§ 35-A §3402 — Legislative findings

The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to explore opportunities for and encourage the development, where appropriate, of wind energy production in the State in a manner that is consistent with all state and federal environmental standards and that achieves reliable, cost-effective, sustainable energy production on those sites in the State that will attract investment and permit the development of viable wind energy projects. The Legislature finds that the development of the wind energy potential in the State needs to be integrated into the existing energy supply and transmission systems in a way that achieves system reliability, total capital cost-effectiveness and optimum short-term and long-term benefits to Maine people. The Legislature finds it is in the public interest to encourage the construction and operation of community wind power generation facilities in the State. For the purposes of this chapter, "community wind power generation facility" means an electricity-generating facility at any one site with instantaneous generating nameplate capacity of not more than 10 megawatts that is powered entirely by wind energy. The Legislature also finds it is in the public interest to encourage wind energy research and the development of wind generation equipment manufacturing facilities in the State.
1.
Contribution of wind energy development.
The Legislature finds and declares that the wind energy resources of the State constitute a valuable indigenous and renewable energy resource and that wind energy development, which is unique in its benefits to and impacts on the natural environment, makes a significant contribution to the general welfare of the citizens of the State for the following reasons:
2.
Need for modification of regulatory process for siting wind energy developments.
The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to reduce the potential for controversy regarding siting of grid-scale wind energy development by expediting development in places where it is most compatible with existing patterns of development and resource values when considered broadly at the landscape level. Accordingly, the Legislature finds that certain aspects of the State's regulatory process for determining the environmental acceptability of wind energy developments should be modified to encourage the siting of wind energy developments in these areas. Such changes include, but are not limited to:

Legislative History

PL 2003, c. 665, §3 (NEW). PL 2005, c. 646, §3 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 661, Pt. A, §§4, 5 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 693, §4 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 693, §37 (AFF). PL 2009, c. 615, Pt. A, §2 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 682, §38 (REV). PL 2019, c. 476, §3 (AMD).