Wind Power Corruption, Tux Turkel of the PPH blows the lid off
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http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=312312&ac=PHnws&pg=2
Wind backers decry conflict-of-interest claims sponsored byGov. Baldacci and an ex-PUC chief, now a wind developer, are among those who let industry sway policy, critics say.
By TUX TURKEL Staff Writer
January 31, 2010
— By TUX TURKEL
Staff Writer
As Maine rushes to embrace wind power…money and political connections -- reaching all the way to the governor's office -- are greasing the skids….
Adams served as Baldacci's chief counsel. The governor appointed him chairman of the PUC in 2005. Adams left in 2008 to be a top executive at First Wind, the state's most active wind-power developer...Adams has since benefited from his connections with Baldacci to gain permits and generous taxpayer subsidies for big wind projects.
First Wind is owned by two hedge funds: D. E. Shaw and Marshton Dearborn. Both have extensive connections to the Obama Administration.
Specifically, David Shaw is the founder of D.E.Shaw. He is now employed in the Obama Administration.
Lawrence Summers worked at D.E. Shaw after he left Harvard and before he was employed in the Obama Administration. While employed by D. E. Shaw Lawrence was paid $5.2 million for six months of work.
This Angus?
Angus King was an activist sent to Maine to do a job. Maine was going to be an example for the takeover of America's forests. Angus and Evan Richert arrived together and Angus went to work for Pine Tree Legal. Angus became such a nuisance that Central Maine Power offered to set him up in business selling high efficiency motors to Maine industry. They gave Angus a little office with a computer and Fax machine. Then CMP invited him up to Sugarloaf USA to an Eco Eco Summit. It stood for the economy and ecology. This was a group hug between the paper industry and the environmental industry.
While at the conference, Angus was called aside and told they would like him to be Maine's new governor. Angus was amazed. He said he hardly knew anybody yet except for the folks at MPBN where he had a half hour show. CMP said it was not a problem and they could make him governor. Angus said, OK and CMP bought the Fax machine and computer back for $7,000,000. Angus wrote his little green book and the rest is history.
As soon as he became governor, his first initiative was to shut down the schools in the Unorganized Territories. Six mothers sat around a table in Kingman, Maine and formed a group called Unorganized Territories United. They fought Angus' initiative and the schools stayed open.
Follow the link below to continue the story.
http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/north-woods-national-park
JUST BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL DOESN'T MEAN IT'S MORAL OR ETHICAL
Jan. 31, 2010
By Lynne Williams
Green Party Candidate for Governor
Tux Turkel’s piece in Sunday’s Portland Press Herald (January 31, 2010) was only a keyhole look at the influential connections between industrial wind industry executives and functionaries and Maine’s power elite. The defensive responses of those with such connections, that their behavior is legal/appropriate, is not unexpected. However, legality does not equate to moral or ethical.
And what the industrial wind giants, with the complicity of state leaders, are doing is immoral and unethical.
http://www.lynnewilliams2010.org/just-because-its-not-illegal-doesnt-mea
LDWIGHT has been zealously researching this web of connections for some time. Good to see that Turkel has caught on as well. This story needs to be followed.
Now if Baldacci was an R instead of a D he would be investgated, but he isn't and there won't be one. Glad to see some people are starting to see what a scam wind power is.
These turbines cost about $2.2 million each. The manufacturers in Red China and Brazil must be getting paid for their products. Investors somewhere are putting up the money because they think it will be a profitable investment. Maybe it will be profitable and make the owners a profit. It usually does entail risk to make a profit. I personally favor wind power.
Here's the only problem I see. A couple of retired school teachers wanted to open a take-out hamburger stand in an Unorganized Township. They were prohibited from opening this seasonal business. Why? It wasn't in the commercial zone. They asked where exactly was the commercial zone in that township? LURC replied, "There isn't one and there isn't going to be one." These old folks wanted to sell hot dogs, hamburgers and chili to hunters in the fall each year to earn a little money toward paying their taxes. The problem is that Augusta is only interested in gigabucks from foreign companies, not the hard working Mainers who live here.
Nay, I have been more respectful of the AMG copywrite policy, as can certainly be noted in the original post above.
I do admit to not having well followed or adhered to the policy in the past, but have been shown, and see the light, several times by our respected Editor. I repent. And, as yet still do penance. It is well and just to thank you Naran (or other monitors) for the reminder.
I have and had Lynne Williams' permission to post her piece.
Therefore, I repost "Just Because it's Legal Doesn't Mean it's Moral or Ethical" here:
Jan. 31, 2010
This has been posted on my web site, www.lynnewilliams2010.org and sent to our press lists and the blogs, and will be posted on my Facebook pages and linked to Twitter. I shockingly seem to have figured out what all of those words I (eg blogs, twitter, etc) mean. Lynne
http://www.lynnewilliams2010.org/just-because-its-not-illegal-doesnt-mea...
By Lynne Williams
Tux Turkel’s piece in Sunday’s Portland Press Herald (January 31, 2010) was only a keyhole look at the influential connections between industrial wind industry executives and functionaries and Maine’s power elite. The defensive responses of those with such connections, that their behavior is legal and appropriate, is not unexpected. However, legality does not equate to moral or ethical.
And what the industrial wind giants, with the complicity of state leaders, are doing is immoral and unethical.
State government has a responsibility to protect the safety and happiness of the populace, as we can read in Article I of the Maine Constitution, which states that “all people are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and unalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and of pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness.”
Yet state government, in not only facilitating, but expediting, the process for those companies that seek to transform Maine into the Saudi Arabia of wind – is that really something we should aspire to, being a desert ruled by a hereditary monarch – is not protecting the safety, and certainly not the happiness, of Mainers in impacted communities.
It is appalling that the head of the Maine Center for Disease Control, Dr. Dora Mills, has belittled and marginalized those who live near wind turbines and are suffering insomnia, headaches and other even more serious health impacts, by saying that the impacts are merely annoying. Dr. Mills’ mandate is to protect the health of Mainers, not the health of the wind companies’ bottom line.
Local elected officials in potentially impacted communities, even those with financial connections to a wind company, only seem to recuse themselves from voting on a wind project when they are directly confronted by town residents, and then are annoyed (there’s that word again) that they must refrain from voting to benefit their benefactor. Likewise, wind companies select and pay for attorneys to advise towns during tax increment financing negotiations, flipping the concept of independent counsel on its head.
Most disturbing, however, was the behavior of the members of the legislature’s Energy Committee when wind activists appeared before them on January 28th.
A Committee Member whined about how they had been there since 1 pm and at 7 pm it was cutting into their family time. Look, Mr. Committee Member, you are the one who decided to get elected to office, so do your job no matter how much time it takes. And all of you should try to remember that you work for us – we put you there, and we can dump you too. So try your best to listen to those citizens that come before you, rather than being impatient and angry that anyone would dare to come to Augusta to petition their state government. Forgot about the Bill of Rights, didn’t you? And besides that, Mr. Legislator, you’re fortunate to live in a place where you can enjoy family time. If you lived in parts of Freedom, Mars Hill or Vinalhaven you might have welcomed an opportunity to stay away from home a little longer.
So, that brings me back to our state constitution. While Article I, Section 1 talks about natural rights, as noted above, Section 2 states that all power is inherent in the people and the people have an “unalienable and indefeasible right to institute government, and to alter, reform, or totally change the same, when their safety and happiness require it.”
For over two years Augusta has been welcoming industrial wind with open arms, facilitating their colonization of our state. Maine state government has become the King George of our time and for those of us who are working to stop this travesty, these are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls. These are also the times to work together to, as our Maine Constitution states, alter, reform or, if necessary, totally change our state government, because our safety and happiness truly does require it.
For those who have a question as to what a Conflict of Interest
Reprinted from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest
More generally, conflicts of interest can be defined as any situation in which an individual or corporation (either private or governmental) is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for their personal or corporate benefit.
A conflict of interest can, however, become a legal matter for example when an individual tries (and/or succeeds in) influencing the outcome of a decision, for personal benefit.
And Here is the definition from the STATE OF MAINE ETHICS COMMISSION WEBSITE
Situations Involving Conflict of Interest
(1 M.R.S.A. § 1014(1))
A Legislator engages in a violation of legislative ethics if that Legislator votes on a question in connection with a conflict of interest in committee or in either body of the Legislature or attempts to influence the outcome of that question unless a presiding officer in accordance with the Joint Rules of the Legislature requires a Legislator to vote or advises the Legislator that there is no conflict in accordance with section 1013, subsection 2, paragraph K. A conflict of interest includes:
A. When a Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family has or acquires a direct substantial personal financial interest, distinct from that of the general public, in an enterprise that would be financially benefited by proposed legislation, or derives a direct substantial personal financial benefit from close economic association with a person known by the Legislator to have a direct financial interest in an enterprise affected by proposed legislation;
B. When a Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family accepts gifts, other than campaign contributions duly recorded as required by law, from persons affected by legislation or who have an interest in an entity affected by proposed legislation and the Legislator knows or reasonably should know that the purpose of the donor in making the gift is to influence the Legislator in the performance of the Legislator's official duties or vote or is intended as a reward for action on the Legislator's part;
C. Receiving compensation or reimbursement not authorized by law for services, advice or assistance as a Legislator;
D. Appearing for, representing or advocating on behalf of another before the Legislature, unless without compensation and for the benefit of a citizen;
E. When a Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family accepts or engages in employment that could impair the Legislator's judgment, or when the Legislator knows that there is a substantial possibility that an opportunity for employment is being afforded the Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family with intent to influence the performance of the Legislator's official duties, or when the Legislator or a member of his immediate family stands to derive a personal private gain or loss from employment, because of legislative action, distinct from the gain or losses of other employees or the general community; and
F. When a Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family has an interest in legislation relating to a profession, trade, business or employment in which the Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family is engaged and the benefit derived by the Legislator or a member of the Legislator's immediate family is unique and distinct from that of the general public or persons engaged in similar professions, trades, businesses or employment.
John Hincks as co-chair of the Energy and Utilities Committee voted to send LD 2283 to the floor and voted to pass the legislation, that would give his wife Juliette Brown, who served on the committee that developed the legislation, more business through her law firm.
Mt. Hushmore LOL Hincks, Adams, Baldacci and company
http://www.windtaskforce.org/photo/photo/show?id=4401701%3APhoto%3A1478&...
The connections are not just on the Democrat side:
Peter Cianchette and Peter Vigue are backers of Steve Abbott.
Cianbro stands to make millions from the development, building and maintanence of wind farms, turbines and transmission lines.
What is Abbott's stand on wind power? Is Cianbro lobbying or sleeping with any of the current players such as Adams, Baldacci . Now if Cianbro were to benefit if Abbott became Gov then we definitely have an issue, still a good question.
Good point.
More importantly, why should we mortgage our children's future, while simultaneously driving up the cost of electricty in Maine, to employ only the workers at Cianbro and make Peter Cianchette and Peter Vigue even richer?
What is Abbot's stand on anything ??? I guess it's kinda hard for a sock puppet to stand for anything...Perhaps that's why Peter Cianchette and Peter Vigue are supporting him...He is already a good sock puppet....Atleast we might find out who has his hand up................Well you know what I mean...
Investors somewhere are putting up the money because they think it will be a profitable investment. Maybe it will be profitable and make the owners a profit. It usually does entail risk to make a profit.
Seems to me the "investors" are somewhat insulated from risk when the state and federal government are greasing the skids and providing subsidies.
Is this crony capitalism?
And, as yet still do penance. It is well and just to thank you Naran (or other monitors) for the reminder.
Actually, I cannot imagine Naran ever using the word "nay" in that context. I would be the one who wrote that, and regrettably so. I truly appreciate the amount of work you've done, and definitely appreciate the information, but the copyright issue is more than just a reason to mangle posts (which so many seem to believe we are looking to do.)
Let me clarify this yet again, for those of you who have not read and understood the AMG policy about this:
In days gone by, Scott has been threatened with lawsuits for copyright infringement based on lengthy quotes on AMG from other sources.
.
There is a legal doctrine known as "fair use doctrine", which is the legal doctrine which allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders. In order to comply with that doctrine -- and keep Scott's legal fees down -- we have the policy.
It's not because Naran and I enjoy counting the words in each citation. Nor is it because we want to mangle and confuse your offerings. We simply want to keep AMG public and free and keep Scott and the long-suffering Mrs. Fish out of the proverbial poorhouse.
Nay, I have been more respectful of the AMG copywrite policy, as can certainly be noted in the original post above.
I'm sure I speak for the entire staff when I say it would be highly appreciated if you were to do so.
Keep in mind that unless you convey to us that it is not copyrighted material you are quoting, we must assume that it is. Unless you tell us you have permission to use it, legal safety demands that we assume you do not.
Had you acknowledged that you have actually read the multitude of private messages sent to you about this issue, none of this wordy message would have taken up space here and hijacked your worthy topic.
Thanks.
I think I missed something, was Cianbro mentioned in this article?
If not, I think you are incorrectly maligning a huge Maine employer simply because they are in the manufacturing/construction industry. That is unfair.
Maligning Cianbro? Please.
I am pointing out that Cianbro is benefiting from government and private contracts and from government policies that pursue wind power. Their influence in Maine politics is direct and indirect. This is a fact.
Facts do not have opinions.
As you opine that pointing out facts 'maligns' a 'huge employer' perhaps you should take a look around you. There are other employers that will be hurt by Cianbro's Peter Vigue and Peter Cianchette pursuing their own self interest literally at the expense of the taxpayer and the ratepayer.
As has been pointed out by Paul Edmonds, VP of Operations at National Semiconductor, utility rates in this state are already unnecessarily high. Adding a very inefficient and very expensive unreliable source of electricity to the system will only drive electric utility rates higher. The 650 full and part-time high paying full benefit jobs at NSM are directly threatened by the self interested parties involved.
Any gubernatorial candidate being backed by Vigue or Cianchette should be aware that they are going to be stuck by the tar the those two carry with them on this issue.
Here are some other links that are generally hidden from view.
These exist and fall under the rubric of 'media bias'.
Local media connections, and potential conflicts of interest, potentially leading to media bias:
Portland
WMTW TV channel 8: Anchorwoman Tory Ryden's husband is a lawyer for First Wind
WGME TV channel 13: Anchorwoman Kim Block husband works with First Wind
ADAMS: "Internet posters string together relationships to draw conclusions that aren't supported by fact." The relationships are fact. The potential financial benefits are fact.
But there are no signed confessions.
Case closed.
As one takes a look at the policies and executive orders that were instituted under Kurt Adams as Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and then see what he has done and how much he has been paid and stands to make at First Wind, his statement is laughable.
Just the facts:
From First Winds press release:
Kurt Adams has served as our Senior Vice
President, Transmission since 2008. Prior to
joining us, Mr. Adams served as the chairman
of the Maine Public Utilities Commission from
2005 to 2008, where he served as Maine's
primary regulator of transmission
infrastructure.
Gee I wonder why Baldacci is so hot to put in transmissions lines now. For a supply of electricty neither Maine nor New England needs, but First Wind does. Do not forget that Central Maine Power the transmission company for Maine is a wholly owned subsidiary of Iberdrola. Soon after returning from the junket to view wind power in Spain and Denmark and Norway Baldacci declared that the transmission and production facilities should be re-united. I wonder what he meant when he said he has plans to join "the energy industry" when he leaves office?
While chairman, Mr. Adams
served as a member of the New England
Conference of Public Utilities Commissions, the
National Association of Regulatory Utility
Commissions ("NARUC"), the NARUC Electricity
Committee, the NARUC Competitive
Procurement Committee and as Maine's
representative on the New England State
Committee on Electricity. Prior to serving as the
chairman of the Maine PUC, Mr. Adams was
Governor John Baldacci's chief legal counsel
from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Adams was a partner
in the law firm of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer &
Nelson in Portland, Maine. Mr. Adams has a
B.A. in government from Skidmore College, an
M.A. in International Affairs from George
Washington University and a J.D. from the
University of Maine Law School.
Did I forget to mention that one of the sponsors for the trip to Spain was CMP?
"First Wind of Massachusetts is collecting data on Bowers Mountain wind conditions as a first step toward possibly erecting an industrial wind-to-energy site near the 1,127-foot summit, company officials said Tuesday"
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/136069.html
This beauty will be visible in a large way from almost every lake in the West Grand Lake watershed. These include West Grand, Pocumcus, Lower Syslabobsis, Pleasant, Junior, Keg and Scraggly Lakes. The towers on Stetson Mtn are plainly visible from 15+ miles away from Route 6 in Lee as well as their flashing red lights. All of the lakes mentioned above range from 3 miles to roughly 15 miles from the proposed site.
First Wind is having an informational meeting at the Carroll Town Office Monday, Feb 8 at 6:30.
Here is an example of the visual impact these towers will have on the area lakes. Although the direction the towers will be facing and the spacing of the towers is probably wrong, the photo is a fairly accurate depiction. The mountains upon which the towers are superimposed are the same ones that the meteorological (sp?) test towers are currently placed. Also, the size of the towers is a little understated. If you look closely at the 4th tower from the right, there is a small black dot just to the right of the center of the rotor. That dot was placed next to the top of the existing test tower. That tower is approx 195 feet tall. The rotors are typically 225 feet + and the top of the blade when pointed straight up is approx 400 feet depending on the tower. The distance from the photo location to the closest towers is approx 5 miles.
What a tragedy to destroy part of what Maine is all about. There is no need for these wind turbines, it has to be one of the biggest scams going. I hope this can be stopped
All I've seen proven here that could be called a fact is that First Wind clearly knew who the power players were and invited them to join in to make sure all the vestiges of politics and media were covered nicely...smart thinking on their part!
One of the biggest hypocracies perpetrated on this state is the multiyear fight against Plum Creek by the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Maine Audubon. Plum Creek's plan will disturb less than 1600 acres to build some 1000 new homes in the Greenville area.
Meanwhile the NRCM and Maine Audubon are completely and loudly support of the clearcutting and destruction of over 25,000 acres (some estimates are as high as 50,000 acres) of mountain tops in Maine by the industrial wind companies.
In a recent "thank you" to donors of Maine Audubon it was revealed that Maine Audubon received over $50,000 from wind companies and their supporters.
NRCM has not disclosed their receipts, but...it makes you wonder.
Maine
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Maine connections in Wind Power Industry
John Baldacci: Has stated that he will “work in the energy industry when he leaves the Governor’s office in 2010
Kurt Adams, First Wind VP Chief Development Officer, Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission (2004 to 5/2009), Former Chief Counsel to John Baldacci
John Hinck, Chairman of the Energy and Utilities Committee Democrat Representative District 118, 123rd and 124th Legislatures, Natural Resources Council of Maine Project Leader 1978 to 2008.
While co-chair of the E&U Committee he pushed though and voted for the Expidited Permiting Process for Wind Power LD 2283. Baldacci's Wind Power Baby.
Juliet Brown, Married to John Hinck for eighteen years. Juliet is a lawyer with the Portland-based law firm of Verrill Dana, where she chairs the Environmental Law Group. Mrs. Brown has been and is the attorney and representative for TransCanada, First Wind and Independence Wind. Verrill Dana has been hired as the lobbyist for TransCanada since 2002, and Iberdrola since 2003. Juliet Brown served on the Governor’s Task Force on Wind Energy (May 2007) while she or her firm was the lawyer for First Wind, and while her husband served on and voted for LD 2283. Juliet Brown brokered the deal between TransCanada, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Maine Audubon, and Appalachian Trail to drop their objections to development of Kibby Mountain for $500,000. We do not know if other such deals have been struck.
John Hinck is the co-chair of the Energy & Utilities Committee in the Maine State Legislature. He was instrumental in passing through the Committee and Legislature the law which expidited the permitting and siting process for wind power companies in Maine. Formerly employed by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). His job is now held by Dylan Voorhees.
Angus King co-owner of Independence Wind Stands to make $10 million to $100 million from wind power. Rumored to be a paid consultant for wind power companies and/or the wind power industry or lobbying firms. No one from the press has asked by who is he paid and how much.
Angus King, III Son of the former Governor, First Wind VP of Mergers and Acquisitions
Rob Gardner co-owner of Independence Wind Gardiner has served as president of the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation (1988-2002), as Maine Advocacy Center Director for the Conservation Law Foundation (2004-2006), and as Director of Maine's Bureau of Public Lands (1983-1987). He has also served as the Chairman of the National Wildlife Federation, Vice Chairman of the national Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and on the Board of Central Maine Power Company.