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Windpower Expedited Area Petitions
Last Updated: March 27, 2017
As provided in Public Law 2015, Chapter 265, residents of the unorganized and deorganized areas who are registered to vote in Maine may petition to remove from the windpower expedited permitting area all or part of the township, town or plantation in which they are registered to vote. Removal means that prior to any future windpower development proposals, the land area proposed for development would need to be rezoned. Petitions must be filed on an official form developed by the Commission, signed by at least 10% of the number of registered voters residing in that township, plantation, or town that voted in the most recent gubernatorial election, and received by the Commission between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016.
The law also allows a person to request substantive review of any petition for removal within 45 days of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission posting notice of receipt of the petition on this website. In conducting substantive review of a petition, the Commission will provide an opportunity for public comment, hold a public hearing if requested by five or more individuals, and consider whether the statutory criteria for removal are met. If a valid petition is submitted and substantive review is not requested, the specified place automatically will be removed from the expedited permitting area.
Summary of Petition Results
In accordance with Public Law 2015, Chapter 265, the petition process has closed. The Maine Land Use Planning Commission processed a number of petitions to remove certain places from the Expedited Permitting Area for Wind Energy Development. A summary table is provided below, and a brief summary document is also available.
For more information see the LUPC's Process Overview
How do I obtain a petition?
Anyone with questions about the windpower expedited permitting area should contact Tim Beaucage by email at Timothy.Beaucage@maine.gov; by phone (207) 287-4894; or in person at 18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building 4th floor, Augusta, ME 04333.
What is the process and deadline to file a petition?
- The LUPC staff will prepare an official petition form based on the geographic area that the petition circulator intends to remove and will supply that form to the circulator. The circulator may then begin collecting signatures.
- The LUPC will contact the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections for a determination of the number of signatures required to meet the minimum 10% threshold as specified in the law and will communicate the result to the circulator.
- Petition circulators must collect signatures from voters who are registered to vote in that town, plantation, or township. Signatures may be collected at any time prior to June 30, 2016.
- Once the necessary signatures have been collected, the circulator must take an oath (specified on the petition) before a notary public and file the petition with the LUPC. Petitions must be filed between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016.
- Upon receipt of a completed petition, the LUPC: i) will post notice of receipt of the petition on this website and through its related email and postal mail notification system; and ii) will submit the petition to the Secretary of State, Division of Elections, for certification that those signatures gathered on the petition are those of qualified registered voters.
- Once notice of receipt of the petition is posted on the web site, any person may file a request for substantive review of a petition. This is effectively a request to leave that location in the expedited area area and will trigger a detailed review by the Commission that will include public participation.
- If no request for substantive review is filed within 45 days, the petition automatically becomes effective, and the location will be removed from the expedited area. No further action is required on the part of petitioners or circulators.
What is the process and deadline to request substantive review of a petition?
- A request for substantive review of a petition must be filed within 45 calendar days of the date such petition was noticed on the Commission’s website.
- Additional details about the substantive review process are still under development.
Summary of Petitions Received (listed in descending order of receipt)
For more information on substantive reviews for petition areas where substantive review requests have been filed, please click on the Status "Substantive Review" for your area of interest.
Petition Area |
Date Received |
Date Posted to Web |
Status |
Deadline for Requesting Substantive Review (45 days) |
| Dallas Plantation (PDF 237KB) | June 29, 2016 | July 1, 2016 | Invalid | August 15, 2016 |
| Cary Plantation (PDF 244KB) | June 29, 2016 | July 1, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 15, 2016 |
| Drew Plantation (PDF 244KB) | June 29, 2016 | July 1, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 15, 2016 |
| Sandy River Plantation (PDF 256KB) | June 20, 2016 | June 23, 2016 | Invalid | August 8, 2016 |
| Cove Point Township (PDF 170KB) | June 16, 2016 | June 23, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 8, 2016 |
| Orneville Township (PDF 242KB) | June 15, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| Lambert Lake Township (PDF 85KB) | June 14, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| Forest Township (PDF 83KB) | June 14, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| Codyville Plantation (PDF 74KB) | June 14, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| Kingsbury Plantation (PDF 248KB) | June 14, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| Carrying Place Township (PDF 132KB) | June 13, 2016 | June 16, 2016 | Removal Effective | August 1, 2016 |
| T7 SD BPP (PDF 220KB) | June 2, 2016 | June 9, 2016 | Removal Effective | July 25, 2016 |
| Albany Township (PDF 147KB) | May 23, 2016 | May 26, 2016 | Removal Effective | July 11, 2016 |
| Forest City Township (PDF 145KB) | May 23, 2016 | May 26, 2016 | Removal Effective | July 11, 2016 |
| Marion Township (PDF 165KB) | April 25, 2016 | April 28, 2016 | Removal Effective | June 13, 2016 |
| Rangeley Plantation (PDF 153KB) | March 25, 2016 | March 31, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 16, 2016 |
| Cathance Township (PDF 158KB) | March 21, 2016 | March 24, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 9, 2016 |
| Sapling Township (PDF 246KB) | March 21, 2016 | March 24, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 9, 2016 |
| [Pursuant to P. & S.L. 1991, ch. 51, §2, the area administered by the State as Sapling Township includes both the geographic area commonly referred to as Sapling Township, plus the portion of the geographic area commonly referred to as Misery Gore Township that is directly north of Sapling Township. This petition includes the portion of Misery Gore Township that is administered as part of Sapling Township. The Sapling Township petition previously received by the Commission on January 27, 2016 did not pertain to any portion of Misery Gore Township.] | ||||
| Pleasant Ridge Plantation (PDF 150KB) | March 21, 2016 | March 24, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 9, 2016 |
| Salem Township (PDF 134KB) | March 18, 2016 | March 24, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 9, 2016 |
| Edmunds Township (PDF 163KB) | March 16, 2016 | March 17, 2016 | Removal Effective | May 2, 2016 |
| Concord Township (PDF 250KB) | February 1, 2016 | February 4, 2016 | Removal Effective | March 21, 2016 |
| Mason Township (PDF 251KB) | January 29, 2016 | February 4, 2016 | Removal Effective | March 21, 2016 |
| Misery Gore (PDF 234KB) | January 27, 2016 | January 28, 2016 | Removal Effective | March 14, 2016 |
| [On March 9, the Commission voted to process the Misery Gore Township petition as pertaining only to the geographic area the signatories are authorized to petition to remove from the expedited permitting area, the portion of Misery Gore Township that is administered as part of Sapling Township. This is the portion of Misery Gore Township that is immediately north of Sapling Township. (See P. & S.L. 1991, ch. 51, §2.) ] | ||||
| Sapling Township (PDF 246KB) | January 27, 2016 | January 28, 2016 | Removal Effective | March 14, 2016 |
| Freeman Township (PDF 268KB) | January 11, 2016 | January 14, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 29, 2016 |
| Milton Township (PDF 234KB) | January 8, 2016 | January 14, 2016 | Rulemaking Ceased, Petition Failed | February 29, 2016 |
| Concord Township (PDF 250KB) | January 6, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Returned | Not Applicable |
| Trescott Township (PDF 164KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| West Forks Plantation (PDF 258KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| The Forks Plantation (PDF 236KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Taunton & Raynham Academy Grant Township (PDF 256KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Sandbar Tract Township (PDF 237KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Rockwood Strip Township (T1 R1 NBKP) (PDF 256KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Parlin Pond Township (PDF 246KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Moxie Gore (PDF 238KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Moosehead Junction Township (PDF 290KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Long Pond Township (PDF 241KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Harfords Point Township (PDF 256KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Dennistown Plantation (PDF 241KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Big Moose Township (PDF 237KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Molunkus Township (PDF 146KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Carroll Plantation (PDF 155KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Substantive Review Removal Effective |
February 22, 2016 |
| Highland Plantation (PDF 140KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
| Lexington Township (PDF 147KB) | January 4, 2016 | January 7, 2016 | Removal Effective | February 22, 2016 |
Key:
Received – The petition has been formally filed with the LUPC; petition verification has been initiated.
Returned – The petition has been returned.
Signatures Verified – The Department of the Secretary of State has reviewed the signatures and verified that the petition includes at least the minimum number of registered voter signatures for the place proposed for removal. Note, final authority to certify or reject a petition rests with the LUPC.
Signatures Not Verified – The Department of the Secretary of State has reviewed the signatures and has not verified that the petition includes at least the minimum number of registered voter signatures for the place proposed for removal. Note, final authority to certify or reject a petition rests with the LUPC.
Substantive Review – The LUPC has received a written request for substantive review in accordance with Title 35-A, Section 3453-A(3) and the review is pending.
Rule Change Pending – The opportunity to request substantive review has passed, and no request has been filed. The LUPC is processing final rulemaking documentation.
Removal Effective – The petition for removal has been completed; the area is now removed from the Expedited Permitting Area for Wind Energy Development.