Windfall for northern Mainers ready for the taking

16 years ago

To the editor:
    There’s been a fair amount of buzz about wind energy here in Aroostook County. I have heard my friends and neighbors debate the issue, some are in favor, some are most decidedly not. Whatever your position – there is no denying that our country is facing an energy crisis. Our county, Aroostook, is starkly affected. The high cost of heating homes is hemorrhaging money away from our hard earned incomes; and many families are going to be without this winter. Local communities are planning “warm zones”, places where citizens can go so they will not freeze to death. It’s that bad.
    Interestingly enough – an energy solution is emerging. It turns out we have an abundant resource right here at home. The question is, are we smart enough to capitalize on it?
    What is seen at the top of the Mars Hill Mountain is truly in the eye of the beholder. Some see eyesores, a blight upon the land. Not me, I think those turbines are glorious. What I see is clean renewable energy. I see historic opportunity; a chance for “the other Maine” to take the lead toward changing our dependence on foreign oil. Friends we can literally turn our misfortunes into profits if we have the vision and the will.
    I have to concede that there is something grotesque about the Mars Hill project. The deal. If we are going to allow the development of wind energy at home then we should demand something in return. An example of a really good deal is the Alaska “permanent fund”. Those Northerners had the vision to capture a piece of lucrative oil revenues; Alaskans were actually paid — simply to live in the state. Not only were Alaskans exempt from paying state income taxes, they got an annual permanent fund check each year. That was not just a good deal, it was a great deal!
    Now it’s our turn. Let’s encourage the development of alternative energy here at home. Let’s lead the state; heck let’s lead the country! A monumental chance awaits us; it would be a travesty to let it slip away.
    We need to open the doors, open them wide, to responsible alternative energy development. Of course caution is in order that we don’t give the resource away; or spoil our unique landscape (I am not proposing a turbine on Baxter Peak). Let’s train our workforce to build and maintain an alternate energy infrastructure. Let’s clear the rolls of unemployed and give our children hope for the future. Let’s solve our economic woes by investing in the technology of the future and stop listening to those who are stuck in the past. To do these things we must be wise and shrewd; we must not simply acquiesce to big multinationals and hope they have our best interests in mind.
    I suspect many are skeptical that a burgeoning “wind” economy is possible in Aroostook. I ask, why not? In other parts of the country they are looking to exploit risky and unproven sources of energy. Heard of oil shale? They have in the Midwest, and you can bet that our federal tax dollars are going to be earmarked to subsidize that enterprise of futility. What will we get out of it? Nothing.
    Let’s give America a better option. Wind — and it’s right here in our backyard. Let’s ask our Congresspeople to invest in clean and proven energy ventures closer to home.
    If Aroostook residents take the initiative we can all own a share of an energy windfall. I don’t know about you – but I’d rather see a windfall to the pockets of County-folk, not in the hands of foreign interests or paid to the already obscenely rich big oil companies. I vote to transform our future with wind. What’s your vote?

Joseph St.Peter
Presque Isle