Did energy task force throw caution to the wind?
AUGUSTA — The Wind Energy Act of 2008, which gave developers a fast track to erect wind turbines in some of the state’s treasured high ground, was a special interest bill justified at the time in the name of jobs, energy independence and climate change. “There is tremendous potential for Maine to become a leader in clean, renewable energy, including wind energy,” said Gov. John Baldacci, who appointed the task force whose report led to the bill. “This kind of investment would create jobs and help to expand Maine’s economy.” But now, two years after the law was championed by Baldacci, some members of the task force question whether the goals they set for wind power can or even should be achieved. Critics and even some one-time supporters say proponents of the law were swept up in a tidal wave of enthusiasm for a technology that turns out to require significant sacrifice from the state, but has little to offer Maine in return.
