Opponents Appeal Saddleback Ridge Wind Project

Opponents of the proposed Saddleback Ridge Wind project have appealed the project’s Maine Department of Environmental Protection permit.  The appeal was filed today with the state’s Board of Environmental Protection, challenging the DEP’s conclusions regarding the project’s compliance with visual and noise standards.  The appellants also claim that the DEP’s regulations regarding noise and visual impact are unconstitutional for a variety of reasons.   The appeal was filed on behalf of Friends of Maine’s Mountains, Friends of Saddleback Mountain and several individuals.  The Board of Environmental Protection has heard and denied four similar appeals of DEP permits for wind power projects in the past two years.  Those appeals were ultimately taken to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, which affirmed the validity of the permits to build the wind power projects in question.  Verrill Dana, which successfully represented the wind power developers in all of those proceedings, is representing Saddleback Ridge Wind in the opponents’ latest appeal to the Board.