A time of Opportunity for Maine

It seems hard to realize this with the recession is still in full swing and many people living in difficult states of uncertainty. However, it has been a very long time since the state has seen an opportunity to take a regional lead in a growing industry...and capture the jobs and economic benefit that comes with those opportunities. But we have that opportunity now.

The opportunities are related to renewable kinetic energy development. ORPC just installed the countries largest tidal energy producing device. The State is leading the nation to develop floating offshore wind energy with University of Maine efforts and state identified test zones to attract other projects. The state leads New England in onshore wind energy development. And finally there are efforts to prototype wave energy production in Maine. All of these efforts could, and hopefully will, produce jobs, create a new generation of clean independent energy for our country, and drive the economic future for Maine.

In the past Maine has experienced similar grand opportunities. Lumber and timber products from Maine were provided for the world. Did you know that during the early to mid 1800's Wiscasset Maine was the world leading exporter of ship masts and spars? During the same period...and before and after, Maine had established itself as a world leader in shipbuilding. There were other related activities that included milling building lumber for shipping around the world, quarrying granite and harvesting ice to be shipped world wide. And there were different trades developed later: leadership in textiles, shoe making and of course paper.

Imagine the changes Maine went through as it took leadership in these areas. Areas of Maine's woods were filled with the sound of timber harvest...and most of Maine's woods have been harvested many times over with sustainable practices since. The shoreline was filled with the bustle and noise of crews of men planking and calking ships. We can only imagine the visual and audible changes that this racket brought to Maine. Crews of thousands of men roamed and worked the islands for granite. Winterscapes were disturbed by the sound of ice saws. The quiet bays and sounds of Maine were literally filled by the giant wind ships ploughing the sea with Maine goods. And now they are almost all decorated by the telltale buoys of Maine's lobster industry.

Homes and lifestyles that had been built in quiet pristine areas were disturbed as these changes took place. Many times during this broad history people made mistakes that harmed the ecology and we need to learn our lessons to avoid repeating these mistakes. Yet how would we look at the history and heritage of Maine if the state had been afraid to allow these opportunities to flourish as a few people rejected change based on immediate affect of private ascetics?

Do the true sons and daughters of Maine take pride in our ship building, lumber, manufacturing, and fishing/lobster heritage? Look ahead 30-100 years and ask yourself if that generation in Maine will take pride in being a world leader in saving the world energy crisis producing these new wind, tidal and wave devices. Our state has faced some major setbacks in recent times and we may have lost some of our confidence. But now is the time for the bold action that drove our for fathers to develop such a strong role for our small state in this great nation. We can resume our place and continue that role of leadership.