It can't be a fun time to be a member of LURC, Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission, right now.

There's some tough sledding to be had for these folks, what with the Redington Wind Turbine Project up for final review, and the whole Plum Creek development and conservation plan coming fast on its heels.

The people at LURC are just ordinary Joes like you and me, but they've got to make some big decisions on some highly publicized and controversial projects affecting the unorganized townships under their charge.

By the time all is said and done these folks are gonna need a good dose of valium and maybe a stiff drink of two just to see straight.

I don't envy them a'tall. Nope.

Speaking of those decisions, I hope they rule against the Redington wind power project.

It took me a long time and a bit o'changing my mind, but I finally came to the opinion that the summits of our western mountains just aren't the proper place for 300-foot wind towers and their associated access roads and transmission lines.

I must say I'm perplexed by the comment made at the hearing by the attorney for Maine Mountain Power Jeff Thaler that "this is not a remote, pristine part of the state."

Uh, Mr. Thaler, have you been to the proposed Stratton-Carrabassett area?

Yes, there's industrial forestry and a ski resort and villages where people live and work, but really, 'remote' and 'pristine' practically define the area's character, perceived if not entirely real.

So, no wind towers in sight of our Appalachian Trail please.

But I have a good sense that the project will pass LURC muster anyway.

Then there's Plum Creek development and conservation plan for the Moosehead Lake region (pass the valium and shot glasses for the LURCers please).

Plum Creek has pulled their latest plan iteration and is re-tooling one final time before presenting to LURC for review and approval.

And I hope they get it.

Provided they are crafty enough the concentrate their proposed development, which seems to be the biggest sticking point. With that and the more than 400,000 some acres in an impressively wide arc of contiguous multiple-use lands stretching from Greenville nearly to Canada in conservation easement, it's a winner in my view.

We'll see.

Good luck to the folks at LURC who are doing the best job they can. A tough, thankless one at that.