Oct. 22 – Federal officials have denied Maine’s request for $456 million to build an offshore wind port on Sears Island, in a blow to the state’s efforts to enter the offshore wind industry.
“We knew the grant program would be extremely competitive and that our application was ambitious,” Commissioner Bruce Van Note said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “We believe the outcome reflects the fiercely competitive nature of this program and does not reflect the widely recognized need for this port, the strong merit of Maine’s plan, or the tremendous economic and environmental benefits associated with it. reflects or undermines. port development.”
The Mills administration in May applied for funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to build the port on Sears Island, in Searsport.
Opponents instead prefer nearby Mack Point, which is already industrialized and offers port facilities. The Sears Island site is undeveloped and is popular with hikers.
Paige Sterling, a media adviser at the U.S. Department of Transportation, said in an email that the agency does not comment on applications, “but noted that, as with last year’s awards, these programs were significantly oversubscribed. “
The DOT received about 200 applications asking for more than $27 billion, “far more than the amount available,” Sterling said.
Governor Janet Mills announced in February that Sears Island in Penobscot Bay is the preferred location for the assembly and shipment of wind turbines to the Gulf of Maine. The state favored Sears Island because it owns the site where a port would be built, avoiding rental payments at Mack Point. State officials also say there is no need for dredging on Sears Island.
Rolf Olsen, vice president of the board of Friends of Sears Island, which manages a portion of the island set aside for conservation, and an opponent of Sears Island’s proposed site, said the federal decision “appears to be a significant financial blow to be”. to develop the production facility.
“We are somewhat encouraged that the state’s port development grant application was rejected, especially since only the development of Sears Island was considered and not Mack Point,” he said.
This story will be updated.
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