Thursday, January 20, 2011

First Wind TIF deal rejected

Commissioners in Somerset County recently voted against forming a tax-increment financing district proposed by Massachusetts-based wind farm developer First Wind.

The refusal to set up a TIF in Mayfield Township marks the first time a wind farm developer's TIF request has been turned down in the state, according to the Morning Sentinel. It's also the first time First Wind has seen a TIF request rejected for any of its projects in the country. In their decision, commissioners expressed concern over the environmental and tourism impacts of First Wind's proposal to build 52 turbines in the town of Bingham, Mayfield Township and the Piscataquis County town of Blanchard, with 32 of those planned for Mayfield. First Wind, operating as Bingham Wind Power LLC, plans to submit its permit applications this spring, and a company representative said the project will continue. The TIF decision for Mayfield will not impact any TIF arrangements in the other two towns.

The TIF would have funneled estimated additional tax revenue of $1.35 million, with an undetermined percentage going to First Wind and the rest used by county commissioners for economic development projects.

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