To the editor:
Mars Hill Mountain is a wonderful place for people who like to go hiking, but from my most recent hiking trip on the mountain, this wonderful place is becoming OFF LIMITS!
On my last climb up the mountain, I encountered “No Trespassing” signs along the access road that runs along the ridgeline to the windmills. People are still allowed to climb up the ski slopes of Big Rock and go to the south peak, but that is it. Since the access road was built over the trail that runs along the ridgeline from south to north peak, a distance of over two miles, hiking the ridgeline is coming to an end, all because of the windmills.
Before the windmills, the International Appalachian Trail went across the ridgeline. People could hike, mountain bike, and ride ATVs on the mountain. The owners of the windmills have put a stop to this. Evergreen Wind Power is going to make millions of dollars off those windmills, and the landowners who lease property where the windmills stand are also going to become rich from this deal. Evergreen Wind Power also gets tax breaks for the windmills; and this is how they treat the public, by blocking access to the mountain.
The windmills should’ve never been allowed to be constructed on Mars Hill if the end result was going to be “No Trespassing” signs, and loss of access that people have had up until the windmills were constructed. If Evergreen cannot come up with better solutions, such as putting fences around the base of all the windmills, then I say let’s make them tear them down and give Mars Hill Mountain back to the people of Aroostook County.
William Barker
Presque Isle
