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The chart above shows the power sources that currently make up New England’s electricity supply (ISO New England 2004). Almost 60 percent of our power supply is from fossil fuels and 23 percent is from nuclear power. All of these energy sources have harmful environmental and health impacts and contribute to global warming. All of us use electricity—and all of us should be aware of where it comes from and what its impacts are:

Source: based on American Wind Energy Association

Compared to our other choices for energy, the benefits of wind are clear. It is the cleanest commercially available form of energy, and when sited and planned to minimize environmental impact, wind turbines can coexist successfully with wildlife. Some people are concerned about the threat of wind turbines on birds, yet studies have shown that less than one out of every 10,000 human-related bird deaths in the US is caused by wind projects (American Wind Energy Association). Wind developers are continually improving the technology to make it even safer for birds and other wildlife.

Wind power emits no mercury!

Meanwhile, fossil fuel power plants are the single largest source of mercury emissions in the U.S. Mercury from coal-fired power plants poses a serious threat to many bird species including the Bicknell’s Thrush and the Common Loon, both species of conservation concern in Maine. Mercury has been found in the blood and feathers of Bicknell’s Thrush, in levels high enough to interfere with their reproduction. Common Loons exposed to mercury exhibit lethargic behavior, initiate fewer nests, and fledge less young; 30 percent of Maine loons are at “high risk” due to mercury contamination (Biodiversity Research Institute).

Wind power emits no air pollution!

Fossil fuel power plants account for 63 percent of the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 22 percent of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the U.S. (Natural Resources Defense Council 2002). Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are responsible for acid rain and also contribute to smog. Acid rain damages river, stream, and forest habitats; causes calcium depletion, and weakens eggshells for birds, which decreases survival rates of the chicks. These are only some of the impacts caused by the air pollution resulting from fossil fueled power plants.

Wind power emits no carbon dioxide!

The U.S. is the largest emitter of global warming gases (mainly carbon dioxide, or CO2) worldwide, and fossil fuel power plants account for 34 percent of emissions. In the Northeast region alone, we are the 7th largest emitter of CO2 worldwide, and power plants also account for at least 30 percent of these emissions. Carbon dioxide is the major contributor to global warming, causing changes to our climate that threaten not thousands, but millions of species. According to the World Wildlife Federation, climate change could contribute to the extinction of up to 72 percent of the world’s bird species.

Wind power is a much cleaner alternative to building more coal fired power plants!

Mining for fossil fuels has devastating impacts to our mountains, waterways, and wildlife. Mountaintop removal coal mining is especially harmful; it literally tears the tops off of mountains and dumps them in the adjacent valleys, blocking thousands of miles of rivers and streams and filling riverbeds with waste. As a result, most aquatic life is killed. These operations in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia are having a detrimental impact to tens of thousands of mature forest birds, including the Cerulean Warbler, a species of high conservation concern, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The development of more wind power will alleviate the demand for natural gas!

Today, natural gas power plants provide much of our new electricity needs. In New England, power plants using so-called “clean” natural gas now emit more global warming gases than plants using coal or oil. The increasing demand for natural gas has driven coal-bed methane extraction in the western U.S., leading to more wells, compressor stations, wastewater pits, and construction of more pipelines to transport the gas to the point of demand. There is also increased pressure to drill in protected areas and to import liquefied natural gas (LNG). There are currently a number of proposals to build or expand LNG terminals on Maine’s coast. This expansion of natural gas production threatens wildlife habitat in numerous ways.