Report: Wind projects boost economy
A report presented last week during the state's Maine Wind Day says that wind projects have created an average of 240 jobs a year since 2003 and pumped $223 million into the state's economy.
The report, authored by economist Charles Colgan of the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service, studied the impacts of three wind farms in Maine: Mars Hill in Aroostook County, Stetson Mountain in Washington County and Kibby Mountain in Franklin County, and found that they generated nearly $223 million in local spending, the Portland Press Herald reported. Construction spending totaled $197.8 million, professional and technical services generated $23.7 million, and food and lodging resulted in $1.3 million. Total wages paid to Maine workers related to construction of the project was $46.8 million. The study was done for First Wind and TransCanada Maine Wind Development, which operate wind farms here.
Chris O'Neil, a spokesman for Friends of Maine's Mountains, which opposes industrial wind projects, criticized the report for not accounting for the high cost of wind power and not mentioning that the projects are heavily subsidized.
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