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'I don't feel it's transparent': Conservation groups voice concerns over work on Sears Island

Multiple conservation groups say they're having issues with a lack of transparency from the Maine Department of Transportation about an offshore wind port project.

SEARSPORT, Maine — Work is moving forward on Sears Island, but Rolf Olsen and other members of Friends of Sears Island say they aren't happy about the way it's being conducted.

"I don't feel the way they're going about things is transparent and I'm concerned about it," Olsen said.

According to Olsen, during previous interactions with the Maine DOT, the agency has always been responsive and open to making information regarding their work available.

"They included a diagram of where the work would be done and a description of what would happen," but he says this changed with the recent round of geotechnical work being done on the island. "When I tried to follow up and ask for the permitting applications, I didn't hear anything," Olsen said.

In a response from MaineDOT Director of Communications Paul Merrill said the lack of initial response was due to the fact a member of the project who had the requested documents being out sick and explained that those documents were shared within a week of the request.

As stakeholders and land stewards that maintain the conservation parts of the island though, Olsen says he feels the nonprofit has a right to know about the work going on and have many people who rely on them for any information regarding the island.

"They expect us to have an answer, and if they don't tell us what's happening, we don't know," Olsen explained.

Along with being unable to notify visitors, Jill Howell with the Alliance for Sears Island says she worries about the environmental impact of the ongoing work. She explained that crews are clearing 25-foot-wide areas around drilling sites, which she believes could disrupt the island’s sensitive ecosystem. 

"There's also heavy equipment being tracked out to these boring locations, being tracked out to where those sites are, so that type of movement of heavy equipment can cause damage," Howell said. 

While Howell says she will continue to criticize the offshore wind port project at Sears Island, she feels the state has made their decision and hopes to create a stronger relationship between the conservation group and the MaineDOT.

"Better communication and just a heads up of what's going on would be great, I think," Howell said.

MaineDOT was recently not chosen to be awarded a $456 million grant for the project, but Merrill says the department is continuing to look for other funding opportunities, writing in a statement:

"The State of Maine continues to strongly believe that offshore wind presents a transformational opportunity to strengthen our economy, create good paying jobs, and embrace clean energy from our own backyard."

Merrill added that the MaineDOT will continue geotechnical work on the island throughout November.

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