DoomsdaysCW<p>Just like when the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a> public voted AGAINST the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CMPCorridor" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CMPCorridor</span></a> through the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NorthWoods" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NorthWoods</span></a>! </p><p>Public feedback process for decision on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OffshoreWind" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>OffshoreWind</span></a> port a charade, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/environmentalists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>environmentalists</span></a> claim </p><p>State officials are accused of long favoring <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SearsIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SearsIsland</span></a>, the largest undeveloped island in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PenobscotBay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PenobscotBay</span></a>, as the future site of the port.</p><p> Author: Kate Cough of The Maine Monitor<br>Published: 12:51 PM EDT August 14, 2023 </p><p>PORTLAND, Maine — "Environmentalists are decrying a year-long process meant to gather public feedback on where to build a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/deepwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>deepwater</span></a> offshore wind port, calling it a 'charade.'</p><p>"They say state officials failed to adequately engage the public or <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/tribal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>tribal</span></a> communities and effectively decided where to construct the port long before the process began.</p><p>"The Maine Department of Transportation [<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MDOT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MDOT</span></a>]has been making an internal case for Sears Island while 'giving an illusion of an impartial analysis of port possibilities to the public,' said <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MattCannon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MattCannon</span></a>, the state conservation and energy director for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SierraClubMaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SierraClubMaine</span></a>, in comments at the final meeting of the Offshore Wind Port Advisory Group. </p><p>"'Some,' he said, 'see it as a breach of public trust.'</p><p>"State officials have said they’re considering several locations for the 100-acre port, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Eastport" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Eastport</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MackPoint" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MackPoint</span></a> and Sears Island, and don’t expect to choose a final location until next year. The officials insist they have not made a final decision.</p><p>"But participants in the process, which began in May 2022, say the state has long advocated for Sears Island, the largest <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/undeveloped" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>undeveloped</span></a> island in Penobscot Bay.</p><p>"They believe officials have not seriously considered other options for the port, which would be the staging area for equipment needed to build and maintain <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Windturbines" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Windturbines</span></a> in federal waters in the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GulfOfMaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GulfOfMaine</span></a>.</p><p>"Those suspicions hardened after documents released via a public records request submitted by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IslesboroIslandsTrust" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IslesboroIslandsTrust</span></a> earlier this year revealed internal discussions seeming to indicate an official preference for the island. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FriendsOfSearsIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FriendsOfSearsIsland</span></a> manages the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/trails" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>trails</span></a> on the conserved portion of the island.</p><p>"The documents included a '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Stakeholder" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Stakeholder</span></a> Management Plan' written by state-hired consultant Kay Rand. The document said the goals were, in part, to 'develop and execute a stakeholder outreach strategy that would enable <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GovernorJanetMills" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GovernorJanetMills</span></a> to … announce a commitment to pursue development of Sears Island as the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RenewableEnergy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RenewableEnergy</span></a> Port of the Northeast.'</p><p>"The document is dated Sept. 8, 2021 — eight months before the stakeholder group held its first meeting — and mentions pursuing Sears Island as the port at least four times."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/tech/science/environment/sears-island-environmental-deepwater-offshore-wind-port-public-feedback-process/97-dbdb520a-b539-43ad-98b0-44cba9ec751c" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">newscentermaine.com/article/te</span><span class="invisible">ch/science/environment/sears-island-environmental-deepwater-offshore-wind-port-public-feedback-process/97-dbdb520a-b539-43ad-98b0-44cba9ec751c</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Environment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Environment</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EndangeredSpecies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EndangeredSpecies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProtectSearsIsland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ProtectSearsIsland</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WindTerminal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WindTerminal</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SandDunes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SandDunes</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Searsport" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Searsport</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProtectWahsumkik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ProtectWahsumkik</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wahsumkik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Wahsumkik</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EndangeredSpecies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>EndangeredSpecies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ProtectTheDunes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ProtectTheDunes</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WabanakiAlliance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WabanakiAlliance</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wassumkeag" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Wassumkeag</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a></p>