The vote was applauded by a few of the 60 or 70 people who crowded into the meeting room, but the overwhelming majority had urged selectmen to put the vote off until January.

Ordinance Review Committee member Larry Lomison questioned raising the height ordinance to allow the plant after only two months of discussion when other, simpler projects, were given more time and studied in more detail.

National RE/sources of Greenwich, Conn. is proposing the $1.5 billion plant, which would generate electricity using coal, primarily, with some biomass (leftover wood harvesting products). It would be built on about 400 acres of land once owned by Maine Yankee, across the road from the site where nuclear waste is now stored.

"If we're going to do this, let's protect ourselves by drafting some ordinances. We should protect our rights, our future, and our kids," Lomison said.

"There's not a whole lot up here to keep our kids in the state," Chairman Duane Goud said.

"I'm more worried about their health, Duane," someone in the audience shouted out. John Reinhardt, as co-president of Stewards of the Sheepscot, presented a list of names of people who signed a petition opposing the project. He urged the selectmen "to visit other regions where similar plants are located" before putting the ordinance change vote before the people.

Karl Tarbox agreed with Lomison's call for protective ordinances for the town, saying there should be restrictions on noise, odor, and storage of hazardous materials. Tarbox said that Point East, also owned by National RE/sources, agreed to a noise ordinance at the former Mason Station, which they bought to develop into a Maritime Village, so they should be asked to agree to one for the plant. Tarbox said he talked to an engineer who told him living next to turbine engines, which will heat the coal for gasification, "is like living next to an airport."

"Let's not trust our lame duck governor and our lame duck president," Tarbox said, referring to those who say the town will be protected by state and federal agencies.

"If George Bush can't find weapons of mass destruction and Osama Bin Laden, how can he find mercury in Wiscasset?" he asked, referring to the mercury that is released in the gasification process. In 2003, the governor's brother, Bob Baldacci, proposed a ship breaking operation for Wiscasset, Tarbox said, but the former town manager, Larry Cilley said the town had no hazardous substance ordinances.

Referring to the days when the Maine Yankee atomic power plant paid over 90 percent of the town's taxes, Goud said, "I'm just trying to get the town back the way it was."

"Wrong way, wrong way," people shouted.

David Cherry, who said he spent his childhood in Kentucky, said he "vehemently opposed" the plant. "There's nothing good about coal."

"I implore you to do a thorough job of researching this - and put it off until January," Cherry said.

A Young's Point resident said he was initially enthusiastic about the proposal, but "became skeptical after a few meetings, and after we began to educate ourselves."

Referring to National RE/sources, he said, "They want Wiscasset to give them permission first, then we'll get the answers. Town officials should visit other plants, then consider writing additional ordinances to protect the town."

Lobsterman Jason Faulkingham said National RE/sources may be promising jobs, but as soon as the coal barges start going up and down the river, 30 jobs will be destroyed. As for the claim that children leave Maine because there are no job opportunities, Faulkingham said if the plant is built, they won't want to come back because "Wiscasset will be a mill town."

"Don't sell out," he urged. "Our taxes may be high, but we can still breath."

George Green thanked the selectmen for being willing to take on the job.

"Your first priority should be the health and welfare and safety of the town," he said. "Why don't you as a group want to have a good zoning ordinance that protects us before moving forward on this? Whether it's this, or any project, why don't we have noise and other ordinances to protect us?"

"A lot of people say we glow in this town," Goud said, referring to the days when the nuclear power plant was open.

"We can let this project go forward and look at the ordinances a the same time," Goud said.

"No, no, no, no," the people said.

"I'm not opposed to this project," Green said. "But I think we're flying by the seat of our pants unless we have some good, tight ordinances."