In his April 3 column, “Maine Voices: Lawmakers should allow Maine Aqua Ventus to move forward,” James Balano presents a very myopic perspective of the importance of Monhegan Island in both the cultural history of this country and present-day Maine.
It is indisputable that the scale of the turbine will severely mar the aesthetic quality of this magnificent stretch of midcoast Maine.
It doesn’t take a computer-generated visualization study to make that judgement. Just look to the scores of renowned artists who made Monhegan their principal subject, beginning at the turn of the 20th century with Robert Henri and including names like Hopper, Kent, Wyeth and Homer, to name just a few.
As George Bellows said in 1911 of Monhegan, “This is the most wonderful country modeled by the hands of the master architect.”
To take this, yes, sacred place along the Maine coast and install a massive experimental piece of industrial infrastructure would be a tragedy. This is an important destination to all who visit Maine today, whether visually from a passing boat or while hiking its magnificent coast.
It is tragically short-sighted to degradate this state and national treasure in the name of “gathering research” for what could be a 20-year term, particularly when there are an infinite options with far less aesthetic impact.
Yes, wind is a valuable resource, but so is this yet-unspoiled masterpiece of the land and sea scape of Maine. Lawmakers need to understand that there is a large contingent that would deem it an absolute tragedy to allow the Aqua Ventus project to proceed.
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