To my knowledge, Maine has not conducted studies of the impacts industrial wind turbines have on our local wildlife. Here is the first letter I wrote in the hopes of getting some attention given to this important issue.
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December 6, 2009
Marvin Moriarty
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, MA 01035
Dear Mr. Moriarty,
I am a resident of Lexington Township in the western mountains of Maine. My husband and I own approximately 70 acres along the Spruce Pond Road, on the slope of Hutchins Hill.
It is with some trepidation that I write to you. You see, I have a Canada lynx in my neighborhood. I have seen her twice. Although it has been a year since I laid eyes on her, and almost as long since we’ve seen tracks, I feel sure that she is contented in her environment. This is a very rural and undeveloped part of Maine, and much of the surrounding land in my area is ‘posted’, which by definition keeps hunters, trappers and even hikers from encroaching on her habitat.
Until a few days ago, I had not spoken to anyone about my sightings, for I worried that—once word got out—there would be curious individuals and/or organizations willing to make the trip to this vicinity in the hopes of spotting the big cat. And I did not want her disturbed. If she has found a suitable place to live and hunt and rear her young, then I didn’t want to be the one to spoil that for her. We humans have spoiled enough for the wild inhabitants of this planet, already.
However, one must make choices, and I am choosing at this time to tell you of this cat’s presence in my forest. You see, there are huge changes looming on the horizon for the unspoiled area in which I live. Independence Wind is intending to submit a permit application to Maine’s Land Use Regulation Commission at any moment. They will request that LURC grant a permit allowing them to place up to 49 wind turbines (400’-500’ tall) along approximately eight miles of undeveloped mountaintops in my neighboring community, Highland Plantation. This industrial development includes a plan to cut more than 20 miles of roads through these woods and along these ridges. The tops of the mountains in question will have to be blasted away in order to lay the foundations for these gigantic windmills. And if those two occurrences weren’t enough--if that was disturbing in the least, and devastating, at most--well. Once those wind towers come on line, the inhabitants of these hills and valleys will be subjected to never-ending sound--both high and low-toned—to unnatural pulsing and vibration of the air, and to ‘shadow flicker’. And I do not believe our wild animals can easily adapt to such radical changes in their environment. More importantly, as stewards of this state and of this earth, I do not believe we have the right to infringe once more on those creatures less able to stand up and say ‘No!’
The Maine Legislature has passed an expedited permitting law which removes most of the standard restrictions for development of these industrial wind ‘farms’ in unorganized territories. The passage of that law is, by my estimation, a scandalous act. Without the normal restrictions, without careful and lengthy study and research and data collection, we have no way of knowing what effect such an intrusive and unnatural development will have on the flora and fauna of western Maine.
I am the daughter of a retired Maine State Game Warden. I grew up roaming these hills and valleys. From the time I was a toddler, I have had an intimate relationship with the animals of Maine, both wild and domesticated. I’ve bottle-fed white tail fawns, hand-fed fledgling owls and hawks, and walked the fields with baby raccoons in my arms. I am also a small scale farmer. I know how incredibly sensitive animals are to the slightest changes in their habitat. How incredibly harmful we humans can be—both to their peace, and to their ability to perform according to their instincts. And, usually—sadly--how harmful and destructive we are.
I am not a wildlife expert, nor a biologist; that is true. But I have instincts of my own. And I envision our local creatures having a tough road ahead, if this industrial development is allowed to move forward in such a well-preserved wooded and mountainous region. I can’t but believe that our animals will experience a sort of disorientation once this large number of industrial turbines comes on line. What will happen to their hunting and foraging instincts? Their impulses to hibernate? Their mating habits and their ability to successfully carry their unborn to term? These are just a few of the questions that I do not believe have been answered satisfactorily. In fact, I don’t believe they have even been asked! And that, I suppose, is the purpose of this letter. The reason I am going against my own natural instincts and reporting my sightings of a beautiful wild cat. I would like to see your department ask those questions. Determine those answers. That is my request to you.
I am not against wind power. I recognize our nation’s struggles. I do. But we humans created those problems. We human beings are the only species that seems unable to live in harmony with the rest of nature. We’ve done this to ourselves.
I do not believe we have the right to ask the other inhabitants of this planet to pay for our mistakes. They’ve been paying for decades, and they need someone to step up to the plate and finally start looking out for their best interests. They need someone who will put them first.
I am hoping that person will be you.
I thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Yours Truly,
Karen L. Pease
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