缅因州环境保护部的监管机构已签署了一项提案，该提案建立了一个62涡轮风项目，该州是该州最大的。

The班戈每日新闻reports马萨诸塞州波士顿第一风的子公司批准该提案的命令草案，对公众意见和进一步审查。但是，即使批评家也认为该项目可能会赢得最终认可。

The $398 million wind farm in the Bingham area, about 50 miles west Bangor, would have a total rated capacity of 186 megawatts.

Its supporters say the project will make the region’s power grid more reliable and provide an economic boost to the state.

Critics object to the project’s potential impact on wildlife, the environment, and the tourist industry, a major employer in the state. Further, a group called Friends of Maine Mountains, objects to the land-use permit authorizing construction on grounds that First Wind is not setting aside enough money for the eventual decommissioning of the project.

“I won’t say that I’m overly optimistic that DEP is going to do anything different than what’s in the draft,” Friends of Maine Mountains president Chris O’Neil told the paper, “but we’re going to take one shot at pointing out some weaknesses in … the applicant’s materials.”

Maine ranks 26th in nation for wind energy

According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Maine has a total installed wind capacity of 431 megawatts in 13 separate projects, making it 26th in the country. Wind now provides about 7.5% of the state’s electricity.

According to AWEA, the state set wind energy goals in 2008 that will require a total of 2,000 MW of installed capacity by 2015.

关于该项目的财务基础仍然存在一些疑问。在缅因州最高司法法院审查后，开发商赢得了一项财务合作伙伴关系，以支付风力开发。但是，该案件中的一名干预者显然仍然开放，这一决定仍然开放。

But O’Neil says his group is focused on delaying wind projects, not defeating them, the Bangor paper reported. “If we can slow them down, we consider that victory,” he said.

The wind farm would span a number of communities. The developer has already signed agreements to provide annual payments of $176,000 to Kingsbury Plantation, $106,000 to Bingham, and $20,000 each to Abbott, Parkman and Moscow, the newspaper said.

Public comments are being accepted until September 4.