Making Our Case

Over the course of two days the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology heard public testimony on 14 different wind related bills.  The Taxation committee also heard testimony on one bill.  I personally testified on every one of them, and many, many people traveled from all over our State to have their say as well.

Of course, the Wind Industry brought out their paid speakers.  Their main argument, to all of the bills, was that ANY regulation on wind development would kill the industry, and kill jobs. 

My answer is; I don’t believe that.  I think it is a scare tactic to make any wind regulation look ‘anti-business.’ But, if they really can’t operate under the same rules as EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY in Maine, then they have no business being here, anyway.

Wind is already starting to kill off our $10 BILLION dollar per year Tourism Industry, and if a few more regulations mean a few less wind jobs, but a lot more Tourism jobs….then maybe it’s time to take a close look at the value of our oldest and largest Industry, and do all we can to protect it from the onslaught of this subsidy sucking, parasitic newcomer.  A few construction jobs paid for by subsidy money, which will be gone in a few years, and which destroy large numbers of long term traditional non-subsidized jobs, seem like a BAD TRADE OFF to me!

I hope our Lawmakers are paying attention.

I had written testimony to hand in for 12 of the 15 bills.  Below is the written testimony that I presented on Monday.

I should note that the record is still open, and you may send information/testimony to the Committee, which will become part of the official record.  Even just a quick note asking them to support these bills would help.  They NEED to know that Citizens are paying attention, and that they want change!

DC

Senator Michael D. Thibodeau:  senatorthibodeau@aol.com

Senator Christopher W. Rector:  cwrector@hotmail.com

Senator Philip L. Bartlett:  phil@philbartlett.com

Representative Stacey Allen Fitts:  safitts@midmaine.com

safitts@myfairpoint.net

Representative James M. Hamper:  rep.hamp@yahoo.com

Representative Dean A. Cray:  dacray@msn.com

Representative Larry C. Dunphy:  skime2@roadrunner.com

Representative Aaron F. Libby:  repaaron.libby@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Jon Hink:  jhinck@lewissaul.com  repjon.hinck@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Alexander Cornell du Houx:  acornell@alexcornell.org  repalex.cornell@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Roberta B. Beavers:  rbbeavers@comcast.net  repbobbi.beavers@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Mark N. Dion:  mndion@msn.com  repmark.dion@legislature.maine.gov

Representative Louis J. Luchini:  replouis.luchini@legislature.maine.gov

Committee Clerk: Kristen Gottlieb:  Kristen.gottlieb@legislature.maine.gov 

4/25/11

Testimony of:

David P. Corrigan
Registered Maine Master Guide
Fletcher Mountain Outfitters
82 Little Houston Brook Road
Concord Twp., Maine 04920
207-672-4879
maineguide@live.com
www.realwindinfoforme.com

On: LD 1042 An Act To Preserve and Protect Citizens’ Property Rights and Values

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD 1042.  This bill asks for basic protections for Maine property owners.  The wind industry claims that there is no reason to worry about property values falling when a wind development is built in the area.  If this is true, then they have no reason to object to this bill, as it only calls for compensation to property owners for proven devaluation.

As a property owner in rural Maine who is facing the possibility of being surrounded by multiple wind projects, I can’t help but worry about the large investment that I may loose if my property values go down due to this industrial intrusion.  Is it really fair to re-zone two thirds of the State of Maine to allow for such industrial development in previously protected rural areas, and then not offer some guarantee to those who live there that their lifelong investments won’t be destroyed?  I don’t think so.

I like to stick to the facts: The fact is: other people around Maine and around the country are facing the loss of property value due to wind development.  Another fact is: The wind developers deny this in almost every case.  So, let’s make it simple: If devaluation can be proven, then the developer is liable.  If it can’t, then they aren’t liable.  That seems like a fair and honest way of doing business, and that is what this bill asks for.  Therefore, I am asking you to support this bill.

Thank you.

On: LD1362 An Act to Ensure Accurate Valuation of a Community Benefits Package

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD1362.

By requiring that all costs be taken into account, and basically, demanding a full cost/benefit analysis of the project, before accepting the terms of the community benefit package, or issuing a permit, this bill would ensure that the Legislature’s initial intent in enacting community benefit legislation is achieved.  It does no good to simply hand out four thousand dollars per turbine to a local community, until we know exactly what the other costs related to the project might be. 

Costs that devalue the community benefit package could range from various changes in taxation values and State aid, to direct devaluation of homes and businesses, to environmental degradation and loss of tourism.  Unless all of these things and many others are carefully considered, simply handing out cash does not meet the objectives that the Legislature has laid out.  In short, we must ensure that there are real benefits accruing to the community, not just the outward appearance of benefits.  That is what this bill does.

It further demands that some Bond or assurance be put into place to ensure that those promised benefits actually accrue to the town, regardless of the developer’s future financial condition.  If we must have wind developments, then we must make sure that their costs don’t outweigh their benefits.

That’s just good business.

Thank you.

On: L.D. 711 An Act To Regulate Noise from Wind Turbines in Residential Developments?

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD 711.

There are perhaps others more qualified to speak on this issue of noise, but I simply have one question:

Why?  We know that noise from wind turbines can be a problem; so why in the world would we not want regulations in place that would allow us to regulate the noise from wind turbines, whether they are part of a large or a small scale project?  Why in the world would we gamble with the health and happiness of Maine People, when applying simple regulations can ensure fair treatment of all?

I ask you to keep this simple question in mind as you consider this bill.

Thank you.

On: LD1234 An Act To Restore the Uniform Visual Permitting Standard for Wind Power Projects

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD1234.  This bill seeks to right a wrong.  The removal of visual impact as a consideration for permitting wind developments in Maine is something that never should have been allowed to happen.  We have zoning laws for a reason.  Wind developers have not come forward with any solid scientific or economic evidence to prove that they should be exempt from intelligent zoning ordinances.

We hear claims of Co2 reductions and economic growth….  If such claims were sufficient to remove visual impact as a permitting criteria, then we should be scrambling to remove visual impacts from the criteria we consider when permitting nuclear power plants, which provide reliable electricity without Co2 emissions, and we shouldn’t consider the visual impacts if someone wants to build a Hotel or a Hunting Lodge on top of a Mountain, since the Tourism Industry brings in over $10 Billion dollars per year, and employs more Maine people than the wind industry ever will!

No: these claims are not sufficient to remove a safeguard that was put in place specifically to protect the very thing that makes Maine, “Maine.”  Every other industry in the State must comply with visual standards if they want to build.  There is no reason to make the wind industry exempt, and to do so is not only totally unfair to every other property and business owner in Maine, but it also jeopardizes the very landscape that supports our largest industries and economic drivers, and that makes people travel from all over the world to vacation and buy homes in Maine.

Restoring the uniform visual permitting standard for wind power is the right thing to do.  Until we have some solid proof that there are extremely good reasons to hold wind developments to lower standards than every other building project in the State of Maine, and until we have reason to allow the destruction of our largest economic drivers, and our very quality of place—wind projects must be held to the same visual impact standards as every other commercial development in Maine.  To do otherwise is to penalize the entire State, for the benefit of a well connected few.

Thank you.

On: LD1479 An Act To Minimize Conflicts between Property Owners and Grid-scale Wind Energy Developments

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD1479.

The summary of this bill really says it all when it says: “This bill removes statutory guidance for wind energy development standards and creates specific statewide standards…”  Specific standards are what we need for these wind developments—specific standards that are based on solid science, economics, and the real world experience of those who have been forced to live near these developments.  In 2008, the Maine Legislature rushed into wind development—perhaps with good intentions, but certainly with flawed results.  Today, instead of having a system that makes it easy to know where wind developments belong, and where they don’t, we have a system that has developers in constant conflict with residents, and the end result is wasted time and money on everyone’s part–and in several instances, wind developments being built, only to have severe negative effects on the neighbors and surrounding area, not to mention the economy.

As a Registered Maine Master Guide who makes his living as one link in Maine’s $10 Billion Dollar per year Tourism Industry, I can tell you that I view this bill as pro-business.  By setting real, solid, standards—standards that can be backed up by science and experience, as opposed to industry propaganda, we will be ensuring that any wind development that takes place in Maine, takes place in locations, and in such a manner, as to offer the most protection to people, property, wildlife, and our State’s largest and oldest Industry.  Those are admirable goals that any reasonable person should be able to support.

The requirement for a real decommissioning plan, one that is backed up with real money, and not just hollow promises of ‘potential’ scrap value, is another way to ensure that we are doing right by the People and the Mountains of Maine.  Eventually, these things will be taken down; it is your duty to ensure that when that time comes, there is sufficient money available, from the developer, so that the People of Maine don’t have to foot the bill.

I am not a fan of wind development, as I simply have not found any solid evidence that the benefits out weigh the costs; but if we are going to have wind in Maine, then we had better have some decent standards in place to protect the People and the Industries that are currently being victimized by this new-comer.

Thank you.

On: LD1236 An Act to Amend the Legislative Findings in the Maine Wind Energy Act

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD1236.  This bill proposes to remove language that never should have a found a place in Maine Law.  To make presumptions that wind developments will have; “beneficial environmental effects,” or that “the primary sitting authority shall presume that an expedited wind energy development provides energy and emissions related benefits,” without providing any proof of such claims, is not only irresponsible, but it is also unethical, and absolutely inexcusable!  Maine State laws and regulations should be based on facts, not unfounded industry propaganda.  Until such time as independent scientific evidence can be produced, and properly quoted to back up such claims, they have absolutely no place in the laws of this State.

Removing those unfounded claims from the statute is simply the right thing to do.

Thank you.

On: LD1411 An Act To Facilitate Transparency and Accountability while Reducing Electricity Costs

Senator Thibodeau, Representative Fitts, members of the Committee,

     My name is David Corrigan, and I run Fletcher Mountain Outfitters, in Concord TWP.  I am here to speak in favor of LD1411.

Demanding transparency and accountability–demanding that all claims from our electric generators can be verified—and demanding that real costs be a real issue in deciding the future of our electrical generation in Maine….

This just seems to be common sense, especially in a State that currently produces more electricity than it consumes in any given year, and yet still pays outrageously high electric rates.  In a State such as Maine, where we already have ample generating capacity to more than meet our needs, and yet we are being asked to degrade our Mountains, our homes, our health, our quality of life and our quality of place, as well as threatening to destroy our large Tourism Industry all in order to encourage un-needed, unreliable, and expensive wind generation, this legislation just makes sense. 

I would encourage this committee to think of the tax payers and the rate payers of Maine, and to make their best interests the basis of your decision.

Thank you.