1 min read

Why would a group of Maine Republicans ask to revoke offshore wind leases from the Gulf of Maine? I thought the GOP was the political party that stood for protecting our national security and lowering our cost of living ?

Are they concerned about eagles flying into the moving turbine blades that are 40 miles offshore? Are they worried about whales bumping into the underwater supporting structures of platforms that float on the surface? What do they mean by claiming they want to “protect our fishing industry”? It doesn’t make sense to me.

Then it dawned on me. These representatives are actually putting up a smokescreen to protect their political funding from the fossil fuel interests. Of course, the fossil fuel industry doesn’t want a competing technology that is better and has a lower cost. The tactic must be to fight against funding any renewable energy project through their surrogates in the Republican Party.

Sometimes, it’s hard to follow the money from the fossil fuel interests to the bank accounts of their advocates. Their organizations don’t have obvious names like “Stop Wind Power.” They often have such heartwarming names that sound like “Americans for Puppies” that obscure their purposes.

I wish our Republican representatives would just be honest and say that they have requested the revocation of the leases because they have their hands in the fossil fuel cookie jar.

Larre Nelson
Portland

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