Energy drives our economy. Supplies of fossil fuels are finite and 100% of them come from outside Maine. This puts Maine in a vulnerable position, with no control over fluctuating oil and gas prices.  Producing local wind energy here in Maine helps us gain control over our economic destiny. Nearly all the people hired for wind power related work in Maine are from Maine - including more than 600 jobs in 2008 and 2009, years of severe economic distress.  The well-paying permanent operations and maintenance jobs created at wind projects provide benefits, cannot be shipped overseas, and make a real difference for local families and communities. Fossil energy has been receiving some form of government support for more than 100 years.  This makes the cumulative totals for the oil and gas industry much higher than renewables, which have been receiving government support for only a few decades.  Despite being mature industries making record profits, fossil energy continues to receive million in federal dollars.  More importantly, renewables like wind power actually receive far less support than did fossil fuels or nuclear energy at a similar point in their development. Wind developers in Maine have spent nearly $1 billion since 2004, leading to new work for 300 Maine businesses.  A stable wind power industry will result in many additional investment opportunities, all of which strengthen the state’s economy, provide annual tax revenues to local communities, employ hundreds of Mainers and help support small businesses across the state. Every day people continue to recreate near wind power projects in Maine. The Appalachian Trail runs beneath the towers at Mars Hill. Snowmobilers gather at the Stetson Wind Project each year and ride their sleds nearby all winter. Kibby is visible from Sugarloaf and a remote campground on the Chain of Ponds. There is plenty of proof that recreation and tourism continues alongside an emerging wind power industry that is creating jobs and bringing money into our economy. Developers in our state have long been funding local and non-profit projects to benefit Maine residents and the environment. These investment dollars often come as annual payments and have been used to lower local taxes, fund public safety and educational programs in local communities, develop new recreational trails and conserve land in Maine. The U.S. Government provides incentives for wind power development because it is an inexhaustible, clean, safe and reliable method for generating electricity.  Every federal dollar spent on a wind power project costs each of Maine’s federal taxpayers 0.000158 of a cent, and leverages two dollars in private investment. The total investment in infrastructure built here is then taxed annually by the State of Maine. For decades energy has been supported by federal payments. The major difference with wind power is that economic benefits accrue directly to Maine. Wind power and other forms of renewable energy are in demand in New England. So, even if we occasionally make more electricity in Maine than we need, the surplus is easily sold, generating revenues that pay Maine salaries and taxes. Wind energy is a sustainable product - no different than Maine blueberries, potatoes, lobsters, trees and scenic places. Much of our economy is based on selling our abundant natural resources in other markets.
Several peer reviewed studies of property sales near wind power projects across the country have found no correlation between wind development and property values.