The Maine House of Representatives voted Tuesday to protect sand dunes on Sears Island where the Mills administration has proposed to build an offshore wind terminal. In an 80-65 vote, the House rejected legislation that would have authorized the Department of Environmental Protection to grant a permit to build the terminal on an area of Sears Island that includes a coastal sand dune system. If the legislation fails, it is unclear how severely the decision would delay the buildout of a wind port in Maine, where turbines and other components would be assembled and then shipped to the Gulf of Maine. The project involves lengthy state and federal permitting processes after a site is selected.
It is unclear how severely the decision will delay the buildout of a wind port in Maine, which would create hundreds of high-paying jobs and advance the state's climate goals.