Governor Creates Wind Power Task Force

Press Release

Governor John Baldacci today signed an executive order that creates the Governor's Task Force on Wind Power Development in Maine.

"Maine must be aggressive in pursuing alternative sources of energy," Governor Baldacci said. "We know that climate change is real. We know that people are contributing to the problem. And we know that wind power is a good source of clean, renewable energy."

The Task Force will review the regulations that affect the development of wind power projects in the state and recommend any changes that would assure that Maine has a balanced, efficient and appropriate regulatory framework for evaluating proposed developments.

The Task Force will also monitor advances in wind power technology, identify benefits and incentives that might be available to communities considering wind power projects, help developers find the most appropriate locations for their projects and propose goals for wind power in Maine for 2010 and 2020.

"We want to make sure that we're rolling out the red carpet for progress, particularly on wind power. But we also want to make sure we're doing it in a way that's sensitive to the neighbors of any project," Governor Baldacci said.

The Governor will appoint 16 members to the Task Force. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House may appoint two members each.

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