KENNEBEC JOURNAL • June 2, 2022
A standard technique for project opponents to avoid being seen as “anti-development” is to propose an alternative that’s far more expensive and often impractical. We now have nearly 50 land trusts dedicated to conservation, which collectively protect hundreds of thousands of acres and miles of coastline. Land protection is an important value, but not the only one of interest to today’s Mainers, and those of the future. Wind energy is one of the few promising ventures that would fulfill environmental priorities while providing skilled, well-paid, non-tourism, union jobs along the coast. That some sacrifices must be made if we want those results is, unfortunately, foreign to the thinking of those who focus solely on a “pristine” coast. Maine has long been a playground for the wealthy and powerful. But those who struggle to make a living here would also appreciate a few opportunities. ~ Douglas Rooks