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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 want or need this CMP corridor going through my state !! If the State of Maine's governor allows this, then she is going against the people of Maine !!
  • April 17, 2019
    I am a proud resident of Maine and I don't believe the Public Utilities Commission has the will of the people of Maine in mind at all. Save our wilderness from development for tourists, wildlife and the residents. Why should we sacrifice our resources for Massachusetts and CMP (a foreign owned company) to benefit? The people must be given a vote on this project. #NoCorridor
  • April 17, 2019
    If the proposed line is so important it should be installed along public ways using direct burial cable. No landing is necessary and accessibility would be along public roads and not through pristine territory! Estelle wellman
  • April 17, 2019
    This is going to make a big impact on the state. The people should be the ones to vote and decide. This decision is going to effect the beauty of our state for future generations. CMP has stated it might have to expand in the future. NH and Vermont has voted against the take over of their forest why can’t we have the right to decide not a few politicians and regulators that probably will get rich from it. The forest will be destroyed like those ugly windmill farms that ruin the beauty of our mountains and are inefficient.
  • April 17, 2019

    Back around 2014 the Massachusetts Governor did not support a natural gas pipe line through his state which would be a huge help to Mainers in reducing cost of natural gas by increasing supply. I say now is time to return the favor and reject this supposed corridor through our great State of Maine. If we are to allow the corridor it should only be so that we can get the needed natural gas pipe line run into our state of Maine. This corridor can be a very powerful bargaining chip if we would only use it.