Title

Maine could eventually reduce its energy costs and heavy reliance on oil heat th

Authors

Colin Woodard

Source

Island Journal

Date

1-1-2011

Volume Number

Volume 27

Pages

78-82

Abstract

Maine could eventually reduce its energy costs and heavy reliance on oil heat through the construction of offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine. Offshore wind could benefit many in the state but could also have serious consequences for Maine fishermen without careful planning and the involvement of stakeholders early in the process. Countries in Northern Europe, such as Great Britain, Denmark, and Germany, have been developing offshore wind farms at a rapid pace with varying degrees of success. Maine can learn from mistakes made in Northern Europe, many of which can be attributed to moving rapidly without considering environmental impacts, decisions being made by a variety of agencies without coordinated, holistic planning, and lack of early discussions with fishermen. "Marine spatial planning" is a term used to describe a more systemic planning approach that takes the input of developers, scientists, and fishermen into consideration.

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