Energy News Roundup: March 16-March 22

This week in regional energy news …  

• Two environmental organizations are seeking a federal court order prohibiting four Maine hydroelectric dams from operating during this spring’s salmon run.
• Seeing growth in the market, the owner of Estes Oil is seeking permission to construct a 10,000 gallon propane storage tank on his property along Route 1.  Meanwhile, on March 27 the Searsport planning board will begin its final deliberations on approval of the 22 million gallon liquefied propane gas tank proposed for that town.
• Non-transmission alternatives to energy congestion during periods of peak demand in the Boothbay, Me., area are the goal of a pilot project run by GridSolar.  GridSolar is currently soliciting bids from power generators.
• Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont plan to work together to issue a joint solicitation for renewable energy projects.  
• Officials with the Portland Montreal Pipe Line say that there are no plans to reverse the U.S.-to-Canada flow of the pipeline to permit tar sands oil to flow into the U.S.
• The Maine BEP this week reversed a Maine DEP decision to deny a permit to a wind project on Passadumkeag Mountain.

Energy News Roundup: March 2-March 8

This week in regional energy news …

• Maine’s highest court vacated a Maine Board of Environmental Protection decision that permitted a nighttime noise level of 45 decibels at the Saddleback Ridge Wind Project.  Following the BEP’s decision, the Legislature lowered the permissible limit to 42 decibels, and the Law Court ruled that 42 decibels was the appropriate limit for noise at the wind project.
• Several bills before the Maine Legislature are looking to limit or completely repeal the government’s ability to exercise eminent domain to benefit private enterprise.
• Gardiner has joined Augusta and Kennebec County in the effort to create an RFP for gas service to the area.
• The Maine PUC has approved Efficiency Maine Trust’s plan for an increase in energy efficiency investments.  The plan still needs legislative approval.
• View outstanding photographs of Ocean Renewable Power Co.’s tidal turbine here.
• UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center is researching the use of lasers to detect wind speed above the ocean.  This new area of research is the subject of an international race, with groups worldwide looking for a cost-effective way to harness the ocean’s energy.
• Sappi Fine Paper is considering removing its dam in Westbrook, Me., to make way for recreational opportunities and allowing for fish passage

Energy News Roundup: January 26-February 1

This week in regional energy news …

• The Penobscot River Restoration Trust is the recipient of a $1 million federal grant to help its dam removal efforts (the Great Works dam removal is shown in the image to the right).  Maine’s senators, Susan Collins and Angus King, announced the grant this week.
• The towns of Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Cumberland are reviewing proposals for natural gas service to the towns submitted by Summit Natural Gas of Maine and Maine Natural Gas. 
• Dead River Co. is partnering with Xpress Natural Gas to offer compressed natural gas, or CNG, to businesses in Maine that use at least 75,000 gallons of heating oil annually.
• Last weekend saw a large protest in Portland, Me., against the possibility of tar sands oil passing through Casco Bay.  This week, Canadian diplomats met with Maine municipal officials to defend the oilsands.
• The Maine Department of Environmental Protection will no longer be imposing a 20-cent-per-barrel surcharge on gas imported into Maine.
• Maine’s gas utilities are reporting an increase in the cost of natural gas this winter due to high demand. 

Law Court Hears Oral Argument in Appeal of Oakfield Wind Power Project

The Maine Supreme Court heard oral argument yesterday in an appeal of the Department of Environmental Protection license issued to First Wind for the construction of a 150-megawatt wind power project in and around Oakfield, Maine.  The single issue raised in the appeal was the project opponents’ claim that the statutory visual impact standard applied by the DEP was unconstitutionally vague.  Counsel for the project opponents faced an uphill task as the Court recently held in Uliano v. Board of Environmental Protection that a similar, less detailed visual impact standard contained in the Natural Resources Protection Act was sufficiently specific to withstand a void for vagueness challenge.  The justices appeared skeptical of the opponents’ legal claim, at one point noting that that the statutory standard’s requirement that visual impacts be “reasonable” is an objective concept found throughout the law.  The Court also questioned whether the opponents had waived their right to raise the issue of unconstitutional vagueness because they had not raised it during the administrative appeal to the Maine Board of Environmental Protection.  First Wind was represented in the appeal by Verrill Dana Attorneys Juliet Browne and Gordon Smith. 

Energy News Roundup: September 29-October 5

This week in regional energy news . . .

• The Maine DEP has issued the final environmental permit required for the Millinocket paper mill to operate its torrefied wood facility. From wood waste, the facility will produce torrefied wood, which is a cleaner-burning fuel to be used by coal plants in Europe. 
• At deliberations yesterday, the three commissioners of the Maine Public Utilities Commission addressed comments received regarding offshore wind projects in Maine.  Commissioners Welch and Vannoy questioned the electricity savings from Statoil’s Hywind Maine offshore turbine project, and sought additional information from Statoil.  Commissioner Littell found Statoil’s representations sufficient and saw savings for Maine in its proposal.
• Dead River, the Maine oil supplier, is getting into the electricity supply business.  Dead River intends to serve customers in the residential and commercial classes, performing services similar to Electricity Maine and Gulf Electricity described in these prior posts.

Maine Wind Power Sound Rule Takes Effect

Maine’s newly adopted sound limits that apply specifically to wind power projects became effective June 10.  The Maine Department of Environmental Protection amended its Chapter 375(10) sound rules after a citizen-initiated petition to initiate rulemaking proceedings was submitted by wind power opponents.  The new rules lower the nighttime sound limit for wind power projects to 42 dBA from 45 dBA, while at the same time relaxing predictive modeling parameters imposed on developers.  In July 2011 the Board of Environmental Protection held a public hearing at which developers, opponents and project neighbors gave testimony on the potential health impacts of wind power sound.  Although the Board voted to lower the nighttime wind power sound limit, Board Chair Sue Lessard noted that it did so as a precautionary measure and not because there had been a demonstration that existing sound limits would result in adverse health effects.

Energy News Roundup: January 14-January 20

This week in regional energy news …

• NGL Energy Partners LP announced on Monday an agreement to purchase North American Propane’s assets in New England and the Mid-Atlantic.  NAP has over 50,000 customers.
• Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper pushes for more Canadian control and say over the Keystone DL pipeline.
• On Wednesday, New Hampshire’s Senate delayed its vote on a bill that would create problems for the Northern Pass transmission project’s efforts to acquire land by eminent domain.
• First Wind’s petition to expand its Oakfield wind farm to 50 turbines from 34 won the unanimous approval of the Maine DEP.