Recent Freedom of Information Act results about Federal Agencies' windpower plans for waters off Maine. It starts with a December 10, 2009 letter from Maine Governor Baldacci to President Barack Obama

EVENTS
UPCOMING December 14, 2010 Offshore Wind Conference: Tools and Information for Coastal Stakeholders Hutchinson Center, Belfast, Maine

November 16, 2010. 10am - 12:30pm Federal/State Ocean Wind Task Force. The closing of the ocean commons off Maine and its leasing off to the energy industry is under negotiation. Details including audio recordings Click here .... Meeting agenda (1 pg pdf)

October 19, 2010. Northport, Maine First Annual Maine Deepwater Offshore Wind Conference. See photos and listen to speakers at meeting More about the event: click here

PLACES
* Gulf of Maine Fishing Grounds at Risk
* Simulated windfarms off southern New England coast at various distances

LAWS
MAINE Public Law 615. An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Governor's Ocean Energy Task Force (A 29 page compendium of changes to laws administered by MDEP, LURC, DMR and other agencies, which are now being tasked to manage & review applications for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy development.

ISSUES

NEFMC refuses to get involved on behalf of EFH of managed fish stocks in three ocean task forces at once, so it wojn't deal with any at all. Says President's Ocean Mgmt Executive order makes NMFS speak for the fishermen and fish concerning ocean windmills, on behalf of the fisherermen. (9/20/10 memo, NEFMC executive comm)
Proposed Maine Ocean Task Force under Federal Charter
September 14,2010 Proposed Charter *** meeting audio recordings ** Transcripts: Q&A session 1 ** Q&A session 2. ** List of attending state and federal officials ** Media coverage. WLBZ TV

Proposed Monhegan Deepwater Offshore Wind Test Site
At Issue *** Audio of DeepCwind presentation to Monhegan Islanders on 2/16/10 *** Litigation *** DeepCwind Consortium *** Officials, academics & others involved.

Offshore windpower - affecting ocean currents?
* On the influence of large wind farms on the upper ocean circulation Göran Broström, NMI
* Potential climatic impacts & reliability of very large-scale wind farms. 3/12/2010 MIT Ctr for Global Change Science. Read discussion of this report
* Weather response to management of a large wind turbine array 2009 Dept of Atmospheric & Oceanic Science, U MD

OCEAN WIND POWER MEDIA COVERAGE
Google coverage Bangor Daily News Ocean Wind stories. ** Maineville(bdn) coverage of ocean wind ** Working Waterfront Ocean Windpower stories

PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OTHER EVENTS. AUDIO RECORDINGS

September 14, 2010 Federal Bureau of Offshore Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement meets with state and federal agencies in Belfast Maine. New Maine Federal Coordinator Aditi Mirani describes why and how the RFI or Reqeust For Interest process is to go forward.(17 min mp3) .

March 6, 2010 Fishermen's Forum. Agencies and industry describe nearshore and offshore wind plans

March 11, 2010 Legislature's Utility and Energy Committee on LD 1810

Spring 2010. Maine Legislative protects state waters from wind mills, directs applicants minimum 10 miles offshore. Listen to historic hearings from 3/6/10 to 3/24/10

October 28, 2009. Maine Coastal Conference on Wind Energy