Massachusetts Green Bubble Alert
 
April 1, 2012 

 
Green Bubble ALERT: First Wind of Boston, MA.  
 
(UPC) First Wind President and CEO Paul Gaynor plays a significant and enviable  role in the crafting of MA renewable energy mandates as a Boston-based wind developer who is the Deval Patrick Administration appointed Advisor on renewable energy policies. 
 
It is alarming that Paul Gaynor was tapped to bring the "success" of UPC (First Wind) subsidiary Italian Vento Power Corporation IVPC to the United States, http://www.wpi.edu/News/Transformations/2005Summer/windpower.html,  when seven IVPC wind projects
have since been seized by Italian police. 

UPC First Wind subsidiary IVPC Director Oreste Vigorito was arrested for wind energy fraud.
 
In the words of Anti-Mob Prosecutor Roberto Scapinato, Fox News Report:  ‘Mafia Invests in Sicilian Windfarms’ May 5, 2009
(excerpt):  [Scarpinato]:
 
"This is the amazing thing -- that developers got public money to build wind farms that did not produce electricity," he said.

 Furthermore, locally-built wind farms are often bought up by multinational energy firms from other parts of Europe, none of which know the true identities of the original owners.

"A handful of people control the wind sector," said Scarpinato.  "Many companies exist, but it is the same people behind them." Eight
arrests have already been made."
 
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519000,00.html
 
Paul Gaynor CEO of First Wind leaves a wake of failed wind projects; has been the subject of investigations by Congress and DA's, faces law suits, subpoenas, and is named in a complaint filed by nearly 100 citizens under the Sherman Antitrust Act filed with the Department of Justice alleging UPC (First Wind) involvement with an international Cartel engaged in Market Allocation, Price Fixing and Big Rigging in Windfarm Developments in New York and Vermont, as well as other states across the nation. DOJ complaint under the Sherman Antitrust Act against UPC First Wind:

http://www.savewesternoh.org/pdf/Windfarms-antitrust%20complaint-FINAL.pdf 

Even while DA’s from eight counties in New York were bombarded with complaints about UPC First Wind...
http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x155088906/Noble-wind-energy-firm-under-investigation
 
...Boston-based First Wind CEO and President Paul Gaynor is Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s appointed Co-chair of “The Climate Protection Advisory Committee” under the Global Warming Solutions Act.  First Wind Paul Gaynor is also co-chair of the Mass Department of Environmental Protection Advisory Committee “Low Carbon Energy Supply Subcommittee.”
 
http://www.mass.gov/dep/public/committee/cpsubcom.htm#5\
 
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/energy/2020-clean-energy-plan.pdf
 
http://www.mass.gov/governor/pressoffice/speeches/termonespeech/070208-energy-bill-signing.html
 
May 12, 2009: (It’s about the stimulus)
Alison King of NECN Radio interviewed Governor Deval Patrick,
Steven Lockard CEO TPI Composites, U.S. Energy Secretary
Steven Chu, Ian Bowles Environment and Energy Secretary, and Paul
Gaynor “CEO of First Wind, the largest wind energy producer in New England”
about a $25 million dollar federal stimulus grant to construct the world’s largest
Wind Turbine Blade Testing facility in Charlestown, MA. 
 
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Business/2009/05/12/Wind-turbines-to-be-tested-in/1242160830.html

IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES, FIRST WIND IS THE SUBJECT:
 
Hawaii Free Press

Subject:  US House Report Funding for Kahuku Windfarm is "Junk" Industrial Solar Failing

March 25, 2012

http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6396/US-House-Report-Funding-for-Kahuku-Windfarm-is-Junk-Industrial-Solar-Failing.aspx?utm_source=March+25%2C+2012+news+from+Hawaii+Free+Press&utm_campaign=March+25+2012+Email&utm_medium=email

Hawaii Free Press

December 6, 2011

‘Confidential Memo: Wind Turbine Model Installed at Kahuku has Structural Problems’
 
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5604/Confidential-Memo-Wind-Turbine-Model-Installed-at-Kahuku-has-Structural-Problems.aspx

Hawaii Free Press

November 13, 2011

‘Mafia-Connected FirstWind Got $117M in Federal Loans for Kahuku Windfarm’

http://hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5440/MafiaConnected-FirstWind-Got-117M-in-Federal-Loans-for-Kahuku-Windfarm.aspx

Hawaii Free Press
  
‘Hawaii Wind Developer tied to Largest-ever asset seizure by anti-Mafia police’
 
March 28, 2011
 
by Andrew Walden
 
Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind stood comfortably with Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, Rep Mazie Hirono, and
  HECO CEO Dick Rosenblum at the grand opening of the Kahuku Wind energy project on Oahu’s North Shore Thursday.

As he should. 

The Financial Times September 14, 2010 explains:

First Wind–formerly known as UPC Wind--got its start in wind energy by launching Italy’s IVPC--a company now subject to a record breaking asset seizure by Italian police.
 
Italian anti-mafia police have made their largest seizure of assets as part of an investigation into windfarm contracts in Sicily.
  Officers confiscated property and accounts valued at €1.5bn belonging to a businessman suspected of having links with the mafia.
 
[cut] continue reading:
 
http://hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4008/Hawaii-Wind-Developer-tied-to-Largestever-asset-seizure-by-antiMafia-police.aspx

Hawaii Free Press
  
‘Hawaii Windfarms killing endangered Birds: After five years Mitigation Lags’
 
  http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4141/Hawaii-Windfarms-killing-endangered-Birds-After-five-years-Mitigation-Lags.aspx   

 Friday, February 03, 2012
‘Transcript: Maine PUC Rips Hawaii's Largest Windfarm
      Developer’
      By Selected News Articles  National News, National
      Politics Maine PUC releases confidential transcript in wind energy case
 
by Naomi Schalit and John
          Christie, January 31, 2012 © Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting
 
A proposal for a joint venture that would undertake major construction of wind towers across
          the state and region has encountered more regulatory complications, a
          week after reports were published that state officials recommended
          the proposal be turned down.       
 
 http://hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6038/Transcript-Maine-PUC-Rips-Hawaiis-Largest-Windfarm-Developer.aspx

3/30/12, Excerpt below, read full article in Bangor Daily News, here:

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/03/30/energy/blowing-in-the-wind-maines-energy-past-and-future/
 
Noise problems persist

Although the project has enjoyed strong support from Mars Hill officials
and many town residents, some neighbors of the 28-turbine project were
expressing concerns about the turbines as soon as they began spinning.
Upset residents accused First Wind of downplaying the potential noise
created as the nearly 200-foot-long blades sliced through the air, especially at
night and when atmospheric conditions were right for carrying the sound.
Affected neighbors have complained about sleep deprivation, headaches and
decreased financial and aesthetic values of their homes.
The noise problems at Mars Hill have come up at almost every regulatory
proceeding on wind power since. And five years after Mars Hill became
operational, First Wind only recently reached settlement agreements with more
than a dozen homeowners who had pursued court action against the company.
Those settlements reportedly included payments from First Wind to the
complainants in exchange for their agreement to drop all claims against the
company. Peter Kelley, a Caribou attorney who represented the complainants,
declined to discuss the settlements because the parties are bound by a
confidentiality agreement.

First Wind "Stimulus"
American University Investigative
  Reporting Workshop:
   
First Wind, received a total of $61.8 million in stimulus grants on Sept. 1, 2009,
  when the administration began rolling out money for the program. But FAA
  records indicate both were completed at least 15 months earlier -- by May 20,
  2008. 
 
http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/wind-energy-funds-going-overseas/story/wind-farms-built-before-stimulus/
 
 Lawsuit targets "Illegal" $117M Federal Loan
 Guarantee for Kahuku Windfarm
 
http://hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5597/Lawsuit-targets-Illegal-117M-Federal-Loan-Guarantee-for-Kahuku-Windfarm.aspx

STAFF REPORT
 
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 
112TH CONGRESS
 
March 20, 2012
 
The Department of Energy’s 'Disastrous Management of Loan Guarantee Program'. The Congressional Report offers blistering criticism of crony capitalism behind Massachusetts' companies, like Beacon Power
  and First Wind, "Kahuku", loan guarantees that  can be reviewed in the Report:
 
http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/FINAL-DOE-Loan-Guarantees-Report.pdf 
 
According to US House of Representatives Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan
  ‘Empty Promise of Green Jobs’ study, “The Costly Consequences of Crony Capitalism”
  11/21/11: 
 
First Wind Holdings, received a $117 million loan guarantee in March of 2010. First Wind withdrew its initial public offering
  in October of 2010, due to a lack of investor demand. [11] According to the Boston Globe, investors shied away
  from the company because “First Wind owes more than $500 million, loses money on a steady basis, and reports a
  negative cash flow.”[12] 
  
http://budget.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=261226
 
Inspector General critical of ARRA stimulus accountability:

http://www.recovery.gov/Accountability/inspectors/Documents/OAS-RA-11-06.pdf
 
excerpt from. http://usbacklash.org/obamas-new-1-2-billion-sunpower-loan-scandal-twice-as-big-as-solyndra/
 
Additional First Wind reading: 

First Wind, UPC, IVPC, chronological history reveals much about the handful of people who control the wind sector. The content summary is that wind energy is the perfect con man's game as demonstrated by the "Lord of the Wind" Vito Nicastri and Oreste Vigorito of IVPC. Wind fraud has evolved to the September 2010 largest seizure of Mafia assets in history, $1.9 billion, from 'Lord of the Wind' Vito Nicastri reported connected to Matteo Messina Denaro, Mafia "boss of bosses".

http://bjdurk.newsvine.com/_news/2010/12/30/5737860-meet-your-wind-developers-upc-first-wind-deepwater-wind-cape-wind-associates-llc-emi-ivpc