Bigelow Range, Northwest of Highland Plantation. From the Appalachian Trail, the range features some of the best summit views in the eastern U.S…..for now.

In the fall of 2009, residents of Highland Plantation and the surrounding area heard from a pair of wind energy developers that this rural community was where they were planning to build what would have been, at that time, the largest industrial wind facility in Maine. More important, they made it known there was little anyone could do to stop them. They felt assured that a new law, the Maine Wind Energy Act, would allow them to bypass the concerns and opinions of the people who would have to live with their project.  Other wind developers would follow, targeting the neighboring townships. It was clear that our small communities could soon lose the rural qualities and character of this western mountain region of Maine, the place we had chosen to make our home – and we’d never have a chance to say anything about it.

The 2009 founding of Friends of the Highland Mountains followed the realization that organization of a community-wide effort was the only hope of preserving the wonderful quality of life that keeps us here.  (See our Mission Statement)

Since that fall, it has come to light that our greater community has been a target for large-scale wind energy development for some time. We were the last to know. This website is just one part of the effort to retain the quality of place and quality of life that make our ties to this region so strong.

We hope you will spend some time learning more about wind energy development in Maine, and how the 2008 changes in Maine law negatively affected local input on wind power siting in Maine’s most rural communities. When you’ve learned more, as we did, we hope you will join the effort in any way you can to keep Maine, the way life should be.

If you have comments or questions, we’re always glad to hear from you.  –  Friends of the Highland Mountains

Status of Local Projects