.

Lincoln isn't rural???

Feeder to 23 communities.....like who? Haynesville??? Macwahoc???? Hell, compared to the rest of the country Bangor is rural.

The County folks to your North think your town smells terrible...and has since I came to the earth in 1972!

I too am blown away that the good people of Lincoln, Maine can sream about the environmental hazards and property value degridation with "worst smelling mill in Maine" right in your back yard.

I've worked sappi, rumford, milllinocket, Both Domtar mills and even spent some time fix'n that hunk of junk in Jay.

Lincoln is the worst smelling town in Maine because of that mill. Rumford is close.....but Lincoln has it beat hands down.

That's got to be the worst property value killer in the world! Well....next to a thriving petaphile comunity.

I don't know anyone looking for a camp in Maine that has even considered a lake in the Lincoln area. Hell....I've heard people talk about leaving cold stream pond becuase of the smell from Lincoln.....and cold stream is one of the best lakes cold water fisheries in the state....but the mill just stinks soooooooo bad!

Lincoln just sucks....Plain and Simlple!

Do you think that suck'n so bad has led to the bitterness we're seeing here today?????

I wouldn't be suprised!

Decide on it by taking it to a vote.By the people who live in that town.

I think wind turbines look majestic. It doesn't matter if the power will directly benefit the screaming moon bats. If Lincoln doesn't accept First Wind's proposal then First Wind will go somewhere else. The moon bats will then be excited that they won, but then they will complain about their taxes going up. Having attended all of the meeting concerning First Wind, I have yet to hear and of the Friends of Lincoln Lakes say anything accept NIMBY. They repeatedly attended all of the meetings and said the same thing over and over. Never an original thought after the first meeting, just the same handful of people saying the same thing to hear themselves talk. When you attempt to have a conversation with a member of this group it goes nowhere. If you agree with them you are ok, but if you question their integrity they jump all over...typical moon bats. I hope that the Appeals Board finds in favor of the Planning Boards decision and the Friends have to take this to court. It will cost the Town of Lincoln several thousand dollars in attorney fees and the same for the Friends, and in the end all of this will only benefit the attorney's. First Wind will develop somewhere, if not Lincoln, and taxpayers will be footing the bill for new transmission lines and subsidies to companies like First Wind, and Lincoln won't receive any Tax Revenue at all thanks to a few moon bats. It is just ludicrous for Friends of Lincoln Lakes to think they represent a majority.

Everyone needs to remember that this is private property and First Wind is a private entity. Therefore, all of you moon bats need to stick your hands back in your pockets and not expect a handout. People like you are the ones that put us in this economical mess we are in.

Yes to WIND MILLS. Yes to Nuclear, and drill baby drill.

just to set the record straight-when you do a search on the maine sex offender registry for lincoln the following is fact:

6 are actually from lincolnville beach

1 from massachusetts

1 from california

1 from millinocket

1 from lee

1 from medford

1 from houlton

1 from caribou

1 from amherst maine

1 from augusta

1 from chester

1 from new york

2 others from away

2 from lincoln

and as we all know the law makes it impossible to keep outside offenders from relaocating. so next time you attack the morals and goodness of people from lincoln-read the entire fact sheet. and furthermore if you live further north than here your property values arent much if any better than here.

Naked was you infront of KFC today protesting?

Kfc has nothing on my cooking and i am better looking than those two. why would you talk about your siblings that way....out in snow storm with bikinis

local resident, the answer to the town's problems are businesses that offer employment and keep dollars circulating in the community, such as the mill has done for so many years. To replace the jobs lost to mill closures Maine needs to encourage sustainable forestry to make chips for wood gasification furnaces and boilers, which should replace oil burners in basements. Larger scale wood gasification generating facilities (biomass plants) should be Maine's choice for renewable electrical generation, not wind turbines. Biomass plants provide dispatchable electricity on demand, as opposed to wind turbines which produce electricity when they damn well please. Where do your property taxes come from in Lincoln? What percentage of the grand list are second homes and lake front property? These property values need to be protected. Monstrous arm waving machines on the ridges above the lakes are not in keeping with the peaceful character of the area that makes lakefront property so desirable. The wind industry promises what they think you want to hear. What they deliver is an assault on your community.

Steve Thurston, you had an excellent comment! We need more like you running our towns and govornment!

After Steve Thurston brought the information here about First Wind and Eastern Maine Electric being owned by Iberdola out of Spain, the pro wind farm comments really stepped up.Same pattern on the Friends of Lincoln Lakes website that had to close due to nonsensical child like name calling. Let's be adult . This is news to many of us . The property taxes from out of towners is also important. Thanks Steve.

Friend heard over her police scanner that all the parts for Stetson II will be in by the end of the week. Did they even bother this time to have a so called hearing? Also the scanner picked up "Even the truckers don't know when they will start moving for the Rollins project." So ..ME govt. First Wind and the truckers know what is going on in our back yards...but we don't . Could this be the reason there is no news about Stetson Mt. going online. They want them all to go at once. I live 2.2 miles from the Stetson Mt. wind farm . I have heard a sound like a loud jet...longer than the normal flying over head plane noise. My neighbor lives 3 miles away. He heard it this morning. There are many trees between us. In Lincoln and the surrounding areas there will not be buffers. Mars Hill noise has still not been resolved. First Wind paid for 2 noise studies which an outside engineer declared bogus. Wonder if First wind is borrowing money for bribery purposes . Our state govt. is sure doing everything to destroy Maine.

I went to stetson mnt. I was within a quarter mile to the west of the and couldn't hear anything .We then drove southeast at the same distance and herd them for the first time the sounded like a jet way up in the sky . We then drove a mile away and still to the southeast and could still hear them At two miles could still hear them and on a ridge at three miles I could still hear them but just barely.I live two miles from the first tower on rollins mnt to the southeast .THERE GOES MY SERENITY .Rinkin dinkin stinkin lincoln thinkin.Majority rules additude bought by HC Haynes and Gardner at work again .Haynes bought off Lee Academy with money from Stetson Mnt to get the votes in Lee and Winn .Jay Haynes is God to these stupid people. Greed is there God. Why not be the only state who doesnt have windmills as far as the eye can see people would come to Maine just to see that someday . Keep Maine Vacation land. Maine people taking in in the rear from M@*&#^!s, what else is new.

yackidy, yackidy, yack, You Maine people are wacked. You don;t seem to know what you want, and all talk like you are soooo darn smart. Ha!!!!!! Saying no to everything, is so easy. What about some alternatives???? Haven't heard one yet. Suckers!!!!!!!!!

linkesc14, apparently YOU are not from Maine, so what is it to you, what we Mainers want? Go back to the rock you crawled out from under! I have not seen anything inteligent come out of your mouth, or are you just one of the wind people who post under annonymous names, and TRY to make us all mad using your childish name calling. If your not from Maine or live in Maine get over it and go somewhere else, I think I hear your Mommy calling you now.See Ya Bye!

IownMaine..Good observation . The sounds are different depending on where you are. The sound I heard was jet in the sky as well. Louder than any routine plane sounds. Then again today right beside an air filter with all the windows closed, of course, I heard it again. This is exactly what First Wind tries to down play. But..if there isn't a noise problem why was it necessary for them to pay for their own noise studies in Mars Hill.They were not properly done. Goodness knows they don't waste money. Only spend for "gifts." for local businessmen and politicians Windaction.org has a post up saying they had to be forced to pay 1.2 million to repair roads they ruined in NY. But we have had woops I never knew kind of govt. for a long time. And now that the turbines are almost all in for Stetson II....wonder what their excuse will be. for never having a hearing. Or did the legislature change the laws again for First wfind.

Northwoodsmainiac have you been to any of the Lincoln lakes besides the one in the middle of town? you cant smell the mill from long pond or places like that so how would the smell affect the property value if there is nothing to smell? Also Rumford is a lot worse than lincoln smell wise. RussHermon you sound like a little child that has nothing better to do than to put other people down without any facts. you sound like a teenager that cant get his way. who knows maybe you, not having your high school degree, helps you stay in the middle school way of thought processing. i find it very amusing how you think there is technology out there that is Truly clean energy. sorry bud the boat hasn't landed yet. the people who are for the wind farm, do you know both sides of the story or do you just believe everything you hear on TV? to be intelligent means to lean both sides of the story and make an EDUCATED decision not just to go with the flow. and no people from the group friends of lincoln lakes are not tree huggers or hippies we are people who have looked at the whole situation and found that it is not beneficial to lincoln to approve this wind farm and i almost hope that it is approved because i will piss myself laughing when people who were for the wind farm come back and want it taken down due to disturbance of peace and a scar on a once awesome hunting, fishing, sledding, place to relax and enjoy.

If you can hear the wind farm at 3 miles and only a part of them are running...We can see why the Baldaci administration and all his lackies in DEP and LURC want Stetson II and the Rollins project all done at once before turning them on. The people are going to scream out in protest and it will be too late.This is the way they operate. They did not anticipate the intelligence and vigor of the friends of lincoln lake's fight. We might want to call the Rollins project Waterloo. No news in the papers STILL about the Stetson Mt. wind farm's grand opening. All the parts and turbines should be in today for setson II WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEARING. Not a word in the Lincoln News . Subscriptions dropping off and people going to the internet? HMMMMM

Saw this christmas poem in windaction.com today. I feel bad for the poor guy that wrote it, he will be surrounded by turbines.

An Editorial story of Christmas future

December 18, 2008 by David M. Bencic

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all over the town,

It was peaceful and quite, nowhere a sound.

Farmer Sam and his chickens were all fast asleep,

And so was farmer Dan and all of his sheep.

When all of a sudden, it started to snow,

The wind picked up and it started to blow.

The turbines started spinning, going round and round,

The house started shaking from all of the sound.

The noise was so bad, I could not even think.

So I went downstairs for something to drink.

I looked out the window and what did I see,

A poor old man saying "Please, come help me!"

"Santa!" I said, " Come on in right away.

Where are your reindeer and where is your sleigh?"

"I'll tell you" he said "But it may make you sick,

They're wrapped around the blades of turbine 56.

Rudolph's red nose said go to the right,

But I got confused by the turbine's red light."

I brought Santa in and he said with a moan,

"Who put that turbine so close to your home?"

"I fought it" I said "the noise and flicker too,

But I'm sorry dear Santa, I forgot about you."

I got on the phone and told supervisor Guy:

"You have a big problem, 400 feet in the sky."

Then I made another call, this time to Max.

I told him of Santa and all of the facts.

"Oh my gosh!" Max said, "What have we done?

The turbines ruined Christmas for everyone."

Then he called up Horizon, said "Hey, we got trouble.

You better stop the turbines, on the double!"

So Guy called a town meeting, said "Get there quick.

It's on Townline road at turbine T-56."

They all showed up, the fire department too,

But their ladders were too short, what could they do?

Then Santa smiled, and put his finger by his nose,

And up to the top of the turbine they rose.

The reindeer were hurting, the sleigh was a wreck.

It looked like poor Comet had broken his neck.

Dan cut loose the sleigh and it crashed to the ground,

With millions of toys just scattered all around.

"Christmas has to be cancelled" old Santa said.

"I can't deliver presents without a good sled."

"Don't give up," said Janet, "I think we're in luck.

We need highway man Bob and his biggest truck."

So we gathered the toys into a great big pile.

Bob finally showed up after quite a long while.

"I'm sorry," said Bob, "But It's not my fault.

I had to go back to empty the salt."

Santa took his poor reindeer to a barn to be fed,

And Becky called Ed Arnold to come get the sled.

The truck was all loaded with presents and toys,

And the turbines were stopped, and so was the noise.

Santa climbed in the truck and Bob dropped the plow,

There was nothing that could stop old Santa now!

And as they drove off, we heard Santa say:

"There are too many homes, keep the turbines far away!"

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas

from Dave Bencic, a Town of Alabama, NY resident who will be surrounded by Horizon Wind's turbines.

Sorry, correction, windaction.org is where the poem came from. LOTS of interesting information on that sight, the poem was just something to lighten up a bit. But maybe more people that are all for these INDUSTRIAL MONSTROSITIES should go and read a few articles there before they make up their minds. It might change a few thoughts you have about this being the "right thing for Maine" because it definately is not going to help this state. We will all live to regret letting these strangers in from Mass. to take over our state.

You haven't seen any alternatives, linke? Bah. I suppose you thought I was joking about building a nuclear power station.

It is always interesting to see what other states are saying about wind power. I read this on a comment section somewhere, thought you might like to read....

In the third week of Septermber I drove from my home in central Texas to Colorado. The route took me through the Amarillo area where the are miles and miles and miles of windfarms. For about 35 miles all you can see is windmills, facing in every direction, on every knoll and hill. I'm talking THOUSANDS OF WINDMILLS not just a few hundred.

So as I drove along I started counting the number of windmills whose propellers were actually turning and of those thousands of windmills I counted 26 that were turning. If there were 3000 windmills (and I believe there were at least that many) those 26 would be only 9 10th of 1 percent that were producing electricity--about enough to charge the cell phone batteries in one household !!

Coal and gas fired electrical plants cannot be shut down even when wind energy is available in an area so BO's plan to bankrupt the coal industry will have the effect of also bankrupting this country. Anyone who believes that the time has come for renewable energy to replace our traditional energy sources is an idealogical dreamer.

Steve Thurston...Where did you get your information that Iberdola owns First Wind? It is not listed on their web site.

I misrepresented Iberdrola's connection with First Wind. Iberdrola owns Central Maine Power, and Energy East, and is the largest wind energy company in the world. According to the Cohocton Wind Watch web site First Wind has "close ties" to Iberdrola. A review of First Wind's IPO offering documents does not reveal any relationship. I apologize for the misinformation. The important thing is that Central Maine Power and Energy East have filed with the Maine PUC to construct $1.4 billion in new transmission lines for the stated purpose of grid stability and reinforcement. The Governor has strong armed the Wind Power Task Force, which lacked consensus until he wrote a letter demanding their agreement, into approving 2000 MW of wind generation in Maine, which will overload the system during optimal wind when turbines are generating their rated output. This will only occur about 10% of the time according to NYSRDA studies of existing wind power in upstate New York, which has similar wind potential as Maine. The demand curve of the grid in Maine and the rest of New England is in opposition to the supply curve of wind power. Demand is highest in summer, wind is strongest in winter. The real possibility exists that wind operators in Maine will pay the grid to take their wind power so that the wind operator can claim the tax credits and renewable portfolio standards payments. In Texas wind farms pay the grid $40 per MW to take their unneeded power about 20% of the time and still make money off the US taxpayer provided subsidies. If this isn't a scam on the taxpayers I don't know what is. So, in order to accommodate wind that has less than zero value to the grid, Iberdrola wants to spend $1.4 billion of US citizens money. If the plan for Maine was to construct numerous small scale wood gasification generation facilities whose dependable and dispatchable output matched the expected 10% output of the wind turbines, Iberdrola's case for massive lines to remote areas of the state would fall apart. Wood plants would create steady employment and a rejuvenation of the forest industry as sustainable by aggressive forestry techniques turned Maine's woods into an important electricity provider. Wind turbines provide little long term employment and the cost of construction is primarily the cost of the turbines, which are manufactured for the most part in foreign countries. See SaveRoxbury.org for more information about how the Task Force was the means to a pre-ordained end, not a bi-partisan and open minded attempt to make sound decisions about Maine's future.

I am pro wind... BUT these turbines dont belong in the lincoln area....Why?

They are a tax dodge first and foremost for First Wind, which is nothing more than an investment group.

The ONLY way wind energy works is in conjunction with "smart grids" and variable power gernerator stations which the U.S. does not have.

Wind turbines DO NOT provide any dollar relief on electric bills.

The tax relief the towns are promised is off set by the real estate depreciation that occurs if your property is in line of site. If your property is close enough to hear them your value will be severely impacted. If you are close enough for shadow or strobing, your property will be worthless.

All the lakes in Lincoln WILL be severely impacted. ALL towns with turbines will be greaty impacted.

In PA towns have been railroaded. Promised benefits just like Mars Hill. Nothing in return, No tax relief. No electricty relief.

Once the turbines are put up the tax advantage for the investment group is completed. At that point they will not sink ANYMORE money into the project.

Pennsylvanians are complaining that after a few years the turbines are dirty and ugly, not white and shiny.

They DO NOT producce permanent jobs. First Wind claims 5 jobs for Rollins Project. A Burger King creates more wealth. A WalMart "blows"this project away when you think about the wealth that the Lincoln store creates. Yes, they will infuse some money into area, but only for a year and not worth the impact. Did you feel the wealth generated by Stetson Mountain?

First Wind will use some of your tax dollars to build these.

Democratic polititions are selling this to unsuspecting enviromentists to get votes and look like they are paving the way to energy independence.

Shame on them.

The ONLY solution to our energy troubles is a nation wide plan that is a combination of ALL types of generating. Wind, Oil,, Gas,Coal and Nuclear Power, Conservation,, energy efficientcy. Combined with electric / hybrid cars for metropolitan commters, to reduce oil demand which brings the cost off gas down and greatly reduces pollution. Save the F 150's for pleasure use and hauling the boat. We have got to stop burinng oil out the tail pipe. It just drives up cost and pollutes. Save oil for plastics, aviation, some electric generating etc. Stuff where oil is the ONLY energy source possible.The Saudis want us to commute with it because THAT is what drives up the cost of oil ( and is leading cause of pollution. Dont forget it was Saaudis who flew those pllanes into the towers! Not Iraqis.

We need to stop taking sides and listen to eachother or we are going to tear our country apart. Our elected leaders have been dividing this country quite well lately. There "interests" are first, not the good of the people. Its quite obvious even local govt in this case. If officials dont answer our questions, they are HIDING something plain and simple. Even they will come to regret these turbines. They made their decisions based on money and First Wind, NOT an open discusion which would have given them enough info to decline this project.

OK, I need to step off my soap box now... I am getting Dizzy....

I will start here by adding Pulp and Paper mills now have a mission to convert the industry into a cost effective means to develop green fuels and other alternitives. These large factories can easily be converted to develop a product that the people can use in this struggling economy. Lincoln is like any other pulp mill with it's discharge. In the case of Wind turbines,they can easily and efficiently be built on the interstate 95 corridor where there is always high winds and lots of noise. That is where the first national Monorail system will be built --- More on that later