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Poll results

Central Maine Power’s controversial $950 million New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project in western Maine received a critical “certificate of public convenience and necessity” last Thursday from the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Additional hurdles remain as it makes its way through regulatory reviews by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Land Use Planning Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But a new wrinkle in the approval process has been introduced in the Legislature, where at least two bills have been introduced adding new requirements on CMP before its proposed 145-mile transmission line could be built. One bill would require CMP to receive approval in public votes from every town in the corridor before its transmission line is built. Another would mandate a study of the project’s greenhouse gas emissions before it can proceed. But Anthony Buxton, an attorney at Preti Flaherty representing the Industrial Energy Consumers Group, which supports CMP’s project, says partisan politics shouldn’t be allowed to override “the considered judgment” of regulatory officials. “If we have a process which allows a party to file for one solution and then have it reversed by the political process, what we have is no regulatory process at all,” he told the Bangor Daily News.

Do you agree that lawmakers should not interfere with regulatory processes already under way for CMP’s project?
Yes (42%, 1053 VOTES)
No (58%, 1432 VOTES)
Poll Description

Central Maine Power’s controversial $950 million New England Clean Energy Connect transmission project in western Maine received a critical “certificate of public convenience and necessity” last Thursday from the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Additional hurdles remain as it makes its way through regulatory reviews by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Land Use Planning Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But a new wrinkle in the approval process has been introduced in the Legislature, where at least two bills have been introduced adding new requirements on CMP before its proposed 145-mile transmission line could be built. One bill would require CMP to receive approval in public votes from every town in the corridor before its transmission line is built. Another would mandate a study of the project’s greenhouse gas emissions before it can proceed. But Anthony Buxton, an attorney at Preti Flaherty representing the Industrial Energy Consumers Group, which supports CMP’s project, says partisan politics shouldn’t be allowed to override “the considered judgment” of regulatory officials. “If we have a process which allows a party to file for one solution and then have it reversed by the political process, what we have is no regulatory process at all,” he told the Bangor Daily News.

  • 2485 Votes
  • 49 Comments
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49 Comments

  • April 17, 2019
    No I don't agree with them coming through Maine. Let them go through Vermont from Canada; they need not come through Maine. it does not benefit Maine for any power, and it will hurt the land and the wildlife. The ones that are involved are the ones that stand too make money. CMP makes enough money by charging us high light bills I'm tired of paying them almost 300.00 a month for our power were not rich but they sure are. all winter they have guessed at what we use for power by not sending out their meter readers. today they finally showed up and read it I have contacted PUC and they only stick up for CMP. they did tell me that CMP did guess at what I used for power twice. So no my husband and I do not want them coming through our state.
  • April 17, 2019
    Your question is written in a directive fashion. It should have been, "Should lawmakers interfere with the ongoing regulatory process for CMP's project?"
  • April 17, 2019
    Agh! Why is this poll question phrased in such a convoluted way? I certainly don't want the corridor, but it's hard to tell what on earth this tortured question even means, so I can't imagine the results being very illuminating.
  • April 17, 2019
    The people of this beautiful state do NOT want this and our governor is not listening! This should be a decision made by the people who live here who will be affected by this.
  • April 17, 2019
    It is too big a project with a huge impact on Maine to be approved by a small number of Gov. Paul LePage appointees. This project was shot down in N.H. for smart, local reasons, most of which apply to Maine as well. Conservation and local generation can solve Massachusetts' energy issues. Take it to the people and them decide what is best for Maine..