More than a year ago, Maine adopted legislation promoting the ambitious goal of making Maine a leader in wind power development.

The Legislature unanimously passed the bill, which was based on the recommendation of a governor’s task force. Today, the drive to identify and develop sites has plenty of money and influence behind it.

But not everyone shares the enthusiasm for erecting turbines on forested ridges and undeveloped hilltops, and many question the scale of development that lies  ahead. Maine’s new law envisions establishing more than 1,000 turbines, each 400 feet tall, within the next 10 years.

Citizens’ groups this week asked the Legislature to reconsider its approach. Despite the economic and environmental benefits of wind power, lawmakers should listen to concerns that such fast-paced development may not be in Maine’s best interest.

The  law seeks to establish an “expedited” permitting process so that projects are not needlessly bogged down. But wind projects deserve thorough local and state reviews because we are only beginning to become aware of the effects of large turbines on wildlife and nearby residents.

The problem of noise, for instance, is called negligible by some, while others describe a pervasive low-frequency thumping. It could become a permanent soundtrack in areas now noted for their peace and quiet.

The sound of a turbine may difficult to imagine, but we can picture how a wind farm could dominate a Maine hilltop, blighting the view for miles around.  As longtime environmental advocate Jonathan Carter put it: “The sprawling wind power that is being proposed today is going to have  a  devastating effect on the Maine woods.”

The prospect of relaxed regulations, subsidies and tax credits could soon fuel a boom in such projects, bringing new access roads and utility lines, as well as turbines, to the  back country. Carter’s Forest Ecology Network and the Citizens’ Task Force on Wind Power have asked the Legislature to reconsider Maine’s wind power goals before many more permits are issued and hillsides are cleared.

Interest in offshore wind is being pursued at a much more deliberate pace, with the goal of setting the stage for wind farms far from land. Maine should take the same approach toward land-based projects.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Nick Cowenhoven at nickc@journaltribune.com or City Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski  kristenm@journaltribune.com.