Latest news with #Damariscotta
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why is the Ohio Power Siting Board allowing fossil fuel interests to shut down solar farms?
Solar panels in Damariscotta, Maine. (Photo by Evan Houk/ Maine Morning Star) It is now well-documented — such as this news story by the Pulitzer Prize winning ProPublica about actually purchasing a newspaper in Knox County to use as a source of misinformation — that the exorbitantly wealthy fossil fuel industry in Ohio is seeking to halt solar farms because they are competition. As Jake Zuckerman reported for in March: 'Ohioans and their elected representatives have killed enough solar development to roughly power the state's three largest cities in the three years since state lawmakers passed one of the nation's most stringent restrictions on new solar development.' But this is now poised to take a quantum leap due to a case at the Ohio Supreme Court. At issue is whether the Ohio Power Siting Board will be allowed to grant what is essentially 'veto power' over solar projects to a small handful of local officials. If granted, it will provide an almost perfect vehicle for causing the demise of solar projects across Ohio. Here is how this policy translates into solar rejections. When decisions are given to only a few individuals, there is no longer any need to persuade a majority of the public — the way a democracy works. Instead the 'blitz' can be focused on just these few, making abuse extraordinarily easy. Solar advocates are becoming placed in an essentially impossible bind. If local officials are already 'locked up' by excessive lobbying from fossil fuel interests, there now appears virtually no chance of prevailing. It is not an exaggeration to call this a de facto 'rigging' of the process. A notorious example of this process at work is the Grange Solar Grazing Project. A count revealed a full 80% of public comments were in favor. Yet when a handful of local officials expressed opposition, this 80% majority — and the democratic process itself — got over-ridden and the project was rejected by power siting board staff. Rural Ohioans oppose solar farms, right? Not so, developer finds The Grange project was located in the home district of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon — a primary co-sponsor of the openly anti-solar SB 52 legislation. This writer is not privy to details, but it stands to reason this juxtaposition generated major pressure on local officials. The pattern repeated again on April 17: 'In yet another case of the state's hostility to utility-scale projects, state regulators have unanimously rejected a 150 MW project outside Canton because of organized opposition from local officials.' Due to an appearance of favoritism, the solar advocacy group Third Act Ohio legitimately asked the OPSB to explain why such authority was being handed to local officials. While completely ignoring the question, this group was referred to 'criteria' in a statute to guide decisions, and directed to a link. When examined, this statute contained no requirement that a project meet approval of local officials. Instead, the group found a separate statute specifically FORBIDDING such. The very title is 'No Local Jurisdiction.' There is a strong appearance that this action is being 'manufactured out of thin air.' If reinforced by the state Supreme Court, the stage seems set for a sweeping shutdown of utility scale solar in Ohio. Why does this matter? Ohio is not just one state among many. It is the fifth most prolific producer of carbon emissions. Failure in Ohio would combine with a nationwide failure promoted by Trump and the Republican Party to inflict drastic global consequences. Science warns that crossing a climate 'tipping point' will unleash a continuing spiral of increasing temperatures, with little public awareness about the immense scale of harm that would bring. When our current 1.5 degree C increase spirals toward a 3 degree C increase, a band around the earth paralleling the equator would dry up from massive drought. This area — called a 'dead zone' because of its unlivability — would spread north and south. Tens of millions affected by collapsed food supply would escalate into the hundreds of millions. On a matter affecting survival of life as we know it, the OPSB must not be allowed to become the proverbial 'fox guarding the chicken coop' and tilt the process toward the vested interests it was supposed to regulate! Gary Houser is a long time Ohio solar advocate, who also produces video resources on the frightening danger of a climate tipping point. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maine arts organizations face sudden loss of federal grants
May 4—Wilhelmina Smith was shocked — but later said she maybe shouldn't have been too shocked — when she got an email late Friday night from the National Endowment for the Arts. The email informed Smith, artistic director of the Salt Bay Chamberfest, that the NEA was terminating a $20,000 grant to support the annual Damariscotta classical chamber music festival. The 2025 grant, which was awarded last year under the Biden administration, covers 10% of the festival's budget, and Smith said the lineup is already set. "I was just going on faith ... that the grant would be contractually fine. So I was very surprised, very taken aback," Smith said. "If I had known they were not planning to fund it, I would have changed some of my offerings and lessened the costs. But with the information that I had, that we were awarded $20,000, I knew that I could commission composers, offer more concerts, really do the things that we said we were going to do." Smith already knew that the agency had different expectations for the 2026 applications, but she didn't think grants that had already been awarded would be affected. But she and numerous arts organization directors like her across Maine and the country received notice Friday night that their grants would be terminated by the end of the month. The email came just hours after President Donald Trump proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts entirely in the next budget. It's the latest way that his administration is attempting to cut federal investment in the arts and humanities — last month, the National Endowment for the Humanities issued similar grant cancellations across the state. The Friday email sent by the NEA explains that the agency is shifting its focus to funding projects that it says align with the Trump administration's priorities. "The NEA will now prioritize projects that elevate the Nation's (historically Black colleges and universities) and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities," the email explains. The notification said support for grant-funded projects will end May 31 and gave organizations seven days to appeal if they believe their project does align with the administration's priorities. Maine received 14 NEA grants totaling $383,000 in the most recent round of awards. They include $55,000 for Portland Ovations, $45,000 for the Camden International Film Festival, $30,000 for the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle and $20,000 for Mayo Street Arts in Portland. The grants support residency programs, shows, music and film festivals, publications, art installations and professional development for artists. The NEA did not immediately respond to questions Sunday about the number of grants that were terminated, either nationally or in Maine. The Maine Academy of Modern Music in Portland received a $20,000 grant this year in support of its Resurgam Music and Arts Festival, a free music and arts event preparing for its fourth year. Luckily for MAMM, director Jeff Shaw said, the academy already received its grant money, and the festival is still scheduled for June 8. Regardless, he's still worried about the broader impact on Maine arts and the suddenness of the cancellations. "Everyone was told that this was happening, these funds were in place, and then folks set their budgets accordingly, and artists have booked their time accordingly," Shaw said. "And this is a curveball." WHAT NOW? U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, the ranking member of the congressional subcommittee that oversees funding for the NEA, decried the cuts in a written statement Saturday, calling them an "outrageous attack" on cultural heritage and local economies. "Clearly, President Trump fundamentally misunderstands the role of the Endowment — which, through its relatively small budget, underpins the $1.2 trillion economic powerhouse that is the arts and cultural sector," she wrote. "These grants create jobs, support institutions that anchor Main Streets in even the smallest and most rural communities and generate significant additional private investment." Pingree declared she will do everything in her power to fight back against the cuts and called on her Republican colleagues to join her. Shaw, with the Academy of Modern Music, said his organization already put in an application for next year for a program focused on veterans — which matches one of the new priorities the NEA described in Friday's email. The program would provide funding for veterans to take free rock music lessons with MAMM. He said the academy is prepared to adapt as needed. "Assuming that NEA continues to exist, we'll certainly follow the rules as long as whatever we're presenting feels authentic and in line with with our mission," Shaw said. The Salt Bay Chamberfest, though, remains up in the air, Smith said. Unlike the music academy, the classical festival hasn't gotten any of its grant funding yet. Smith hopes that the grant can be restored over the next month. If not, she said, organizers will have to scramble to raise funds. "We can't change what we're offering; it's too late. So we'll be out $20,000," she said. But Smith also said artists are equipped to handle adversity. "We'll do our best to adapt, because we're not intimidated and we're not going to go away," she said. "We serve people — we serve the residents of the state and beyond." Copy the Story Link
