Any town, at any time, can put a moratorium in effect. Sounds good doesn’t it?
It takes a petition from the voters (not the taxpayers) to have the selectmen place it on a warrant. If selectmen take action, a public hearing is held and questions answered.
A letter sent to more than 400 Canton voters stressed the need for local control — a wind ordinance. As I understand it, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has accepted Canton Mountain Wind application as complete.
But, the developer can amend the size of the turbine with no visual, avian or sound reports amended. Can the Planning Board make amendments?
I am confused. Canton no longer has control. Canton Mountain Wind is in the hands of DEP regulations. But I cannot find any regulations in the wind law for the red flashing lights, seen more than 40 miles away. Nor any protocol for a complaint.
What is the Canton Mountain Wind complaint protocol? A hotline?
The wind law did not address the cumulative adverse visual effects of areas such as Mt. Blue State Park in Weld, overlooking Saddleback Ridge Wind, Colonel Holman and Canton Mountain.
“Large river corridors are known to be utilized by migrating passerines often in greater concentrations of individuals than other landscape features.” — Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Anyone seeing migratory birds in Canton should tell the DEP at the next Canton Mountain Wind Project public meeting.
Alice McKay Barnett, Carthage
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