Apr 14 - Bangor Daily News

A bill to expedite the permitting process for wind farms in Maine passed both chambers of the Legislature by unanimous votes Friday.

The bill, LD 2283, now heads to the governor's desk for his signature.

The product of a state task force on wind energy, the bill aims to speed up the regulatory approval process for wind farms in areas deemed appropriate for that type of development. The measure also seeks to remove some of the controversy over the siting of wind farms by steering wind-energy facilities away from highly scenic or wilderness areas.

Regulators still must consider a proposed wind farm's impacts on local communities and wildlife during an expedited review but will not have to find that the turbines, which are typically hundreds of feet tall, fit "harmoniously into the existing natural environment," the bill reads.

"This bill balances environmental protection with the need for new clean energy sources," Sen. Phil Bartlett, a Cumberland County Democrat and the bill's lead sponsor, said in a statement. "I am really excited about the potential for wind energy in Maine and the opportunity to increase our supply of energy while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions."

The bill also establishes a state goal of 2,000 megawatts of wind power in the state by 2015 and at least 3,000 megawatts - including 300 megawatts from turbines operating in coastal waters - by the year 2020.

The only sizable wind farm in Maine today is a 28-turbine facility generating up to 42 megawatts in the Aroostook County town of Mars Hill. Two additional projects already have received regulatory approval: a 38-turbine facility in northern Washington County and a 44-turbine wind farm in western Maine.

A Texas company, meanwhile, is courting landowners in The County as it prepares to file applications for several large projects that collectively could generate 800 megawatts of wind power.

Gov. John Baldacci likely will sign the bill during a ceremony next week, said spokesman David Farmer.

"We're excited about it," Farmer said. "It's a great accomplishment, and it really puts us on a good footing moving forward."

kmiller@bangordailynews.net

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