The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) has submitted a request for millions of dollars in taxpayer money to fund the development of the historically untouched Sears Island.
“Maine has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help transform our economy, protect our environment, create good-paying jobs, and support the generation of clean, affordable, reliable energy for Maine and the region,” said DOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note.
“At the direction of Governor Mills, we will work collaboratively across the Administration to bring every federal dollar available to Maine to help us seize this opportunity for our people, our environment, and our future,” Van Note said.
[RELATED: Mills Designates the Pristine Sears Island to be Developed For Offshore Wind…]
The DOT requested $456 million for the project, which will go toward the development of a port meant to facilitate the construction and deployment of offshore wind turbines.
The grant application also asked for funding for a barge that would launch the foundations for the turbines.
The DOT expects the federal government to issue a decision on the grant request later this year.
If the request is approved, the federal government will hold an investigation into the environmental impact of the project.
Maine will continue to apply for federal grants to fund the project.
Numerous Mainers have expressed displeasure that the development, which is being undertaken in the name of environmental protection, will destroy the natural environment of Sears Island.
[RELATED: Reagan Paul: Sears Island May Be the Next Victim of Maine’s Radical Climate Agenda…]
Currently, Sears Island is the largest causeway-accessible, undeveloped island on the East Coast.
The offshore wind development project would lose the island its designation.
The project will develop roughly 100 acres of the 940 acres on the island, but the development will undoubtedly negatively affect the environment of the whole island.
While 600 acres of the island are reserved for nature conservation, the remaining 340 are owned by the state and designated for industrial development.
Although the conservation area will remain untouched, its proximity to an industrial port will certainly remove much of its value as an untouched nature preserve.
[RELATED: ‘Unmitigated Carbon Super-Polluters:’ The Truth About Offshore Wind…]
According to Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport), officials of Searsport, the town which includes the island, have acknowledged the negative environmental impact of the project.
Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) selected Sears Island over another possible location, Mack’s Point, despite these environmental concerns.
Mack’s Point is already developed, but unlike Sears Island, it is privately owned and would thus require the state to pay a monthly lease for the land required for the project.
It is unclear when construction on the project will actually begin.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="28072 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=28072">10 Comments
When it is necessary to destroy to fool mother nature, who is the real fool?
Please, make some Piping Plovers inhabit the island.
I thought the lefty progressives loved the environment. Why is this shitty woman doing everything she can to destroy Maine’s.
Any thought to modify Sears is a desecration of the environment.
there are so many alternate energy resources rather than destructive green production. production in less valuable territory.
(destructive in that it demolishes the environment).
We need a few Snail Darters, maybe some Eagle nests..
Another move from our Governess to raise her National profile as she looks for a job in the DC swamp once term limited out. Half a billion tax payer bucks is a lot of money out of our pockets for a pipe dream.
Another environmental scam to get printed funny money from the feds. The dems scream about the environment until it means getting bucks from the broke fed gov’t that they can use for their purposes. What’s 450 million when your $34,000,000,000,000.00 in the hole. A drop in the bucket. By the by, what does DOT have to do with energy production? I thought they were supposed to take care of the roads of which many in Maine are in shitty condition. Thanks janet.
Ohhh we must DESTROY EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF UNTOUCHED LAND TO SAVE OUR PLANTE WITH GREEN ENERGY! what a scam. He blatantly says in the article it’s about bringing as much $$$ as they can to our state…. they expose them selves for what & who they really are, communists /marxists
…love how these dimwits throw “protect the environment” around. Sears Island has NEVER been developed because these same duma$$es have whined about it “hurting the environment”! Only now, because the Democrats want something, does environmental impact no longer mean anything. Just about any project that has historically involved disturbing the environment has been shot down because it will disrupt the habitat of a double breasted yellow bellied mattress thrasher or some other protected specie. Screw the whale, fill the swale…long live the wind turbine and solar panel! Despicable!
Destroy the environment.. with all the oil leaking from the wind turbines