This is a toughy.

The possibility of generating clean power from a renewable source: the wind vs. the environmental damage that will be caused by the construction and presence of wind generators on wilderness mountaintops.

We need more energy, especially from renewable sources.

But can we abide by the concurrent damage to our remote and precious landscape?

I'm certainly torn.

I was just out in the Mojave Desert of southern California a few weeks ago and saw first hand what may be the largest wind farm in the country. Hundreds of tall generating towers with their rotating turbines.

The scale of it was amazing. And it was ugly at first. But then it grew on me and seemed acceptable. But that was in the desert, where its difficult to hide ugliness to begin with, not the boreal forests of northwestern Maine.

So, if we say "no" to this idea, are we being NIMBYs?

Would it be better if it was built in New Hampshire instead?

Do you really want to travel up north and paddle a river, or hike a trail, and be confronted head-on with a huge wind tower, or many towers, dominating the skyline for miles around?

Isn't this a good way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, something we've squawked about for decades?

Could the visual impact be minimized by locating the towers in a compact area, therefore making the project more palatable?

Shouldn't we just cut back on our energy use so that we don't need to ruin our environment with wind towers?

I'm sorry. I have only questions at this point.