Sun Journal
By Terry Karkos , Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
ROXBURY - Town meeting voters next month could decide if backers of a proposed wind tower project can proceed as planned.
That's what selectmen's Chairman Mark Touchette told about 20 people attending Tuesday night's informational meeting on the proposed creation of a mountain district zone in the town's natural land use ordinance.
"This is not a done deal," Touchette said, responding to a question regarding proposed changes to the ordinance. "This might get voted down and that's it."
The changes are intended to clear up gray areas of the ordinance and prevent wind energy facilities from being labeled as industrial structures, which are prohibited by the existing ordinance.
The district would include all areas of the mountain ridge comprising portions of Record Hill within Roxbury, Flathead Mountain, Mine Notch, Partridge Peak, and North and South Twin mountains that are located at or above an elevation of 1,500 feet.
Excluded from the district would be areas between Partridge Peak and North Twin that are at an elevation below 1,500 feet.
Since 1976, when the ordinance was created, the area was zoned as general district, which allowed everything from non-intensive recreational uses to gravel extraction. Among the things it didn't allow are wind-energy facilities.
Last summer, Brunswick-based Independence Wind LLC, a Maine company formed to create large-scale wind projects in Maine and elsewhere in New England, partnered with area landowner Bayroot LLC and its land manager, Wagner Forest Management of Lyme, N.H.
They formed a company called Record Hill Wind LLC, which wants to develop wind power on a portion of Bayroot's lands in Byron and Roxbury.
Independence Wind is owned by former Gov. Angus King and Rob Gardiner, former president of Maine Public Broadcasting.
"If you didn't have this changed, it would be a dead deal," Gardiner said regarding the proposed ordinance changes and Record Hill wind power project. "Your current zoning prohibits this kind of activity in town."
The ordinance changes also wouldn't prevent residents from erecting their own electricity-generating windmills, projects which would have to be approved by Roxbury's planning board.
"We're not defining which companies; we're defining an area. This opens the whole ridgeline. ... It doesn't stop at a certain spot," Touchette said after some asked why wind-power development companies weren't identified in the ordinance.
Aside from Record Hill Wind, UPC Wind, the nation's leader in wind power production, is eyeing Roxbury's North and South Twin mountains for a possible wind power facility.
Robert Patton, UPC's Northeast development manager, attended Tuesday night's meeting, along with King and Gardiner, to also dole out information.
Massachusetts-based UPC Wind has two large projects in Maine: Mars Hill Wind Farm at Mars Hill, and Stetson Wind, which is under development in Danforth.
Additionally, a subsidiary of UPC Wind is conducting wind studies atop a Rumford mountain.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
ICE MELT ACCELERATES AROUND THE WORLD
By: Frances C. Moore
With atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at new record highs and global average temperature now some 0.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the frozen regions of the earth are showing us just how rapidly climate change can take effect. Recent years have seen ice melt accelerate and spread to new, previously unaffected regions. In many areas, the pace of melting has surprised even the scientists studying it most closely, providing a strong early indication that the consequences of climate change could come faster and be more severe than previously believed.
The most dramatic loss of ice in recent years has been the decline of summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. Between 1953 and 2006, the area covered by sea ice in September shrunk by 7.8 percent per decade, more than three times as fast as the average rate simulated by climate models. Researchers were further stunned in the summer of 2007 when Arctic sea ice extent plummeted to the lowest level ever measured, more than 20 percent below the 2005 record...
For entire text see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/2008.htm
For data see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/2008_data.htm.
For an index of Earth Policy Institute resources related to Ice Melt see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/index.htm
With atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at new record highs and global average temperature now some 0.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the frozen regions of the earth are showing us just how rapidly climate change can take effect. Recent years have seen ice melt accelerate and spread to new, previously unaffected regions. In many areas, the pace of melting has surprised even the scientists studying it most closely, providing a strong early indication that the consequences of climate change could come faster and be more severe than previously believed.
The most dramatic loss of ice in recent years has been the decline of summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. Between 1953 and 2006, the area covered by sea ice in September shrunk by 7.8 percent per decade, more than three times as fast as the average rate simulated by climate models. Researchers were further stunned in the summer of 2007 when Arctic sea ice extent plummeted to the lowest level ever measured, more than 20 percent below the 2005 record...
For entire text see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/2008.htm
For data see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/2008_data.htm.
For an index of Earth Policy Institute resources related to Ice Melt see http://www.earthpolicy.org/Indicators/Ice/index.htm
Monday, February 04, 2008
High price of gas has a sunny side: Innovation
DOWN TO EARTH
JOHN RICHARDSON
February 2, 2008
Bill Drinkwater spends a lot of time in the basement tinkering
with his latest creation, a three-wheeled car that may soon carry
him to town at 40 mph.
But this is not your typical 62-year-old tinkerer, and his
electric-powered car is more than a retirement hobby.
Drinkwater, who lives in Belmont, is one of a loose network
of Mainers who see hard times ahead and are using their Yankee
ingenuity to prepare. The way we travel will change dramatically,
he says, as global warming and tightening oil supplies make our
current way of life too expensive.
"Things seem to be collapsing pretty quickly," he said.
Drinkwater grew up in Camden, but left Maine for about 20
years to experience a series of adventures, including a stint in
the Army.
He hitchhiked through Central America and spent a summer
"roaming around the wilderness" above the Arctic circle in
Alaska. He also spent years panning for gold in northern
California.
"I scratched out a living ... but the adventure was fantastic,"
he said.
Drinkwater returned to Maine after injuring his back looking
for gold. He spent time in a wheelchair, and still uses crutches
18 years later.
Last year, Drinkwater saw a documentary about life in Cuba
after the fall of the Soviet Union. He saw the way Cubans had to
adapt to a massive disruption in oil and food supplies as a
lesson, and a warning, for the rest of the world.
Drinkwater went to work on his car.
"I've always designed stuff and come up with ideas," he said.
"It just struck me that that's something I could do that would be
good for the world."
Drinkwater works in short spurts because of his disability,
and he expects to finish by May. His three-season, single-
person vehicle has one rear wheel and should top out at about
45 mph, he said.
"In the future everyone will be driving slow. They're going to
feel lucky if they're driving at all," he said.
He set up solar panels in his yard to charge batteries for the
car, which should go about 50 to 60 miles on each charge.
The car is expected to cost between $3,000 and $4,000 and
the solar power system will cost another $7,000, he said. On the
other hand, insurance will cost less than $200 a year, and the
fuel is free.
Drinkwater documents the progress on his Web site
(www.evmaine.org). His site also links to the home page for a
man in Norridgewock who is selling solar-electric car kits for
$4,500, and plugs a commercial electric car dealer in
Falmouth.
He also spreads the word about clean transportation as
much as he can, and spoke to a group of University of Southern
Maine students this week about emerging technologies.
Drinkwater insists he's no radical or survivalist. And, he
said, the car's message is supposed to be a hopeful one: People
can adapt if they set their minds to it, and know how to hold a
wrench.
"As the price of oil edges up people will see that electric
vehicles are viable," he said. "My philosophy in life has always
been if you want to do something just do it."
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324
or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
Read John's blog at:
www.pressherald.com
Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers
JOHN RICHARDSON
February 2, 2008
Bill Drinkwater spends a lot of time in the basement tinkering
with his latest creation, a three-wheeled car that may soon carry
him to town at 40 mph.
But this is not your typical 62-year-old tinkerer, and his
electric-powered car is more than a retirement hobby.
Drinkwater, who lives in Belmont, is one of a loose network
of Mainers who see hard times ahead and are using their Yankee
ingenuity to prepare. The way we travel will change dramatically,
he says, as global warming and tightening oil supplies make our
current way of life too expensive.
"Things seem to be collapsing pretty quickly," he said.
Drinkwater grew up in Camden, but left Maine for about 20
years to experience a series of adventures, including a stint in
the Army.
He hitchhiked through Central America and spent a summer
"roaming around the wilderness" above the Arctic circle in
Alaska. He also spent years panning for gold in northern
California.
"I scratched out a living ... but the adventure was fantastic,"
he said.
Drinkwater returned to Maine after injuring his back looking
for gold. He spent time in a wheelchair, and still uses crutches
18 years later.
Last year, Drinkwater saw a documentary about life in Cuba
after the fall of the Soviet Union. He saw the way Cubans had to
adapt to a massive disruption in oil and food supplies as a
lesson, and a warning, for the rest of the world.
Drinkwater went to work on his car.
"I've always designed stuff and come up with ideas," he said.
"It just struck me that that's something I could do that would be
good for the world."
Drinkwater works in short spurts because of his disability,
and he expects to finish by May. His three-season, single-
person vehicle has one rear wheel and should top out at about
45 mph, he said.
"In the future everyone will be driving slow. They're going to
feel lucky if they're driving at all," he said.
He set up solar panels in his yard to charge batteries for the
car, which should go about 50 to 60 miles on each charge.
The car is expected to cost between $3,000 and $4,000 and
the solar power system will cost another $7,000, he said. On the
other hand, insurance will cost less than $200 a year, and the
fuel is free.
Drinkwater documents the progress on his Web site
(www.evmaine.org). His site also links to the home page for a
man in Norridgewock who is selling solar-electric car kits for
$4,500, and plugs a commercial electric car dealer in
Falmouth.
He also spreads the word about clean transportation as
much as he can, and spoke to a group of University of Southern
Maine students this week about emerging technologies.
Drinkwater insists he's no radical or survivalist. And, he
said, the car's message is supposed to be a hopeful one: People
can adapt if they set their minds to it, and know how to hold a
wrench.
"As the price of oil edges up people will see that electric
vehicles are viable," he said. "My philosophy in life has always
been if you want to do something just do it."
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324
or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
Read John's blog at:
www.pressherald.com
Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers
Friday, February 01, 2008
State urged to set rules for new-home energy efficiency
Portland Press Herald
State House: Advocates say Maine is way behind on standards that would save owners cash and cut pollution.
By JOHN RICHARDSON, Staff Writer
February 1, 2008
Maine is the only New England state without mandatory
energy-efficiency standards for new homes, but that may
change soon as lawmakers take up two proposals aimed at
reducing the financial and environmental costs of heating
houses.
One proposal was introduced Thursday in a report from
several state agencies calling for the adoption of Maine's first
statewide uniform building code together with energy-efficiency
standards.
The other is a bill that would establish minimum standards
for insulation, energy-saving windows and other things, and
provide tax incentives for new homes that are built to save even
more energy. Environmentalists, and at least some home
builders, are backing the effort.
"We have a lot of builders out there who are still using
insulation products that are substandard for the kind of homes
we want to build today," said Ashley Richards, owner of
construction and insulation businesses in Westbrook and vice
president of the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of
Maine.
Energy-efficient homes can save fuel and money the same
way energy-efficient cars do, he said.
"If you use a better product and install it properly, you will
actually be putting money in your pocket," Richards said. "The
rest of the country is 20 years ahead of Maine."
Conservationists say the code would save homeowners
money and reduce global warming pollution that is generated by
burning oil, the heating fuel of choice in eight out of 10 Maine
homes.
"We believe that people deserve to know that their home
meets some minimum standard," said Dylan Voorhees of the
Natural Resources Council of Maine.
With heating oil prices at near-record highs, advocates say
the idea's time may finally have arrived. It has been proposed in
past sessions, but "there just wasn't the momentum and
attention to the issue," Voorhees said.
It's unclear whether the idea will face any opposition this
year.
The Maine Municipal Association has objected to past
efforts because of the cost and enforcement burden it could
place on small towns. Most Maine towns have no building codes
and no code enforcement officers.
A lobbyist for the association could not be reached for an
interview Thursday.
The bill submitted to the Legislature this week would set up
a system to train and register private inspectors. In towns with
no code enforcement officers, builders could hire the private
inspectors to certify that new homes meet the standards.
Because there are no inspections now, it's unknown how
many homes are built in Maine that do not meet the
standards.
"In southern Maine, probably very few developers are
building them that would not be up to code, but it can happen,"
said Sen. Philip Bartlett, D-Gorham, sponsor of the bill. "We've
certainly heard anecdotally that some (builders) are."
The proposed standards are considered minimal and are not
expected to make homes less affordable to buy. And, supporters
say, they are sure to make some homes more affordable to live
in.
"Sometimes it can be done less expensively and the savings
easily make up for any increased mortgage payment," Bartlett
said. "This is not a high-end standard."
Agencies that build affordable homes in Maine, including
the Maine State Housing Authority and nonprofits, have made
energy-efficient construction a major goal because it lowers
housing costs over time.
Clearwater Bend, an affordable-apartment complex that's
under construction in Westbrook, is an example of housing
that's already far more energy-efficient than would be required
under the proposed standards, according to the builders.
Bartlett's bill includes a state tax incentive for homes that
go beyond the proposed standards and meet more stringent
federal Energy Star efficiency guidelines.
There already is a federal tax credit, but such homes are
rarely built in Maine, compared with New Hampshire and others
states, according to advocates.
No hearing has been scheduled yet on Bartlett's bill.
The proposal introduced Thursday is the product of a joint
study by the State Planning Office and other state agencies, and
is expected to become the basis of a separate bill.
The proposal, which also includes a broader set of
construction standards, does not include tax incentives for
energy efficiency or third-party inspectors. It would impose
energy-efficiency standards only on towns with at least 2,000
residents - those that already are required to have code
enforcement officers.
The proposal does call for a state program to train local
inspectors to enforce the standards. The program would cost
more than $200,000 a year.
Any proposal that requires money through the state's
General Fund is sure to be a tough sell this year. In this case, the
money for training can be generated through fees or other
revenue rather than from taxpayers, said Sue Inches, deputy
commissioner of the State Planning Office.
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324
or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers
State House: Advocates say Maine is way behind on standards that would save owners cash and cut pollution.
By JOHN RICHARDSON, Staff Writer
February 1, 2008
Maine is the only New England state without mandatory
energy-efficiency standards for new homes, but that may
change soon as lawmakers take up two proposals aimed at
reducing the financial and environmental costs of heating
houses.
One proposal was introduced Thursday in a report from
several state agencies calling for the adoption of Maine's first
statewide uniform building code together with energy-efficiency
standards.
The other is a bill that would establish minimum standards
for insulation, energy-saving windows and other things, and
provide tax incentives for new homes that are built to save even
more energy. Environmentalists, and at least some home
builders, are backing the effort.
"We have a lot of builders out there who are still using
insulation products that are substandard for the kind of homes
we want to build today," said Ashley Richards, owner of
construction and insulation businesses in Westbrook and vice
president of the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of
Maine.
Energy-efficient homes can save fuel and money the same
way energy-efficient cars do, he said.
"If you use a better product and install it properly, you will
actually be putting money in your pocket," Richards said. "The
rest of the country is 20 years ahead of Maine."
Conservationists say the code would save homeowners
money and reduce global warming pollution that is generated by
burning oil, the heating fuel of choice in eight out of 10 Maine
homes.
"We believe that people deserve to know that their home
meets some minimum standard," said Dylan Voorhees of the
Natural Resources Council of Maine.
With heating oil prices at near-record highs, advocates say
the idea's time may finally have arrived. It has been proposed in
past sessions, but "there just wasn't the momentum and
attention to the issue," Voorhees said.
It's unclear whether the idea will face any opposition this
year.
The Maine Municipal Association has objected to past
efforts because of the cost and enforcement burden it could
place on small towns. Most Maine towns have no building codes
and no code enforcement officers.
A lobbyist for the association could not be reached for an
interview Thursday.
The bill submitted to the Legislature this week would set up
a system to train and register private inspectors. In towns with
no code enforcement officers, builders could hire the private
inspectors to certify that new homes meet the standards.
Because there are no inspections now, it's unknown how
many homes are built in Maine that do not meet the
standards.
"In southern Maine, probably very few developers are
building them that would not be up to code, but it can happen,"
said Sen. Philip Bartlett, D-Gorham, sponsor of the bill. "We've
certainly heard anecdotally that some (builders) are."
The proposed standards are considered minimal and are not
expected to make homes less affordable to buy. And, supporters
say, they are sure to make some homes more affordable to live
in.
"Sometimes it can be done less expensively and the savings
easily make up for any increased mortgage payment," Bartlett
said. "This is not a high-end standard."
Agencies that build affordable homes in Maine, including
the Maine State Housing Authority and nonprofits, have made
energy-efficient construction a major goal because it lowers
housing costs over time.
Clearwater Bend, an affordable-apartment complex that's
under construction in Westbrook, is an example of housing
that's already far more energy-efficient than would be required
under the proposed standards, according to the builders.
Bartlett's bill includes a state tax incentive for homes that
go beyond the proposed standards and meet more stringent
federal Energy Star efficiency guidelines.
There already is a federal tax credit, but such homes are
rarely built in Maine, compared with New Hampshire and others
states, according to advocates.
No hearing has been scheduled yet on Bartlett's bill.
The proposal introduced Thursday is the product of a joint
study by the State Planning Office and other state agencies, and
is expected to become the basis of a separate bill.
The proposal, which also includes a broader set of
construction standards, does not include tax incentives for
energy efficiency or third-party inspectors. It would impose
energy-efficiency standards only on towns with at least 2,000
residents - those that already are required to have code
enforcement officers.
The proposal does call for a state program to train local
inspectors to enforce the standards. The program would cost
more than $200,000 a year.
Any proposal that requires money through the state's
General Fund is sure to be a tough sell this year. In this case, the
money for training can be generated through fees or other
revenue rather than from taxpayers, said Sue Inches, deputy
commissioner of the State Planning Office.
Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324
or at:
jrichardson@pressherald.com
Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers
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