Penobscot Bay 2010's Podcast

On October 12, 2010 the Rockport Selectboard heard presentations (listen to one hour audio of the meeting at the link) in support of the Ragged Mountain wind plan by two members of the Camden Energy Committee Des Fitzgerald and Rick Knowlton, concerning the proposed three town Windpower Task Group. Several of the Selectboard members disparage windpower relative to scenic resources, but finally the board votes unanimously to opt in - to have a say in whatever Ragged Mtn Wind Group is coming about. The town is seeking applicants to become their representatives.

On October 14, 2010, the Camden Public library sponsored a talk & presentation on Maine windpower issues. Following introductions by Camden Library staff Ken Gross, and Friends of Ragged Mountain spokes person Dorie Klein, Jonathan Carter of the Forest Ecology Network gave this presentation on Maine windpower issues at the Camden Public Library. In photo, Carter and Cheryl Lindgren listen to Art Lindgren of Fox Island Wind Neighbors speaking at event

Terry Martin of WRFR Community Radio's Talk Around Town in PART TWO of discussion about Israel and Palestine, featuring Norman Olson, a retired state department official who was stationed at US embassy in Israel as liaison with Palestinians, and former CNN middle east correspondent Walter Rodgers. 50 minutes. Info about WRFR-lpfm Community Radio, Rockland Maine USA: http://www.wrfr.org

Join Terry Martin of WRFR Community Radio's Talk Around Town in a 46 minute discussion about Israel and Palestine with Norman Olson retired state department at US embasssy in Israel and former CNN middle east correspondent Walter Rodgers. Info: http://www.wrfr.org

At the conclusion of the interagency meeting on ocean wind off Maine on September 14, 2010 in Belfast, Ron Huber was the sole member of the public available for the "public question and answer session". Listen to Huber's minute questioning of Maureen Bornholdt, BOEMRE renewable energy chief. 24 minutes

On Tuesday September 14th, the Federal offshore wind officials of BOEMRE, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, met with Maine and federal agencies in the first meeting of the new Maine/Federal Offshore Wind Task Force at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center.

In this 16 minute recording, three dozen members of the Maine task force go around the room describing their agency's role in reviewing ocean windmill applications
Details, more audio from the meeting: http://tinyurl.com/332g7s3

Camden, Maine selectboard hears opposition to proposal to site a windfarm on Ragged Mtn (one hour long version)

Camden's Town Hall was filled to overflowing Tuesday night as members of the newly-formed Friends of Ragged Mountain turned out in force to show and express to their town leaders their displeasure and opposition to a proposal to site windmills on the southern anchor of the Camden Hills: Ragged Mountain.

The more than four dozen opponents waited patiently for two hours before they came up on the agenda. But beginning with presentations by Friends' spokespersons Dorie Klein and Dana Strout, a long line of people spoke up challenging the validity of the process that had led up to the present situation, where the town of Camden was being pressured by persons or companies unknown to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a windpower feasibility study, that while it might lead to small reductions in energy costs, would certainly lead to logging bulldozing and blasting of the natural mountain environment. The selectboard expressed itself well served by the presentations and question and answer session

The Camden Energy Committee met August 12th to discuss the proposal they will ask the Camden Selectboard to implement: a Ragged Mountain Wind Workgroup.

Listen to the 38 minute recording: It begins with 5 minute consideration of the cover letter, the remaining time focuses on details of the memo to the town selectboard: 12 minutes about how to use the Camden development director as part of the work group. Then a discussion for ten minutes on who should run the work group, and whether a 'sunset provision' for the work group should be added.

Fundraising discussion follows - need $50K-$70K for initial feasibility study. Finally a vote to accept the now-amended memo. The memo on the proposed Camden Mountain and cover letter will be considered at the August 17th meeting of the Camden Selectboard which will be held at the Camden yacht club

Leslie Wallace and Jarod Gray describe their business, Eco-lobstercatch, which allows consumers to lease traps and have the lobsters caught in them as requested. A five minute interview.

An 8 minute interview of Poet and educator Carolyn Locke of Troy, Maine, focusing on her book "Always this falling" The interview took place August 6, 2010 at the Maine Lobster Festival.

August 5, 2010 Interview with Muriel Curtis, director of Rockland-based rowing organization Station Maine, and Senior Watch Captain Lily VanSteenberg. The six minute interview took place at the Station Maine table in the Marine Tent at the 20010 Maine Lobster Festival.

Rockland novelist Sandra Sylvester describes her new book "The South End" while signing copies at the Maine Lobster Festival. The book lays bare the complicated society of the South End - long considered the rougher side of the coastal city of Rockland, Maine

Plans for a Ragged Mountain wind turbine complex twist slowly in the wind, as neither towns nor investors show interest in footing the bill:

If it is to be community wind, the residents of Rockport, Hope and Camden must cough up many tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to even get out the starting gate of preliminary feasibility study and public outreach. Not one of the three towns Camden, Rockport, Hope, have shown any interest in providing that $$$$

At least that was the sense of the participants at the hour long meeting. Listen to it to hear the exasperation and frustration of the windmill supporters , who are mystified that Camden residents are not flocking to their banner.

We're trying to tap the public will," Committee chair Des Fitzgerald said "to see if there's a way to figure out if people out there are willing to give money toward this early assessment. We're trying to figure out that structure that poses that question."

If the three towns won't fund it, then wind wannabes would have to go the private industry route. If it's a private developer, then large amounts of public land owned by Camden have to be leased or sold to the private developer as well as more public land denuded for access. Private landowners in Hope will have to be convinced to allow access roads to be run through their land. Else no reasonable access to the proposed site.

And then, who benefits? The investor will have to be content with the much lesser profits accruing to "Community Wind" development. Otherwise an absentee corporation which will sell extracted windpower to the New England grid, while Camdenites get to listen to the throaty roar of windturbines forever in the background?

Something the people of the area are highly unlikely to accept.

On July 20, 2010 I interviewed Robert West, managing director of the new Ocean Energy Institute in Rockland Maine. The Institute was founded by oil industry analyst turned green energy advocate Matt Simmons The 7 minute interview took place at the Institute's well attended public open house at their newly completed offices on Rockland's Camden Street.

One hour un-edited recording of windmill noise on Vinalhaven Island. Note the endless warbling howl, as if jets are constantly flying past in the middle distance. The windmill noise was measured by sound meter as 48 to 49 dBA during this recording. The recording was made at midnight, January 1, 2010, one half mile from the nearest of the three wind turbines.

At 13 ½ minutes into the recording, wind chimes eight feet from the microphone are rung by a soft puff of wind. Their sound level is a useful reference point for finding the right volume to listen to this recording. That way you can experience this as your 24/7 ambient audio environment, instead of ambient Nature. Most people cannot bear to hear this recording more than 5 minutes. Can you imagine it as your 24/7 background?

For more information on this recording on on wind issues, contact Ron Huber at Penobscot Bay Watch at ron.huber@penbay.org or visit Fox Island Wind Neighbors at www.fiwn.org/

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