Conflict of Interest: “a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity.” OR “when an entity or individual becomes unreliable because of a clash between personal (or self-serving) interests and professional duties or responsibilities.” See also The University of Maine
The federal government this week blocked a proposal that would have allowed the Mills Administration and labor unions to bulldoze Sears Island into an industrial wind power port. Although this hard-fought victory is good news for fishermen, ratepayers, taxpayers, and the environment, it’s only temporary. The Mills Administration has given no indication that it will stop its relentless pursuit of expensive and unworkable offshore wind schemes. Depending on how Election Day turns out, the Legislature could be back at the drawing board devising other ways to enrich the wind turbine industry and destroy pristine ocean environments. So it’s worth remembering how we got here, and how Maine’s institutions and media became witting and unwitting pawns in an expensive game of crony capitalism.
At this point, we have all heard the claims that climate change, also known as weather patterns, is causing an unprecedented increase in temperatures globally and warming our oceans (especially in the Gulf of Maine) and we all should be utterly terrified as we wait for a technology to rescue us all from evil fossil fuels. It is quite interesting though that many prominent news outlets including Yahoo News, CNN, Forbes, and CNBC reporting this faulty narrative received this disinformation from the Climate Reanalyzer, a project by none other than the University of Maine. Interestingly, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has recently released data showing that the Atlantic ocean is now experiencing below-average temperatures and appears to be cooling. One headline even remarked how scientists were puzzled by colder than usual water in the Gulf of Maine.
Has this been reported by the University? Have they “listened to the science”? The answer is no. Taking a closer look into the claims mainstream media disseminates from the Climate Reanalyzer reveals that the “data” they are basing their apocalyptic claims off of are simply from a climate model – not actually measured temperatures. Why? Because measured temperature tell a different story. One that doesn’t line the pockets of the University, unions and special interest groups like the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
Credit must be given to where credit is due though, as The Associated Press was the only news outlet to publish a reasonable caveat.
The July 6th, 2023 story “Earth hit an unofficial record high temperature this week – and stayed there” reported:
“On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration distanced itself from the designation, compiled by the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, which uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition. That metric showed that Earth’s average temperature on Wednesday remained at an unofficial record high, 62.9 degrees Fahrenheit (17.18 degrees Celsius), set the day before.”
The AP updated its story to include this single yet very clarifying paragraph:
“NOAA, whose figures are considered the gold standard in climate data, said in a statement Thursday that it cannot validate the unofficial numbers. It noted that the reanalyzer uses model output data, which it called “not suitable” as substitutes for actual temperatures and climate records. The agency monitors global temperatures and records on a monthly and an annual basis, not daily.” (emphasis added)
On July 8, 2023, the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer website was updated to include a notice on the global temperature page:
Did you notice that the University specifically claims that the Climate Reanalyzer is NOT a model? And did you notice the phrase “should not be taken as an ‘official’ observational record”? That disclaimer is not even accurate though, as the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climate forecast system (CFSv2), used by the Climate Reanalyzer is defined as a model according to NOAA, its developer: “The CFS version 2 was developed at the Environmental Modeling Center at NCEP. It is a fully coupled model representing the interaction between the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land, and sea ice.”
It is indeed a model. Sorry University of Maine – your pants were caught on fire. This notice was just an attempt to cover your collective rear ends.
As of the time of this article, a new disclaimer is now displayed on the website (in part):
“Information on this site is provided as-is for educational purposes only. The University of Maine and the Climate Change Institute make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on this website or data contained within. The University of Maine and Climate Change Institute will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in the information or data on this website or for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use. It is the user’s responsibility to verify their own facts…”
Clearly, the University will take no responsibility for spreading faulty claims, but they will happily reap the benefits of their false claims. They have successfully created a “problem” but be assured they have a “solution.” It is none other than the work of Habib Dagher and his over- decade old VolturnUS offshore wind floating platform technology. There is just one problem: On May 15 of this year the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) news broke that the VolturnUS platform technology failed to progress out of Phase 2 of testing in the U.S. Department of Energy’s FLoating Offshore Wind ReadINess (FLOWIN) program. Seems that maybe karma is catching up to the University of Maine. They presented “not suitable” climate information to the country, and now their platform can not demonstrate that it is commercially scalable or ready for prime time. Multiple attempts have been made to reach out to the University of Maine to inquire as to why their platform design failed, but with no response.
To the curious observer, it would seem suspicious that the organization peddling this climate “diagnosis” also happens to be the same one who is developing the “cure”, thereby directly benefiting financially from the climate chaos they have helped create.
It is also this very platform that was being used to justify the destruction of Sears Island for a port designed specifically for their seemingly- failed technology. The Feds have granted Sears Island a reprieve from the destruction this would cause, but UMaine will doubtless continue pushing lucrative but nonsensical schemes.
Floating wind is a fad rather than an established technology, but that hasn’t stopped Maine from trying to design an entire pretend economic sector around this particular design, funded with subsidies and by ratepayers. The federal decision means there will be a pause before trillions of tax dollars are spent and an island destroyed; however, the Mills Administration has yet to signal whether it will change course on this green energy boondoggle.
If Maine continues on the expensive “roadmap” the Mills Administration has prepared for offshore wind, the results will be economically and environmentally ruinous. The mass industrialization of our oceans would threaten both Maine’s heritage fishing industry as well as our tourism industry. Who wants to see scarlet blinking lights 25-miles off Maine’s coast while they’re stargazing? Longterm, skyrocketing energy prices will mean price hikes, unemployment, and a high cost of living and doing business in Maine. When this taxpayer-subsidized energy pours into the grid, Mainers will again pay through the nose through sneaky charges on our energy bills — just like with the solar tax.
When will Mainers finally say no to those lining their own pockets with YOUR money?
The University hasn’t completely failed, however. Professor Dagher still has his $597,000 per year paycheck and they have successfully managed to work with the governor, political activists within the governor’s energy office, special interests, unions, “news” organizations, and the other politically connected few to potentially direct billions of dollars out of taxpayers’ and ratepayers’ pockets and straight into theirs, all based upon faulty data and obsolete technology.
Had enough yet, Maine?
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="31998 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=31998">7 Comments
“To the curious observer, it would seem suspicious that the organization peddling this climate “diagnosis” also happens to be the same one who is developing the “cure”, thereby directly benefiting financially from the climate chaos they have helped create.”
That is the progressive/socialist/Marxist playbook in a nutshell. Create a problem that didn’t exist and then spend YOUR money to solve it. Remember the fake pandemic we just went through over the past four years? $Trillions redistributed into their pockets.
Don’t confuse climate change, which is natural and cyclical, (and we can’t alter) with pollution (which no one wants and we can alter). An exceptional resource for all this climate change hoax by a real meteorologist can be found at Prof. David Dilley’s website:
http://www.globalweatheroscillations.com
Can we get a number on how much all the destruction to Maine will effect the global temps? Basically what is the return on investment…
Until the people of Maine clean out all the democrats in Augusta AND WASHINGTON , we will habitually continue down these roads to financial ruin . We are a billion dollars short of our projected “needs “ and “ obligations” for 2025 – 26 . Does that make real Mainers happy ?
Communists do not relinquish power easily and since Mainers keep voting them in expect more of these idiotic projects/directives.
Interesting report. Ms. Paul has done the research and UMO should feel embarrassed. As an alumnus, I surely am.
The tide is turning, Ms. Paul. Citizens are being awaken to the fact that gaslighting by the ultra liberals is not working.
True Mainers are practical and honest and want the next generation of Mainers to obtain a better life, as it should be.
May your voice be strong during EUT committee meetings. I strongly support your ability to find the truth and save Maine.
Construction companies are the biggest financial benefactors of climate change industry.
Cianbro has a student dorm tower named after them at the former Unity College campus. marxist pigs be like… what’s up!?
Had enough yet, Maine?
Clearly Maine has not had enough of doing whatever it takes to stifle any development of an energy policy that is not geared to shore up the economy of Maine.
Election after election the same carousel of people are recycled in government to maintain the status quote of higher energy prices, higher taxes and higher raises for incompetent leaders.
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