First Wind makes $100,000 grant

    First Wind, owner and operator of Stetson Wind, the largest wind farm in New England, recently donated $100,000 to the Forest Society of Maine, a statewide land trust, to establish the Stetson Mountain Fund.  The fund will provide grants to local groups and communities to maintain and enhance access to recreational opportunities in the Baskahegan Stream watershed in Washington County.
    “Access for water-related recreational activities helps sustain the traditions and values of the nearby communities,” said Alan Hutchinson, Forest Society of Maine executive director. “We are excited about this opportunity to help local organizations and municipalities provide facilities and programs that will allow people to stay connected to these woods and waters.”
    Grants from the fund will be made by the Forest Society of Maine based upon the recommendation of a fund advisory committee, consisting of a recreational activities representative, a forestland owner or manager and a local civic leader.  The committee members will assist in reviewing applications submitted for potential funding, with the first grants expected to be awarded next spring.  Typical grants are expected to be between $1,000 and $3,000.    
NEW PARTNERSHIP — From left, Matt Kearns, First Wind vice president, talks with Elbridge Cleaves of First Settler’s Lodge near Danforth, and Alan Hutchinson, executive director of the Forest Society about the establishment of the Stetson Mountain Fund which has been created to maintain and improve recreation  in the Baskahegan Stream watershed originating from Stetson Mountain.
    According to First Wind officials, the Stetson Mountain Fund is intended to support public water access for traditional recreational uses, help provide infrastructure for and management support of traditional public recreation uses such as campsites and provide support for local land acquisition projects that support water access.  The fund will support projects within the 250-square-mile Baskahegan Stream watershed which flows into the Mattawamkeag River and is part of the larger Penobscot River watershed.
    “I am pleased by the opportunities offered by this fund. The people of Washington County and in particular those who live within the confines of the Baskahegan River Watershed value the outdoors as an essential part of their daily lives,” said Elbridge Cleaves, owner of First Settler’s Lodge near Danforth. “People who live here know how important our woods and waters are to our quality of life and economic well being.”
    Stetson Wind, which went into full operation in January 2009, provides economic and tax benefits to Washington and Penobscot county municipalities and residents. The wind farm generates approximately 167 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually which goes to the New England grid to power more than 23,000 New England homes.
    “First Wind believes that our projects and the beautiful natural resources of Maine can co-exist in harmony.  For years, people in Maine have enjoyed access to these surroundings, and we hope that this fund will make them accessible for even more people.  We are very happy to show our support for the economy and culture of Washington County,” said Matt Kearns, First Wind’s vice president of development in New England. “We find it very important to foster the continued preservation of the surrounding areas and maintain recreational access for Maine.  We are excited at the prospect of seeing the fruits of the projects that emerge out of the Fund in the years to come.”