Maine House backs environmental exemption to allow wind terminal on Sears Island [Video]

The Maine House of Representatives on Wednesday backed legislation exempting sand dunes on Sears Island from environmental rules to authorize the state to grant a permit to build an offshore wind terminal.

By voting 77-65, the House reversed itself eight days after voting 80-65 to reject the legislation. Thirteen lawmakers, hearing from environmental and labor groups, changed their positions and yielded to Gov. Janet Mills on a key energy policy priority: putting Maine on the path to become an East Coast player in generating wind power from the Atlantic Ocean.

The measure now returns to the Senate, which approved the bill on Monday, for final enactment before heading to Mills for her consideration.

Rep. Richard Campbell, R-Orrington, who backed the legislation, said he recently visited the area that he said the state has already prepared to serve as a port. “The site has all been engineered,” he said, with drainage, culverts and “field that has grown up on gravel.”

He reminded lawmakers that the bill would establish …