PARKMAN, Maine — Residents will get a six-week head start on the town meeting season. Parkman’s annual town meeting is only about two months away, but the selectmen unanimously voted on Dec. 11 to hold a special town meeting in February to hear a wind power company’s request to establish a transmission line corridor near the Abbot town line.
The selectmen agreed to hold the special town meeting on Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Parkman Grange Hall.
The article will ask residents to approve First Wind’s request for establishing a power line corridor along Crow Hill Road in Parkman to Gael’s Road in Abbot.
First Wind LLC — a wind energy company based in Boston — wants the corridor as part of its Bingham Project, which has windmills in Bingham, Kingfield and Mayfield Township.
First Wind plans on transporting electricity produced by its Somerset County wind farms to Central Maine Power Co.’s Parkman substation and then on to Greenville. The firm is requesting a 66-foot right-of-way along a three- to four-mile route from Parkman to Abbot.
First Wind will assume all costs for holding the special town meeting. If residents approve the request, First Wind and town officials would enter into a community benefits agreement. The terms would require First Wind to pay the town $20,000 per year for 20 years.
“It’s a pretty simple agreement,” said David Fowler, a First Wind senior land manager. “We are not asking the town to do anything to receive the money. It states in the event the project goes forward, then Parkman would receive compensation.”
If First Wind sells its interest in the corridor, the buyer would still be required to meet the agreement’s terms. The only exception in the 20-year agreement is if the company stopped transmitting power through the corridor.
Fowler also explained that the project would produce additional property tax revenue. He estimated between First Wind’s plans and CMP upgrading its substation, it would increase property values by $500,000.
Selectman James Morin Sr. said there was no risk or cost to the town, so it was worth holding the special election. He also believed if Parkman didn’t grant First Wind a right-of-way access through town, the corridor would probably go through someplace else.
“It’s got to go somewhere,” Morin said. “We all know this, so if the town could get some monies, we might as well take it.”
The selectmen will meet with Fowler during their next board meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, to work out the details for planning and advertising the special town meeting.
Here are some questions that the residents should be demanding answers for from First Wind and their leaders. If you happen to get any answers, make sure it is recorded so their answers can then be put in the media for all to see. Then I will have a go at these weasels. Why would you allow outside profiteers (some international) to destroy view sheds, property values,fragment pristine ecosystems, and create projects that slaughter millions of protected species? Why is it allowed that lease holders must sign gag orders so that the true impacts from these turbines can be concealed? Why is it allowed that a land owner can collect profits from resources they destroy when they actually belong to the community? Why is it allowed that a land owner can collect profits while destroying the property values of others? Why is it that Environmental Impact statements and studies generated by the wind industry are routinely deceitful or have rigged methodology? Why is it that this industry been given a license to lie and has no accountability because of only having USFWS “voluntary guidelines”? Why after thousands of new wind turbines were put in their habitat, has the whooping crane population been rapidly declining? Why should we trust the USFWS to protect our wildlife when they helped to cover-up this terrible news about whooping cranes with their newly adopted count methodology? Why has the collapse (80-90%decline) of the golden eagle population in California gone unreported? Why hasn’t the State of Texas disclosed ANY figures on the tremendous number of golden eagles killed by their turbines? Why are their no congressional hearings about wind industry impacts, their bogus documents and the small amount of energy that wind energy actually contributes to society?
Why have proper (honest) studies been deliberately avoided by the wind industry, the USFWS, and state wildlife agencies for over 25 years?
Lastly, why did the wind industry ever deserve any tax credits?
Well said, Jim. Well said.
Perhaps some should check out the infastructure in the little town of Parkman. Lurking amongst them is a plain and clear connection to “the wind people” due to land sales. Investigate, ask questions for what they are worth, weigh the evidence and clearly one will ascertain that the town knows corruption and greed. Never let down your guard. Wind IS bad for humans, our wildlife on the ground, and absolutely shattering for different species of birds. For the GOOD points Parkman stands for…those are reasons enough to deny a “rightaway swath” through their town. And that goes for the damn East – West Highway also.
These highly useless and offensive projects caused CMP transmission rates to increase by 19.6% last year. The media will not tell you this.
See:
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/maine-electricity-rates-going-up
First Wind is bad for Maine period.