HIGHLAND PLANTATION — It has been a year since Independence Wind LLC of Cumberland met with Highland Plantation residents and town officials. At the second meeting, the oneroom schoolhouse was filled to capacity for the updated informational meeting Thursday night, Oct. 8.

Jo Dunphy, the first assessor welcomed the wind power coowner Robert Gardiner who said he was sorry that his partner, former Governor Angus King, was unable to attend, “You’re stuck with me, you’ll get the charm and glitter next time,” said Gardiner.

Gardiner told those present that he and King would present their application to LURC for the proposed Highland Plantation project the first of November and it would take about six months before they would learn if they had the necessary permits for the $200-300 million project.

“Then, if everything goes all right,” said Gardiner, “maybe we could start work on the some 20 miles of new roads in 2010. That would lead to the 48 proposed turbines which would then be erected in 2011.” The project will be located on the some one million acres of land leased in the State of Maine and managed by Wagner Forest Services.

“We plan to share the transmission lines on the back side of Witham Mountain with the existing Central Maine Power Company right-of-way following all the way to the Wyman Dam,” said Gardiner.

“We will have to have a portion of the road at least 32 feet wide in order that a massive crane can reach the work area. We will have to bring the crane onto the site in pieces and re-assemble it so it will be a long process. We are looking at 132 megawatts like they will have at the Kibby Project,” Gardiner added.

The valuation now in Highland Plantation is about $9 million this would escalate with the construction of the project to $200 million, or, said Gardiner, “We would be paying 90 percent of your assessment.”

Jay Staton said he was concerned with the Brigg’s Hill Road, where he and his wife, Rose, live and what kind of noise would be produced by the wind turbines.

Greg Perkins who owns a camp in Highland Plantation said he understood that some medical personal are concerned about being too close to the noise from the turbines.

Gardiner agreed there could be concern if you were located too close like 1,000 feet.

The turbines, said Gardiner, do not work anyway unless there is a nine-mile-an-hour wind and 20 percent of the time will not operate at all.

Perkins also told Gardiner he was upset that he had never been informed of the meetings about the turbines. Gardiner said they had only sent letters to the residents of Highland Plantation and not the taxpayers but would from now on. A discussion was held about the lights on top of the turbines and what effect they might have on the hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Gardiner said that he and King had been working with the Appalachian Trail officials and felt that things were going fairly well. Gardiner added that the Highland Plantation turbines would be located some eight miles away and didn’t feel they would be a problem with hikers.

Gardiner assured everyone present that the work on the project would be given out to Maine firms but couldn’t assure anyone that it would be local people hired. “We will be constructing a large maintenance and operational building and will be hiring security personal who will possibly be local people,” he said.

Nora West asked Gardiner who was responsible for taking down the turbines once they wear out and Gardiner said, “We are. The State mandates that when we put up the turbines that we set aside monies and when the life span of the turbines, 20 to 25 years, passes we would have money available to replace them.”

One resident asked Gardner how much his taxes would be cut and Gardiner said he would be paying about 10 percent of what he is paying today.

Gardiner assured those at the meeting that he and King would be back with the sound map as soon as it’s completed. One resident asked Gardiner, “How did you ever find us here in Highland Plantation?” Dunphy said you can’t put all the blame on Gardiner. “We as town officials knew we had to do something about our taxes which had increased year after year by 100 percent, so we spoke with a Wagner official and asked them what they were considering about wind power projects. And we said to them, ‘What about considering Highland Plantation?’All I want is that we get is a real deal,” said Dunphy.

Gardiner said there are some dishonest developers that don’t tell the real story up front, but Independence Wind is not one of those he said. “We plan to keep everyone informed and so far have found no evidence that our project would affect any wild life.”

The residents of the town and surrounding towns will not have a vote on the construction of the project, only LURC will, but Gardiner did assure the residents that they will be able to be heard at the LURC meetings if they have concerns.