I thought that supporters of NRCM’s work would not want false claims about our organizations to go unanswered. In response to a recent Kennebec Journal letter-to-the-editor that distorted the facts, I provided this response, which ran in the paper’s March 18, 2011 edition. I am sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who may not have seen it. I hope you find the letter informative. As always, we truly appreciate your support of NRCM’s work for clean, renewable energy issues.
No wind power money to Natural Resources Council
Despite the claim in his letter (March 5) to the newspaper, Jack Gagnon cannot produce one shred of evidence that the Natural Resources Council of Maine has accepted donations from wind power companies, because it never has.
Such falsehoods and fabrications are not helpful to the public dialogue as we work to find solutions to Maine's serious energy problems.
NRCM has a strict business donation policy that restricts soliciting or accepting funds from businesses that:
* Are substantial polluters of the environment.
* Have a significant and potentially controversial permitting or licensing matter under consideration by state or federal agencies.
* Have an unresolved enforcement issue pending before state or federal regulators.
* Have a position on an environmental policy matter that is contrary to an NRCM advocacy position.
NRCM evaluates wind project proposals on a case-by-case basis, and has supported some and opposed others. As with any power sources, there are always trade-offs. This website, www.nrcm.org/renewable_library.asp, provides research on wind power that we believe contributes to a balanced discussion of this important issue in Maine.
Lisa Pohlmann
Executive Director
Natural Resources Council of Maine