It has been a pleasure reading from afar the tremendous progress of the Fox Islands Wind Project. However, my greatest pleasure has been the renewed appreciation of the “can do” spirit of Mainers living up to the state’s motto “Dirigo,” for other New Englanders to emulate. The sense of community and commitment to get the job done for the common good by all has been truly refreshing.
Lately it seems I read all too often the selfish “What’s in it for me?” Wall Street mentality while gambling and losing the hard earned monies entrusted to them. In stark contrast, this clean, renewable energy project took a calculated risk that will pay dividends, on so many levels, for decades to come, while addressing far better questions: “What’s in it for Maine?” and “What’s in it for US?”
I write from the Land of Lincoln; The Prairie State where several hundred majestic turbines have been planted so far and are harvesting the wind without much fanfare since they are located on our great prairie out of sight of most citizens. These projects had their naysayers. Most of the concerns raised either didn’t materialize or if they did, they were far less severe than predicted. The sky did not fall. Take noise, for example. I have gone out of my way to get up close to try and hear these massive sentinels and it is amazing how close one has to actually get to hear the subtle swoosh, swoosh sound-I’ve heard louder sounds from waves lapping the shores of Lake Michigan.
But the most compelling reason for me to support these machines are the words of Kirk Lowell, executive director of CloudCorp, defending the Meridian Way Wind Farm in Kansas. Mr. Lowell said it best “Iraq and a lot of the skirmishes we are in are about energy. And I think, to put it in a nutshell, we feel it makes more sense to put wind turbines on our prairie instead of our fine young men and women under the prairie.”
That sound logic seems to make way too much sense.
However and whomever started the Fox Islands Wind Project needs to be commended. So does the entire community for supporting this effort. During the last presidential election we all became aware of the “Yes We Can” motto. Well, you proved it can be done and can now claim “Yes We Did.”
Bravo. Keep up the great work,
Frank Madeka
Maryville, Illinois