More wind power, energy conservation needed

    To the editor:
    I agree completely with National Resources Council of Maine, and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce in regard to developing more wind power, and energy conservation.     Last May, on an overcast morning while on my way south on Interstate 95, I noticed that at 8:30 a.m. the big tall lights at the northbound rest area at Medway were burning brightly. I do not know how late in the day they stayed on, or on how many days this happens each year. I noticed that many lights on our athletic fields are turned on early before they are needed, and remain on after they should have been turned off. The same is true of some schools, state garages, public housing, homes and businesses. Last summer, on a sunny Sunday at 5:30 p.m., I noticed that the night-lights on the north end of Mardens in Presque Isle were burning brightly.
    Instead of depending on timers to turn lights on and off, some people are having photo light sensors installed. There is no question that much conservation can and needs to be accomplished.
    Dickey Lincoln, the once proposed public hydro project for northwestern Maine is the 1960s, would have made a significant difference. Besides providing a huge amount of power for Maine, it would have provided peaking power for New England. One argument against Dickey Lincoln was that some 135 families would be displaced, and moved. Today the lack of economic opportunity has forced these families to relocate, and the schools to close.
    Yes there are always tradeoffs in any project, but if this project had been built, people coming into northern Maine today would not recognize this area because of the economic development, jobs and activity. Oil cost 50 cents a gallon at that time, and this project made sense. How about another look today?
Bob Tweedie
Westfield