Search

Aug 12, 2023

Past efforts to industrialize Sears Island: 1969- 2023 How the people defeated them. Media coverage and op-eds

 Media coverage of past proposals for  industrial projects on  Sears Island of the 1960s thorugh the 1990s.  All were rejected or withdrawn.   These include1969 TEPCO Nuke & Aluminum smelter, 1971 Maine Clean Fuels LLC oil refinery & container port,  1980 Central Maine Power  Coal Power generator,  1990s  Angus King's woodchip/cargoport plan.

UNDERWAY: 
2023 Janet Mills' Windport plan.  

1969 TEPCO proposes nuke & aluminum smelter
April 2, 1969 TEPCO eyeing River Isle for plant   (Sears island)

April 3, 1969  TEPCO Plans Explained

April 12 1969   Searsport cautious about  TEPCO proposals for  nuke power plant & aluminum smelter on Sears Island 

April 15 1969 Searsport Selectboard approves  TEPCO Sears Island smelter

April 16, 1969 TEPCO proposes site on Sears Island  Ellsworth American

April 22, 1969 TEPCO consultant says pollution controllable

May 3, 1969   State Environment Improvement Commission says no early reply on TEPCO plan

July 23, 1969  Searsport Residents meet with TEPCO

Jan 22, 1970  TEPCO bails out.

1971 Maine Clean Fuels LLC

January 15, 1971    Sears Island oil refinery & container port proposed.    Part 2 of article

January 27 1971   Maine Lobstermen's Association opposes refinery pt1   Part 2 of article

March 10, 1971.   17 thousand  sign petition against oil refinery plan for Sears Island 

March 24, 1971  Oil hearing turns on Harbor Ecology EIC dissatisfied

July 22, 1971  EIC holds marathon session on refinery plan 

July  22 1971  Maine Clean Fuels refinery rejected by Environment Improvement Commission

1972
March 30 1972  Site selection challenge by MECF  moves to court

1973
June 12, 1973  MECF economic impact data ruled private

1974
July 5, 1974   Searsport Residents voice no opposition to CMP atomic powerplant

Sept 14, 1974 Possible Searsport N-Plant Raises Questions

1975
March 12, 1975  Atomic Plant oppos hint legislative action

November 21, 1975   CMP Defers Nuke Plant   Part 2 of article

1979
June 9 1979  Central Maine Power rebuts opponents of Sears Island coal  powerplant 

1980s
Central Maine Power's Coal fired power plant plan

January 19, 1980 CMP Revises plan for Sears Island Coal Utility 

March 7, 1980   BDN Sears Island Development would alter State 

January  20, 1983 MDOT tells Maineport Council that 1983 is critical year

July 12, 1984  Sears Island Cargoport could start up in Autumn 

August 20, 1985  BDN Editorial "Sears Island" 

December 2, 1987  Mack Pt Chosen for Penobscot Bay Terminal: EPA

January 21, 1988  ME Port Council decries EPA oppo to Sears Island port

January 25, 1988  Mike Brown op-ed "SI trial has run far too long" 

February 25, 1988  Sierra Club increases port opposition

February 27-28  Delays irk Sears Island  port supporters 

August 16, 1989 Eastport group supports Sears Island port

October 19, 1988  State Treasurer ready to issue Sears Island bonds

1990s SEARS ISLAND PORT ISSUE COVERAGE
CLICK HERE for agency documents from 1990s Sears island struggle

1990
February 8, 1990 State wins round in battle over Sears Island 

April 21, 1990  New cargoport plan draws mixed reaction

November 16, 1990  State offers help, but no funds for port

December 6 1990 The Power of the Greens (column)

1991
April 8, 1991  "Sears Island"  BDN Editorial

April 25, 1991  Searsport Town Mgr on Sears Island

July 18, 1991  Study to assess impacts of new wetlands criteria

August 1, 1991 MDOT Legal Notice on Sears Island 

Decenber 7, 1991 Searsport Town Mgt quits  for Ogunquit mgmt slot 


1993
Jan 6, 1993  Sears Island debate centers on Environment

January 15, 1993  Olympia Snowe hopeful new Clinton admin pro-port

May 10, 1993  Wilderness plan for Sears Island

November 29, 1993 Allegations  by ME Sunday Telegram: Officials blocked wetlands probe


1994
February 12, 1994 BDN  OpEd:  Sink This Cargoport - Ron Huber

September 15, 1994 The Green Cabal. Mike Brown  Op-ed Part 1   Part 2 

1995

Sept  29 Sears Island Files 1995. NMFS tells ACOE it opposes island port plan " as it would destroy and degrade a very large area of extremely valuable habitat."  NMFS Response to DMR's letter to Corps 

July 22-23, 1995  BDN Sears Island Forgotten Project  Pt1   Part 2

1996

February 28  Northern Forest Forum  Gov Angus King withdraws Sears Island port plan _Ron Huber

1997 

February 17 PPH   State must pay up or lose Sears Island  Part 1    Part 2  

May 29,  Ellsworth American. Conservation_groups seek court costs.jpg

November 20  Ellsworth American editorial "Sears Island"


1998

August 8, 1998 
August 20 1998 Town to vote on restricting access to Sears Island

August 20, 1998  Sears Island Mgmt Plan to be consideredby town residents.


1999

January 25  BDN  Obituary Capt Stetson Parker

April 14 BDN MDOT: Sears Island gate a mistake Part 1     Part 2

 April 22  Ellsworth American column  "Remember Sears Island" Mike Brown

August 4  BDN Sprague Energy takes over  Mack Point Pt 1    Part 2

August 19   Ellsworth American column. "Dueling Docks" Mike Brown

November 15,  PPH  John Devillars leaves EPA legacy

2000

 May 7  PPH Gov King defends environmental record Pt 1     Part 2

July 31, BDN   Searsport Historic Society must move house linked to Sears Island 

August 31 Port plan ready to move ahead Pt1    Part 2

2001

Jan 1. DMR Report "Dynamics of larval fish abundance in Penobscot Bay in 1997 and 1998", by Maine Mark A. Lazzari Maine DMR

August 5,2001    PPH State seeks 3port plan Part 1   Part 2 

2002

Jan 29,  Mack Point demolition, renewal  underway

April 20  BDN photo: Sears Island Vernal Pools -man made wildlife survey UME

2003

* Nov 20  BDN Sears Island Gas Terminal Eyed part1   Part 2

* Nov 24 BDN : Nat Gas proposals fuel safety debate Part1   Part 2

* Dec 11 Ellsworth American  Op-ed Mike Brown LNG Part 1   Part 2

* Dec 14, Boston Globe Maine town: rewards. risks Part 1   Part 2

2004

Feb 19, 2004

April 8 2004 Ellsworth American LNG Plan sparks Debate

May 8 2004 Port Plan     Part 2 

Nov 30, 2004 MDOT memo on local & state roles on island 

2005 

* April 26 BDN  Maine legislature considers bill LD 277 to require Sears Island industrial port  

* August 30 BDN  Sears Island group prepares action plan 

* October 21 BDN   "Protect Sears Island" group meets

2006

* March 10. BDN op-ed: Sears Island Surprise. Harlan Mclaughlin

* June 29 State Police seek DNA evidence from Maine eco activists 

*Auguist 5, bdn_oped Inconvenient Truth of Baldacci Administration  Loren Hollander

* Oct 18 BDN oped Preserve Sears Island while promoting economy Bartovics & Ramsdell

* Nov 16  SIPI Committee moving tward decision on joint use

2007

*January 8 BDN Op-ed Sears Island needs Good Compromise Jamie Sarna

* February 2  BDN   Draft Sears Island  plan preserves 650 acres 

* February 6  BDN Committee Split on Sears Island sacreage division Pt1   Part 2

* March 13 BDN Sears Island factions squabble Part 1   Part 2

* November 15  BDN Editorial Sears Island Port Potential 

2008

January 30, BDN JUPC selects trust to hold Sears Island easement

Feb 9  BDN:  SI panel  reviews easement outlined

April 28  BDN  Searsport Seeking Sears Island revenues

May 8    BDN  Op-ed Flanders Fields of Sears Island . Mike Brown

Dec 4 Ellsworth Am Editorial   SI Committee got it right

Dec 18  Ells Am Sears Island: a Disaster in the Making? Jody Spear

2009

* Jan 1, 2009 , Ellsworth American Letter_ed_  Real opportunty for Sears Island . Tim Plouff

* Nov 26, 2009 Ellsw Am column  Gadfly Invasion by Mike Brown    Part two 

* Decenber 10 2009 Ellsworth Am  gadfly response Ron Huber

  2009 Brown column  References:

October 22, 2009   DMR license  to Penobscot Bay Watch

 Decenber 2009  Penobscot Bay Watch report to DMR 

2010

* June 24.  BDN  MDOT wants port expansion

*  September 16   ME Superior Court Justice dissmisses three Sears Island cases. Details.

* September 19, ME Superior Court Justice dissmisses three Sears Island cases. "Premature"

* Superior Court case records

2011

May 10 Me Supreme Judicial Court rejects Sears Island appeal 

November 2, BDN Editorial  Build on Transportation assets 

2012

* February 24  PPH  Me legislators consider $200 million Sears Island  bond. Pt 1    Part 2

* February 29  PPH  letter editor.  EW Highway would benefit industry_not_nature. Jody Spear

* November 7,  PPH  Voters poised to ok three bonds

* November 28 Propane plan for Mack Point. Pt1    Part 2

2013  

March 7 2013  Ells Am LetterEd  Unfinished business Nancy Jo Daly

March 26  2013 PPH Propane glut reduces Searsport tank need Part 1   Part 2 

2014

2015

2016

Sept 13, Central Me News.  Downeast LNG port plan rejected by Feds

2017

2018

2019 

Friends of Sears Island 2019 Annual Report

2020

2021

Nov 30  MDOT sees Searsport as hub of new offshore wind power work News Center Maine

Nov 2021 maine wind  report pdf  94 pages  

Dec 21 Me Monitor  Conservation group stunned by wind facility  proposal on Sears Isld.

Conceptual footprint of island project 

2021 Site map of project

2022  

Feb 4 Working Waterfront The real lesson of Sears Island Tom Groening

Feb 15, ME Biz: State eyes developing Searsport as offshore wind hub

Sept 25  Preserve Sears Island  ltr ed Pamela Blake

Sept 28  PEER: Maine Eyeing Sears Island for Port Again

Nov 16  PPH Letter Paula Carter.  Sears Island shd be left alone

2023

Maine Governor's Offshore Wind Energy Office

Jan 26  Letter editor Cloe Chunn, Belfast  PPH 

Feb 10  Keep Island As Is by Steve Miller oped_ PPH

May 9 Republican Journal  Windport for Searsport? Pub mtg May 20

May 17 PPH  We can save island_world  op-ed  Sally Jones PPH 

May 18  WABI TV   How an offshore windport could impact Searsport

May 20  Video Public Info Meeting on proposed windport  FOSI

June 11  PPH  Uncertain Fate awaits Offshore Wind. Part1.  Part 2    Part 3

June 18,  Maine Morning Sentinel editorial Maine must act now

July 18 Waldo Village Soup Members of Wind Port Advisory Group express different site preferences

June  24 Sun Journal  Golden Bill would block inshore wind  

June 24, 2023 PPH Bill could ban windfarms off Maine coast Pt1    Part 2

June 25  Me Prospect: Me Governor opposes labor standards 

June 26  Sierra Club other pub comments - 78page pdf -  6/26/23 offshore wind adv comm mtg

July 31 2023 Boston Herald Maine must hit pause on offshore wind turbines

August 12 Maine Public  Testing underway on Sears Island as potential offshore wind development hub

Aug 14,  News Ctr Me Public feedback process on offshore wind port a charade,

Aug 14 BDN Environmentalists call public comment process for offshore wind port a charade 

August 16  Penbay Pilot  Public feedback process for decision on offshore wind port a charade, environmentalists claim

 





No comments:

Post a Comment