Maine Department of Environmental Protection To Hold First of Two Public Meetings On Proposed 18-Turbine Hancock Wind Project

March 21, 2013

Contact: Samantha Warren, Maine DEP Director of Communications, (207) 287-5842

-The meeting is one of two DEP is hosting to inform the public and invite comment on an 18-turbine wind farm being proposed in Hancock County by FirstWind-

AURORA ? The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will host a public meeting on Thursday, March 28 to discuss an 18-turbine wind farm proposed in Hancock County.

The meeting on FirstWind?s Hancock Wind proposal will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Airline Community School at 26 Great Pond Road in Aurora. Several DEP representatives will attend, including project manager Maria Eggett, as well as noise and visual consultants and contractors involved with the agency?s review of the project?s Site Law and Natural Resources Protection Act permit applications.

FirstWind is proposing to begin construction this year on the 54-megawatt wind power generation facility on Schoppe Ridge in T22 MD and an unnamed ridge in T16 MD with an operations and maintenance building in Aurora. In addition to the 512-foot tall turbines, the project includes two 344-foot meteorological towers.

The power generated would flow to an expanded substation at the company?s nearby 19-turbine Bull Hill Wind Project.

DEP will take the comments voiced at the public meeting into consideration as its review moves forward and return to the region for a second public meeting before a final decision is issued, likely this summer.

All proposed grid scale wind projects brought before DEP are now subject to two public meetings as part of a new internal review process established by Commissioner Patricia W. Aho and the LePage Administration to improve transparency and increase inclusivity. Prior to the process being enacted at DEP in late 2011, only one public meeting was held.

For more information about the proposed Hancock Wind project and DEP?s review, please contact DEP project manager Maria Eggett at hancockwindproject.dep@maine.gov or go to www.maine.gov/dep/land/ and click ?Selected Site Law Developments? to view the application and related documents.

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