Although it contained only 17 signatures, it was more than twice the number needed to power up the LUPC "Substantive Review" mechanism.Īfter receipt of the petition, the LUPC then seeks input from any citizen, groups of citizens, on up the scale to local governing bodies, to submit comments on the proposed wind generation project. Milton Township returned such a petition to the LUPC. If 10 percent of the territory's voters signed a petition asking for a full permitting review, it becomes the responsibility of the LUPC to request information and conduct hearings on the individual project. The Maine Legislature last year passed a bill that allowed registered voters in unorganized territories to challenge the expedited track of wind power project permitting by circulating a petition. A full-scale and lengthy rezoning process must include an extensive and separate permitting process with public hearings by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The LUPC further determined that within the unorganized territory, the permitting may be conducted under a so-called "expedited" process. Since Milton is an unorganized territory, the Maine Land Use Planning Commission has pre-provided a broad scale pre-zoning of the state's unorganized territories, determining that wind power is an appropriate use within these territories with appropriate permitting. Maine state law encourages the development of wind power.
Its citizens must bring their issues to the county commissioners for a hearing.Įarlier this year EverPower, a Pittsburgh company, began exploring the possibility of installing a wind power electrical generation site in Milton Township. Milton is in the county's unorganized territory, so it has no local government. PARIS - There appeared to be multiple controversies on simmer at the same time regarding a possible wind power project in Milton Township that was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Oxford County Commissioners.
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