High atop some of the tallest mountains in Maine, a wind farm proposal has set the stage for a clash of environmental values that could define the future of wind power in Maine. The Redington Wind Farm’s 30 turbines would generate electricity without greenhouse gases and offer Maine people a stable source of affordable energy for decades while lessening dependence on polluting fossil fuels. But environmental groups worry it would also push development into pristine subalpine habitat that is home to several rare or threatened species and erect a chain of lighted windmills 41 stories high within about a mile of the Appalachian Trail.

Behind the controversy created by this project — the plan will be debated at a Land Use Regulation Commission public hearing in August — however, is the much larger story of wind power in Maine. In terms of generating capacity, the Redington project would produce roughly 90 megawatts of power — enough to power about 40,000 Maine homes.

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