3/21/2024
Governor Janet Mills’ proposed a new law titled “An act regarding offshore wind terminals located in coastal sand dune systems” first made public late Wednesday, March 13. Friends of Sears Island Vice President Rolf Olsen learned about this from a Bangor Daily News journalist and informed the Alliance for Sears Island Governing Team. The Alliance immediately took steps to learn about the proposed new law.
The Governor’s bill would grant a permit for an offshore wind terminal located in a coastal sand dune system otherwise prohibited under existing Maine rules and law. As Islesboro Islands Trust Attorney Scott Sells said in testimony before the Environment and Natural Resources Committee’s hastily scheduled hearing Monday, March 18, “This bill is both premature and irresponsible.”
Sells continued, “The Committee has before it an effort to legislate away concerns before an objective and transparent site selection process can be performed. At a minimum, this strategy betrays an unconscionable lack of planning on behalf of the Governor’s office and at worst is certain to invite state and federal litigation which will thwart or at least materially delay the very objective the Governor seeks – the timely development of Maine’s offshore wind resources.”
The Monday hearing on this bill brought out numerous opponents, supporters and others to testify, including opponents IIT, Upstream Watch, Sierra Club Maine Chapter and Protect Rural Maine.
Maine’s Natural Resources Protection Act declared, “that the State’s rivers and streams, great ponds, fragile mountain areas, freshwater wetlands, significant wildlife habitat, coastal wetlands and coastal sand dune systems are resources of state significance.”
The “Maine Won’t Wait” climate plan recognizes the ecological significance of coastal sand dunes systems: “Maine’s coastal sand dunes, wetlands, and marshes are also a powerful natural climate solution for protecting our coastal communities from flooding and erosion. Conserving and restoring coastal and marine areas will preserve their carbon-storage value as well as their other benefits.” https://www.maine.gov/climateplan/sites/maine.gov.climateplan/files/inline-files/MaineWontWait_December2020_printable_12.1.20.pdf
Extensive media coverage of the hearing included the following:
• Mills administration encounters resistance from conservationists over Sears Island offshore wind port: https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/money/economy/plans-for-offshore-wind-port-in-searsport-met-with-resistance/97-e7a5dc54-17a5-4d2a-b5f6-af6cc6f359f0.
• Bill seeks to allow offshore wind development despite being located near sand dunes: https://www.foxbangor.com/news/state/bill-seeks-to-allow-offshore-wind-development-despite-being-located-near-sand-dunes/article_67607828-e56c-11ee-bf2b-132364a9b3cd.html.
• New bill on sand dune protections reignites debate over proposed Sears Island wind port: https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2024-03-18/new-bill-on-sand-dune-protections-reignites-debate-over-proposed-sears-island-wind-port?&p2=%5EEQ%5Enov19%5E&prod=DS&cmpgn=nov19&annot=false&sameTabLaunch=false&o=APN12178&installSource=nag&browser=FireFox&darkMode=false&ueid=7e404118-53d9-4d86-bbbf-de89f4dc1c5f&doi=2020-02-07.
• Legislature gets its first look at Searsport offshore wind site as backers and critics weigh in: https://www.pressherald.com/2024/03/18/legislature-gets-its-first-look-at-searsport-site-for-offshore-wind-as-backers-and-critics-weigh-in/.
The Alliance and Allies are committed to opposing such a blatant abuse of governmental authority and supporting protection of critical ecological features on Sears Island.
Alliance for Sears Island 