We, the undersigned, request that the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and any other decision-makers do NOT approve federal funding of an OSW port on Sears Island.

We are signing this petition because we want to protect Sears Island / Wahsumkik from the proposed Off-shore wind (OSW) development. Sears Island as a whole is too valuable as an undeveloped island to the ecology of the region and waters of Penobscot Bay, for future climate resilience, and for free coastal access for people.

If the state pursues an OSW port, they should do everything possible to make it happen on Mack Point, an industrial site directly across the bay with sufficient space and infrastructure to meet Maine's aggressive clean energy goals.

Background:

The State of Maine, through the Department of Transportation and the Governor's Energy Office, is applying for federal grant money to develop an Off-shore Wind Manufacturing, Assembly, and Launching port on Sears Island in Searsport.

The State claims to have performed feasibility studies that prove Sears Island is the most economically feasible, and least environmentally damaging alternative. They also claim to have involved a broad group of stakeholders in the siting decision.

In fact, the State has not performed any environmental impact study, and is withholding the updated study conducted by the State's contracted engineers in 2023 and additional engineering studies that were completed by 3rd party engineers. The Maine DOT also withheld this information and provided outdated information to convince lawmakers to overturn protections for sand dunes on Sears Island, enabling this grant to move forward.

Local stakeholders, including the Searsport Selectboard, had to draft a letter to the Governor and the DOT to request an informational meeting, because they were not consulted for three years before being asked to support the federal grant request. The selectboard did not see the grant request or the language targeting Sears Island, but support an OSW port in Searsport. Additionally last summer at a public meeting hosted by the DOT, there was overwhelming local support for protecting Sears Island and using Mack Point, or no development at all. This feedback appears to have gone unacknowledged.

The majority of stakeholders supporting the project are statewide organizations based in Augusta, with limited local knowledge of Searsport, and substantial self-interest.

We, the undersigned, request that the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and any other decision-makers do NOT approve federal funding of an OSW port on Sears Island.

FMI please visit these websites:

Campaign to Protect Sears Island / Wahsumkik: https://www.protectsearsisland.org/

Alliance for Sears Island: https://allianceforsearsisland.org/

Friends of Sears Island: https://friendsofsearsisland.org/