Trust says no to wind farm

Sun Journal

By Leslie H. Dixon , Staff Writer
Friday, August 15, 2008

NORWAY - A Western Foothills Land Trust official said Thursday that as owner of the 150-acre Roberts Farm Preserve on Pike's Hill, it has no interest in hosting a wind farm.

"We were never interested in putting any wind power on the 150-acre site," said Lee Dassler, land trust coordinator, after reading a story in the Sun Journal about Norway resident Wes Wentworth investigating the possible placement of a turbine on 10.5 acres next to the preserve.

The 150-acre site will eventually be opened for recreational trails, Dassler said.

In July, Wentworth suggested to area officials that they look at placing a turbine on a 10.5 acre parcel that was part of the original 160-acre Roberts farm as a means to generate power and recoup money lost several years ago when six area towns invested in a failed technology park plan for the site.

Wentworth said he will ask Norway selectmen to fund a wind meter test on Pike's Hill.

The Western Foothills Land Trust is investigating purchase of the 10.5 acre site from the Growth Council of Oxford Hills. Dassler said Thursday that even if the trust buys the 10.5 acres, she could not speak for the board as to its future plans, except to say the council is trying to buy it to provide an additional access point to the 150 acres and to protect the land.

Dassler commended Wentworth for his "forward thinking" and agreed that alternative forms of energy should be investigated, but said wind power isn't in the cards for the 150-acre preserve.

Wentworth could not be reached for comment Thursday.